3 Days in Sydney, Australia | DBK Travels

3 Days in Sydney, Australia | DBK Travels

Australia is one of those places I’ve just been fascinated by for so long. The unique wildlife, the history, the friendly and adventurous people. I’ve had visiting Australia on my bucket list for several years now, and it’s one of those places where once you finally make it—you just want to immediately start planning for a next visit.

We arrived in Sydney around 8:30 am after 20 hours of travel overnight. Rather than giving in to the desire to crash out, we fueled up on some caffeine and breakfast and just wandered. It felt like a dream. A beautiful dream.

Australia is one of those places I’ve just been fascinated by for so long. The unique wildlife, the history, the friendly and adventurous people. I’ve had visiting Australia on my bucket list for several years now, and it’s one of those places where once you finally make it—you just want to immediately start planning for a next visit.

We arrived in Sydney around 8:30 am after 20 hours of travel overnight. Rather than giving in to the desire to crash out, we fueled up on some caffeine and breakfast and just wandered. It felt like a dream. A beautiful dream.

That’s actually mostly what we did in Sydney—wandered the city, and ate (mostly breakfast food). The central area of Sydney is extremely walkable, and it is super easy to grab ferries and buses to the beaches around all the outskirts. Australians take the idea that breakfast (or “brekky”) is the most important meal of the day and run with it. Every café you see serves breakfast all day, and all of it is delicious. The absolute best breakfast of my life was at The Grounds of the City, just three blocks from our Airbnb in central Sydney, but more on that later.

Here’s a little breakdown of our three days in Sydney.

Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,

 

Day 1: Sydney Harbour, The Rocks, & Manly Beach

We landed in Sydney at 8:30 am, and after dropping our bags off at our Airbnb in the central business district, headed straight to the famous Sydney Harbour for the welcoming views. We had breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks, who boast the best pancakes around and feature all kinds of pancake dishes from sweet to savory. Feeling replenished, we proceeded to take the little ferry from the harbor to Manly Beach for our first taste of the famous Sydney beaches. As we sank our feet in the sand and marveled at the naturally saturated colors, the skies began to swirl with gray clouds, and we had a taste of some Seattle weather in the sunny city of Sydney. The views of the harbor from the ferry are as good as they say. You get the bridge, the opera house, and the city skyline all in one shot.

After over 48 hours without the experience of lying down in a bed, we crashed early that night.Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,

Day 2: Bondi & Darling Harbour

We started the day by testing out the highly-rated restaurant The Grounds for brunch, and it did not disappoint. Absolutely everything on the menu looked both interesting and amazing, and everything that was being served around us looked delicious. We ended up ordering a Brekkie Burger with bacon, pork sausage, a fried egg, avocado, tomato salsa, and spicy green sauce in a pretzel bun, and a warm quinoa porridge with berry compote and roasted pecans. To drink we had a latte and a freshly squeezed juice with watermelon, pineapple, orange, and passionfruit. I am truly sad that this place exists on the other side of the world from me, because it would very quickly become my go-to place for all food and drink if it were in my area.

After fueling up on delicious breakfast, we took a bus out to Bondi, where we wandered the boardwalk, admired the colorful murals painted along the walls, and dipped our toes in the ocean. We made our way along the coastal walk along the cliff edges from Bondi to Bronte beach, admiring the dark turquoise water and the intense waves crashing against the rocks. We then stopped for a late lunch at Holy Cow in Bondi. Kangaroo burgers were on the menu, but we stuck with the regular old beef burgers. I know Bondi is supposed to be the most touristy of the Sydney beaches, and is probably overrated in the eyes of the locals, but I absolutely enjoyed the town and its summer vibes. It helps that we were visiting in November, just before the height of their tourist season.

Finally, that night we took in the bright, flashy lights of the lively Darling Harbour.

Australia,Australian breakfast at The Grounds of the City in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,

 

Day 3: Paddy’s Haymarket, Sydney Opera House, & Royal Botanic Gardens

On our last day in Sydney we hit Paddy’s Haymarket and bought a truckload of souvenirs (way cheaper than at any of the tourist shops around town, and more selection, too.) Ryan bought a brimmed leather Outback hat that he wore throughout the rest of our time in Australia. Isn’t he handsome? :P

After making our purchases, we grabbed lunch in Thai town, where I basically cried from the spiciness of my curry. Being so close to so many Asian countries, their various cultures and authentic food were abundant. We then decided to walk along the opposite side of the Sydney Harbour to get up close to the opera house. We wandered through the Royal Botanic Gardens on our way back, and called it a day just in time to make it to our flight to Melbourne that evening.

One of the most interesting parts about traveling to Australia (and New Zealand, the following week) was that we were traveling clear across the Pacific Ocean and down into the southern hemisphere, to a land with unique wildlife and agriculture, and its own culture and history—yet it was all still familiar enough to feel like we could be at home. We could converse with locals easily, and we did so often, because Australians really are a friendly bunch. I could easily live in Sydney, and I cannot wait to go back. While we tackled a lot in three short days, there is so much more to do.
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,

Highlights: delicious breakfasts and beautiful beaches in cute beachy towns.

Next up: three days in Melbourne, Australia. Ohh, how I’m loving reliving this trip.

While you’re here, check out these other travel posts:

2015 Europe Trip: Scenes from Rome

San Diego & Phoenix

PNW Adventures: Oregon Coast Road Trip

PNW Adventures: Victoria, British Columbia

PNW Adventures: Vancouver, British Columbia

Australia is one of those places I’ve just been fascinated by for so long. The unique wildlife, the history, the friendly and adventurous people. I’ve had visiting Australia on my bucket list for several years now, and it’s one of those places where once you finally make it—you just want to immediately start planning for a next visit.

We arrived in Sydney around 8:30 am after 20 hours of travel overnight. Rather than giving in to the desire to crash out, we fueled up on some caffeine and breakfast and just wandered. It felt like a dream. A beautiful dream.

Australia is one of those places I’ve just been fascinated by for so long. The unique wildlife, the history, the friendly and adventurous people. I’ve had visiting Australia on my bucket list for several years now, and it’s one of those places where once you finally make it—you just want to immediately start planning for a next visit.

We arrived in Sydney around 8:30 am after 20 hours of travel overnight. Rather than giving in to the desire to crash out, we fueled up on some caffeine and breakfast and just wandered. It felt like a dream. A beautiful dream.

That’s actually mostly what we did in Sydney—wandered the city, and ate (mostly breakfast food). The central area of Sydney is extremely walkable, and it is super easy to grab ferries and buses to the beaches around all the outskirts. Australians take the idea that breakfast (or “brekky”) is the most important meal of the day and run with it. Every café you see serves breakfast all day, and all of it is delicious. The absolute best breakfast of my life was at The Grounds of the City, just three blocks from our Airbnb in central Sydney, but more on that later.

Here’s a little breakdown of our three days in Sydney.

Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,

 

Day 1: Sydney Harbour, The Rocks, & Manly Beach

We landed in Sydney at 8:30 am, and after dropping our bags off at our Airbnb in the central business district, headed straight to the famous Sydney Harbour for the welcoming views. We had breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks, who boast the best pancakes around and feature all kinds of pancake dishes from sweet to savory. Feeling replenished, we proceeded to take the little ferry from the harbor to Manly Beach for our first taste of the famous Sydney beaches. As we sank our feet in the sand and marveled at the naturally saturated colors, the skies began to swirl with gray clouds, and we had a taste of some Seattle weather in the sunny city of Sydney. The views of the harbor from the ferry are as good as they say. You get the bridge, the opera house, and the city skyline all in one shot.

After over 48 hours without the experience of lying down in a bed, we crashed early that night.Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney, Australia
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
Australia travel photography: Sydney Opera House,Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
Australia,travel photography at Manly Beach in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,
travel photography at Sydney Harbour in Sydney,

Day 2: Bondi & Darling Harbour

We started the day by testing out the highly-rated restaurant The Grounds for brunch, and it did not disappoint. Absolutely everything on the menu looked both interesting and amazing, and everything that was being served around us looked delicious. We ended up ordering a Brekkie Burger with bacon, pork sausage, a fried egg, avocado, tomato salsa, and spicy green sauce in a pretzel bun, and a warm quinoa porridge with berry compote and roasted pecans. To drink we had a latte and a freshly squeezed juice with watermelon, pineapple, orange, and passionfruit. I am truly sad that this place exists on the other side of the world from me, because it would very quickly become my go-to place for all food and drink if it were in my area.

After fueling up on delicious breakfast, we took a bus out to Bondi, where we wandered the boardwalk, admired the colorful murals painted along the walls, and dipped our toes in the ocean. We made our way along the coastal walk along the cliff edges from Bondi to Bronte beach, admiring the dark turquoise water and the intense waves crashing against the rocks. We then stopped for a late lunch at Holy Cow in Bondi. Kangaroo burgers were on the menu, but we stuck with the regular old beef burgers. I know Bondi is supposed to be the most touristy of the Sydney beaches, and is probably overrated in the eyes of the locals, but I absolutely enjoyed the town and its summer vibes. It helps that we were visiting in November, just before the height of their tourist season.

Finally, that night we took in the bright, flashy lights of the lively Darling Harbour.

Australia,Australian breakfast at The Grounds of the City in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography at Bondi Beach in Sydney,
Australia,destination photographer at Bondi Beach in Sydney,Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,

 

Day 3: Paddy’s Haymarket, Sydney Opera House, & Royal Botanic Gardens

On our last day in Sydney we hit Paddy’s Haymarket and bought a truckload of souvenirs (way cheaper than at any of the tourist shops around town, and more selection, too.) Ryan bought a brimmed leather Outback hat that he wore throughout the rest of our time in Australia. Isn’t he handsome? :P

After making our purchases, we grabbed lunch in Thai town, where I basically cried from the spiciness of my curry. Being so close to so many Asian countries, their various cultures and authentic food were abundant. We then decided to walk along the opposite side of the Sydney Harbour to get up close to the opera house. We wandered through the Royal Botanic Gardens on our way back, and called it a day just in time to make it to our flight to Melbourne that evening.

One of the most interesting parts about traveling to Australia (and New Zealand, the following week) was that we were traveling clear across the Pacific Ocean and down into the southern hemisphere, to a land with unique wildlife and agriculture, and its own culture and history—yet it was all still familiar enough to feel like we could be at home. We could converse with locals easily, and we did so often, because Australians really are a friendly bunch. I could easily live in Sydney, and I cannot wait to go back. While we tackled a lot in three short days, there is so much more to do.
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,
Australia: destination wedding photographer,travel photography in Sydney,

Highlights: delicious breakfasts and beautiful beaches in cute beachy towns.

Next up: three days in Melbourne, Australia. Ohh, how I’m loving reliving this trip.

While you’re here, check out these other travel posts:

2015 Europe Trip: Scenes from Rome

San Diego & Phoenix

PNW Adventures: Oregon Coast Road Trip

PNW Adventures: Victoria, British Columbia

PNW Adventures: Vancouver, British Columbia

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