If you’ve got four days to kill in Sydney, I’ve got some suggestions.

Day 1.
We arrived at around 8:00am on a very hot and humid Thursday morning and took the train from the airport to the hotel. Pro tip: if your arrival is several hours before the 2:00 or 3:00 check-in time, reserve your hotel room for the pr evious night, so that when you arrive, you can go straight to your room. We did not do this, but the wonderful staff at Hotel Medusa (Darlinghurst) had a room ready for us around noon. Other pro tip: Be sure to have WhatsApp installed, as it is a preferred way for some hotels (like Medusa) to communicate.

Breakfast was at a super cute spot around the corner called The Rusty Rabbit. What I noticed about the hashbrowns both here and in New Zealand were that they were very McDonald’s-esque – rectangular, thinnish, and super crunchy. In a word: perfect. The bacon (streaky bacon) is not like what we are used to in the US and is more akin to what you’ll find in places like England and Ireland. The scrambled eggs were also divine. This included halloumi cheese, spinach, and mushrooms.

We basically walked around for a bit while the room was getting prepared. Darlinghurst is adorable, and we would have liked to have had more time to explore. We did stop at a bar for a cold beer at Cheeky’s, an adorable indoor/outdoor restaurant/bar with a fun “cheeky” interior in the gayborhood.

We checked into our hotel, got settled and freshened up. Pre-dinner beverages were at the Opera Bar located on the grounds of the Sydney Opera House. We sat, jetlagged and in awe that were actually in Sydney as we sipped our Aperol Spritzes. The Bar is right along the water and has plenty of seating and some shade. The entire area is open to the public, so you can grab some food, drinks, or just hang out by the water and Opera House. Dinner that night was a stone’s throw away at Aria, which is a popular pre-show spot. It’s also right along the water, giving it great views. We enjoyed a three-course dinner, which ended in an enormous cheese plate for one! My stomach was thinking it was midnight, so I wasn’t super hungry, unfortunately, still, the meal was a great way to kick off our trip.

Then it was time to take in an opera in the Joan Sutherland Theater. This was the epic tale of Dido & Aeneas but with acrobatics. Alas, even with the acrobatics and stunning vocals, I had a hard time staying completely conscious for the entirety of the opera. I was pretty proud of myself, though, for sticking it out as best I could. Our seats were at the very back of one of the upper bowls, but they were great and a little more affordable than ones lower down.

Day 2. Hunter Valley
We booked a wildlife/Hunter Valley tour for our first full day. And boy, did that wildlife excursion pay off! We got to pet a koala (holding one is illegal in most parts of Australia) and hand-feed and pet the kangaroos that freely roamed the grounds. That was and will forever be a highlight of my life! Though I didn’t care for the wines I tasted (most likely a result of where we went and not the region as a whole), I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Dinner was a quick meal at East Thai Darlinghurst around the corner with BYOB wine. Pro tip: ALWAYS get the money bags at any Asian restaurant if you like crunchy things. I had no idea what they were before this, and they are satisfyingly crunchy!

Day 3.
Saturday saw us grabbing a ferry and heading to Manly Beach. We met up with a friend from Brisbane who had flown down for the weekend and her friend who has lived in Sydney for many years. With the weather being in the mid-90s (35C), we were in need of a beach day. Though the water was cold, it felt great to get in the refreshing waves. After the beach, we stopped at one of the cutest boutiques I’d ever seen: Spell. Its brand is bohemian, but also quiet luxury, I’d say. I never spend that much on a whim, but I splurged and bought what has become one of my all-time favorite dresses.

And I wore that dress to dinner that night at Oncore, Londoner and three-star Michelin chef Clare Smyth’s Sydney restaurant. It’s located in the Crown Plaza hotel and accessed by a secondary door to the right of the lobby main doors and not super obvious. We were fortunate enough, however, to be escorted to the reception by a kindly security guard. Up on the 26th level of the hotel, with wraparound views, sits Oncore. Okay, when I tell you this was out of this world, I mean it. I’ve had meals in a few countries that are either Michelin recommended or Michelin rated, and this was definitely way at the top with The Ledbury in London, which has gained three stars since I was there in 2019. (Note: Michelin does not go to Australia or New Zealand.) The views of the harbor are unprecedented here. Expect to sit back and relax for a many-hours evening. I think we were there for 4.5 hours or so. Weekly fireworks at 9:00pm on Saturdays were an extra special surprise. Service is explempary, the dishes were works of art, and the ambience is amazing.

Day 4.
My late father absolutely loved sailing. And he loved watching the America’s Cup. So when we decided to go to Sydney, I wanted to add a sailing excursion. We booked a three-hour trip and sailed all around the harbor, getting to see the Opera House from a different view and the entire harbor. You could bring snacks and wine on board, and guests crewed as much or as little as they wanted to. I was ready to take the wheel and handle the sheets the entire time. We got some good breeze that day, which felt great when it was, again, super hot and humid.

That night was the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb experience. It was a sunset climb across the iconic bridge. Going into night and seeing the city lit up below us was truly magical. Don’t worry about being afraid of heights or not in the greatest of shape. It’s super safe and not too strenuous. They don’t allow you to take anything with you (cameras and phones included!).

We closed the night with an amazing meal at a Chinese restaurant that didn’t scoff at our stinkiness or clothes! And yes, we got money bags!

Day 5.
Though not really a day, to do anything, we woke up ready to head off to our next adventure: New Zealand!

Vendors/Restaurants
Lodging: Hotel Medusa
Restaurants/Bars: The Rusty Rabbit, Cheeky’s, Opera Bar, Aria, Oncore by Clare Smyth, Eat Thai Darlinghurst, Mr. Wong.
Activities: Hunter Valley, Sailing, Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb