One more question, only a day or two in Au??

[Cruise Arizona]

:(

 

I am still working on all my different scenarios for my trip to Australia.

 

I'll give you a bit of back ground, we are taking the Solstice from Sydney to Honolulu. My husband is till working, and though he has a lot of vacation time, he still thinks that stringing together more than three weeks in a row away from work is going to be difficult. We were going to try to leave on Wednesday, and have 3 days in Australia, but that just may not be possible.

 

That leaves us with having to leave Arizona at the earliest on a Thursday afternoon, and perhaps having to leave on Friday afternoon.

 

The first Scenario would put us into Sydney Saturday morning. I think I have that scenario somewhat worked out since I have found an all day wine tour that even stops at a Zoo or Wildlife park to see kangaroos and koalas, then goes onto hunter valley for lunch and wineries.

 

My other scenario, is not as easy to figure out what to do. It would have us arriving in Sydney Sunday morning, too late to take a coach tour out of town.

 

I think a private tour hire might be too expensive, but if we only have one day we just might decide to splurge on that.

 

So I am looking for a chance to get to see Authentic Australian culture and wildlife in basically one day. I don't think we need to take a harbor tour, because we will get to see the bridge and the opera house (Two Big Highlights) on Monday when our ship departs.

 

Should we take a train up to Hunter Valley and hop a tour up there, or would that be too rushed?

 

We are big wine lovers and live in wine country in Az, so we want to have a feel for wine country in Australia. The other thought is to head up to the blue mountains as was highly recommended, but the time contraint with only one night in Au is a big worry there.

 

Can we get that same authentic connection with Australia if we never leave Sydney? Just thinking that it might be best to just sight see there if we only have the one night.

 

Alternatively, if we can swing a Thursday departure with Saturday arrival, then we would have wine and wildlife on Sunday, what should we could tour Sydney on Saturday. (That is really the scenario I am hoping for.)

 

Just a few more things I mentioned in my other threads. I think we pretty much decided against renting a car (whole left side of the road thing and CBD traffic). But still might consider it. I found some economy hotels that are under $150, and feel that most of them are acceptable (My husband wants to stay at the Hilton, but at $400 a night we probably won't be doing that one). We both like to walk, up to 5 miles a day is within our range, but hiking up hill or bike riding is not our thing.

[cjm66]

I hope your Saturday arrrival scenario works out for you - wine and wild life sounds a good idea for Sunday as a full day.

 

For scenario No 2 - Sunday arrival and not enough time for a full day organised tour.

 

For wildlife there are 3 options - Wildlife World at Darling Harbour. Currently closed for renovations and not a natural setting but if time is really short and you want to cuddle a koala that is your only option. It should be back in operation in time for your trip. IMO it's a bit static. There is always Taronga Zoo - but the collection of native fauna is only part of the collection. If you are prepared to put in the time there is Featherdale Wild Life Park - accessible by public transport - about an hour for the train to Blacktown and then 10 mins bus, but allow 30 mins for a poor connection. A natural setting and you will be travelling through suburbia - just as real in a cultural sense as the outback - remember the majority of Aussies live an urban lifelstyle. There are half day organised tours but they depart at 9:30 am.

 

http://www.featherdale.com.au/PlanYourVisit.aspx

 

For wine - a mid morning departure even with a private limo is not enough to see the Hunter. You could try the Australia Wine Centre at Circular Quay for a tasting and a hard sell!

 

http://www.australianwinecentre.com/about.php

 

I am sure others will suggest ideas for more general sightseeing - we all have our favourites.

 

Colleen

[bazzaw]

Suzanne

 

I have said in another post elsewhere in this Forum - that I believe Sydney is really ALL about the Harbour and it's surrounds. Just sailing out on a cruiseship is NOT seeing the Harbour at all.:) For this you must get an all day pass that allows you to hop on and hop off the different ferry routes.

 

Firstly you should do the Many Ferry route - get off on the Harbour side of Manly and then walk across to the ocean beach.

 

Secondly, you should do the Watsons bay route - get off in Watsons Bay and then walk up to Sydney's famous "suicide jump" at The Gap. Here you will get the very best view of Sydney - where you can see right down the Harbour at the same time as looking out to sea.

 

Thirdly you have to do the Paramatta Route - which takes you right up the western side of the Harbour (Parramatta River) where you can see hundreds of the most desirable waterside properties that most of us can only dream about owning.

 

Forthly, you must do the Taronga Zoo route - Taronga Zoo is a MUST SEE of Sydney.

 

You need to talk to that husband of yours!!! You need more time in Sydney alone before even thinking of venturing further. :)

 

 

here is the Sydney Ferries website http://www.sydneyferries.info/

 

:):):)

 

Barry

[Waihekean]

I agree, you really need a couple of days for Sydney. Hopefully the three day scenario works out for you, so you can then still do the wine tour outside of Sydney. For Sydney itself I would keep it simple and just do the ho ho bus. It is so easy to get around in central Sydney, Circular Quay, Opera House, Sydney Tower etc. and the day just goes! Have a simple meal at night in China Town or do a more fancy seafood restaurant at Darling Harbour. Then just go the next morning to the ship to board.

 

Can recommend a hotel just next to China Town. It is called The Novotel Rockford Darling Harbour at 17 Little Pier Street. (paid $ 279 AUD for two nights) In the same street is the monorail with the loop around Darling Harbour, the Ho Ho bus & Paddy's Market.

We asked for a view out on the square, the room will be small for American standards, but it has a spacious bathroom and it is quiet at night. There is a more dearer Novotel at Darling Harbour itself.

[RonLankshear]

Other responders are making a lot of sense ...

Hunter Valley is great but its around 3 hours from Sydney that means most of day travelling on a Freeway (Interstate). Stay in Sydney and visit a wine bar... The Bridge and Opera House are good but the Harbour is more than them... Do a harbour cruise - go to Manly (wine bars there for sure and good seafood restaurants) - ferry to Watson Bay (Doyles on beach for seafood) - a great trip is the local bus back to Circular Quay - some good suburbs on the way all along the harhour...

Taronga Zoo has spectacular harbour views.... and local animals ....

 

Sydney Ferries - Itineraries

check the Manly to the Spit Walk

it will test your walking and the Spit has fantastic seafood restaurants

 

Apart from public ferries which are great these people also do cruises

 

Captain Cook Cruises - Sydney Harbour

 

Blues Mountains is lovely and unique much preferred to Hunter - but see Sydney first

[moyaroo]

Blue Mountains, Hunter Valley or Sydney itself . . . for a quick trip I would go with Barry. There are a lot of stunning places in Sydney and the trip out to either Hunter or Blue Mountains can be longer than expected. If choosing one of the latter I would go to the Hunter, but that is me. I loved the Hunter and was a bit underwhelmed by the Blue Mountains (a case of wanting to go for too long and then saying with Peggy Lee, "Is that all there is?")

 

Sydney is a wonderful town which I will always cherish from my first visit while on R&R from Vietnam. Total strangers would ask me, "Have you seen Bondi?" I would say no and they would say "Well come on then" and next thing I knew I was at Bondi Beach with a cram course in Aussie Rules Football along the way. Then back to where ever I was with a "See ya' mate and a wave good bye. So I learned 2 things, you can't really say no to an Aussie and it is usually worth it to take their advice.

[Thornbird]

Must say I loved the Blue Mountains. They were absolutely beautiful and I was stunned by the fact that they really were blue. Very strange phenomenon.

Despite the fact that you enjoy your wine, I'd probably say skip the Hunter. Wine tours take a lot of time and if you have to rush it isn't fun. You can still get a chance to try a few local wines when you're out to dinner - most restaurants will sell predominantly local wines (both Australian and NSW specifically) and you should definitely be able to get a few recommendations for your 2 permitted bottles to take on board. I'm not sure about Sydney, but degustation menus have become quite popular in Perth in the last few years. Often they will give you the option to try a different wine with every course - properly matched to what you are eating of course.

Just an idea.

[barnsey1802]

hi,

 

I also agree with Barry. Sydney has sooo much to offer. Another thing you could do is the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.

 

Deidre.

[jagoffee]

I hope your Saturday arrrival scenario works out for you - wine and wild life sounds a good idea for Sunday as a full day.

 

For scenario No 2 - Sunday arrival and not enough time for a full day organised tour.

 

For wildlife there are 3 options - Wildlife World at Darling Harbour. Currently closed for renovations and not a natural setting but if time is really short and you want to cuddle a koala that is your only option. It should be back in operation in time for your trip. IMO it's a bit static. There is always Taronga Zoo - but the collection of native fauna is only part of the collection. If you are prepared to put in the time there is Featherdale Wild Life Park - accessible by public transport - about an hour for the train to Blacktown and then 10 mins bus, but allow 30 mins for a poor connection. A natural setting and you will be travelling through suburbia - just as real in a cultural sense as the outback - remember the majority of Aussies live an urban lifelstyle. There are half day organised tours but they depart at 9:30 am.

 

http://www.featherdale.com.au/PlanYourVisit.aspx

 

 

Colleen

 

Colleen, if I may jump into this thread since I am not the OP. Your suggestions are helpful. Last time I visited the Taronga Zoo and it was very enjoyable included the ferry trip back.

 

For our next visit I am very interested in the Featherdale Wild Life Park. Do you think that it is best to just take public transportation? (The travel may be a good experience by itself) Or you think that it might be worth it to take a half day tour? Do you have any recommendations for a half day tour? We want to maximize our time at the Park and not miss anything.

 

Thanks.

[cjm66]

Colleen, if I may jump into this thread since I am not the OP. Your suggestions are helpful. Last time I visited the Taronga Zoo and it was very enjoyable included the ferry trip back.

 

For our next visit I am very interested in the Featherdale Wild Life Park. Do you think that it is best to just take public transportation? (The travel may be a good experience by itself) Or you think that it might be worth it to take a half day tour? Do you have any recommendations for a half day tour? We want to maximize our time at the Park and not miss anything.

 

Thanks.

 

I recommended public transport to Cruise Arizona because they were getting into Sydney too late for a morning start tour. The public transport experience is NOT a good experience in itself. Nor is self drive which is how we do it being local and not needing to hire a car. I reckon a half day tour is better but cannot recommend one. If you want comments about specific tours you will need to start a new thread about Coach Tours to Featherdale. I would not recommend a full day tour that included Featherdale - I am not a fan of long days on coach tours. Forgot to add do not plan to eat liunch there - fuel up if you need to at morning tea (llittle lunch) and wait until you get back to your base for lunch itself.

 

http://www.adventurestoday.org/au/activity/sydney-featherdale-wildlife-park-morning-tour-_-cuddle-a-koala/

 

http://www.viator.com/tours/Sydney/Sydney-Featherdale-Wildlife-Park-Cuddle-a-Koala-Tour/d357-3998_260

 

Colleen

[silverwillow]

You could also consider Sydney Wildlife World (its changing its name soon) but it will give you a glimpse of the wildlife here but at a central convenient location which you can get to on the monorail. That way you could fit more in. I would also consider a ferry ride to Manly beach, a huge part of modern Australian culture surrounds around living by the coast you would see a lovely Australian suburb and beach as well as the lovely harbour. The Opera house is nice to walk to and a walk around and on the other side of Circular Quay will take you to The Rocks, the oldest settlement in Sydney and depending on the day you could go to the markets there for a quick look.

 

If you did want to get out of the city this tour looks good:

http://www.partner.viator.com/en/1074/tours/Sydney/Blue-Mountains-Nature-and-Wildlife-Day-Tour-from-Sydney/d357-2230S15

[Cruise Arizona]

I have found a few B&B, Pup Style, and old fashioned hotels in the Rocks area that look like they would make for an affordable but interesting stay in Sydney. Lots of history, and the like there.

 

This visit will be in April, how's the beach weather then? Hoping to see some fall color too?

[t60]

I have found a few B&B, Pup Style, and old fashioned hotels in the Rocks area that look like they would make for an affordable but interesting stay in Sydney. Lots of history, and the like there.

 

This visit will be in April, how's the beach weather then? Hoping to see some fall color too?

 

We stayed at the Stafford Rendezvous at the Rocks area, very close to the cruise terminal. We had 2 days before our cruise last year and never left Sydney, did loads of walking, round to Darling Harbour,wildlife world, the Quays, Botanic gardens, Opera House, Sydney bridge, a couple of harbour cruises and shopping (got a pair of opal earings (well you just have to, don´t you) We had a lovely but tiring time, just as well we had a couple of sea days before hitting New Zealand

 

enjoy

Sandy in Spain

[bazzaw]

I have found a few B&B, Pup Style, and old fashioned hotels in the Rocks area that look like they would make for an affordable but interesting stay in Sydney. Lots of history, and the like there.

 

This visit will be in April, how's the beach weather then? Hoping to see some fall color too?

 

You are not likely to see much of that - most/all?? Aussies trees are evergreens - no losing of leaves in Autumn. The only exception to that is in some of the higher parts of the country where "foreign" deciduous trees have been planted along the roadsides. Most trees you will see here are Eucalypts and Acacias.

 

Barry

[moyaroo]

Other exceptions occur such as in Hobart where April brings great color to the imported trees as shubbery as below

 

Whereas the day before in Port Arthur you see more typical color for the region.

 

[jagoffee]

I recommended public transport to Cruise Arizona because they were getting into Sydney too late for a morning start tour. The public transport experience is NOT a good experience in itself. Nor is self drive which is how we do it being local and not needing to hire a car. I reckon a half day tour is better but cannot recommend one. If you want comments about specific tours you will need to start a new thread about Coach Tours to Featherdale. I would not recommend a full day tour that included Featherdale - I am not a fan of long days on coach tours. Forgot to add do not plan to eat liunch there - fuel up if you need to at morning tea (llittle lunch) and wait until you get back to your base for lunch itself.

 

http://www.adventurestoday.org/au/activity/sydney-featherdale-wildlife-park-morning-tour-_-cuddle-a-koala/

 

http://www.viator.com/tours/Sydney/Sydney-Featherdale-Wildlife-Park-Cuddle-a-Koala-Tour/d357-3998_260

 

Colleen

 

Colleen, thank you for the input and the links. It is much appreciated.

[aussie57]

You are not likely to see much of that - most/all?? Aussies trees are evergreens - no losing of leaves in Autumn. The only exception to that is in some of the higher parts of the country where "foreign" deciduous trees have been planted along the roadsides. Most trees you will see here are Eucalypts and Acacias.

Barry

 

Barry you need to get out more. :D There are LOTS of places which are ablaze with autumn colour, although most are not that close to Sydney & can be found at medium to high altitudes like throughout the Blue Mountains & here at Oberon (only 2-3hrs drive from Sydney) where we have beautiful autumn colours in all streets & gardens & we also have the Mayfield Garden which is one of the largest privately owned cool climate gardens in the world. http://www.mayfieldgarden.com.au

There is also the Hunter Valley Gardens, Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens, Mt Annan Botanic Gardens, the southern highlands (eg Bowral) all within easy driving distance of Sydney.