micnic

Hi

We are spending just two or three days in Sydney at the end of our Reccie of Queensland in April.

We have two young children in tow and would appreciate advice on the following:

a. The best area to find a hotel / apartment in order to be central to sights or close to frequent easy public transport

b. Sights to see/activities to do in this short time (in addition to the bridge and opera house!)

Thanks
Nicky

kiwi_child

Check out this link. It's full of links about sydney. Too much to see and do to just write in this post, but do check out the rocks, ferry to manly, darling harbour. There's plenty of apartments etc in and around sydney cbd.

http://search.live.com/results.aspx?...sydney%22&rf=1

louie

Where to stay will of course depend quite a lot on budget but if the numbers work I'd stay at http://www.harboursideapartments.com.au/ which must have one of the best views in the world. The ferry terminal (baby ferries) is at the bottom of the building and that's far and away the easiest route into Sydney city so you and the kids would have to be happy to get on a quite small boat though. There are plenty of eating places nearby.

louie

Oh and if you can arrange babysitters, I'd thoroughly recommend the harbour bridge climb. I'm petrified of heights but other than one wobbly moment crossing underneath the bridge above the traffic, it was fine, one of the best experiences ever. See http://www.bridgeclimb.com/ - you probably need to book well in advance. We chose a time so that it was daylight going up and got dark whilst we were up there so saw the views in the day and the lights at night.

Nikki

Hi Nicky

We have been to Sydney twice in as many months, we are a family with 3 children (12, 8 and 6). On our first visit we stayed in the Pacific International Apartments on George Street - we had a 2 bed apartment and paid $200 for 1night, it had a kitchen, washing machine and a balcony (no view!). We booked this on a lastminute rate. We needed an apartment for 5, you may get one for less as 4 ppl seem to be a standard rate pretty much all over Sydney.

On our second visit we stayed at the Harbourside Apartments (already mentioned on this thread) -WOW, we were blown away by the location! Although on North Sydney side, McMahaons point, you have an amazing view of the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Luna Park. What was great was that you could catch a ferry from the jetty which is just at the door to the apartments over to all sightseeing areas. They have a pool which also looks over the Harbour, the apartments were modern and clean. Price.....we paid $347 for one night, again this was a lastminute rate, although the parking is free, so once we arrived we parked up and did not have to worry about the car. Our stay was at the same time as the cricket so we know we paid a premium, also again we needed an apartment for 5 ppl, they do have a one bedroom which would suit 4 ppl and be cheaper.

In terms of sightseeing, we visited the new wildlife centre (next to the Aquarium), we all enjoyed this and we stroked a lizard and a snake for our sins!!!! You can get a ticket which discounts you into the aquarium and the Sydney Tower. We have also done both of these on previous holidays, the aquarium is also excellent, as is the Tower, however, our son who was 4 at the time was frightened on the simulated ride and we also had a little one in a buggy which restricted us a little.

Taronga Zoo is also a must with kids, you may find if you do the Zoo you may not do the wildlife centre, but our visits were spread over a couple of years!!!

Hope this helps.

Nikki

iPom

Hi


Take a trip up to the Blue Mountains on the train. It's an hour out of Sydney and it's an absolute must do... (See the pictures in my sig for pics of the local area). I can recommend how to do it on a budget or how to spend lots of money. Just ask.
If you come up on a free day I can pick you up and take you to the nicest bits, or just write you an itinerary if you've hired a car. Just let me know.


PS - ignore the spider photo.

Nikki

Hi iPom

Wouldn't mind picking your brain on the Blue Mountains too (if that's ok)!!!

I live in the Hunter Valley and have good friends arriving from the UK in April, I have always wanted to visit the Blue Mountains and think it could be a good idea to tie it together with their visit.

I don't think there is anything better than visiting places recommended by someone who lives locally and therefore, would appreciate any advice you can give.

My friends want to base themselves in Sydney for the whole 2 weeks, perhaps visiting us for a couple of days, they want us to meet them in Sydney also, however, we have just had friends visit us over New Year who had a week in Sydney and 2 days with us, they were sorry that they did not spend longer with us, as there is so much to do here and many beautiful places to visit, they felt a week in Sydney was too long and found it v. expensive. I don't wish to dictate to my other friends, but so many tourists seem to think Sydney is the place to be and spend most of their holiday there, missing out on alot of Australia which doesn't appear in the most of the high profile holiday brochures!

Sorry got side tracked there, but will catch up with you again with your advice on the places to go.

Thanks

Nikki

iPom

Hi Nikki
Sure thing. Let me know closer to the time and we can work out an itinerary for them. Perhaps we could do it by email and then we can include a local map to make things really easy.

Nikki

Thanks for that, will let you know details nearer the time. E-mail will be fine, will PM you closer to the time.

Nikki

steve_m

Hi Nikki. I'm sure iPom will give you loads of good advice but for my 2 pennies worth I took my daughter horse riding in the mountains, neither of us are experienced riders but what a beautiful way to see the country; I'd highly recommend it. We were in the Megalong Valley and went with Megalong Australian Heritage Centre, they were extremely helpful and matched experience to horses (3 of the 6 had never ridden before). Like I said, an excellent way to see the country and worth every minute of the sore backside!

wargod

We stayed at Star City apartments in March 2006 - 5 minute walk to the mono rail, 5 minute walk to Darling harbour too.

We had two young'uns with at the time too - 3.5 and 1.5 year olds.

Definately stay there again too !

iPom

Hi Steve
You're absolutely right, the Megalong is a great way to see the countryside and the Heritage Centre is fabulous.
Megalong is fundamentally different to the upper mountains though, but still heartily recommend it. We do that every so often with our children.

Big Galah

Be aware that the Harbourside Apartments in North Sydney mentioned here twice already (close to the McMahons Point Ferry stop that goes between Circular Quay and Darling Harbour), are pretty awkward to get to/ go from if you don't use the ferry. The ferries are about 2 an hour peak, one an hour off-peak.

It's a steep uphill walk to Blues Point Road and the restaurants there (but recommended), and about a 15-20 minute walk from North Sydney train station. There is a bus service, but I don't know the frequency - I wouldn't be very keen on the bus with 2 small kids anyway.

Sails restaurant is nice and expensive for couples, but I wouldn't bring the kids there.

It's odd - despite the great view and being smack in the middle of it, you're sort of isolated from all the action - it would take you about half an hour to walk around to Luna Park, yet it looks close and is only one stop on the ferry. Just something I found.

If you're still keen the best rates are probably on wotif.com, or call them direct with an idea of the cost on wotif.

Big.

obiwan

we had kids and we stayed at the PAcific International Suites -Sydney,

rooms were nice and we were only 5 minute walk to Darling Harbor....

Nikki

I know what you are saying Big, but the kids enjoyed getting from a to b on the ferry. The fact that the jetty is so close to the apartments was a big plus for us, you do have to make sure you carry a ferry timetable around with you though so you can organise yourself!!

I have always wanted to stay somewhere in Sydney with the dream view, on this occasion it fitted the bill at a decent price for 5 of us - to get that in the centre of Sydney for 5 of us would have cost us tons more, I didn't feel isolated as the view made sure I knew I was in Sydney! But each to their own. Can also vouch for Star City as we stayed there a few years ago.