Sydney | Blue Mountains
We took a family trip to Sydney in 2025. We live in rural Louisiana, so the best flight path I found was Dallas to Fiji to Sydney. This allowed a long flight to be broken into 13 hours and 4.5 hours. We went in May/June, so it was nice and cool…and it was whale–watching season! While we didn’t go to visit P. Sherman at 42 Wallaby Way, we did find Dory’s family at the SeaLife Aquarium. Seeing the iconic Opera House was surreal, as was eating kangaroo and emu pizza!
Crossing the international date line meant losing an entire day on the way over, but that also means we started our journey home and returned “just four hours later,” according to our watches, in spite of 17+ hours of flying. This was honestly one of our best trips. Read on for an itinerary you can steal!
Our Itinerary
Day 1: Fly overnight to Sydney via Fiji
Day 2: Arrive in Sydney and adjust to the time (Asian food is excellent in Sydney; we found a great noodle bar that day)
Day 3: Royal Botanical Gardens, with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House; Markets at The Rocks; whale-watching cruise; shopping around the Darling Harbour
Day 4: Taronga Zoo (made famous by the Crocodile Hunter) with the Koala Experience; Victoria Street Building, an impressive, four-story mall
Day 5: Day trip to the Blue Mountains; visit Scenic World; in the afternoon, return to Sydney and walk along Bondi Beach
Day 6: SeaLife Aquarium; IMAX Sydney (3rd largest screen in the world); souvenir shopping on Market Street
Day 7: Breakfast at a café; fly home
Markets at The Rocks
These markets take place every Saturday and Sunday. There are food trucks, live entertainment, and artisan goods throughout the neighborhood known as The Rocks. We went during the winter festival of Vivid Sydney, which made this even more lively.
Whale-Watching
We used Sydney Princess Cruises to get beyond the harbor and see migrating humpback whales. This was a top experience and included an Aussie BBQ. Though not spicy like the barbecue sauces of the southern USA, Aussie barbecue is still tasty.
Sydney Opera House
The best views were on the harbor cruise and at Mrs. Macquarie’s Point in the Royal Botanical Gardens. We spent time walking through the gardens, which made for a scenic path along the harbor. It also took us past the Sydney Ruins and the Government Building.
Taronga Zoo
This was the best zoo ever. Nothing looked like a cage; ever habitat was well-maintained and stimulating for the animals. They do a lot of conservation work here, and coming down the paths offered harbor views. Do the koala experience; it’s worth it.
Queen Victoria Building
The elegant, antique Victoria Street Building is now a multi-story mall. The shops are high-end, and there are art galleries and fine dining options. I mainly went to look at the Clock of Australia. Although there were actually two clocks, one was commissioned by the queen long ago.
Darling Harbour
The ferry that leaves from here is part of the public transportation system, like the train or bus. You can take the ferry to the zoo! But there are also restaurants and shops along the wharfs, as well as cruises and speed boat excursions.
SeaLife Aquarium
SeaLife is one of the bigger aquariums I’ve visited (the biggest was in Valencia, Spain), but it stood out because it had a boat ride through a penguin colony. As long as you’re prepared for the cold, it’s awesome. They also had great shark displays and a playful dugong, cousin of the manatee, named Pig.
The Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are amazing in the mornings when the mist settles over the Jameson Valley and the eucalyptus gives everything a blue glow. Scenic World, a park within the mountains, boasts the world’s steepest passenger train, a hiking boardwalk, a steep cable car, and a skyway car that crosses over Katoomba Falls. While there, we saw a wild wallaby!
Bondi Beach
The famous Bondi Beach is apparently the subject of a well-known show about life guards. It has chill vibes and fun activities, even on a winter day when the temp drops below 70 degrees. Caution: PW misjudged an incoming wave and ended up with wet socks!
Coat of Arms Pizza
The Australian Heritage Hotel has a pizza called the Coat of Arms, which is half kangaroo meat and half emu. We paired this with a salted crocodile pizza and some potato wedges. The rooftop is the best place to eat the pizza while overlooking the ocean. The food was phenomenal!
Australian Meat Pies
In the village of Katoomba, in the Blue Mountain region, we visited Mountain High Pies! I had a meat pie stuffed with lamb and rosemary. BZ had beef, bacon, and cheese pie with mashed potatoes and the traditional mushy peas. The warm custard pies for dessert were awesome.
Asian Food
There is such a large population of Asian immigrants in Sydney that Asian food is one of the best things there! My favorite was found at a Thai place called (yes, I know how this sounds) Doodee King. I had seafood noodles and Thai milk tea, and it was one of the best meals I had. !
The Traveling Teacher 