New South Wales, Australia Part 1

There is so much to do in Australia that I had to narrow it to one specific State. It would be a very long post if try to cover all 6 States. Lets be honest, no one wants to hear me rambling about Australia even if you love Australia as much as I do and frankly I haven't been to all 6 States (but it's on my bucket list!). 

When you're planning your trip Down Under, probably one of the first places you want to visit is Sydney. It's a beautiful city with amazing food, iconic beaches, and incredible cafes and pubs. However, I would suggest spending only couple days in Sydney and then go explore other parts of New South Wales. Trust me! There is so much more out there!

I would say spending 3-4 days in Sydney is a sufficient amount of time. I wouldn't want to spend anymore time because it does get expensive. 

One of the first things I did while I was in Sydney was explore Circular Quay. This is where you'll find shops, cafes, restaurants, and the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. Grab a coffee at one of the outdoor cafe and soak in the Sydney sunshine. If you're feeling adventurous you can climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge. You're going to get the best view of the whole city and the tour guide was very knowledgable about the history of the city and how the bridge was built. The cli mb is a bit expensive but it's well worth it!

A Day Trip To Blue Mountains

One of New South Wales popular tourist attractions are the Blue Mountains. It is an instagrammer's dream with its lush forest and jaw dropping waterfalls. you can see the Three Sisters from Echo Point Lookout or hike their many walking trails to the waterfalls. One thing I wish I did when I visited the Blue Mountains was take a ride on the glass floor cable car. It's okay, there is always next time!

The most popular means of transportation to the Blue Mountains is by car. It is about a 90 minute drive from Sydney. If you don't have a car, you can take a train or a coach bus leaving from Circular Quay. 

Snowy Mountains

I never knew Australia ever got snow. Boy, I was wrong! Well Sydney doesn't get any snow during their winter months--  just a lot of cold rain. But if you're looking for some snowboarding/skiing fun then head up to Snowy Mountains. We rented a van and it took about 5 hours to get there. But to be honest, I slept most of the way so I could be completely wrong. If you've never snowboard or ski before I would recommend getting an instructor. I'm so glad I did or I'll still be stuck on that mountain :/ After the 3rd day I was able to master stopping and turning on the snowboard. May be next time I'll attempt going down the bigger runs :) 

Canberra: Australia's Capital City 

Coming back from Snowy Mountains, we made a pit stop in Canberra. Canberra is Australia's capital city and where the the Parliament House is located. We didn't spend a lot of time there but we were able to take a tour around the Parliament House. If you have more time to spend in Canberra I would suggest visiting their many museums, galleries, and wineries. 

Meeting Some Furry Friends  

You've probably heard, "Everything in Australia can kill you." It's true! Have you seen their snakes and spiders?! But that shouldn't stop you from seeing their cuddlier friends such as the koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies. Australia has such a unique mammalian wildlife that it is worth visiting their zoos. They have animals that can only be seen in Australia such as the Dingo and Tasmanian devils (don't be fool by their cuteness, they are vicious little things).


Sydney's most popular zoo is Taronga. Probably the quickest way to get to the zoo is by ferry.  Its about a 12 minute ferry ride out from Circular Quay. Of course, you do have the option of taking a car, bus, or train to get to the zoo.

Taronga Zoo is kind of expensive, so another option would be the Featherdale Wildlife Park. Personally I loved Featherdale more than Taronga. Featherdale has 3 walk-in enclosure where you can hand feed the wallabies and kangaroos. You also have the opportunity to touch a koala (can't hold them though).

You trip wouldn't be complete without visiting Sydney's Aquarium. Take a walk underneath the shark tank or visit the penguin expedition. You can get close and personal with King and Gentoo Penguins. 
For all of these attractions I would recommend purchasing the tickets online. It would save you a couple of bucks than buying them at the door.


For more information check out their websites
Taronga Zoo
Featherdale Wildlife Park
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium

Be sure to check out the second part to this post :)

xoxo Mumu