Last night we were treated to a free concert by Her Majesty’s Royal Marine Band on the Opera House Forecourt against the backdrop of Sydney skyline, the Opera House and the lit up Harbour Bridge. It was one of the activities as part of the International Fleet Review and the crowd and I loved it.

And there’s plenty more of it to come! Summer has hit Sydney (unofficially, temperature today is forecast to be in the late twenties Celsius) and it’s time to hit the great Sydney outdoors.

Festivals

October is the start of a string of festivals and outdoor events that will hit Sydney. Starting with the Good Food Month, on right now throughout October across Sydney which celebrates good food and wine. Later in October to mid November, visit Sculpture By The Sea along the Bondi and Bronte walk to marvel at one of the most successful outdoor art exhibitions in the world, and in December, anticipate the famed Sydney New Years Eve Fireworks from a vantage point along the harbour. January is Sydney Festival month, with music and art events across the city as well as street parties and free talks.

Walks

Spring and Summer are good seasons to enjoy Sydney’s many great walks. Some of the more popular are the Manly to Spit Walk and the Bondi to Coogee Walk. However, there are plenty more walks around the harbour with glimpses of the lesser known areas. The Bay Run is popular with locals who enjoy a morning or afternoon jog; Taronga to Balmoral Walk is less crowded and the view at Georges Heights Lookout is fantastic.

For more walking options visit Sydney.com

Beaches

Besides the obvious – Bondi and Manly, there are plenty of other beaches to choose from for a great beach day in Sydney. One of my favourite is Shelly Beach, about 15 minutes walk into the cove from Manly, and Tamarama beach south of Bondi. Also consider Coogee, Maroubra, and Cronulla down south, Curl Curl, Collaroy through to Palm Beach up north.

A good snorkelling beach is Clovelly and the nearby Gordons Bay.

Cruise

It may sound touristy but it is actually quite a pleasant experience taking a cruise around Sydney. There are lunch, dinner and coffee cruises available from Darling Harbour, as well as historic cruises that visits Fort Denison.

Cheaper options are to take a public ferry to Manly or a Parramatta River Cat up the river. Sit out on the deck and watch Sydney go by.

Visit an Island

Pack a picnic and head to Cockatoo Island, serviced by public ferries from Circular Quay. Enjoy walks around the island and visit the old docks and learn the history behind this significant heritage site.

For an extraordinary camping experience, the island has mounted camp sites for hire. It is definitely an experience to camp right in the middle of Sydney Harbour.

It’s a good time to visit Sydney.