9 PERFECT DAYS IN AUSTRALIA

Picking an Itinerary for 9 perfect days in Australia was no easy task for us.  Australia is such a vast and beautiful country that you would need to spend a whole summer there to thoroughly enjoy all that it has to offer.  Selecting Australia as our next destination was the easy part but as we started to discuss and write down everything we wanted to see and experience and where these things were located, it became clear that we needed to narrow down our list and get a good game plan in place.

For starters, Australia is a big country.  How big you ask?  It’s roughly the size of the lower 48 states in the US.  The distances between the most popular tourist sites are huge so if you’re on a shorter visit then it’s best to select a couple of cities to make your base camp and take advantage of all the great day trips that are available.  We decided on exploring the Sydney and Airlie Beach/Whitsunday Islands areas. Below is our recommended itinerary.

Days 1 – 4   Sydney, The Rocks, Bondi Beach, Watsons Bay/Gap Lookout, and Featherdale Wildlife Park

AUSTRALIA DAY ONE – SYDNEY HARBOR

Upon arrival to Sydney you will be jet lagged and tired.  No way around this, you’ll just have to power your first day.  Check into your hotel, shower, and head out for a good meal because you probably haven’t had one since you left for the airport.  If you didn’t do any research on what restaurants were around your hotel, just ask the front desk personnel.  They will be more than happy to recommend some local spots nearby.

After getting a bite to eat you need to find a convenience store to get your Opal card.  This card is used to pay for travel on public transport (including ferries) in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra.  Start off with $20 dollars and monitor your usage at the end of each day.  There are multiple kiosks all over Sydney and the process to “top up” is quick and easy. 

We actually got ours from one of the front desk workers at our hotel who had a couple on hand and gave them to us when we inquired about how to get Opal cards.  They even had a few bucks left on them (shout out to IHG property staff), it was a very cool gesture!

Opera House

Once you have your new topped up Opal card, it’s time to explore!  Head straight to the Harbor and start at the world famous Sydney Opera House. Once there you can take a guided tour of the iconic building or you can explore it on your own. We chose the latter. We walked all the way around it and went inside as well. If you’re not part of an official guided tour you will only be allowed access to certain areas inside. Just something to keep in mind. After leaving the Opera House, have a drink at the Opera Bar and take in the wonderful views of the Bridge and Circular Quay.

Sydney Bridge

Next stop is the historic bridge. You’ll have plenty of options as far how you want to experience it. You can walk across it, climb it, drive over it, or go underneath on a boat. It’s completely up to you. We walked to the edge of it and decided on taking a ferry under it. Pro tip – save some money and use your Opal card to catch a ferry to go underneath the bridge and get some great views of the city from the water. No need to pay those high dollar tours when you’ll get those same views and pics from the ferry.

The Rocks

End day 1 by exploring The Rocks neighborhood. Here you will find open-air markets, street food, and plenty of shopping options. This area also has some of Sydney’s oldest pubs so you can have that cold beer along with some history. You’ll also find many restaurants with harbor views for that perfect dinner ambience. Enjoy your first night in Sydney, you’ve earned it!

DAY TWO – BONDI BEACH

Sydney’s most famous beach is on deck for today. Taking the Bondi to Coogee cliff top coastal walk, you’ll have breathtaking views as you pass through Clovelly, Bronte, and Tamarama before finishing at Bondi Beach. In order to end at Bondi you’ll do the route starting at Coogee. To save some money, hop on the bus in Sydney to get to Coogee. It’s a 27 minute ride but only cost about $3 as opposed to $30-40 dollars in a cab.

After arriving at Coogee I recommend getting a small breakfast at one of the many cafes in the area, then make your way to Dunningham Park. This is where the the coastal walk begins. Once you’ve started the walk, don’t go too far yet. Take a look back at Coogee beach and the northern coastline before you leave this spot. Make sure to take get some pics and video!

Coogee to Bondi Coastal Walk

Waverly Cemetery

At about the halfway point of this walk you’ll reach the beautiful Waverley Cemetery. I’m telling you this walk has a little of everything. High dollar homes, majestic ocean views, and you’ll even walk alongside an oceanfront graveyard too. We couldn’t help but notice how pretty this particular spot was. We stopped to take a few pictures and kept it moving to respect the people that were there visiting some of the plots.

Once you’re past the cemetery you’ll cross Bronte and Tamarama beaches. We took a couple of breaks along this section to enjoy the view and listen to the crashing waves below. If you’ve brought a backpack with some snacks then this is a good intermission spot to relax for a bit before you get to Bondi Beach

Bondi Icebergs – Don’t go on Thursdays!

You’ve reached the end of the coastal walk when you reach the Bondi Icebergs Club. I was so looking forward to and excited to go swimming at this club. The anticipation kept building as we got closer. When we were finally close enough to see it from the distance I was already imagining myself chilling in the pool with the wave mist coming over from the top of the side walls. I envisioned the music blasting and people all around me living it up at this picturesque place. Then we got there y nada. The swimming pool area was closed!

Lesson learned – Remember the Clark Griswold rule. Make sure (ahead of time) that whatever you’re visiting will be open! While it was closed for swimmers, the bar/restaurant areas were open so we went in and grabbed an outdoor oceanside table for lunch and drinks. After a few mojitos (or whatever it is you like to drink), it’s time to head down to the beach to catch some rays, watch the surfers, and people watch.

DAY THREE – WATSONS BAY

For your third day in Sydney get out to Watsons bay to enjoy the day outdoors at this prosperous inlet that is also part of Australia’s oldest fishing village. There are a number of things to do in this area. From walking trails and lookout points to lighthouses, reserves, beaches, and parks. I recommend the following:

• Federation Cliff Walk
• The GAP Lookout
• Hornby Lighthouse
• South Head Heritage Trail

Recommended transportation to get there. Take the bus from Sydney to Watsons Bay for $3-4 bucks. Save the Ferry ride for the ride back for some incredible views of the entire Harbor as you approach from the east.

Must Do Lunch Spot – Doyles on the Beach Restaurant https://www.doyles.com.au/ After a day of walking trails and lighthouse visits, there is no better way to finish it off than with the freshest seafood in the bay. This is the perfect place for a late lunch before catching the ferry back to Sydney.

DAY FOUR – FEATHERDALE WILDLIFE PARK

It’s time to see Australia’s wildlife! Take the Central station to Blacktown station. Outside the Blacktown station you will need to go to stand E and wait for bus 729. You will get off at Kildare Rd Opp Lynwood Av. This will leave you a little over 100 ft. from the park so you’ll have to walk this short distance. Just follow the signs.

The Animals

They have all the major Australian animals at this park and some nice petting areas where you can hold Koala bears and also hand feed the kangaroos. We seen everything from fat wombats and Tasmanian devils to the dangerous giant saltwater crocodile and Cassowary birds. We really enjoyed this animal sanctuary and it was the perfect place to spend our last day in Sydney before heading out to the northeastern part of Australia.

DAY FIVE – INCOUNTRY FLIGHT & NEW HOTEL

Time to relocate and visit another great part of Australia. Take a short 2 1/2 hour morning flight on Tigerair to Airlie Beach. You will land at Proserpine, QLD, Australia (PPP-Whitsunday Coast airport) which is about 18 miles away from the beach. You should make arrangements with your hotel for transportation in advance to make for a smooth transition.

Pinnacles Resort

We stayed at the Pinnacles Resort and highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Whitsundays or Great Barrier Reef. It sits high on a hill with exquisite views of the Airlie Bay and the Coral Sea. We can’t say enough nice things about this property or the kind staff that manage it. FYI if you end up booking here, pay the few bucks daily to get a ride up the hill unless you need an alternative leg day exercise routine.

After you’ve checked in, go to the local grocery store and get a little groceries. We bought food to make breakfast daily, snacks for our stay, and alcohol for 3 days. With your new base camp setup and provisions stored, enjoy the rest of the evening by the infinity pool or head to one of the many bars on the main avenue. Airlie beach is super chill and laid back so you can’t go wrong no matter which one you pick.

DAY SIX – RAFT TOUR OF THE WHITSUNDAYS

Book a tour with Ocean Rafting and get ready for a full day of adventure. They have these custom built semi-rigid inflatables vessels that are perfect for exploring the Whitsundays. And these bad boys are fast too, with speeds of up to 35 knots (65 km/hour). This means less time on the water getting to the islands, beaches, and snorkeling spots. They have various tours to choose from, including air/raft combo packages. We went with the Northern Exposure tour and it was worth every penny.

Snorkeling and Whitehaven Beach

Everyone will meet at the tour office in the morning where you’ll select your wet suit to change into and do a safety briefing. Then you get on your assigned boat and it’s off the races. Your first stops will be to snorkel in the reefs. They picked some really nice spots for us to explore and we also got to drink some beers when we were done. Perfect way to start off an all day tour.

With the snorkeling portion of your tour completed, it’s time for lunch. You’ll be taken to White Haven Beach at Whitsunday Islands National Park for a nice picnic along the water’s edge. You’ll also have time to explore the surrounding area where there is all sorts of wildlife. What I liked best about this part of the tour is that you don’t have to be with your group and everyone did their own thing here.

The Hill Inlet

The best is saved for last and the Hill Inlet definitely deserves top billing. To reach it, the rafts make their way to some shallow water on the other side of the island. You will then disembark and walk through some turtle beach area to get to a walkway in the woods. Here you follow the well marked trail a little distance before you reach the opening at the hill inlet. And then finally you will see the famous swirled mix of white sand and turquoise water that you’ve seen in all the brochures and advertisements.

It really is a beautiful sight. Hopefully you’re lucky and get clear or mostly clear skies. The more sun the more pop the water and your pictures will have. The color just stands out so much better with more light. I really wish we could have spent more time in this area of the Whitsundays. It was a special place and if I visit again I will spend the whole day there or even the night.

DAY SEVEN – AIRLIE BEACH & CHILL

Time to do a little shopping along the main avenue. There are several specialty shops and boutiques to chose from so finding those perfect souvenirs to bring back home won’t be difficult. During your outing, grab a bite to eat at one of the many alfresco restaurants in the area. Our favorites during our stay were Sorrento Restaurant, Denman Cellars Beer Café, and Fish D’vine and Rum Bar. Once you’re done eating and shopping, drop your bags back at your room and grab your swimsuits.

Airlie Beach Lagoon

This lagoon is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a nice afternoon right on the beach and it’s location is in the center of town so you won’t have to travel far. Oh and it’s free too!. This place is big enough to have several different areas for you to chill. From grassy knolls and shaded areas for reading or taking a nap, to sandy beach areas to swim and sunbathe. The pool water depth varies in different spots so it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. Also, if you are traveling with small children there are lifeguards on duty keeping an eye on the kiddos (and adults) to make sure everyone is safe.

Nightlife

Did I mention that Airlie beach is laid back? I’ll take it a step further and say it’s chill as F. It truly represents the Queensland laid back lifestyle. Their nightlife is no different. Now here is the part where I’m supposed to recommend some cool bars and describe them in detail, etc… Well like I stated in my About page fam, I’ll always keep it real with you and I don’t remember the names of all the bars we visited because wife and I were hammered. Hey, we were on vacation! So you’ll have to take my word for it that there are some very fun bars on the main street and the town is setup so you can bar hop by foot.

DAY EIGHT – BACK TO SYDNEY

I know what you’re thinking. Wait, already!. Well that is exactly what we thought as well. We really did not want to leave this place. There was still so much more to see and do but as with all vacations, they’re never long enough. So we made our way back to the airport. This time we took a Jetstar flight. It’s similar in price and quality to Tigerair. You can’t go wrong with either and to be honest, there aren’t many choices at this tiny airport.

Last day in Australia

You’ll probably land back in Sydney around lunchtime so you should check into your hotel and also check in with your airline for your flight back home to make sure everything is still on schedule. We stayed close to the airport on our final day. As a matter of fact, I always recommend staying close to the airport on your final day in any country. Just one of the many lessons learned from our travel experiences. I like the convenience of the hotel shuttles and the peace of mind of knowing the airport is down the road and I’m not going to miss my flight.

Get those last minute souvenirs and enjoy a nice dinner this last day. You’ve got your first taste of Australia and made some memories for life. Not to mention you’ve put in some miles on this vacation. We highly recommend you call it a night early before your flight home because more than likely you’re not sleeping (not good anyway) on the long plane ride.

SUMMARY

I hope you enjoyed reading about our Australian adventure and that I provided enough information to give you a good rough draft to set up your own trip itinerary. You can easily plug and play different day trips or activities into the one we planned. As always we wanted to strike a balance between city/town life and nature in our vacation. While this was our first trip to the land down under it certainly won’t be our last. I’d still like to visit Perth, Brisbane, and of course the Great Outback!

Our visit coincided with the amazing Vivid Sydney Festival. Click on that link to read about our experience with it. You should definitely try to book around this festival of lights and music. See link below for information on this year’s festival https://www.vividsydney.com/ . Drop us a comment, we’d love to get your feedback!