4 Best Outdoor Places to Visit in Sydney, Australia
Sydney is one of those few cities in the world where outdoor places to visit are present at your beck and call no matter where you are. You’re never far away from a visit-worthy place, and the city loves travelers with a passion. So if you’re the kind who loves to get out of the house and explore, Sydney’s the city for you.
We have a list of outdoor places to visit in Sydney, no matter where you are and what your budget.
1. Watson’s Bay
Watsons Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney. It sits on the end of the South Head peninsula and takes its name from the sheltered bay and anchorage on its western side, in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour). It provides views of the harbour to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. You could take the ferry into the beer garden of Watson Bay Hotel, where they have the most excellent summer lunch and drinks. Or you could sit on the old gun emplacements and watch the yachts go by. Or you could head over to Lady Jane beach, Sydney’s first nudist beach. It’s all up to you, really. Perfect for a duration of 2-3 hours.
2. Royal National Park
Fondly called Nasho or The Royal, this is a protected national park that is located South of Sydney, near the localities of Loftus, Otford, and Waterfall. It is on the Australian National Heritage List, so if you’re keen to know more about Australia or absorb its fundamental nature, this is a must visit. The walk along the Palm Jungle Loop track in the Royal National Park has it all: cliff-top views, coastal rainforest, rockpools to dunk in, and secluded beaches with that castaway feel. You’ll also pass through Burning Palms, a community of old holiday shacks used by locals since the depression era.
3. Spit Bridge to Manly Walk
The Spit Bridge to Manly Scenic Walkway is a series of short tracks, mostly less than 1-2km, including the Fairlight, Dobroyd and North Harbour walks. Each track covers a themed section of the harbour, so covering all of them in one walk is a great way to experience the diversity of Sydney Harbour’s bays, beaches and bushland. When you get to Grotto point, get off the track and walk down to Washaway Beach, and at the Southern end, you can crawl into a cave and have a picnic. At Grotto point, also watch out the aboriginal engravings of fish, boomerangs and kangaroos.
4. La Perouse
The La Perouse peninsula is the northern headland of Botany Bay. It is notable for its old military outpost at Bare Island and the Botany Bay National Park. Congwong Bay Beach, Little Congwong Beach, and the beach at Frenchmans Bay provide protected swimming areas in Botany Bay. La Perouse is one of few Sydney suburbs with a French name, others being Sans Souci, Engadine and Vaucluse. Don’t miss the Yarra Bay Sailing Club in La Perouse, which many tourists sadly don’t visit. Go and experience the atmosphere of small-town Australia. Don’t miss out on the tasty fish and chips either, or the local gossip. (The people of La Perouse love to chat.)
