Australia Itinerary

 
Bondi to Coogee walk in Sydney, Australia

Bondi to Coogee walk in Sydney, Australia

Australia was bucket list item #1 for me

After I made a bucket list, this beautiful continent quickly moved to the top for many reasons. First and foremost, the Great Barrier Reef. I knew if I didn’t get to it as soon as possible that it could die before I ever got the chance. This alone is what lead me to get my passport and my scuba diving certification. I also couldn’t wait to see the beaches, experience the culture and just immerse myself in all that Australia has to offer.

Below you’ll find an itinerary of what we did while we were there, I’ve since forgotten a lot of the names of places we stumbled upon since it was a full year ago but I’ll do my best.

Thursday-Friday

  • Flight to Australia - approximately 24 hours of travel

Saturday - Surry Hills

  • Arrived in Sydney

  • Airbnb - Surry Hills (young, hip area)

    1. Single O Roasters - lamington (Australian cake) and coffee

      1. Note: Australian coffee is amazing

    2. Mohr fish - $20AUD lunch special fish and chips from 1130-1500

    3. Glebe Market at Glebe Public School, Glebe Point Road, Glebe 10-4pm (popular)

    4. Top's Kitchen - Australian eats, all-day breakfast + dinner options (cheaper side)

    5. Happy Hour:

      1. Keg and Brew - happy hour Saturday $5 drinks/beers

      2. Dove & Olive - happy hour 5-7, even saturdays $4 drinks

    6. Bars:

      1. Goro's - open till 3 am Saturday, japanese bar

      2. Tios Bar - "Mexican party shack", free spiced popcorn

Sunday - we hung out on the water/downtown

  • Opera House - didn’t tour, that costs $40AUD/person and didn’t interest us

    1. The outside was still beautiful and of course a must see

  • Opera Bar - serves breakfast on weekends, small menu - not terribly priced ($9-19), also has australian cheese plates & bar snacks ($18) and a fun atmosphere

  • Sydney Harbor Bridge

  • Sydney Fish Market - weekend food specials until 4 pm - lunch

  • O Bar and Dining (rooftop bar) - for drinks 5pm-late

    1. We tried to go here but Paul was wearing shorts because it was 90 degrees so they didn’t let us in

Monday - Bondi Beach

  • Airbnb: Bondi Beach

  • Tamarama Beach - 20 min walk from bondi

  • Iceberg Bar - drinks, gorgeous view. A must do

  • Bondie to Coogee coastal walk - breathtaking

  • Bondie Baths

  • Doyle’s on the Warf - 15 min ride from Bondi

  • Surfing Bondi Beach!

    1. We went through Lets Go Surfing and had a wonderful experience

    2. I did get hit in the head with a surfboard but thats beside the point

  • Bars on the water

    1. The Bucket List bar and eatery

    2. Neighbourhood bar

Tuesday-Thursday - Melbourne

  • Flight to Melbourne

  • Airbnb: Prahran (close to the bars/happy hour places)

  • Prahran Market

  • Happy Hour

    1. Madame Brussels rooftop bar 1pm-1am

    2. Father's Office Speakeasy - happy hour 5-7pm

  • Coffee/brunch

    • Industry Beans in Fitzroy - brunch and award winning coffee*

    • Kettle Black in South Melbourne - brunch/coffee

    • The Stables of Como - brunch

    • Tall Timber - they had a breakfast board that was so good it changed my life

  • Food

    1. Hunky Dory Fish n Chips - South Melbourne

    2. Asian Beer Cafe - 3 for $12 tapas*

  • Hosier Lane - amazing street art alley

Thursday - Cairns

  • Flight to Cairns 

  • Airbnb: Downtown Cairns

  • Food:

    1. Pier Bar for happy hour and food specials 5-7pm

    2. Sushi Train - dinner

  • Drinks:

    1. The Courtyard

    2. The Conservatory, a wine bar 

    3. The Whoolshed, a night club

    4. Gilligan’s (the place everyone seems to end up)

  • Cairns Night Markets are located at 71-75 The Esplanade and are open daily from 5.00-11.00pm

Friday-Saturday

  • Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef! See my other blog entry for more details on our experience

  • We went through Adventure Free and did the 2 day, 1 night option

Saturday Night

  • Airbnb: Cairns

Sunday

  • Flight back to Sydney

  • Airbnb: Central Sydney

  • Explore Central Sydney

  • One Central Park

  • Broadway Sydney

  • Food - I truly cannot remember what we ate but I know everything we had in Australia was SO good!

Monday

  • Flight home

If you love good food, espresso martinis, culture and history, wildlife, beautiful views and everyday people who look like models - you will love Australia. This vacation will be hard to beat and I cannot wait to go back!