6 Things to Do After You Have Booked Your Trip to Sydney

You have booked your tickets, and the excitement of your upcoming adventure is building. Now is the perfect time to get organised, at least in your head, about the specifics, things you might want to see and do in Sydney.

Prioritising what to see before you leave home can make you feel less rushed when you arrive. I am not talking about planning out a rigid itinerary, more like just knowing all the possibilities and having a list in your head of what you don’t want to miss.

Depending on how long you are going to be in Sydney it’s unlikely you will have time to see everything on the must-see lists. Make your own before you depart.

So keeping all that in mind here are my top six things to do after you have booked your trip to Sydney. These are things you can do before you board the plane (or train or bus or boat!) to ensure a wonderful visit to Sydney.

Download some apps

Adding some new apps will give you something to do while you are commuting to work and counting down the days untll you depart. Start with one of these three:

• Plans some interesting walks with Sydney City Council‘s Culture Walks app.  
  
• If you plan on taking public transport, download one of the Sydney transport apps. The free Opal app is a good choice, I also recommend Citymapper and find it really accurate. If you are staying a while, the TripView app (paid version) is well worth the small cost, as it lets you save your regular trips.
  
• Finally the FreeGuides App is handy – we have shared several of our most popular walks on the app so you can take them with you on your phone.

I have reviewed several Sydney walking apps.

Start creating your local food list

Nothing gets me more excited about a trip than checking out all the wonderful food on offer in a new city.

Work your way through these articles and save the spots that appeal to a google map on your phone.

• Where to eat and drink in Sydney
• Finding Aussie foods to try in Sydney
• Where to eat in Darling Harbour
• Cafes in Kings Cross
• Dining with a view
• Celebrity Chef restaurants in Sydney

After all that food, you might be seeking a drink:

• Check out our list of bars with a view
• Discover some of the wine bars in Potts Point
• Historic pubs in the Rocks.

Also, take a quick read of our guide to ordering a beer in Australia.

Also, my list of Sydney foodies on Instagram and our Instagram is worth a look.

Keep an eye on the weather

Newsflash – It’s not always warm and sunny here. Lots of travellers arrive with no warm clothes at all. Sydney offers the full four seasons – all at the mild end of the spectrum. Be prepared and check before you leave home.

I think the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Sydney forecast is usually pretty accurate

Get your head around public transport

You can reach most of Sydney’s top attractions quite easily either on foot or by public transport. The system is not that hard to figure out, so don’t be put off by the locals who say public transport in Sydney is terrible, it can be less than stellar in some areas, but for most visitors, it’s very handy.

If you are here for more than a couple of days read my Opal 101 for visitors – it will answer most of your questions.  Don’t forget to read the comments – lots of answers there for specific issues that might apply to you.

Make a Pinterest board for the blog posts & articles you find

I love researching spots for the best views and street photography for cities I am visiting. I usually make a Pinterest board for each stop and save any blog posts or newspaper articles there, everything from possible hotels to best views. You might like to follow my Sydney board or my Sydney restaurant and cafe board for ideas.

Join our Facebook community

We have two groups on Facebook to help visitors and locals find the best things to see and do across the city and NSW.

• Planning a trip to Sydney Group is designed for visitors and is the best place to ask questions or get inspiration for your itinerary.
• This week in Sydney is the place to go for events happening in the next few weeks.

You can also find us on Instagram if that’s more your thing.