Sydney is a harbor based city like Stockholm. The best way to see the harbor and the skyline is to get out there on a boat. There are Hop On, Hop Off tour boats that take you to various points around Botany Bay but a cheaper and still interesting alternative is to take a ferry ride. There are fast catamaran ferries, but if you’re on holiday just grab a good old fashioned slow one like the Freshwater. It takes 30 minutes to ride over to Manly and see Manly Beach. On the way you get outstanding views of The Opera House, Harbour Bridge and the Sydney skyline.
Once you reach Manly you’ll find yourself in a California surfer dude vibe – the place is sort of a combination of Santa Catalina and Santa Monica. Manly Beach looks like a good surfer spot. For lunch you can try one of the many fresh fish and chip shops at reasonable prices. I had Hoki and chips – very tasty.
And of course if you are looking for Manly Beach souvenirs, don’t despair. There are probably 50 kitch stores on The Corso – Manly’s pedestrian only main street. With a full tummy and bulging shopping bags you can happily grab the ferry back to Circular Quay.