No matter how hard you try, you’ll never run out of things to do in Sydney. Whether you’re into gallery-hopping and museum-exploring, then hopping from underground bar to world-class restaurant, or you prefer to spend your days hiking and soaking in the sun, this city’s got it all. But picking the absolute best thing to do? That’s the hard part. Personally, I’d choose an icy swim in an ocean pool or a long hike through the mountains. Meanwhile, my mates reckon nothing beats ferrying from Sydney Harbour to Manly and snorkelling at Shelly Beach. We like to think we’re the experts, but if you’re looking for the most universally loved attractions, Tripadvisor’s annual Travellers’ Choice Awards are a great place to start.
Already this year, Tripadvisor has revealed the highly-anticipated winners for the world’s best beaches, hotels and destinations. And now, they’ve just unveiled the Top Attractions for 2025, which celebrate tourism operators that have achieved the highest volume of above-and-beyond reviews over the past 12 months. With more than 8 million listings across their site, landing a spot in the top ten is a pretty epic achievement – and four Sydney attractions made the cut.
It’s no huge surprise that Sydney Opera House made the top 10, with our city’s most famous house ranking as the third-best attraction in Australia. Keen to get involved? These are the best things to see and do at Opera House this season. The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge came in sixth place (as an attraction in itself, though the peak bridge experience comes with a climb), with Sydney Harbour itself also cracking the top 10 (coming in ninth place).
According to Tripadvisor, the top attraction in Australia is the Hobart Penitentiary – one of Australia’s most significant convict-era sites – has been named as the best attraction in the country for 2025. Built in 1821 as a prison barracks, this heritage-listed complex processed more than 75,000 convicts before sending them off to toil across the island. Looking for something similar here in Syd? We’d suggest catching a ferry over to Cockatoo Island for a more local stepping-back-in-time experience.
These are the 10 best attractions in Australia
- Hobart Penitentiary, TAS
- Kings Park and Botanic Garden, WA
- Sydney Opera House, NSW
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, VIC
- Fremantle Prison, WA
- Sydney Harbour Bridge, NSW
- Australian War Memorial, ACT
- Uluru, NT
- Sydney Harbour, NSW
- Qantas Founders Museum, QLD
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.
RECOMMENDED:
These are the top tourism towns in NSW for 2025
These are the most wishlisted Airbnbs in the state right now