Things to do
A guide to Sydney events, attractions, outdoor adventures and more
What to do in Sydney
The best of Sydney
20 things to do in Sydney at least once in your life
Sydney’s a beautiful place to live and a glorious city to visit. We’ve picked out 20 things to do that show off our best side, from kayaking on the harbour and cocktails with a view to our favourite weekly markets, the best underground restaurant in the city and where to get your culture fix.
Escape rooms in Sydney
Puzzle rooms are taking Sydney by storm. Every time we check, another two seem to be popping up out of nowhere – and each one raises the bar with new ideas inspired by the hundreds of escape rooms found across the world. (Apparently Hungary is the place to go for the ultimate mystery room binge – there are more than 100 rooms in Budapest alone). The concept is simple: solve a variety of puzzles placed in and around the room before your allotted time runs out. Each room has a different theme and stimulates all senses, demanding a variety of problem-solving skills. Time Out took the challenge of visiting nine rooms in the city. Whether we got out in time? Well, that's a different matter.
The Sydney tourist hit list
Events coming up in Sydney
Bondi Winter Magic
Skate on the largest beachside ice rink in the Southern Hemisphere and ride the Bondi Eye
Brian Reed: We Need to Talk About S-Town
Join the podcast host for a deep dive into storytelling, journalism ethics and what's been happening since
Fairs and festivals
Sydney Science Festival
The Sydney Science Festival returns for the third year this August.
Surry Hills Festival
Returning for its 15th year, Surry Hills Festival draws an impressive crowd of 50,000 people for free family-friendly entertainment from 10am to 10pm. It’s one of the biggest local festivals in spring, stretching from Ward Park to Shannon Reserve and from Crown Street to Hill Street, with live music performances, kids’ activities, art trails, food and produce and market stalls. You'll also get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what makes Surry Hills tick in walking tours of the area. Entry is by donation and all funds raised on the day go to towards the community programs of the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre.
Sydney Tea Festival
Time to par-tea: a celebration of specialty loose leaf tea is coming to Sydney this August. Hitting Carriageworks on Sunday August 20, this enormous tea party will feature tea purveyors from Sydney and beyond, showcasing new blends, rare teas, brewing equipment and techniques. There will be a series of ticketed workshops hosted by specialists on tea tasting, food pairing and blending as well as the history and benefits of tea. If you’re after something a little bite to go with your cuppa, there will also be a range of food stalls offering treats both savoury and sweet.
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Little Creatures Live
You might already enjoy their beer – including Pale Ale, Rogers' and Dog Days – but did you know there's a way to take your Little Creatures love a little deeper? This year the brewery is taking their show on the road with a series of parties that feature live performance art, food and beer at various on-premise locations and festivals across Australia. They're calling it Little Creatures Live – inspired by the original moniker of their very first Pale Ale, brewed their own way with fresh hops flowers and live yeast. Little Creatures Live will be back in Sydney very soon. Curious as to what to expect? Check out our recaps below. Or if you can't wait, why not pay a visit to Little Creatures' Fremantle or Geelong breweries?
Vote for the bar making your favourite Patrón XO Café Espresso Martini and win a $200 bar tab
If the mere thought of an Espresso Martini makes your heart beat a little faster, then it’s a great time to live in Sydney right now. For a limited time, a selection of top Sydney bars curated by Patrón are creating special twists on the classic Espresso Martini, using Patrón XO Café. Each of these bars is putting their own expression on the cocktail, and together, they make up the Expresso Society (get it?). They’re shaking up the classic cocktail in all sorts of delicious ways – Rosie Campbell’s ‘Patroco’ blends Patrón XO Café, chocolate liqueur and homemade toasted coconut syrup and coconut cream to create a tropical holiday in a glass. For a nutty kick, try Café del Mar’s ‘Espresso del Mar’, which adds Frangelico, hazelnut syrup and butterscotch to Patrón XO Café and espresso. The creativity doesn’t stop there. Bars like Paddington Inn are adding sweetness by throwing burnt marshmallows into the mix, while the clever bartenders at Pitt Street’s Mexican diner Mejico are staying true to their roots by using Peloton Mezcal and agave in their ‘MeXo Espresso’. The question is: which of these Espresso Martinis do you most want to drink? To win a $200 tab at one of these Sydney bars, tell us which cocktail recipe takes your fancy (the full list is here). Enter by telling us which of these Patrón XO Café Espresso Martinis you'd most like to drink, and why by Monday July 31. Name: Email: I'd like to drink: (25 words or less) Tick this box to hear more from Patrón XO
Flappy Hour
Guys, we've found it. The cheapest early bird special in town and it's on for one night only. The Munich Brauhaus and participating Bavarian Bier Cafés around Sydney are trying to serve a record breaking 100,000 wings in an hour of power they're calling flappy hour (geddit). The best part is it's going to be from 5pm-6pm on Fri Jul 28 so all you need to do is duck out of work the tiniest bit early and order a king's ransom in wings for pocket change. Seriously, they're 10c a pop, but the minimum order is 20. That makes it dinner for two dollars. It's bargain city over here. They're also holding wing eating competitions on the Saturday, but the best value all round is flappy hour so avoid the afternoon snacks and treat yourself to a weekend warm-up that'll cost you less than a coffee.
Win a Sunset Sessions Bridge Climb
What’s better than ascending to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge? Ascending to the top bathed in the golden light of sunset, while a musician plays soft guitar beside you. Time Out and BridgeClimb are giving you the chance to win one of two double passes to Sunset Sessions; a series of Climbs over July and August on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Normally, tickets to this bucket list experience will set you back upwards of $350; but this time, you could be zipping up that grey jumpsuit and heading up for free. They’ll even equip you with everything you need based on the weather, including beanies, gloves and fleeces. So if you’re keen to watch the sun dip over the horizon and see the city turn to pink and red (hello, ultimate date night!) then enter our competition below by Tuesday 18 July. Each double pass is valid for 12 months from the issue date*. However, in order to enjoy a Sunset Sessions Climb, the climb will have to be booked on a weekend in July or August 2017. *Not valid during peak period (25/12/17 to 03/01/18). COMPETITION CLOSED Terms and conditions in full. By entering this competition you agree to receive relevant communications from Time Out including news, events, offers and competitions.