How to make the most of the city while attending Elevate Sydney

Tones and I, Tim Minchin, Baker Boy, Marcia Hines, the Wiggles and L Fresh the Lion are just some of the headline acts performing for free on the Elevate Sydney stages. It’s truly a party on another level. Events take place in the mornings (Elevate Kids), early arvos (Elevate Arena – sports, music and discussions) and evenings (concerts). All events are free but you must have a ticket to gain entry. Visit www.elevatesydney.com to keep up to date. 

Elevate Sydney offers great views of the city and harbour, but where can you go for a great view of Elevate Sydney? BridgeClimb. An experience that every Sydneysider should do at least once, the BridgeClimb currently offers four different climbs of the Sydney Harbour Bridge including Burrawa, which allows you to climb with an Indigenous storyteller as your guide. All climbs will give you an insight into one of the most famous bridges in the world, as well as a spectacular view of the Cahill Expressway and the way it’s been adapted for large-scale performances. During Elevate Sydney you can end your climb with a complimentary post-Climb celebratory drink in the celebration bar, courtesy of Hendrick's Gin.

You don’t have to stray far from Elevate Sydney to find exciting examples of Sydney’s hospitality scene, as the Rocks is shaping up as a hospo hotspot. Gin and cocktail bar Frank Mac’s offers one of the biggest collections in Sydney – more than 100 juniper blends have been sourced from all corners of the globe. Bay Nine Omakase is an intimate ten-seat omakase (chef's choice) eatery in The Rocks’ Campbell’s Stores precinct where chef Tomohiro Marshall Oguro (ex-Sushi-E) creates a new menu every day. Rum bar the Keel pays tribute to the area’s colonial history with a rum-based menu served in the former Sailors’ Home. A multilevel bar complex near Wynyard Station, Shell House occupies a heritage building with a famous 400-tonne clocktower. Drop by to experience the Menzies Bar, the indoor and outdoor Shell House Dining Room and Terrace and the Shell House Sky Bar. Plan ahead and use your Dine & Discover vouchers.

If the thought of commuting home after all the excitement of Elevate Sydney sounds like an anticlimax, then why not make a night of it? Aiden Darling Harbour is a brand new boutique hotel in a remodelled 1930s art deco building – stylish, comfortable and affordable. Shangri-La Sydney is a towering Sydney icon in The Rocks that actually looms over the Cahill Expressway – you can end your evening with a bird’s-eye view of Elevate. Then there’s Crown Sydney –  the hotel in the sleek glass tower in Barangaroo that has catapulted Sydney’s Skyline into the 21st century, with accommodation that combines luxury with cutting-edge technology. Can't bear to leave Elevate Sydney? A mere five minutes' walk away is Pullman Quay Grand, which has accommodation with spa baths and private balconies offering stunning views of Sydney Harbour or the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Ever felt like you needed a peek behind the sandstone facade of The Rocks to learn its history and locals’ secrets? Then you need to check out Culture Scouts Walking Tours – whose tour guides share their knowledge on leisurely, thought-provoking tour sessions. Designed for both visitors and locals, the tours include a guided trek through Chippendale’s rapidly evolving cultural landscape, and the Flavours of Chinatown tour, taking in the food, shops, galleries and architecture of Ultimo, Haymarket and Darling Square. Our pick is the Sydney CBD Hidden Laneways Tour, which shows you Sydney’s modern urban design, heritage architecture, public art and bars hiding in plain sight in the city.