Why this destination tops so many bucket lists (and lives up to the hype)

• Sydney offers a wide range of activities for travelers, including cultural experiences, outdoor adventures, and a notable food scene.
• Iconic landmarks like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge are popular attractions for first-time visitors.
• American tourists must apply for an electronic travel authorization before visiting Australia.

SYDNEY, Australia – Sydney is one of those places that seems to be on every American traveler’s bucket list, and for good reason. When I told friends and family that I was headed to Australia, they all said they either had been and had tips or that they’d long wanted to go. 

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 728,900 visitors from the United States entered Australia between October 2024 and September 2025, 4.2% more than in the previous year. Interest in Australian vacations appears to be on the rise among U.S. tourists, according to the bureau.  

Over just a few days in Sydney, I found a city with opportunities for almost every kind of traveler, from cultural experiences and a vibrant food scene to stunning views and outdoor adventures. 

Here are just some of the things first-time visitors can experience. 

Cultural experiences and food 

My first night in the city, I had dinner right across from the Harbour Bridge and saw a show at the Opera House, clearly two of Sydney’s most well-known and well-loved landmarks. 

Sometimes, the tourist sites don’t live up to the hype, but both the bridge and the Opera House were impressive in person and really drove home the point that you were in one of the world’s most famous cities. 

I saw a production of “The Shiralee”on Nov. 11, a show that the Sydney Theatre Company describes as “an Australian epic” about “life and love on the margins.”  

I’d never heard of the show before, but I found the production moving and the simple fact of seeing something on stage at the Opera House a treat all its own.

There are multiple performance venues across the complex, which means visitors to Sydney can usually find something to see every night if they want to, across a range of genres and production types, from stand-up comedy and live music to plays and, of course, operas. 

No night at the theater is complete without a delicious meal or a nightcap, and Sydney’s restaurant scene will not disappoint. 

The Opera Bar is right at the Opera House, and its terrace seating offers incredible views of the Harbour Bridge to enjoy as you indulge in fast casual pub fare and a drink. It’s a little pricey – a burger costs 28 Australian dollars (about $18.50), but you’re mostly paying for the setting. 

For a more adventurous (and involved) gastronomic experience, check out Saint Peter at the Grand National Hotel in Paddington. The restaurant is known for its fish-focused tasting menu, and its award-winning chef has a philosophy of using as much of every fish he purchases as possible. It doesn’t come cheap – the 9-course tasting menu is priced at 295 Australian dollars (about $200 per person), so it’s a splurge meal, but foodies will find it to be worth the price. 

One of the dishes that night was a ravioli-like pasta in a fish consommé, but the dough had been made from ground fish bones. I know it sounds weird and gross, but it was actually delicious and the perfect al dente first course. 

Even where you stay can be part of the cultural experience. 25Hours The Olympia, where I stayed, right on the border of Paddington and Darlinghurst, is a newly opened hotel that was a great, cool place to crash every night. I loved the decor and the cosmopolitan aesthetic. My only quibble was that the lighting in the bathroom was a little too moody, so I couldn’t get a good look at myself in the mirror in the morning before heading out for the day. 

Ways to see the skyline 

Sydney is a city with many scenic vistas, and there are so many ways to take advantage of the views. 

Probably the two most adrenaline-filled and high-altitude experiences are the Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb and the Skywalk at the Sydney Tower Eye. 

Both experiences get you high off the ground and can be a little pricey.  

A 60-minute Skywalk experience at the Sydney Tower Eye costs 95 Australian dollars (about $63).  

BridgeClimb uses dynamic pricing, but in mid-December, the cheapest partial climb was $165 per person, and the cheapest summit climb was $252 per person. 

Both experiences offer incredible views, and while, yes, they are high up, you’re harnessed in, and both feel totally safe. As its name suggests, BridgeClimb involves a considerable amount of movement, so make sure you’re comfortable navigating stairs and ladders for an hour or more. Also, keep in mind you can't bring your own camera on either excursion for safety reasons, but photos of your time off the ground are available for purchase.

While I enjoyed both experiences a lot, I thought Skywalk offered a better value for the money, for the same reason that I tell tourists visiting my hometown of New York to not go to the Empire State Building observation deck: When you’re on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you can’t see the Sydney Harbour Bridge. From the Skywalk, you get a great view of the whole harbor. But both experiences were spectacular and won't disappoint.

If you want to stay closer to terra firma, however, there are still plenty of great ways to take in the cityscape. One popular one is the fast ferry from Sydney Harbour to Manly, which will bring you on the water right behind the bridge and past the Opera House. The ferry costs 9.20 Australian dollars (about $6). 

Outdoor adventures 

Sydney is also very much an outdoor town, from Bondi Beach to boats in the harbor. 

This is sort of a crossover recommendation, but another great way to see the skyline and get some outdoor time is to take a kayak tour in the harbor. Sydney by Kayak offers low-intensity kayak tours with a great view of the Harbour Bridge and the city behind. It also offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the harbor’s ecosystem and its importance to the city’s economy. 

No visit to Sydney would be complete without a stop at the famous Bondi Beach. It’s a great place to people-watch or take a surf lesson (assuming there’s a swell, which there wasn’t the day I went).  

It’s also the starting point of the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, a roughly 3.5-mile paved path along the coast. It offers beautiful, natural views the whole way and takes 2-3 hours at an easy pace. A friend from Australia told me it's one of her favorite things to do in Sydney, and it did not disappoint. 

How to travel to Australia 

Australia is a far-flung destination for American travelers, with direct flights even from the West Coast taking around 13 hours.  

Still, it’s popular enough that many airlines have daily nonstop flights to many Australian cities from U.S. markets. American Airlines recently rolled out its new business class suites on its Dallas-Brisbane flight, and United Airlines recently started direct flights from San Francisco to Adelaide. 

Melbourne and Sydney are common Australian gateways for American and international carriers serving the United States.  

Economy tickets are rarely available for less than $1,000 in most markets, so it’s the kind of trip many travelers need to save up and plan for. 

American tourists don’t need a visa, but they must apply for electronic travel authorization in advance of their trips. 

The reporter on this story received access from American Airlines and Destination New South Wales. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content. 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at [email protected].