Taking a trip to Australia, looking for advice!

Nabbit · Feb 20, 2019

Update 3/29:

Ok, we just arrived in Sydney earlier today! Thanks again all for your amazing advice!

Here's what our itinerary looks like...I left off restaurants. Some of the days will be pretty freeform. We're staying in a mix of hotels and AirBNBs.

3/29
Arrive in Sydney
Recover from endless travel (2.5 hr flight then 17.5 hr redeye)
Explore King St. Wharf, Darling Harbour, etc
Walk the Chinese Friendship Garden

That's what we've done so far. The brutal exhaustion is real. But so worth it. We had breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks which was very tasty.

3/30 Sydney
Sen3es PaniQ Room - Escape room
No other plans so far

3/31
Fly to Hobart Tasmania 2 PM
Rent car
Stay in Hobart

4/1
Visit Bonorong incl. their Feeding Frenzy at 10 AM
https://www.bonorong.com.au/feeding-frenzy
Drive to Campbell Town

4/2
Drive to Cradle Mtn
Stop at Chudleigh Honey and maybe the Mole Caves

4/3
Visit Devils@Cradle including the Joey Encounter
https://devilsatcradle.com

4/4
Drive to Akaroa
Stop at Pyengana Dairy

4/5
Drive to Bicheno
Visit Bicheno Blowhole
Bicheno Penguin Tour

4/6
Drive to Hobart
Stop in Swansea
Visit Salamanca Market

4/7
Fly to Melbourne
Rent car, drive to Halls Gap

4/8
Visit Halls Gap Zoo including Red Panda Encounter
https://hallsgapzoo.com.au/shop/red-panda-encounter/
Drive back to Melbourne

4/9
Melbourne
Queen Victoria Market

4/10
St. Kilda
Maybe SeaLIFE

4/11
1:30 PM bus tour to Phillips Island with Guided Ranger Tour
https://thelittlepenguinbus.rezdy.com/8264/penguin-express-with-guided-ranger-tour

4/12 - 4/14
Melbourne exploration, maybe Twilight Kayaking

4/15 - 4/16
Fly to Sydney
Maybe go to Manly Beach and/or Bondi to Coogee Walk (may do this in our first couple days depending on weather)

4/17 Head home

-

Original Post:

Thanks to an awesome flight sale we are taking a trip to Sydney from the US from the end of March to mid April, about 3 weeks total. We've wanted to go to Australia for a long time.

Just to give some idea of what we're interested in:

We're mainly interested in seeing beautiful nature and animals, exploring cities and points of interest, and eating delicious food.

What got us interested in visiting Australia was watching most of the seasons of MasterChef Australia. We're big into food and cooking, and the food on that show blows away any other cooking show we've seen. We also have learned a good bit about Australian culture watching the show since each season is 60+ episodes and they go all over the country.

We're probably not too interested in going to museums or shopping centers. We're probably not that interested in classic architecture. This might make us heathens but I'm just trying to give a better idea of what we're interested in.

So, I'm hoping the Australians of ERA (or those who have visited) would be able to offer some advice.

Here are some general questions we have, but also we'd just be really eager to read recommendations of your favorite things to do and places to eat, especially hidden gems or places that are under the radar. Especially in Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania.

- We're planning to fly into Sydney, spend some time there, go to Melbourne (likely via plane), and also maybe Tasmania or Adelaide, and then back to Sydney to head home.

Are three areas of AU too much to take on for a 20ish day trip? We don't want to bite off more than we can chew. We don't want to have tons of activities every day because we also want to take the opportunity for R&R at the beach or in nature or in a cool hotel or Airbnb.

- any hesitation about flying between cities?

- we were thinking about renting a car. But we seem to be shying away from it since the rules the road are completely different and we'll only be there 3 weeks.

- have you stayed at Airbnbs in Australia? What was your experience like?

- Any reason not to take public transportation when available in the major cities?

- What's the situation with Uber? Is it widely available and reasonably priced compared to a cab, or is there a better competitor?

- Is Yelp the main site for crowd sourced reviews like it is in America? Or are there different sites people are more apt to post on? I saw Yelp exists in AU but couldn't tell how popular it is.

-- what are some things a traveler from america may not think of that you think we should know? We've traveled internationally a bit before and know not to clap after meals when outside the US. I also read tipping is rare in restaurants.

- what are some of the most beautiful and interesting sights you'd recommend in the Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania areas?

I'm sure more questions will come to mind.

Thanks all! Any replies will be greatly appreciated!

prophetvx · Feb 20, 2019

Sydney you can do in 4-5 days. It's really not that amazing as a city, the touristy stuff you can knock out pretty quickly... Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House are right next to each other, Bondi beach is a 10-15 minute train ride away from there, Manly is a 45 minute ferry ride from the same area.

Taronga Zoo is one of the most spectacular in the world with harbour views from pretty much everywhere. There is no shortage of great pubs and restaurants, if you're into that. The blue mountains are also a great place to go but they're about 1.5-2 hours drive from downtown. Google to see if there are any events on Cockatoo Island while you're there, it's a great place to go as well (convict island in the middle of the harbour), it's a short ferry ride.

I'd personally invest more time in Melbourne and Tasmania, Melbourne is an amazing city with world-class restaurants and lots of street art and obscure establishments. It's more fun to explore in my opinion. Tasmania, in general, is just a beautiful place.

Avoid hiring a car, traffic is terrible in Sydney and Melbourne drivers actively try and kill each other, you spend a day driving between cities and there really isn't much in between. Fly everywhere where you can. Doing the great ocean road is a must though, so if you were to hire a vehicle, that is where you'd best spend your time.

Uber is readily available in Sydney and Melbourne. Melbourne has a great public transport network, Sydney has a decent one provided you stick close to downtown (all lines funnel into downtown to change lines and go to a different location, so you can spend a couple of hours on a train to travel 10-15kms if they're on different lines)

I grew up in Sydney, so my perspective may be a bit skewed, but my wife who is Canadian much prefers Melbourne over Sydney as well.

FF Seraphim · Feb 20, 2019

Australia is expensive compared to the US when it comes to going out to eat. Keep that in mind. I usually recommend hitting up a super for breakfast foods because thats cheaper in the long run.

Sydney is a good 4 day stay, you can see most of it within that time. The bridge climb is nice and gives you a good view if thats your thing.

Never been to the other places.

farmland · Feb 20, 2019

- any hesitation about flying between cities?

Nope.

- we were thinking about renting a car. But we seem to be shying away from it since the rules the road are completely different and we'll only be there 3 weeks.

It's not really necessary in Sydney and Melbourne, public transport will get you where you need to go.

- have you stayed at Airbnbs in Australia? What was your experience like?

I've stayed in some in Tasmania and they've been great.

- Any reason not to take public transportation when available in the major cities?

No reason to avoid public transport, it's safe and good enough to get you where you need to go.

- What's the situation with Uber? Is it widely available and reasonably priced compared to a cab, or is there a better competitor?

Uber is widely available in Melbourne and Sydney, its also in Hobart if I remember correctly.

- Is Yelp the main site for crowd sourced reviews like it is in America? Or are there different sites people are more apt to post on? I saw Yelp exists in AU but couldn't tell how popular it is.

No idea, I don't use it much but it's pretty well known.

-- what are some things a traveler from america may not think of that you think we should know? We've traveled internationally a bit before and know not to clap after meals when outside the US. I also read tipping is rare in restaurants.

You don't need to tip at all. Bring some sunscreen as you'll get burned pretty easily on a hot day. I can't think of anything else you'll need to know to be honest.

- what are some of the most beautiful and interesting sights you'd recommend in the Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania areas?

In sydney there's a place called Wendy's Secret Garden that's a great place for a picnic - https://www.wendyssecretgarden.org.au/
If you have time to do some wine tours, the Hunter Valley is great.

In Tasmania Mona is a really cool art gallary - https://mona.net.au/

gozu · Feb 20, 2019

melbourne is great

sydney and melbourne chinatown have lots of tasty restaurants so maybe stay there.

airbnbs are great.

use sunscreen cuz UV index is very high and you will burn alive in 5 minutes.

there is lots of great coffee everywhere.

Emu jerky sucks. timtams are very sweet. electric bikes are a ripoff. public transport has very few crazy people and urine.

Yelp is not a things, use zomato, google and trip advisor in that order.

Source: I have australianed.

The Fabled Englishman · Feb 20, 2019

If it's food, drinks and entertainment you're after, Melbourne outstrips every other major city in Australia. It's essentially the artsy hipster city (and that's not a bad thing), although Hobart does compete on some level for galleries. Adelaide is thoroughly uninteresting in my opinion but others might disagree. If you can specify what type of food you're after, I can be more specific about where to go. Melbourne, especially, has extremely large Italian, Greek, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese populations and they tend to be centred in certain suburbs.

You aren't traveling at the warmest time of year, but if you're into seeing the sights, you could take a drive along the Great Ocean Road. There are any number of towns, beaches and national parks worth seeing along there.

Edit: Melbourne is also the sporting capital of Australia if you're into that. The AFL season should be starting up around the end of March and it would be a shame not to see a game at the MCG while you're there.

Croc Man · Feb 20, 2019

Penguins in Melbourne, either in Phillips island or st kilda, there's a koala sanctuary near the former too.

Blue mountains near Sydney. Go by train on a Sunday as it's cheap.

Botanical gardens anywhere.

Wombat_Lover · Feb 20, 2019

Some random info.

There's no tipping culture and that's a good thing. Basically, no tipping.

Don't be offended if you hear the word cunt dropped in conversations.

Sydney people can be rude. For some reason they are always rushing.

If you get a chance at a zoo, pat a wombat.

Visit the Imax, it's the largest screen in the world.

Melbourne people are much nicer than Sydney.

prophetvx · Feb 20, 2019

FF Seraphim said:
Australia is expensive compared to the US when it comes to going out to eat. Keep that in mind. I usually recommend hitting up a super for breakfast foods because thats cheaper in the long run.

Sydney is a good 4 day stay, you can see most of it within that time. The bridge climb is nice and gives you a good view if thats your thing.

Never been to the other places.

Drinks are expensive. Food isn't. You can go to most pubs or restaurants and get a good quality main for $20-40. Given the exchange rate, that equates to $15-29 USD, with no additional sales tax and no need to tip.

A beer at most places will cost you $10+ though, no such thing as free refills either

Zhukov · Feb 20, 2019

Hello.

I live in Tasmania and was born here. Have also lived in Melbourne.

(Never been to Sydney though. Weird, I know.)

If you like hiking and bushwalking then Tasmania is fucking amazing. Otherwise... ehhh. The other main reason to come here would be the seasonal events. The 'Taste of Tasmania' foodie festival sounds like it would be right up your ally. However, none of those happen on the dates you're planning to come. The bigger cities like Melbourne are better for food since they're wealthier and more culturally diverse.

Can confirm that public transport in Melbourne is great. Uber is also available.

No, we generally don't tip here. (Civilized minimum wage laws, yo.) Some places will have a tip jar on the counter or something but nobody will even bat an eyelid if you don't put anything in it.

The sun here is brutal. I don't know what it's like in America but here if you have white skin then two hours of direct sunlight on a hot day will burn you bad enough to make your skin peel. (When I went to southeast Asia I was shocked that I could just walk around in the sun all day and just get a tan.)

Rocket Schnauzer · Feb 20, 2019

Go to Perth over Adelaide. Amazing beaches and WA's southwest is incredible.

cheese toast · Feb 20, 2019

Nabbit said:
We've traveled internationally a bit before and know not to clap after meals when outside the US.

You... clap after meals?

Collectaku · Feb 20, 2019

Deleted member 25600 · Feb 20, 2019

Zhukov said:
Hello.

I live in Tasmania and was born here. Have also lived in Melbourne.

(Never been to Sydney though. Weird, I know.)

If you like hiking and bushwalking then Tasmania is fucking amazing. Otherwise... ehhh. The other main reason to come here would be the seasonal events. The 'Taste of Tasmania' foodie festival sounds like it would be right up your ally. However, none of those happen on the dates you're planning to come. The bigger cities like Melbourne are better for food since they're wealthier and more culturally diverse.

Can confirm that public transport in Melbourne is great. Uber is also available.

No, we generally don't tip here. (Civilized minimum wage laws, yo.) Some places will have a tip jar on the counter or something but nobody will even bat an eyelid if you don't put anything in it.

The sun here is brutal. I don't know what it's like in America but here if you have white skin then two hours of direct sunlight on a hot day will burn you bad enough to make your skin peel. (When I went to southeast Asia I was shocked that I could just walk around in the sun all day and just get a tan.)

My parents have been several times to TAS. They tell me the Styx Valley Mountain Ash forest is amazing.

Pellaidh · Feb 20, 2019

This sounds similar to what I visited when I was there (which was Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania). 20 days sounds fine for those three. You won't be able to see absolutely everything, but you'll by no means feel rushed either.

For nature, Melbourne has the Great Ocean Road. Just by looking at the pictures of it before going, I wasn't really expecting much, but it's a great experience in person, and deserves more than just a single day IMO. The city itself is pretty nice too, although I didn't feel like there was a lot of "touristy" things to do in it. Lot's of food with a ton of variety though.

Sydney has the Blue Mountains, which are nice. Inside the city itself, you also have the The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk, which is a nice scenic route along the coastline. The centre of the city itself where most of the famous sights are located is also surprisingly small and walkable for such a big city.

Tasmania was great for me. I'd say definitely do Mount Wellington, as it gives you an amazing view over Hobart and its surroundings. Port Arthur is also well worth a visit. Just in general though, the place has a ton of incredible nature.

Zhukov · Feb 20, 2019

DrSlek said:
My parents have been several times to TAS. They tell me the Styx Valley Mountain Ash forest is amazing.

Yeah, the Styx is nice.

Admittedly, a lot of it was probably lost on me since I grew up in the Tasmanian bush.

Pellaidh said:
Tasmania was great for me. I'd say definitely do Mount Wellington, as it gives you an amazing view over Hobart and its surroundings.

It's so weird to hear someone describe what used to be my morning walk as a tourist attraction.

teacup · Feb 20, 2019

If you wanted something ultra special and very master chef-y, get a car for two days and go to Brae a couple hours from Melbourne. It's one of the top restaurants in Australia and you need reservations and it's expensive. But it's the closest you'll get to being in a Masterchef episode with the quality of food. Bonus it's near the beautiful otwayforest and only an hour north of the great ocean road which is a big tourist attraction here in Victoria.

Mavis · Feb 20, 2019

Nabbit said:
We're mainly interested in seeing beautiful nature and animals, exploring cities and points of interest, and eating delicious food.

Nabbit said:

places to eat, especially hidden gems or places that are under the radar. Especially in Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

One of the most beautiful places in Australia, if not the world are the Blue Mountains just outside Sydney. You can get tours up there but I'd suggest hiring a car for a couple of days and doing the circuit and staying for a night along the way, do not worry about the driving, all cars will be automatic and once out of the city it's easy going. The Circuit is Great Western Highway>Darling Causeway>Bells Line of Road. Outside of the well known tourist spots like the Three Sisters there are some amazing views along Bells Line of Road. Pierces Pass Lookout is amazing, little dirt car park and then a short trek down to a cliff edge overlooking a massive forested valley. Be careful though, it is easy to get lost and people are often dragged out by the State Emergency Services after spending a few nights sleeping rough with the Funnelwebs and Death Adders...

As you continue along Bells Line of Road back to Sydney there is one of the most amazing restaurants in Sydney in a little place called Kurrajong Heights, does Australian/Asian fine dining. They also have a "lodge" for short stays but I imagine it's expensive. Honestly I've eaten all over Sydney and it's my favourite place to go.
Go a little further down the mountain and you get to the place that inspired a fake book in Kill Bill...

Kurrajong is a beautiful little Village, well worth a stop for a coffee and cake or to try the Deli produce.

Herlock Sholmes · Feb 20, 2019

[Melbourne Resident]

Heaps of good suggestions from the guys above me. The zoos in both Sydney and Melbourne are great and worth checking out. You can do a quick google search to see what kinds of animals each have (native or foreign or both) and choose which you'd like to do.

The harbour in Sydney is pretty spectacular and an easy day for a tourist with the Harbour so close.

Around Melbourne there will be heaps of places for Brekky Lunch or Dinner. The fusion scene has somewhat boomed in recent years so check some of those out if you're interested. Tokyo Tina was a recent standout for me and my partner. Coeliac friendly if that suits you.

Other than that I really recommend checking out some AFL when you're in Melbourne. Try and schedule a date where a good game will be on. You can message me if you want any recommendations. There's nothing else like being at the MCG in a packed game.

Reven Wolf · Feb 20, 2019

People here have covered the most important stuff, but I would be remiss if I don't mention the best restaurant in Melbourne.

My parents and I are Italian, (born and raised) and Melbourne has the best Italian restaurant any of us ever had.

It's called Woodstock, found near Fletcher street, it's relatively small but literally everything on the menu is the best thing I've ever tasted, including dishes I normally hate.

blueredandgold · Feb 20, 2019

Shaneus · Feb 20, 2019

farmland said:
We've traveled internationally a bit before and know not to clap after meals when outside the US.

Um, I'll echo the other poster who pointed this out. What?

hitme · Feb 20, 2019

If you encounter a giant spider, catch it.

FarronFox · Feb 20, 2019

Interested in playing with a platypus?

I think the only place you can do that is at Healesville Sanctuary (in Victoria, near Melbourne).

https://www.zoo.org.au/healesville/wild-encounters/wade-with-the-platypus

Oh you mention being a fan of Masterchef Australia too. Well the set they've used for the last few seasons is located at Melbourne Showgrounds if you're interested:

https://www.melbourneshowgrounds.com/spaces/

ijed · Feb 20, 2019

[Melbourne Resident]
Healesville is also great for wineries and Four Pillars Gin

Melbourne Northside >>> Southside
George's restaurant is Hellenic Republic in Brunswick
https://hellenicrepublic.com.au/

If you go to Adelaide there's some great wineries and Maggie Beer's farm
https://www.maggiebeer.com.au/visit-us

Tassie is lovely for a drive but not much in Hobart and Launceston imo

CherryWoodFuton · Feb 20, 2019

Melbourne is awesome...It's feels like a PNW city but better.

Sydney is cool too if a bit touristy

Do the Great Ocean Road drive....so worth it

Price wise it's pretty comparable to any major US city. Coming from San Francisco I found Australia to be a bit cheaper in regards to food and drink

farmland · Feb 20, 2019

Shaneus said:
Um, I'll echo the other poster who pointed this out. What?

You've quoted the wrong person, I have no idea about the clapping lol.

Deleted member 50193 · Feb 20, 2019

Wombat_Lover said:
Visit the Imax, it's the largest screen in the world.

Eh? I thought the Darling Harbour IMAX was still being renovated and not due to open til 2020

Herlock Sholmes · Feb 20, 2019

farmland said:
You've quoted the wrong person, I have no idea about the clapping lol.

I assume they're referring to Tipping.

Wombat_Lover · Feb 20, 2019

Zhaz said:
Eh? I thought the Darling Harbour IMAX was still being renovated and not due to open til 2020

Still being renovated? Haven't been into darling harbour for a long time.

Vern · Feb 20, 2019

I know it's not on your itinerary but since you love nature you should find a way to get to Uluru. One of the most spectacular places on earth. Also get up north to the Great Barrier Reef.

I've not been to Tasmania but I think for a couple that wanna get outdoors and see australia, that I hear is a great place... but Sydney and Melbourne aren't really the places to be. Although I do see one mention up there for the Blue Mountains outside Sydney, that I do agree with.

If you could somehow change your itinerary to see the Northern Territory I think that would be ideal. Sydney needs 2 days max.. 1 for the harbor, the rocks, getting past jetlag, and the next day early train or drive to the blue mountains. Do a day hike. Then that night or next day head back to the airport. You'd be rushed a bit but as much as I enjoy Sydney when I visit, it's not the most dynamic city. I'd also argue that Melbourne doesn't need more than a day or two, especially for outdoorsy people.

Deleted member 24817 · Feb 20, 2019

Don't bother with tourist beaches in Sydney (Bondi, Cooggee etc). Go to the Northern beaches, and also if you have time head south to places like Jervis Bay and Hyams beach. go do some Dolphin watching from a boat.

Also a chance to check out wildlife parks like Symbio if you do head south. I know you can see things in the wild, however this was the best surprise park we visited, a bit small but no busy and they show you awesome things really close up https://symbiozoo.com.au/

Otherwise get out of Sydney lol.

legend166 · Feb 20, 2019

Things to do in Sydney:

- Taronga Zoo
- Harbour Bridge/Opera House/Circular Quay (amazing views of the city at night)/The Rocks
- Ferry from Circular Quay to Manly, get some ice cream, walk along the beach/The Corso. They do nice markets here on the weekends
- Blue Mountains (my stomping ground) - spend at least one night here. Do a search for some bushwalks based on your fitness level.

Shaneus · Feb 21, 2019

farmland said:
You've quoted the wrong person, I have no idea about the clapping lol.

lol whoops :/

earthsucks · Feb 21, 2019

Rocket Schnauzer said:
Go to Perth over Adelaide. Amazing beaches and WA's southwest is incredible.

terrible advice - especially when you factor in how far away perth is from the other cities.

Deleted member 48434 · Feb 21, 2019

Do not take pictures of the drop bears.
Nobody who has done that has survived.

ebs · Feb 21, 2019

Sydney Good Eats:

Ms Gs - Asian fusion, really awesome my fav personally, on the pricier side ($150 for 2 people with drinks probably). If you go get the cheeseburger spring rolls.

Bar Luca - dirty burger (like incredibly dirty), get the Blame Canada, gets very packed so maybe best to go not on Friday/weekend. Maybe $60 for 2 ppl with drinks.

Thai Pothong - Awesome Thai food but is in a nearby suburb (Newtown) not Sydney itself. In general Newtown has a lot of nice cafes, bars, restaurants so it's probably worth a look either way. Maybe $90 for two.

Hubert - French, fancier and also on the pricy side.

Gumshara - okay this place looks super dodgy and is in a pretty dank food court but I don't think you can get better ramen unless you go to Japan itself. Cash only.

CherryWoodFuton · Feb 21, 2019

Solar Puffin said:
Do not take pictures of the drop bears.
Nobody who has done that has survived.

I almost got killed by those bastards be careful OP

ebs · Feb 21, 2019

ebs said:
Sydney Good Eats:

Ms Gs - Asian fusion, really awesome my fav personally, on the pricier side ($150 for 2 people with drinks probably). If you go get the cheeseburger spring rolls.

Bar Luca - dirty burger (like incredibly dirty), get the Blame Canada, gets very packed so maybe best to go not on Friday/weekend. Maybe $60 for 2 ppl with drinks.

Thai Pothong - Awesome Thai food but is in a nearby suburb (Newtown) not Sydney itself. In general Newtown has a lot of nice cafes, bars, restaurants so it's probably worth a look either way. Maybe $90 for two.

Hubert - French, fancier and also on the pricy side.

Gumshara - okay this place looks super dodgy and is in a pretty dank food court but I don't think you can get better ramen unless you go to Japan itself. Cash only.

All prices in AUD btw

TFORTOM · Feb 21, 2019

Adding to the Sydney Restaurant Menu:

Hugo's in Manly - https://www.hugos.com.au/
I think they've won a fair few awards for their food, particularily their pizzas. It's perfectly primed for a Touristy vibe, where you can catch the Mnaly Ferry directly from Sydney's Circular Quay to the Manly Wharf, where the restaurant is. I mean, you should be doing this trip anyway if you're visiting.

Cup O' Tea? · Feb 21, 2019

prophetvx said:
Drinks are expensive. Food isn't. You can go to most pubs or restaurants and get a good quality main for $20-40. Given the exchange rate, that equates to $15-29 USD, with no additional sales tax and no need to tip.

A beer at most places will cost you $10+ though, no such thing as free refills either

Yeah booze is way too expensive here. I pretty much only ever buy alcohol from the bottle shop. Pubs and clubs are not feasible for somebody on a tight budget who likes to binge. ;)

ebs · Feb 21, 2019

TFORTOM said:
Adding to the Sydney Restaurant Menu:

Hugo's in Manly - https://www.hugos.com.au/
I think they've won a fair few awards for their food, particularily their pizzas. It's perfectly primed for a Touristy vibe, where you can catch the Mnaly Ferry directly from Sydney's Circular Quay to the Manly Wharf, where the restaurant is. I mean, you should be doing this trip anyway if you're visiting.

Adding this to my own menu

shinkie · Feb 21, 2019

Sydney
- Bondi to Coogee walk is great, nice scenery.
- Harbour is also quite pretty
If you're there on a Sunday, public transport is capped at $2.7 so would be good day to make use of it.

Melbourne
- Trams are free in the city (just make sure you're within the zone)
- Uber is good. You might want to try Ola Cabs, Taxify and Didi as well for their first time use coupons. Though generally less cars available.
- Yarra Valley is a nice area for wineries etc but you'll probably need a car or book a tour.

Flying is probably necessary between cities. It's not that cheap by train and takes ages (Melbourne to Sydney). Jetstar is decent for a budget airline, I wouldn't recommend Tiger Airways as I've had too many cancelled flights with them and same with my friends.

Zomato is what most people use. 4+ ratings are safe bets.

skipgo · Feb 21, 2019

Look inside your shoes before you put them on.
Have fun!

SABO. · Feb 21, 2019

Don't worry about renting a car in Sydney. Take the train and ferry around. It just got easier with our Transport system now allowing for Mastercard/Visa/Amex taps so you don't even have to worry about figuring out how to buy a ticket for each mode of transport!

My recommendations for Sydney are:

- Take a train to Granville Station and chow down on some great Lebanese Food at El Jannah
- Take a train from Central Station to the Blue Mountains https://www.bluemts.com.au/getting-here/
- Jump off at Newtown station for our best Hipster experience. The Food around here is amazing and you get a huge multicultural mix. https://www.theurbanlist.com/sydney/a-list/the-ultimate-guide-to-newtown
- Jump off at Circular Quay and walk to The Rocks for more great food and some of the best views of Sydney Harbour. https://www.therocks.com/

You can use Uber here but I personally recommend Ola as its cheaper and you'll get frequent notifications for discounts on rides.

lint2015 · Feb 21, 2019

Three weeks seems like a good amount of time to visit three places.

Yelp is here but it doesn't seem as commonly used as Foursquare? Neither seem to be that great though.

The road rules aren't that much different. Just drive on the left, give way at roundabouts and don't speed or run red lights.

Grazzt · Feb 21, 2019

Sydney is meh. Spend more time in Melbourne and Tassie. You can rent a car and do a road trip in TAS, since you like nature.
I think google review is more popular than Yelp

Deleted member 8197 · Feb 21, 2019

Make sure you know where the embassy is in case you run into any Australians or have any difficulty understanding their language.

Kritz · Feb 21, 2019

Tassie local here.

It's hard to get around without a car. There's probably a few tour busses, but I've no experience with them. Our public transport is exclusively busses, and I thiiiink you need a Metro card, which you can exclusively get in the Hobart bus mall. https://www.metrotas.com.au/fares/greencard/
Our busses aren't great.
We have Uber, but I find our Uber drivers are a lot more inexperienced than Melbourne or America's.

Tasmania has very friendly roads, however for inexperienced drivers going to kunanyi (Mount Wellington) or some of these other destinations, there's a fair amount of tight and windy tracks that can make it difficult. It's still the easiest driving you'll have in any city you'll go to.

Tasmania things to do:

Go to MONA, the museum. It's one of the best modern art museums in the world, and is filled with a mix of interactive installations, incredible architecture, confronting ideas and exhibits, and wonderful cheese/wine/beer. It's really rewarding to just explore, as there's a lot of little areas that you'll only find by being inquisitive about the space. there's also some ducks outside and ducks are cool

If you can drive, go to Bruny Island. It's a day trip, you take a ferry (via car) that leaves every 15-30 minutes. The island is incredibly beautiful, and has some of the best seafood you can get in the country. It's got incredible fresh-to-order Oysters, a small chocolate place, an incredibly expensive whisky distillery that does especially expensive ($12-50) samples that are absolutely not worth the price, a pretty great casual seafood place, a winery that's incredible, a cheese/beer brewery that is absolutely worth buying a very cheap flight of beers and an equally pretty cheap sample platter of cheeses. You can go to the landing spot of Captain Cook and spit on his godforsaken statue and maybe look up the wikipedia article of how he died, the tosser. um also there's ice cream and a berry farm. It's a whole day, it's a big island. There's a great selfie trap along "the neck" if you want to walk up a bunch of stairs. It's good.

The mountain has a great view, and there's some hiking tracks that're fun. They're not super hard, but bring some water and read the guide before going in. Bring sunscreen, even in winter. If you want a

Port Arthur's very pretty. It's a decent drive, maybe two hours from the city? I'd absolutely recommend it.

Again, this is more a driving thing, but if you get a chance, check out Richmond. It's a very quaint little early village. It's a liiittle bit touristy, but just wander around and buy some stuff at the shops. It's got a lolly shop that has some very, very sugary treats. There's also some more ducks if you go to the bridge. Fun fact: the first bridge ever built in Australia. On the way to Richmond, pass by Coal River Farm and grab some breakfast or a cheese platter for lunch. Or if you're like me, pass by once for breakfast, check out richmond, and swing back for cheeses at lunch time.

Don't let Melbourne fool you, Hobart has the best cafe scene in the country. Local places that are great and have wonderful food: Island Espresso, Criterion Street Cafe, Dandy Lane, Room for a Pony (if you don't mind yuppies), Machine Cafe (if you don't mind being a bit cold during the winter). Get some scrambled eggs, I never found a single place in my US travels that can do scrambled eggs properly. If you just need a coffee and nothing else, Capulus or Yellow Benards are what you want.

If you're in the city and want eats:

Jack Greene - Pretty good burgers. Anything in Salamanca area is going to be great, though a little crowded.
Honey Badger - It's not greeeaaaaaat, but if you want to go to a place that exclusively sells lavishly designed and mostly edible desserts, and you're okay with fourteen year olds everywhere, it's pretty good.
Roaring Grill - Expensive, but very delicious grilled meats. Ribs, steak, etc. It's a good date place.
Sapa Rose - Very good vietnamese food
Taj Palace - Indian food with a very... interesting atmosphere. Maybe read a review or two and see if it's you're thing. In general, all of Australia has incredible indian food.
Shambles - Beer distillery in Hobart that makes incredible, incredible beers. Above average bar nibble foods, too. I'd recommend going during the day when it's not super crowded.

There's a bunch of great places in North Hobart to check out, and that's generally where the locals go when they want to eat out. That or Salamanca.

Oh, and maybe look up a tour to Maria Island. It's a pretty large island with no cars or electricity (outside of some ranger huts with solar panels). You bring a day's worth of water and food with you, and just explore this massive island full of wild animals, birds, incredible vistas and convict history. It's a bit of a drive to get to the ferry terminal, moreso than even bruny, but I found it very rewarding to explore. Just don't try to pat or pick up with or get too close to any of the animals, because you're a long way away from medical help.

Tasmania's good. Melbourne's good. Sydney is, um. It's got a big white building and a zoo.

... Tasmania and Melbourne are very good.

HeavenlyOne · Feb 21, 2019

I someone says 'ow ya goin' they are not asking you a question, they are just saying hi.

Taking a trip to Australia, looking for advice!

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One Winged Slayer

Prophet of Truth

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