Sydney bound
March 4, 2011 9:16 AM Subscribe
I am in Sydney for two days (this Sunday and Monday). What would you recommend to a mid-twenties single female lesbian for a fun, interesting time in Sydney.
I will be there a week total but with a larger group of five. I want stuff I can do solo (for these two days) before I meet up with them.
I am staying in Darling Harbor near the beach in a cool old inn. I will be by myself before meeting up with family. I have read all the lonely planet stuff and have an idea of cool bars/museums to check out, but I was wondering if there was out of the way cool stuff you could direct me towards.
I love beekeeping, gardening, old architecture, and riding my bike everywhere.
I'm from the west USA near lots of mountains so excited about the water.
I'm throwing the bit about my personal stuff in because I think it's relevant because I'm traveling alone. Cannot wait!
I am staying in Darling Harbor near the beach in a cool old inn. I will be by myself before meeting up with family. I have read all the lonely planet stuff and have an idea of cool bars/museums to check out, but I was wondering if there was out of the way cool stuff you could direct me towards.
I love beekeeping, gardening, old architecture, and riding my bike everywhere.
I'm from the west USA near lots of mountains so excited about the water.
I'm throwing the bit about my personal stuff in because I think it's relevant because I'm traveling alone. Cannot wait!
Seconding the ferry. Great views, especially of the opera house.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:39 AM on March 4, 2011
posted by EndsOfInvention at 10:39 AM on March 4, 2011
Boy Charlton Pool: best swim experience ever. Manly ferry (not hydrofoil). Walk across the bridge from north to south (Those walks over the span look great but I was pretty amazed by walking at traffic level.) Eat at Sailors Thai in the Rocks. Walk through the Botanical Gardens. The Barracks Museum edges out the Museum of Sydney as the best museum experience you can have. (The Barracks carries its human story with in-your-face grittiness and curatorial aplomb. The Museum of Sydney was sometimes a bit worthy.) You could stand still for two days on Circular Quay and see enough to last you a while but there's no exercise factor here I guess. Have fun.
posted by firstdrop at 11:34 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by firstdrop at 11:34 AM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Single lesbian... then you want to go to the Women's Pool at Coogee, its a women only ocean pool.
You might also like to hang out in King St Newtown, it's where lesbians hangout. Sunday's are always busy, Monday not so and many of the more interesting/ independent shops are shut on Monday. Any of the bars/pubs along King St are good. Easy to get to on Cityrail, its a few stops from Central.
For non-lesbian specific activities; catch a ferry to Manly, go to any beach, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is usually good, etc.
posted by MT at 1:03 PM on March 4, 2011
You might also like to hang out in King St Newtown, it's where lesbians hangout. Sunday's are always busy, Monday not so and many of the more interesting/ independent shops are shut on Monday. Any of the bars/pubs along King St are good. Easy to get to on Cityrail, its a few stops from Central.
For non-lesbian specific activities; catch a ferry to Manly, go to any beach, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is usually good, etc.
posted by MT at 1:03 PM on March 4, 2011
Best answer: OK you have two days, Sunday and Monday? Here's your Sunday plan - one of the best ferry rides is Circular Quay to Watson's Bay. If you are staying in Darling Habour you can catch a ferry from there to Circular Quay (here is the timetable). Then zip across to Wharf 4 and catch the ferry to Watson's Bay (here's the timetable). You'll get to see the whole harbour from Circular Quay out to the heads. Magnificent!
Get to Watson's bay early and then do the walk from Watson's Bay around to South Head (here is the map - the bit you want is labelled "South Head"). Bring your camera as you will get some great views of the city. If you're particularly daring, bring a towel too and have a swim at Lady Bay (you'll only need a towel!). Then work your way over to The Gap (famous for being Sydney's "suicide spot"). Finish up with a takeaway fish and chips from Doyle's. If you've got any energy left, you can always visit Vaucluse House, which is just down the road. You can catch the 325 bus (or walk, it's about 2km).
So, on Monday, what to do? Catch the train (8:18am from Central, I would start out early as it is a 2 hour trip - a bit dreary at first but the last hour has lovely mountain scenery) to Katoomba and check out the Three Sisters, walk down the Giant Stairway, then a lovely walk to catch the scenic railway back to the visitor centre. I would avoid the visitor centre as it is a bit of a tourist trap. Catch a London Bus (get the open roof one!) which will then take you all around Katoomba (costly, but worth it - in fact, you can get on the bus at the train station when you arrive - here is the route map - the Three Sisters are at Echo Point). BTW I would NOT do this trip on a Sunday as the trains are almost always replaced by buses due to trackwork on the weekends. Take from me, the railways buses are NOT a pleasant way to travel!
Of course, if you are feeling particularly daring, you could always get a milkshake from this man. It might be best to go in a group however!
posted by humpy at 5:17 PM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Get to Watson's bay early and then do the walk from Watson's Bay around to South Head (here is the map - the bit you want is labelled "South Head"). Bring your camera as you will get some great views of the city. If you're particularly daring, bring a towel too and have a swim at Lady Bay (you'll only need a towel!). Then work your way over to The Gap (famous for being Sydney's "suicide spot"). Finish up with a takeaway fish and chips from Doyle's. If you've got any energy left, you can always visit Vaucluse House, which is just down the road. You can catch the 325 bus (or walk, it's about 2km).
So, on Monday, what to do? Catch the train (8:18am from Central, I would start out early as it is a 2 hour trip - a bit dreary at first but the last hour has lovely mountain scenery) to Katoomba and check out the Three Sisters, walk down the Giant Stairway, then a lovely walk to catch the scenic railway back to the visitor centre. I would avoid the visitor centre as it is a bit of a tourist trap. Catch a London Bus (get the open roof one!) which will then take you all around Katoomba (costly, but worth it - in fact, you can get on the bus at the train station when you arrive - here is the route map - the Three Sisters are at Echo Point). BTW I would NOT do this trip on a Sunday as the trains are almost always replaced by buses due to trackwork on the weekends. Take from me, the railways buses are NOT a pleasant way to travel!
Of course, if you are feeling particularly daring, you could always get a milkshake from this man. It might be best to go in a group however!
posted by humpy at 5:17 PM on March 4, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Seconding the Women's Pool at Coogee. It's a saltwater pool set into a cliff face and completely secluded from the outside world. It's a beautiful setting for an afternoon of swimming and sunbathing, and yeah, there's plenty of flirting there, too.
The Sly Fox in Enmore (near Newtown) is a well-known lesbian/queer bar. There may be trendier places out there these days, I wouldn't know. This time of year it's almost certainly worth checking out.
For a non-lesbian-specific place to have a picnic, you can't go past Wendy's Secret Garden at Lavender Bay. You can walk from the station at Milson's Point, although it takes a bit of determination to find. It's public land, tended by the widow of a famous Australian artist, so there are lots of beautiful vistas and old tables from which to paint them (or just enjoy the view).
posted by embrangled at 6:02 PM on March 4, 2011
The Sly Fox in Enmore (near Newtown) is a well-known lesbian/queer bar. There may be trendier places out there these days, I wouldn't know. This time of year it's almost certainly worth checking out.
For a non-lesbian-specific place to have a picnic, you can't go past Wendy's Secret Garden at Lavender Bay. You can walk from the station at Milson's Point, although it takes a bit of determination to find. It's public land, tended by the widow of a famous Australian artist, so there are lots of beautiful vistas and old tables from which to paint them (or just enjoy the view).
posted by embrangled at 6:02 PM on March 4, 2011
There's a walk from the Spit Bridge to Manly which isn't on most of the lists of Sydney-things-to-do which I recommend. They're some of the wealthier suburbs in the city, but there remains a coastal strip you can bushwalk in. There are Aboriginal protected sites and middens, gun platforms and spotting towers left over from the Second World War, rainforest trees and heath, and of course---the view. If you start at the Spit, you finish up at the beach in Manly where you can get lunch and a beer as your reward before you get the ferry back to Circular Quay.
A note on swimming: you can swim in Port Jackson near Darling Harbour, and there are spots designated in Ultimo around from Darling Harbour past the casino where there are stairs down to the water, but it's not really "the beach". The coastal beach, sea pools and harbour pools in the eastern suburbs are better by far.
If it's been raining (and it's likely to rain this weekend), it's a mistake to swim in Port Jackson as stormwater from the streets washes the garbage and road debris straight into the water. When the water gets cloudy you get middle ear infections, to say nothing of the small sharks.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:52 PM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
A note on swimming: you can swim in Port Jackson near Darling Harbour, and there are spots designated in Ultimo around from Darling Harbour past the casino where there are stairs down to the water, but it's not really "the beach". The coastal beach, sea pools and harbour pools in the eastern suburbs are better by far.
If it's been raining (and it's likely to rain this weekend), it's a mistake to swim in Port Jackson as stormwater from the streets washes the garbage and road debris straight into the water. When the water gets cloudy you get middle ear infections, to say nothing of the small sharks.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:52 PM on March 4, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: You guys are amazing. I can't wait to tackle all of this stuff! Thank you.
posted by timpanogos at 7:14 PM on March 4, 2011
posted by timpanogos at 7:14 PM on March 4, 2011
Best answer: I tried to find the lesbian beekeepers of Australia address but failed.
posted by tarvuz at 2:02 AM on March 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by tarvuz at 2:02 AM on March 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
There are bike rides in Manly, and you can hire bikes there, which works well in conjunction with a ferry trip. There is also a great bike path from homebush bay that goes all the way to Kurnell along greenways and botany bay (so significantly flatter that most of Sydney) but I can't seem to track down the good map. Other maps here.
posted by kjs4 at 5:49 AM on March 5, 2011
posted by kjs4 at 5:49 AM on March 5, 2011
Just a note--the Sly Fox is best on Wednesdays when there are an assortment of queer performances. I haven't been in ages but I think it starts at 10-10:30 ish. The Bank on King Street is also lesbian on Wednesdays. The Bank + Sly Fox double header is extremely popular!
posted by equivocator at 6:46 PM on March 6, 2011
posted by equivocator at 6:46 PM on March 6, 2011
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Ride the ferry - it's the best way to see the harbour. Get a MyMulti and just cruise around. Go to the Island Bar.
Go swimming, particularly in an ocean pool.
Old architecture & museums: The Historic Houses Trust.
Riding my bike everywhere: BikeSydney. (I'm curious about The Humble Vintage, which is supposed to be in Sydney now. Riding a vintage racer around Darlinghurst might be just your thing.)
posted by zamboni at 9:56 AM on March 4, 2011