Nice places to go in and around Sydney for our second wedding anniversary.

March 10, 2008 3:11 AM

Having thoroughly enjoyed our first anniversary at the hydro majestic in the blue mountains, my wife and I are now looking for suggestions for nice places to go in and around Sydney for anniversary number 2!

While we enjoyed the blue mountains a lot (thanks askMe), we also found that while it was good for relaxing, it was a little bit boring for what we like to do.

With this in mind, this time we're looking for something a little closer in to Sydney, with something more to do. We quite like visiting local arts & craft markets and other places to go shopping. We'd also like to see a little bit of local culture (ie. my wife enjoyed the rocks markets when I finally got her to go there one sunday). Finally, this time we'd really like a hotel with some nice stuff to do and a good decor (and maybe a day spa?).

With all this in mind, I hoping some Sydney-based AskMe-ers might have some suggestions. We appreciate any advice you can give, because as I mentioned in the last thread, we really like to have personal recommendations.

Thanks!

posted by ranglin to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

I would suggest either going up north to the Hunter Valley or south to Bowral, but I don't know if that really is much closer to Sydney than the Blue Moutains. Both places would provide the local arts and craft stores, good restaurants with local produce and if you time it right, with weekend markets.

If you do want to stay close to central Sydney and your wife likes the Rocks, you could consider staying at the Observatory Hotel. I've stayed there myself and it is a stylish hotel, with good facilities including tennis courts, pool and a day spa. The only negative is that it can be pretty pricey, but when I stayed there I managed to get a good discount on the room, so you might be lucky if you search around.
posted by CaveFrog at 5:28 AM on March 10, 2008

Outrageously cool ... that was my suggestion! mefi-mail me if you need any more suggestions ... Sydney was my home town and I love the place :-)

OK ... next idea. This time more stuff to do!

As suggested above ... hunter valley ... good wineries!

Observatory hotel is cool ... 2nd-ing

Loose collection of ideas follow:

A good hotel at Manly? I loved the place ... North head is cool.

Pearl Beach, on the central coast, is nice ... but quiet.

Kiama is also nice, but quiet

Almost all the harbour beaches from manly to the harbour bridge are beautiful, but quiet ... but near stuff to do. Eastern suburbs are also good. Find something near them.

Go spend a day on shark island ... if you can find someone to get you there (hint ... ask a water taxi for advice beforehand)

rent a boat and spend some days exploring the harbour, do dinner at doyles in watsons bay ... tell the skipper to anchor and go home for the evening ;-)

I used to enjoy driving in the country with a picnic with my girlfriend in our volkswagen convertible (or on my motorbike) ... 3 good day trips are

1. sydney to lithgow via the blue mountains, back via the bells line of road.
2. sydney to bowral, hang a left to kiama, back to sydney via the national park.
3. sydney, up the old pacific highway (if it is still open?) to almost gosford, left to wisemans ferry (visit st albans also), back through galstone and galstone gorge.

The casino hotel is said to be ok ... the food certainly is ... and the area (city west - fringe - inner west) was cool.

J
posted by jannw at 3:52 PM on March 10, 2008

The former Quarantine Station at North Head will offer hotel style and cottage accommodations from April. There will also be a restaurant on site and a day spa from July, plus you'll be close to Manly if you want to get out and do stuff. I'm not sure what the accommodations will be like, but the surroundings up there are just incredible.
posted by madforplaid at 5:30 PM on March 10, 2008

There are flash rooms at the Watson's bay hotel.
If you like an out of the way location, try Bundeena in the Royal National Park. Drive in, or for a lovely trip, take the ferry from Cronulla.
The back page of the travel section in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald has a different weekend accommodation review each week, and they often feature things a little quirky. I think this is the link.
posted by bystander at 9:25 PM on March 11, 2008