{"id":14647,"date":"2022-01-21T10:41:58","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T00:41:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=14647"},"modified":"2022-01-25T10:00:42","modified_gmt":"2022-01-25T00:00:42","slug":"2022-must-dos-17-of-sydneys-best-cheap-and-free-experiences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/sydney\/tips\/2022-cheap-sydney\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 must-dos! 17 of Sydney\u2019s best cheap and free experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think you need to break the bank to make the most of Sydney<\/a>? Think again! We\u2019ve found 17 of the best cheap and free things to do in the Harbour City. Have a squiz!<\/p>\n

1. Ride the Manly Ferry<\/h2>\n

The Manly Ferry<\/a> is iconic and the 30-minute journey from Circular Quay to Manly Cove is a must-do. It\u2019s one of the best ways to experience Sydney Harbour. Once you\u2019re in Manly, go for a stroll on Manly Beach or grab some fish and chips for lunch. Yum!<\/p>\n

2. Go for a dip at Bondi Beach<\/h2>\n

Have you even been to Sydney if you haven\u2019t wandered on the white sands of Bondi Beach? Catch a bus or walk from Bondi Junction train station. Don\u2019t forget the SPF50+ sunscreen!<\/p>\n

3. Check out Wareamah (Cockatoo Island)<\/h2>\n

\"Cockatoo<\/p>\n

Jump on a ferry<\/a> at Circular Quay for a 30-minute trip around Sydney Harbour to Wareamah, aka Cockatoo Island. Enjoy guided tours, a caf\u00e9 lunch or a picnic overlooking the harbour. You can even camp overnight<\/a>! Wareamah is free to visit and explore, though you\u2019ll need to book ahead if you want to camp.<\/p>\n

4. Explore The Rocks Discovery Museum<\/h2>\n

A free family-friendly museum in the heart of one of Sydney\u2019s most historic districts? Yes, please! Check out thousands of years of history at The Rocks Discovery Museum<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. See what\u2019s happening in the Royal Botanic Garden<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s always something on at the Royal Botanic Garden<\/a>. Botanical art exhibitions, First Nations heritage tours, stargazing events, giant dinosaur puppet shows\u2026 you never know what you\u2019ll find. But if you want to take it easy, you can always bring a picnic, kick back and enjoy the serenity.<\/p>\n

6. Join a free walking tour<\/h2>\n

\"Angel<\/p>\n

Is there a better way to get to know a city than with a free walking tour<\/a> with an actual local? I\u2019m Free group tours range from 90 minutes up to two-and-a-half hours. They also offer paid private tours, with 5% of their profits going to charity.<\/p>\n

7. Get inspired at the Art Gallery of NSW<\/h2>\n

Overlooking the harbour and just a 15-minute walk from the city, the Art Gallery of NSW<\/a> is one of Australia\u2019s premiere art galleries. It\u2019s home to many permanent and touring exhibitions, including the famous Archibald Prize. General entry is free, although you\u2019ll have to pay admission for special exhibitions.<\/p>\n

8. Have yum cha in Chinatown<\/h2>\n

What can we say? The perfect way to start your day in Sydney (or anywhere) is with yum cha. Zilver<\/a> and The Eight<\/a> are a couple of local faves, but they\u2019re all pretty amazing.<\/p>\n

9. Go for a (seriously epic) walk<\/h2>\n

\"Bondi<\/p>\n

Sydney Harbour is famed for its beauty. So make the most of it by walking along its coast (and cliffs). The two-hour Coogee to Bondi walk is a hit with locals and visitors alike, but for something easier try the one-hour Chowder Bay to Balmoral Beach trail.<\/p>\n

10. Catch a Parramatta RiverCat<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s more to Sydney waterways than the ocean. The 80-minute ferry trip from Circular Quay to Parramatta<\/a> will have you relaxing and enjoying another side of stunning Sydney. While you\u2019re in Parra, be sure to check out the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Parramatta Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

11. Have a stroll around Hyde Park<\/h2>\n

Hyde Park is Australia\u2019s oldest park and the perfect spot for a green escape from the city hustle bustle (even if only for lunch). There are gardens, walkways, fountains, monuments and more.<\/p>\n

12. Grab a bite at the Chinatown Night Markets<\/h2>\n

\"Chinatown,<\/p>\n

Chinatown\u2019s famous Friday Night Markets<\/a> only sell street food – but one bite and you won\u2019t be thinking about anything else. They\u2019re on every Friday from 4pm to 11pm, and entry is free.<\/p>\n

13. See the Sydney Opera House<\/h2>\n

The Sydney Opera House<\/a> is one of the world\u2019s most iconic buildings. It\u2019s free to wander over and take some snaps (don\u2019t worry about looking touristy – we\u2019ve all done it \ud83d\ude09), or you can grab lunch or a drink at the nearby Opera Bar. Tours of the Opera House<\/a> start from $21 per person for kids, $43 per person for adults.<\/p>\n

14. Walk to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse<\/h2>\n

The 1km uphill walk to Barrenjoey Lighthouse might feel like a bit of work, but we promise it\u2019s well worth it. The views from the top are spectacular and you might even see migrating whales.<\/p>\n

15. Pop in to St Mary\u2019s Cathedral<\/h2>\n

\"Interior<\/p>\n

St Mary\u2019s<\/a> is a stunning neo-gothic cathedral that brings grace to the Sydney skyline and has free tours every Sunday morning after the 10.30am mass. It\u2019s free to visit, although donations are happily accepted.<\/p>\n

16. Hop to the White Rabbit Gallery<\/h2>\n

Head to Chippendale to visit the White Rabbit Gallery<\/a> – one of the world\u2019s largest and most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art. Entry is free, but make space in your budget (and belly) for some dumplings at the Teahouse. Yum!<\/p>\n

17. Grab a pie from Harry\u2019s Caf\u00e9 de Wheels<\/h2>\n

A Sydney institution, Harry\u2019s Caf\u00e9 de Wheels<\/a> has been \u2018parked\u2019 at Woolloomooloo for almost 85 years (excluding Harry Edwards’ World War II service from 1938 to 1945). Everyone from Frank Sinatra to Sir Elton John has sunk their teeth into a famous \u2018Tiger\u2019 pie – and it\u2019s time that you do too.<\/p>\n<\/i> PLAN YOUR SYDNEY GETAWAY <\/a>\n

Heads up!<\/strong> Due to COVID-19, government restrictions are in constant review and travel guidelines may change. We strongly recommend that all travellers seek further information about destinations and attractions before scheduling trips or making bookings, take extra care and follow all rules.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Think you need to break the bank to make the most of Sydney? Think again! We\u2019ve found 17 of the best cheap and free things to do in the Harbour City. Have a squiz! 1. Ride the Manly Ferry The Manly Ferry is iconic and the 30-minute journey from Circular Quay to Manly Cove is …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":14706,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[782,80],"tags":[1057,1058,116,30,1060,1059,286],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14647"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14647"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14724,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14647\/revisions\/14724"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}