{"id":6530,"date":"2018-10-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-29T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/?p=6530"},"modified":"2020-05-01T13:35:59","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T03:35:59","slug":"cheap-and-free-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/sydney\/tips\/cheap-and-free-sydney\/","title":{"rendered":"Sydney hacks: 18 of the best cheap (and free) things to do"},"content":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t despair if you\u2019re watching your budget in Sydney<\/a>. Australia\u2019s unofficial capital might be one of the world\u2019s most expensive cities, but there\u2019s still plenty of cheap (and free!) stuff going on to keep you busy without skimping on fun.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in town for a visit (or if you\u2019re a local saving for a house\u2026 ), here are 18 awesome things to do that\u2019ll help keep your wallet healthy.<\/p>\n

1. Forget the climb, take a walk<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Sure, the official Sydney Harbour Bridge climb is expensive. But it\u2019s totally free to stroll along the pedestrian path on the eastern side and the views are well worth it.<\/p>\n

2. After-hours culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Head to the Art Gallery of NSW for Art After Hours.<\/a> From celebrity talks to workshops and behind-the-scenes tours, it’s free and amazing!<\/p>\n

3. Stop. Ferry time.<\/h3>\n

Forget the tourist boats. Do as the locals do and hop on a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly. In the 30 minutes or so you\u2019re on the water, you can snap pics of all the harbourside attractions and chill out before you get off for some fish and chips. Pro tip: If you or someone you\u2019re travelling with has mobility issues, the Manly Surf Lifesaving Club has a beach wheelchair available for loan \u2013 at no cost \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n

4. A garden fit for royalty<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Be a joiner and take a free guided tour of the lush Royal Botanic Garden<\/a>, right next to the Opera House. All the gorgeous garden and harbour views your eyes can eat.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

5. Play with your darlings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This one comes with a warning. Take your kids even once to the famous (and free) Children\u2019s Playground<\/a> in the Darling Quarter and they\u2019ll be hounding you to go back again and again. Water play, a 3m slide and an 18.7m-long balance rope course? Yes, please!<\/p>\n

6. Mac down on some cheap eats<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Get your comfort food fix with an $8 three-cheese macaroni from the Soda Factory<\/a> in Surry Hills. So much yum.<\/p>\n

7. Take a dip under the bridge<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s a swimming spot the locals would love to keep under wraps. For an entry fee of around $8, you can swim laps in the North Sydney Pool<\/a> right under THE Bridge, with views of the Harbour and Luna Park. And you can do it \u2013 wait for it \u2013 at night!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

8. The beat goes on<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t believe the naysayers \u2013 live music isn\u2019t dead in Sydney. Head to Frankie\u2019s<\/a> for free music most nights of the week (and some of Sydney\u2019s favourite pizza).<\/p>\n

9. The beach without the sand<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A small patch of grass to some, the North Bondi Grassy Knoll<\/a> is the perfect place for a sundowner. And the sunset? Priceless.<\/p>\n

10. See where the fat lady sings<\/h3>\n

If your budget doesn\u2019t run to $150+ for a backstage tour of the Opera House, fear not. For $10-20 you can check out The Opera Centre<\/a> \u2013 Opera Australia\u2019s rehearsal space and costume studio in Surry Hills. Heads up, though \u2013 it\u2019s a walking tour with a lot of stairs.<\/p>\n

11. Luna Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Yep, Luna Park<\/a> can sting your wallet, but that\u2019s just the rides. Entry is free, so if you\u2019re up for some people-watching with a Harbour backdrop (and carnival atmosphere), pop in for a look-see. And if you really want to go on the rides, grab a Twilight Saver Unlimited Rides pass<\/a> and visit after 6pm. It\u2019s 30% cheaper than a regular Unlimited Rides pass \u2013 score!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

12. Farm delights<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Old meets new at Rouse Hill Farm<\/a>, where the heritage house and grounds mix it up with fun exhibitions (like Lego!). It\u2019s only $30 for a family ticket and kids under five are free.<\/p>\n

13. Take a classic(al) lunchbreak<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music brings free classical music to the masses on Conservatorium Wednesdays.<\/a> How very cultured.<\/p>\n

14. An island adventure<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Hop on a ferry at Circular Quay or Darling Harbour and head to Cockatoo Island<\/a>. Explore the World Heritage-listed island in the middle of Sydney Harbour and learn all about its history as a convict site, naval base and shipyard.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

15. LOL at The Louis<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We all need a good giggle \u2013 especially when the bank account is looking a little sparse. Save your gold coins for a beer and get your comedy for free at The Louis Hotel\u2019s Crown Comedy night<\/a> every Thursday.<\/p>\n

16. Bondi to Coogee walk<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Clear your head and put a spring in your step with the Bondi to Coogee walk<\/a>. Enjoy breathtaking views as you wind along 6km of clifftops skirting Sydney\u2019s Eastern Suburbs. Keep your shoes comfy, your water bottle full, and your sunscreen applied.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

17. Get on a roll<\/strong><\/h3>\n

They see you rolling, they hating… Or maybe they’re just jealous of the fun you’re having at\u00a0Penrith Skatel<\/a>, where for around $10 you\u2019ll get a pair of hire skates and a couple of hours to show off your best Xanadu-inspired skate moves.<\/p>\n

18. Go modern<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With more than 4,000 works by leading Australian artists, you could spend an hour or a week getting to know the Museum of Contemporary Art<\/a>. With free entry, great cafes and fantastic exhibitions, what more could you ask for?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favourite way to enjoy Sydney on the cheap?<\/p>\n<\/i> PLAN YOUR SYDNEY GETAWAY <\/a>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t despair if you\u2019re watching your budget in Sydney. Australia\u2019s unofficial capital might be one of the world\u2019s most expensive cities, but there\u2019s still plenty of cheap (and free!) stuff going on to keep you busy without skimping on fun. If you\u2019re in town for a visit (or if you\u2019re a local saving for a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":6533,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[776,782,80],"tags":[284,285,30,287,283,286],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6530"}],"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=6530"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6599,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6530\/revisions\/6599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wotif.com\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}