Things to do in Circular Quay

For many, Sydney Opera House is the daddy, the crown prince, the big kahuna, the absolute holy grail of Sydney sightseeing. Indeed, show us the person who’s been to Sydney and *hasn’t* at least glimpsed this space-age stunner from afar and we’ll show you the souvenir Opera House keychain they’re hiding in their pocket.

As global architectural icons go, Sydney Opera House is right up there with the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal and Empire State Building. Jutting out into Sydney Harbour, its vast concrete sails pretty much defy superlatives and, as such, are absolute manna for Insta addicts.

Snap what those waggish Sydneysiders call ‘the nuns in a scrum’ on a gentle harbour cruise, or get up close and personal on a guided tour. Better still, step inside its hallowed halls to catch a show – there are 40-or-so events in any given week, from musicals to hard-hitting theater and live music from big-name international acts.

Top tip: the Sydney pass from Go City includes tours of several historic Sydney landmarks, plus many more major attractions and activities and could save you up to 50% on your Sydney sightseeing. Click here to find out more.

Straight into another absolute doozy, Sydney Harbour Bridge is the instantly recognizable steel arch icon that spans the harbor from Dawes Point to Milsons Point. There are many great vantage points from which to ogle this 1930s icon: from the historic Rocks neighborhood, from Mrs Macquaries Chair, from the Opera Bar beer Garden by the Opera House, or even on a boat cruise that drifts underneath – pooh stick-style – from one side to the other.

But nothing can beat the exhilarating feeling of climbing the thing. Book a guided climb and strap in for a thrill-a-minute adventure as you ascend to the summit, 440 feet above the tiny boats far below. Brave souls are rewarded with shot nerves, trembling knees, and far-reaching views across the famous harbor and beyond.

Just a short stroll from Circular Quay, the historic neighborhood known as The Rocks is an absolute treasure trove of old-school attractions. It’s perfect fodder for the budding historian, with plenty of old colonial buildings to ogle, atmospheric cobbled lanes to get lost in, and ye olde pubs to sup ale in – thirsty punters have been drinking, storytelling and making merry in the likes of the Lord Nelson and Fortune of War for well over a century.

Take a walking tour to get right under the skin of the place and don’t miss the neighborhood’s excellent Museum of Contemporary Art Australia which, alongside exhibitions by the most bleeding-age young Australian artists, boasts one of the most remarkable collections of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands art on the planet. 

Trust us when we tell you that a cruise of Sydney Harbour really takes the effort out of sightseeing. Why spend all that shoe leather and knee cartilage schlepping around when you can simply take to the water and get all your vacation snaps done and dusted in one fell swoop? Why, indeed.

There are a number of ways to experience the harbour. Take a standard wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am one hour sightseeing cruise, or show your romantic side on a sunset voyage with three-course dinner. You can even go wild on a high-speed Oz Jet Boat thrill ride, complete with 270-degree spins, fishtails, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it views of several top Sydney attractions. For obvious reasons, on-board meals are not available with this one. Note that several such Circular Quay boat excursions are included with the Sydney pass.

Botanists, horticulturalists, amateur gardeners, and general flower sniffers rejoice! Set right next to Circular Bay, Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden is a veritable fiesta of sights, scents and sounds. Explore regal rose gardens, multi-sensory wildflower meadows and exotic plant species galore across 74 acres of prime parkland, and don’t miss the splendid succulents section with its prickly pillars and aromatic aloes.

Nearby Mrs Macquarie’s Chair – a sandstone bench carved by convicts more than 200 years ago – is one of Sydney’s most popular spots for photographers, thanks to its splendid golden-hour views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

‘Allo ‘allo ‘allo, what’s all this ‘ere then? Sydney’s Justice and Police Museum is one of the great unsung things to do in Circular Quay. Fancy a journey into the city’s dark and dangerous past? This one is very much for you. Step inside this colonial former police station and courthouse to learn all about Sydney’s notorious criminals, from smugglers and embezzlers to the infamous bushrangers and razor gangs that once terrorized Australia. Check out grizzly underworld weapons and discover the remarkable skills of the Aboriginal trackers used to crack crime in New South Wales during the 20th Century. 

And that’s not all. The city’s criminal past is big business in Sydney, and there are several crime-themed walking tours available, some of which are included with the Sydney pass.

Circular Quay is Sydney’s primary hub for ferry services around the city and beyond. It’s your gateway to – among other essential Sydney sightseeing hotspots – Manly, Watsons Bay, Barangaroo and Cockatoo Island. Hop on the F9 to Watsons Bay for a pleasant walk up to stripy Hornby Lighthouse and awesome views back over the bay to Sydney Harbour. Visit at the right time of year and you might even get lucky and spot migrating whales in the waters below! Or take the F2 if its animal antics at Taronga Zoo that you seek. And, if the Justice and Police Museum has whet your appetite for all things criminal, it’s the F8 to Cockatoo Island for you, site of several heritage buildings that formed part of a 19th-century penal establishment for colonial convicts. But unlike theirs, your ticket will (hopefully) not be one-way…

Looking for more things to do in Circular Quay and around Sydney? The Sydney pass from Go City can save you up to 50% on entry to around 40 Sydney attractions. Hit the buttons below to find out more and choose your pass!