50 Things to Do in Sydney This Summer

Looking for the best things to do in Sydney this summer? This is our edit of the city at its most alive. Think ocean swims and coastal walks, rooftop bakeries and long lunches by the water, late nights in underground bars and slow mornings with matcha in the sun.

These are the experiences that define summer in Sydney, a mix of iconic spots and quieter local favourites that make the season feel effortless, social and distinctly ours.

Swim at the iconic Bondi Icebergs Pool

Swim at Bondi Icebergs Pool, then stay poolside with a book as the waves roll in directly beneath you. The view never really gets old, and it’s one of those summer experiences Sydney does better than anywhere else.

Visit the New Fish Market

Walk through the new Sydney Fish Market, take your time looking through the stalls, then eat whatever looks best. Sit on the steps by the water and enjoy some of the freshest seafood you can get. Opening 19th January.

Walk the Bondi to Coogee coastal track

Do the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, following the cliffs between Bondi and Coogee and passing some of the city’s best beaches along the way. It’s an easy walk to dip in and out of, with ocean views from start to finish.

AP Bakery Rooftop

AP Bakery is one of Sydney’s most well-known bakeries, and their Surry Hills rooftop location is a must. Go for the pies, ricotta bread and pastries, then stay for the city views and an easy, LA-style rooftop feel.

Watch a golden Sydney sunset at Dudley Page Reserve

Dudley Page Reserve is one of the best places to watch a Sydney sunset, with wide views across the harbour as the light turns golden over the city.

Enjoy Sunset Drinks at Opera Bar

Have a drink at Opera Bar at sunset, with views across the harbour and Circular Quay. It’s one of Sydney’s most iconic spots, and it never really gets old.

Paddle board in Rose Bay

Hire a board and paddle around Rose Bay on a calm day, when the harbour is glassy and the views back to the city feel especially good.

Taste Sydney’s world-class gelato

Summer always calls for gelato, and Sydney does it particularly well. Spend an afternoon (or evening) tasting scoops from Gelato Messina, Mapo Gelato, Rivareno Gelato and Cow & The Moon, perfect for a low-key date or a casual catch-up with friends.

Vintage shop hop in Newtown

Spend an afternoon exploring some of Sydney’s best vintage and curated second-hand stores, wandering along King Street and Enmore Road in Newtown, with plenty of stops for coffee, records and lunch along the way.

Explore Sydney’s French-inspired suburb: Potts Point

Wander through Potts Point for leafy streets lined with boutiques, wine bars, cafés and gourmet food and coffee, all giving the neighbourhood its distinctly European feel.

Relax at a Japanese-inspired bathhouse

Spend a few hours at Capybara Bathing, a contemporary bathhouse offering a magnesium-infused thermal bath, hot stone sauna, cold plunge, hammam and gently heated lounge, designed for unhurried bathing in the city. If you're looking for the best wellness and spa experiences in Sydney check out our guide.

Brewery hop in Marrickville or Brookvale

Spend an afternoon brewery hopping through Marrickville or Brookvale, moving between warehouses and taprooms for cold, crisp beers best enjoyed fresh and on site.

Visit White Rabbit Gallery

Spend time at White Rabbit Gallery, exploring its sharply curated, often provocative exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art across multiple levels.

Watch a film at one of the world’s most beautiful outdoor cinemas

See a movie at Westpac OpenAir, set right on the harbour, where the Opera House, skyline and water frame the screen and make the setting as memorable as the film itself.

Shop at Carriageworks Farmers Market

Visit Carriageworks Farmers Market, widely regarded as one of the city’s best farmers markets, with standout producers like AP Bakery and Pepe Saya. On a Saturday morning, you’ll find plenty of Sydneysiders here doing their weekly shop, coffee in hand, stocking up for the weekend ahead.

Photo booth pics at Ace Hotel

Get a cocktail at Ace Hotel Sydney, whose lobby interiors were designed by Flack Studio, then step into the lobby photo booth for a small but memorable memento from your night.

Walk a newly opened coastal track in a national park

Explore the coastal track through Kamay Botany Bay National Park, including newly opened sections that trace the rugged coastline around Cronulla, with open views and fewer crowds than the city’s better-known walks.

Be your own captain with GoBoat

Hire a self-drive boat from GoBoat Sydney, pack a picnic, and spend a few hours cruising the harbour at your own pace.

Sit down for high tea in the city

Book in for high tea at The Tea Cosy for its playful, old-school charm, or go all out with a more polished experience at The Langham Sydney or Capella Sydney.

Snorkel the underwater trail at Gordons Bay

Snorkel at Gordons Bay, following the marked underwater trail in calm, clear water, the sheltered cove and rocky edges give it the feel of a small European swimming spot 

Beachside lunch in Manly

Pick up a sandwich from Norma’s Deli, a poke bowl from Momo Bar, or pastries and matcha from Rollers Bakehouse, then picnic on the sand at Manly Beach, watching the surfers and waves roll through.

Get lost in Kinokuniya on of Sydney’s largest bookstores

Spend time browsing Kinokuniya Sydney, a multi-level bookshop where it’s easy to wander between design, art, fiction and international magazines without keeping track of time.

Bar Hop in Newtown

Newtown has some of Sydney’s best bars packed onto one stretch. Think Bar Planet, Bar Demo, Dead Wax, Jacoby’s Tiki Bar and Earl’s Juke Joint, edgy, cool, and genuinely fun spots.

Try the Mont Blanc coffee at Jibbi

Order the Mont Blanc coffee at Jibbi Little, made with Jibbi’s award-winning coffee — cold, creamy and the perfect coffee hit for a warm day.

Boutique shop through Paddington

Browse independent boutiques and designers around Paddington, where heritage streets are lined with some of the city’s best fashion, jewellery and homewares stores.

Get jewellery soldered at Sarah & Sebastian

Have permanent jewellery soldered at Sarah & Sebastian, known for its fine Australian-made pieces, an understated way to mark a celebration or choose a beautiful treat for yourself.

Image: picklesathletic

Play pickleball at Club Rose Bay

Spend an afternoon playing pickleball at Club Rose Bay, where the outdoor courts sit alongside good pizza and pasta from Notti’s with vinyl spinning at the cocktail bar.

Drink matcha at a café

Sydney has an incredible matcha scene. Order a matcha latte at your favourite café and take a moment to slow the pace of the morning. For our go-to spots and rankings, see our Matcha Matrix guide.

Sip and snack alfresco at a wine bar

Choose a wine bar with outdoor tables and spend the evening sharing small plates and a good bottle in the open air. For our favourites, see our guide to Sydney’s best wine bars.

Have pancakes at Bills

Bills helped shape Sydney’s café scene, setting the standard for the kind of relaxed, sun-drenched breakfasts the city is known for. The iconic ricotta hotcakes, oozing with honeycomb butter and served with banana and strawberries on the side, are a quintessential summer ritual for Sydneysiders.

Read and swim at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool

Swim at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool, then grab a coffee from the Artificer x Lune pop-up and spend time with BTWN Lines’ curated selection of vintage fashion magazines, art and interiors books, all overlooking the wharf and harbour at Woolloomooloo.

Go for a night of Dancing

Head out for a late night at Club 77, Lazybones Lounge, The Abercrombie or The Cliff Dive, depending on your mood. Club 77 carries a 25-year legacy of underground cool in Darlinghurst, The Abercrombie delivers big dance-floor energy, and The Cliff Dive brings a hidden, tiki-style space with hip-hop, funk and dance at its core.

See a Film at Sydney’s Art Deco Cinema

Golden Age Cinema is a vintage-style, underground cinema set inside a 1940s Art Deco building. Watch a classic, a cult favourite or a new release, then stay on for a nightcap at the cosy bar. It’s one of those rare places that still makes a movie night feel like an occasion.

Go to a Proper Live Music Venue

Catch live music at places that still do it right. Think Pleasure Club, Lazybones Lounge, Curtin’s Jazz Club and Caterpillar Club. Small rooms, close stages, good sound, and the kind of atmosphere where the music is the whole point of the night.

Enjoy a long lunch overlooking the water

Enjoy a long lunch or dinner at CATALINA, Sean’s Panorama or Bert’s Bar & Brasserie. Dining by the water is one of Sydney’s specialties, where modern Australian food and a coastal setting come together in a way that feels uniquely ours.

Check Out Sydney’s Markets

Sydney has a great mix of community markets, from second-hand fashion and beachfront stalls to local produce and small-batch food. For more, see our guides to the best markets and best farmers markets in Sydney.

Day Trip to Palm Beach

Head north to Palm Beach, home of the iconic Home and Away beach, for swimming, coastal walks and long lunches by the water. Spend time on the yellow sand, do the lighthouse hike, or just slow the pace for the day.

Lunch Overlooking the Harbour at Watsons Bay

Take the ferry over to Watsons Bay and settle in for lunch at Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, sitting right on the harbour’s edge. It’s an easy way to turn a simple meal into a small day trip, with boats drifting past and the water right in front of you.

Browse Independent Boutique Shopping

Browse curated fashion at Incu, Maillot, Pieces and Above The Clouds. These are tightly edited, design-led boutiques that set the tone for Sydney’s fashion scene. Maillot and Chinatown Country Club both have cafés too, so you can break it up with a coffee, a drink, or a pastry before heading back out. Check out our guide on the best places to shop in Sydney.

Picnic in the Royal Botanic Garden

Lay out a picnic in the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, with views back across the harbour and the Opera House.

Ocean Swim at Bronte Baths

Swim laps at Bronte Baths, protected from the surf but still open to the ocean. One of the best places for a calm saltwater swim without leaving the coast.

Go for Oyster Hour at Morrison’s

Enjoy Oyster Hour at Morrison’s Oyster Bar & Grill, where Sydney Rock oysters are shucked fresh to order for $2 each. Wednesday, 6–7pm. A midweek excuse to eat very good oysters by the dozen without feeling the pinch.

Canned Matcha and a Beach Walk

Grab the iconic canned matcha from Harry’s, then take a walk along Bondi Beach. There are other cute canned drinks too if matcha isn’t your thing, so everyone’s covered before heading off along the sand.