Romantic Things To Do in Sydney

Looking for somewhere romantic to take that special someone? Offering fantastic waterfront dining, picturesque picnic spots, outdoor cinemas and a diverse calendar of events, Sydney is home to many places that can set the mood for a romantic day or night out.

Get planning your next date night, or celebrate a milestone with a loved one with one of these romantic things to do in Sydney.

Outdoor cinemas

For a fancier affair than a visit to the local cinema, catch a flick in the evening air at one of Sydney’s outdoor cinemas this summer. Enjoy one of the many new releases or cult classics scheduled, or watch a special preview screening. Choose from a stunning Sydney Harbour backdrop at the St George Open Air Cinema, or relax on Bondi Beach at Ben and Jerry’s Openair Cinemas Bondi.

Ben and Jerry’s Openair Cinemas Bondi

Picnic at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

With stunning views of Sydney Harbour and many shady trees to spread a picnic blanket under, the Royal Botanic Garden is an idyllic and central spot for a romantic breakfast, lunch or early dinner. Once you’ve finished picnicking, take a stroll around the extensive grounds and explore its many themed and manicured gardens.

Picnic at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney

Blacktown Skyline Drive In

For a cinematic experience with a hint of nostalgia, spend the evening at the Blacktown Skyline Drive In and enjoy a movie from the comfort of your car. Stock the car with your own food or dine on American-style food and refreshing beverages at the cinema’s 1950s-themed diner.

Image credit: Peter Dobson and Blacktown Skyline Drive In Cinema

Dinner by the harbour

Set the scene for a romantic night out with dinner at one of Sydney’s many harbourside restaurants and cafés. Time your date to see the sun set over Sydney Harbour. Popular dining locations with spectacular waterfront views include Darling Harbour and Circular Quay, with plenty of acclaimed restaurants, bars and cafes perfect for dinner and a nightcap.

Dining beside Sydney Harbour at Opera Kitchen

Night visit to the Sydney Observatory

Gaze up at the stars and explore the night sky alongside your partner during an evening visit to the Sydney Observatory. A tour after dark gives visitors the opportunity to learn more about the universe, discover ancient Indigenous astronomy, and trace planets and galaxies through the observatory’s telescopes.

Stargazing at the Sydney Observatory

‘Roar and Snore’ at Taronga Zoo

Experience a date with a difference with Taronga Zoo’s Roar and Snore program. Come face-to-face with some of Taronga’s furry, feathered and scaly creatures during behind the scenes tours in one of Sydney’s most enchanting date itineraries. Spend the night within the zoo grounds in a safari tent and wake up to the sounds of the zoo’s resident birds and animals as you watch the sun rise over Sydney Harbour.

‘Roar and Snore’ at Taronga Zoo

See a theatre production or musical

Experience world-class theatre and musicals in Sydney. With local and international acts performing as part of a varied year-round program, there are plenty of shows to choose from for a romantic night out. Stellar performances to look forward to this season include Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage, on now at the Sydney Lyric Theatre until February, and Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour from 27 March – 26 April 2015. This year’s Hand Opera on Sydney Harbour program features Verdi’s dramatic Aida, an epic story of a royal love triangle set in Egypt at the time of the pharaohs.

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage

Limbo | Dirty and Dangerous Circus Cabaret - Sydney Festival 2015

Limbo | Dirty and Dangerous Circus Cabaret - Sydney Festival 2015

After a sellout season at Sydney Festival 2014, the ultimate other-worldly party, staged somewhere between heaven and hell, returns to the Festival Village once more with circus that’s wild, wicked and out of this world.

“An irresistible cocktail of circus skills, live music and sexy humour”

Time Out (UK)

LIMBO is dirty and dangerous circus cabaret, whisking audiences into a sinister netherworld of jaw-dropping contortion, gut-churning aerial acrobatics, nail-biting stunts and staggering illusions.

Set to Sxip Shirey's thrilling live score of brass, electronics, hip-hop and club beats, LIMBO is poised to set Sydney on fire again.

Event Duration: 70 mins, no interval

Event Preview: 7 January at 7.30pm 

Event Dates: 8–25 January 

8 January at 5.15pm & 9.45pm 
Tues–Sun at 9.45pm 
Sat at 5.15pm & 9.45pm 

No performance on Mondays

View the official Sydney Festival Site

#sydneyfestival #sydfest #sydfest2015

Sydney Christmas Markets & Fare

Photo by James Horan and courtesy of Sydney Living Museums

Christmas Fare at Hyde Park Barracks Museum

Christmas is a busy time for families in Sydney with loads of festive events to choose from. This December, the Hyde Park Barracks Museum will also join in the festive celebrations with their Christmas Fare. This event showcases seasonal, sustainable and locally made food which are hand-crafted by over 40 of Sydney's best artisans, producers, chefs and urban farmers. They will be serving up delicious baked, pickled, smoked, crafted and poured delights.

Some of the highlights include charcuterie from Steph's Gourmet Foods, cheese by Pecora Dairy, Pepe Saya's Australian cultured butter, traditionally crafted loaves from The Bread & Butter Project, authentic New York bagel from the Brooklyn Boy Bagels, Carlson's Handcrafted organic fruit cordials and conserves, classic crumbles by the Dessertmakers, Christmas pudding to rival grandma's from PUD Inc, tea blends from The Vegan Teahouse and many others.

Photo courtesy of Sydney Living Museums

In addition to the sampling and shopping, you can head over to the pop-up bar and food stalls. Gourmet food available include fragrant Vietnamese broth from Bar Pho, a reworked American classic by the boys from The Nighthawk Diner, and succulent glazed ham rolls from sustainable meat providores Feather and Bone. There's also the the Hyde Park Barracks Café for more choices.

For a gold coin donation, you can visit Christmas Fare and source unique festive food and gifts for your own Christmas celebrations. Your gold coin also grants you access into the World Heritage listed Hyde Park Barracks Museum.

When: 4pm - 8pm
Phone: 02 8239 2311
Where: Hyde Park Barracks Museum
Cost: Gold coin donation
Website: sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/events/christmas-fare-artisan-food-gifts-your-festive-table
Source: http://www.weekendnotes.com/christmas-fare-hyde-park-barracks-museum/



Twilight Christmas Markets

St John's Anglican Church Darlinghurst is holding its annual Twilight Christmas Markets on Thursday 11 December 2014, from 5pm to 10pm.

This festive market will transform St John's Darlinghurst to a Christmas wonderland, bringing the excitement and anticipation of Christmas to Darlinghurst with its collection of local market stalls offering a variety of unique Christmas gifts. Whilst browsing and shopping you can enjoy live music performances and rest and refuel with some festive food at the food stalls.

There will also be entertainers performing around the market and a range of interactive activities, including a petting zoo and the rare opportunity to ride a camel just as the Wise Men did so many years ago!

Don't miss out on this fun community event. It has something for everyone.
So come along and bring some friends along to enjoy live music, great food and market stalls where you can get your Christmas shopping done early.

When: Thursday 11 December 2014, 5pm to 10pm
Where: St. John's Darlinghurst
Cost: FREE
Website: www.stjohnsanglican.org.au
Source: http://www.weekendnotes.com/st-johns-darlinghurst-twilight-christmas-market/

Easter Family Getaway - at Metro Hotel on Pitt

Easter Family Getaway - at Metro Hotel on Pitt

Treat the family with our Easter Family Getaway from $310 per night.

Package includes:

• Accommodation in a Superior Queen & Single room for up to 2 adults & 2 children
• Easter chocolates on arrival, complimentary Wifi
• Sydney Attractions family pass (two adults & two children 0-12 years) to your choice of any two attractions including: Sydney Tower Eye; Sea Life Sydney Aquarium; Madame Tussauds; Wild Life Sydney Zoo; Manly Sea Life Sanctuary

Book now for Easter: http://www.metro-hotel-on-pitt.bookings.metrohotels.com.au/easter-family-getaway-hot-deal-accommodation

Terms and conditions may apply, please see booking page for further details.

Sydney’s New Year's Eve 2014 Fireworks Display

The annual Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks are about as good an advert for the city as it is possible to have.

Paid for by the local Sydney government, the spectacular display is one of the first New Year’s celebrations to be beamed around the globe every year.

The municipal authorities, not generally known for their modesty when it comes to Sydney’s charms, describe their city as “the New Year's Eve Capital of the World” – and they’re quite right in this instance. Each year brings a different (fairly broad) theme. Last year was “Shine”, the previous year was “Embrace”, and this year it is “Inspire”. 

It truly is one of the most memorable places you will find anywhere to welcome in the New Year, with the balmy Australian summer and the wonderful harbour setting making it ideal for spending the build-up outdoors in convivial company.

That said, its popularity does create its own problems – with some areas around the harbour throbbing with crowds. With a little bit of planning and insider knowledge, you can make sure you find the ideal spot to see in the New Year 2015.

Do I need a ticket?

The short answer is no. If you don't want to pay, you don't have to - there are plenty of vantage points that do not require payment. However, there are many ticketed events, many of which will be booked up well in advance. See here for the full rundown of what’s going on.

Many places will already have sold out – some of them with astonishing price tags.

When are the displays?

It’s not such a stupid question. There are, in fact, two firework displays in the Sydney. The first is at 9pm, a “family fireworks” event before the main event at midnight. If for some reason you’d rather watch the main event from your hotel television with children tucked up in bed (good luck with that), the early showing will allow you to get back.

Where should I watch it?

The "front row seats" – the area around Circular Quay and the Botanical Gardens – inevitably are the most popular. Many old Sydney-siders think you get a better perspective from the North Shore, as well as marginally less competition for a patch of grass to watch the show.

Those who like to toast the coming year should note that many vantage points do not allow any fizz (including the Central Business District). Some include alcohol in their ticket price. Others do not allow Bring Your Own (BYO) alcohol. If this is a New Year prerequisite for you, be sure to check.

On the water

Alternatively you could take a Harbour Cruise(newyearsevecruise.com.au). Note that you’ll be on the boat for a long evening – typically, setting off at 6pm and you usually have to bring your own food but you’ll have a great, uncrowded, view of the fireworks.

When should I arrive?

Get there early, or miss out (picture: Getty Images)

The broad advice is simply to get there early or you will miss out. Competition for spaces can be fierce. People even start camping out the day before the event in some places. Even in areas where pressure to bag a spot is less intense, plan on spending most of the day there - by noon, many places will already be full. The vantage points information on the official website will have live updates on whether or not they have reached capacity.

Specific information on vantage points will be published on the main website in November: Sydney New Year vantage points

Transport

Don’t even think about driving. Sydney – never the best city for traffic – is simply nightmarish at this time of year due to road closures and crowds.

Extra public transport is in operation to get spectators home after the event. Again, it’s worth planning your journey in advance. Do so attransportnsw.info.

The official Sydney New Year's Eve website also allows you to sign up for updates about road closures and transport disruption.

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Walking With Dinosaurs | Sydney

WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular

After a worldwide tour seen by over 8 million people in 243 cities, the stunning theatrical event WALKING WITH DINOSAURS – The Arena Spectacular is coming to Australia for a strictly limited tour! 

Internationally renowned designers have worked with scientists to create 20 life-size dinosaurs, including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus-rex! Be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes.  It’s a dazzling $20 million arena spectacle of unprecedented size and quality set to captivate young and old alike. 

Marvel at the story of their 200 million year domination of life on earth. Watch them walk. Hear the roar. Be there as they fight for survival and supremacy. From the ripple of their skin to the glint in their eye, you will know the dinosaurs have really returned! 

Don’t wait another 65 million years until they’re back! 
Book now before they’re extinct.


EVENT SCHEDULE:

Wed 18 Mar 7:00pm
Thu 19 Mar 11:00am & 7:00pm
Fri 20 Mar 7:00pm
Sat 21 Mar 11:00am, 3:00pm & 7:00pm
Sun 22 Mar 11:00am & 3:00pm

EVENT LOCATION: Allphones Arena

#dinosaurs #showsaustralia #sydney #walkingwithdinosaurs #dinosaurssydney

Sydney Mardi Gras Unveils Massive 2015 Program

Sydney's annual street-conquering celebration, the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, has announced its full program of performance, events, exhibitions and activities for 2015, with the music side of things led by international heavyweights such as David Morales and JD Samson.

Amid the near-two-week duration of the festival, punters will be treated to a sensual smorgasbord of free and ticketed attractions in line with the year's theme of "Passion", kicking off with returning favourite Queer Thinking, billed as "a thought-provoking day of ideas, literature, academia and culture, exploring what it is to be LGBTQI in 2015". On the same day — Saturday 21 Feb — attendees will be able to celebrate and explore the lives of trans* pioneers in the Calpernia Addams-hosted Gender Trailblazers.

The family-friendly Fair Day is also back in 2015, on Sunday 22 Feb, featuring culinary treats, children's rides, market stalls, comedy, dancing and live music, plus the renowned DoggyWood dog show, all of which gives way to the free-entry After The Fair party once the sun sets. Women Say Something: Cirque Du Femme showcases a selection of particularly inspiring women such as Magda Szubanski, Dr Kerryn Phelps and Dr Dorothy Mcrae-McMahon with discussion focusing on the achievements of women from all communities; that event goes down at Fairground Follies on Friday 27 Feb.

The following evening, on Saturday 28 Feb, the famed Harbour Party hits Sydney Harbour once more, headlined for 2015 by Canadian hit-maker Kiesza. This one is ticketed, so you'll want to move fast, but it's not the only event to take over Darling Harbour — Wow Me! It's Mardi Gras brings another family-friendly hub to proceedings with pop-up drag shows, kids' workshops, and the renowned Little Black Dress Run for charity on Sunday 1 Mar.

The Mardi Gras season is stuffed full of events the whole way through to its final day on Sunday 8 Mar, when the party winds down with The Laneway event, which boasts live music, diva drop-ins, pop-up drag shows and DJ performances. There is, of course, the annual Parade, on Saturday 7 Mar, and the natural follow-up, the official Mardi Gras Party at Playbill Venues and Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park — that's where you'll be able to catch Morales and Samson, alongside Paul Mac and Sammy Jo — plus opportunities throughout the calendar to catch alterna-queer party event Bar Bitch Chew Art (Sunday 1 Mar), ex-Ru Paul's Drag Race contestant Bianca Del Rio (Friday 27 Feb), the Nick Coyle-helmed Blue Wizard (Thursday 19 Feb to Sunday 15 Mar), Mike Bartlett's COCK (Tuesday 3 Feb to Friday 6 Mar) and Helpmann Award-winner Dean Bryant's Gaybies (Friday 6 Feb to Sunday 8 Mar).

In addition, Mardi Gras pays homage to the best in visual arts, will stage the always-popular Mardi Gras Film Festival (Thursday 19 Feb to Thursday 5 Mar), and offer alluring events such as the Mardi Gras Disco Climb (Wednesday 25 Feb to Sunday 8 Mar) and Stargayzing (Friday 20 Feb).

It's far too voluminous a program to fully detail here, but you can get across the full spread of activities, performances, events, sports, youth workshops and parties at Mardi Gras' official website: www.mardigras.org.au

Source: http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2014/12/12/sydney-mardi-gras-unveils-massive-2015-program/