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New Year's Eve Celebrations Around the World!
We’ve celebrated New Year’s Eve around the world! My favorite part is seeing how the different cultures come together and the unique traditions to ring in the New Year. Fireworks always ended with a bang for all New Years’ festivities!
We’ve celebrated New Year’s Eve in many different countries! My favorite part is seeing how the different cultures come together and the unique traditions to ring in the New Year. Fireworks always ended with a bang for all New Years’ festivities!
Lanterns on New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai
Sending Lanterns off New Years Eve in Chiang Mai - Thailand
As soon as the sun went down on the last day of the year, lanterns started to light up the sky. Vendors all over the city sold lanterns and they were released all over the city! The biggest gathering was at the Tha Phae Ancient City gate. On the other side of the gate, there was a street fair on Rachadamnoen Rd full of vendors selling food and other merchant goodies.
At 11:30p, people flooded the area in front of the gate lighting their lanterns. People wrote wishes, hopes, and dreams, on their lanterns, hoping the new year would make them come true. At midnight the sky was completely full of lanterns and fireworks! It was a magical sight and an unforgettable night!
See our full post here New Years in Chiang Mai
New Year’s Eve in Sydney
Fireworks on New Year’s Eve in the Sydney Harbor - Australia
We watched the Sydney Harbor light up on New Year’s Eve! The first set off fireworks went off as a family show at 9pm, so kids could go to bed and not have to wait up. In this show, fireworks were launched from 4 barges while they played the songs of the year, which exclusively included "Let it Go." Although some might be sick of hearing Elsa sing, it was PERFECT fireworks music.
At midnight, there were panoramic views of fireworks that shot off on the bridge, the barges and near the Opera House! My favorite part was when they played Sia’s, “Chandelier!”
Northern Lights on New Year’s Eve in Norway
Northern Lights on New Year’s Eve in Norway
It may have been 20 degrees and below but we spent all night outside watching the Northern Lights from our cabin in Norway! The locals shot off fireworks at midnight, and apparently there is a friendly rivalry among the neighborhood as to who will have the best fireworks show! We watched the fireworks light up the sky for a while then went inside. At about 2am, the Aurora Borealis came through with bright green colors dancing across the sky! The northern lights were here and grew stronger and stronger until 6am! Definitely a New Year celebration we won’t forget!
See more in our post: 5 Days in Norway Itinerary
Aruba New Year’s Eve Celebration
Fireworks along the beach on New Year’s Eve in Aruba
Fireworks are legal in Aruba so they were going off all day along on Dec 31st with these giant firecrackers that people would set up randomly in the streets. We sat and watched as people set off sparklers and small fireworks around us.
We asked our cab driver where the place to be is at midnight on New Year’s Eve, to which he said, “right in front of your hotel!” Perfect. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency Aruba in Palm Beach and right at midnight, fireworks shot off on barges in the water up and down the coast! It was spectacular, the whole beach was lit up from this amazing display!
See more about Aruba and how we spent Dec 31st here: 6 Day Aruba Itinerary
Las Vegas Strip on new Year’s Eve
The Strip lighting up on New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas
I grew up spending a few New Years in Las Vegas! No matter where you go there will be a party! The Las Vegas Strip shuts down in the afternoon and people start celebrating! You can drink in the street and even buy beers from street vendors! At midnight, the Las Vegas Blvd lights up with fireworks shooting off tops of the hotels!
New Year’s Eve in TImes Square
Watching the ball drop in Times Square - New York City
I think everyone has seen the ball drop on New Year’s Eve in Times Square on TV with Ryan Seacrest or Dick Clark, but it is a completely different experience seeing it drop in person! Times Square is filled with people that start lining up early in the day to get a prime spot for midnight!
As soon as the countdown starts, the energy rises and the excitement of the countdown begins! The ball drops, fireworks shoot off and confetti fills the square!
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How to Spend 5 AMAZING Days in Sydney, Australia
How to spend 5 days in Sydney - Australia - Full itinerary! See all the things to do and where to stay in Sydney! See our tips in this great Travel Guide! This was our honeymoon and it was perfect!
Sydney Opera House
What to do for 5 Days in Sydney, Australia
While we were on our 3-week honeymoon, we spent a large chunk of it in Sydney! We had spent New Years in Sydney but left to let the crowds die down a bit and came back on the 3rd of January. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and would definitely go back. Making the long trek from California, we wanted to see all Sydney had to offer and spent about 5 days there.
Where to Stay in Sydney
We used our Hyatt reward nights, a perk from our Hyatt Credit Card, along with some points, and stayed at the beautiful 5-star Park Hyatt Sydney. It was the perfect location - across from the Opera House, near Circular Quay (where you can jump on a train or ferry and get anywhere in a matter of minutes), and under the Harbor Bridge.
Park Hyatt Sydney
Here was our 5-day itinerary for Sydney:
Day 1
Pancakes on the Rocks
MORNING
We started with breakfast at Pancakes on the Rocks. We love pancakes, figured it couldn't be bad with so many great Yelp reviews. The service was a little slow but the food made up for it. I had chocolate chips pancakes, of course, because everything is better with chocolate!
We went down to Circular Quay (pronounced "key") and took the ferry across the harbor to the Taronga Zoo.
There were Koalas, giraffes, kangaroos, everything that can kill you, and my favorite, the penguin exhibit that had Fairy Penguins!
Top of Taronga Zoo
The zoo is located on a hill with spectacular views of Sydney from all over, so we recommend you start at the top and work your way down.
Penguins in the Taronga Zoo
We took a few animal selfies too! We liked the zoo, but the Featherdale Wild Park was even better (see day 2 below).
AFTERNOON - Olympic Park
In the afternoon we took the ferry back to Circular Quay and boarded a train taking us out to the Sydney Olympic Park. Josh loves to visit Olympic Parks and this one had a lot to see and it was all outdoors!
The park was built to host the Summer Olympics in 2000. They had the torch, the Olympic Cauldron that looks like a spaceship which was where the flame was lit the duration of the games, markers that noted how high someone jumped, who won each sport, and name of everyone who participated.
Day 2
Morning - Blue Mountains
We booked a tour with Blue Diamond Tours, which conveniently picked us up from the hotel, and took us to the Blue Mountains National Park. The mountains look blue because the eucalyptus forest disperses droplets of Eucalypt oil into the atmosphere which combines with dust particles and water vapor, scattering refracted rays of light which are largely blue in color. #funfacts
The rock formation located in the Blue Mountains is known as the 3 Sisters, which aboriginals legend told, the 3 daughters from the Katoomba tribe fell in love with 3 brothers from a neighboring tribe, but they were forbidden to get married by tribal laws. The brothers didn't agree with this law and captured the 3 sisters, causing a war outbreak between the tribes and the sisters were turned into stone by a witch doctor to protect them. Unfortunately, the witch doctor died in the war and no one was able to turn them back.
From Scenic World’s Website
We took the Scenic World Skyway cable car suspended across the Jamison Valley to a park called Scenic World where they had attractions and the best views. You could look through the floor of the car and see the rain forest below.
looking through the floor of the skyway cable car
We also road the Scenic Railway, the world's steepest incline railway, which travels down a cliffside through tunnel and ancient rain forest at a gradient of 62 degrees. At the bottom, you can walk around the rainforest and check out the site of the old coal mine.
Afternoon - Featherdale Wildlife Park
ARCHER, THE KOALA, at Featherdale Wildlife Park
My favorite part of the day was when we went to see Australia's native animals at Featherdale Wildlife Park. I love animals and this was probably my favorite thing to do in Sydney.
You can get up close and personal with the animals - touch them, hold them, feed them. The ever so adorable Archer, the koala, is best-loved as he is the popular koala. I even had my Mom paint him from a picture I took because I needed to see him every day.
There are many other animals throughout the park such as kangaroos that are literally hanging out and let you pet them! We also saw more fairy penguins, wombats, wallabies, a Cassowary, and a Tasmanian Devil, OH MY!
Evening in Sydney
We came back to the hotel, freshened up and walked around the harbor over to the Opera Bar for dinner. The Opera Bar is located directly under the Opera House. They had a great food selection, we loved their burgers. The restaurant is set up with open seating and you order by the kitchen, get a number and they deliver to your table.
We also enjoyed their dessert (of course) having a crepe with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream. I was a perfect ending to our perfect day with a gorgeous pink sunset.
Day 3
Morning in Manly Beach
We started our day going to Manly Beach! For food, we found this spot called Hemingway's which looked like a library but served food and alcohol. It was early, so we had coffee and breakfast with a slight breeze and gorgeous view of the crystal blue ocean.
We walked around and did a little shopping, buying souvenirs and gifts for friends and family.
Afternoon - Sea life Sydney Aquarium
PLATYPUS at the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium
We took the bus back and decided it was time for more animals so we paid a visit to the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium and found Nemo, Dory, and lots of sharks.
We walked through the aquarium and after scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, it felt like we had seen a lot of these fish before. However, they do have unique creatures that are hard to find in the deep blue and were glad to see them here (love the platypus). If you have kids (or act like a big kid like me) there are interactive pools where you can touch sea cucumbers and starfish.
Also, the high point was the underground glass tunnels where fish and sharks swim around you on all sides and it feels like you're underwater with them.
Happy Hour in Sydney at a Secret Whiskey bar!
BAXTER INN - WHISKEY BAR
It was happy hour and we found a hidden gem! We went to a whiskey speak-easy called the Baxter Inn. It was a little challenging to find but worth it when we got there. You have to head down a nondescript alley on Clarence Street and walk through an unmarked door on your right, down a dark staircase to the basement level. The dim lighting and waiters outfits felt like we had walked into another dimension. They had 360 different whiskeys from around the globe and make their own apple juice for their fine crafted cocktail!
Baxter Inn Speakeasy Bar - Sydney
Afterward, we went to a casino in The Star hotel. Walking in, there was signage in front explaining the signs which show you might have a gambling problem because of Australia's gambling issue. It was kind of sad, but kind of funny. We played roulette and won! No gambling problem here.
Day 4
MORNING - Beach Walk
We took the bus over to Bondi Beach. We then did a 5 mile hike along the coast from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach. Along the way, we walked through the Tamarama and Bronte beaches. This wasn't an easy hike, there were steep inclines, stairs and sun. Lots of sun. The sun was intense and even after re-applying sunscreen a few times, we burned. It hurt.
AFTERNOON - Luna Park
Luna Park Entrance
We came back cleaned up and took the ferry over to Luna Park, a carnival-like amusement park with a scary entrance. and did a couple of rides, but the highlight was playing on the slides in the funhouse. Josh and I raced for at least 30 minutes. This was definitely made for kids.
Luna Park Slides
EVENING
Afterward, we had dinner at an Italian restaurant right next to Luna Park, called Ripples Milsons Point. It was right on the water overlooking the harbor and I had the most amazing pumpkin ravioli.
We came back to the hotel and wanted to grab a few pictures on our last night:
Harbor Bridge at Night
Opera House at Night
Day 5
MORNING - Opera House Tour
Our last day in Australia started with breakfast at the Park Hyatt Sydney. We overlooked the harbor directly at the Opera House and started to feel a little sad we were leaving.
Opera House Tiles Close-up - Chevron Design
We walked over and took a tour of the Opera House. As an iconic staple to the city, We were excited to see this gorgeous building and learn the history behind it. Up close you can see the shaped tiles that are shell-like making a chevron type pattern across the roof. The inside is just as stunning, as there are several venues within the house. The 2 largest concert hall is the largest and has the largest organ with over 10,000 pipes!
THIS IS KNOWN AS THE OPERA HOUSE CLEAVAGE
AFTERNOON
Since we were leaving that night, we had some time to kill but couldn't go too far. We decided to explore "The Rocks" which was the area right above our hotel. It's great for shopping and restaurants.
We went to Fortune of War (claims it is Sydney's oldest pub, which a lot of bars do) which wasn't anything special but nice to stop for a good cold brew.
Fortune of War - Sydney’s Oldest Pub
It was time to hop in a cab and head to the airport. We were sad to leave Sydney, but we weren't done with our Honeymoon yet, New Zealand and French Polynesia were next!
We would love to go back to Sydney and check off anything we missed! Let us know in the comments below if there is something you recommend!
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10 Best Things to Do in Sydney, Australia for First-Time Visitors
Planning your first trip to Sydney? Here are 10 of the best things to do in Sydney, Australia, from the Opera House and Bondi Beach to the Blue Mountains, wildlife, Taronga Zoo and more.
Updated August 2026
Sydney is one of those cities that has a little bit of everything: beautiful beaches, incredible coastal walks, Australian wildlife, iconic landmarks, great food and one seriously gorgeous harbor.
We spent five days exploring Sydney and packed A LOT into our trip. From touring the Sydney Opera House and walking from Bondi to Coogee to meeting koalas and kangaroos, these were the experiences that stood out the most.
If you're visiting Sydney for the first time, here are 10 of the best things to do in Sydney, Australia—plus a couple of bonus stops we loved!
Planning a longer trip? Check out my 5-Day Sydney, Australia Itinerary for exactly how we fit many of these Sydney attractions into one trip.
This post contains affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting The Sweetest Escapes!
Best Things to Do in Sydney at a Glance
Tour the Sydney Opera House
Walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach
See the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Ride a ferry across Sydney Harbour
Get up close with Australian wildlife at Featherdale
Take a day trip to the Blue Mountains and Scenic World
Visit Taronga Zoo
Explore SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Play at Luna Park Sydney
Eat gelato—obviously!
1. Take a Tour of the Sydney Opera House
You can't go to Sydney for the first time without seeing the Sydney Opera House, but I highly recommend doing more than just taking a picture of it from the outside.
We took a tour and loved getting to see the building up close and learning more about its history and architecture.
One thing that surprised me was the roof. From a distance, the sails look almost perfectly white, but once you're close you can actually see the individual tiles and the chevron-like pattern they create.
The inside is just as impressive. The Opera House contains multiple performance spaces, including the Concert Hall and its incredible Grand Organ, which has more than 10,200 pipes and is considered the largest known mechanical-action pipe organ in the world.
Even if you don't have time to see a performance, I think taking a tour is one of the best ways to experience this Sydney icon.
2. Get up close with Australian Wildlife at Featherdale
I LOVE animals, so Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park was probably one of my favorite stops of the entire trip.
This is where you can see so many of Australia's animals in one place, including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and more.
When we visited, one koala in particular completely stole my heart. I loved him so much that I actually had my mom paint him from one of the photos I took so I could keep looking at that adorable face after we got home!
Featherdale currently offers opportunities to pat a koala and hand-feed kangaroos, wallabies and pademelons.
If seeing Australian wildlife is high on your bucket list, I would absolutely make time for this.
The easiest way to visit Featherdale from Sydney
Rather than visiting Featherdale by itself, you can combine it with a Blue Mountains day trip, which is essentially what we did. Our tour picked us up, took us out to the mountains and Scenic World, included the wildlife park and handled the transportation for us.
If you're only in Sydney for a few days, combining these attractions makes SO much sense.
🐨 BOOK IT:Blue Mountains, Scenic World + Featherdale Wildlife Park Tour
3. Walk from Bondi Beach to Coogee Beach
This was easily one of the most beautiful things we did in Sydney.
The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk stretches about 6 kilometers, or 3.7 miles, along Sydney's coastline and takes roughly two to three hours if you're walking at a leisurely pace.
Along the way you'll pass Bondi Beach, Tamarama Beach, Bronte Beach, Clovelly and eventually Coogee Beach, with ocean views pretty much the entire way.
Just don't underestimate it!
There are stairs, hills and very little escape from the sun in certain sections. We did the walk during summer and, even though we reapplied sunscreen, we still got burned. The Australian sun felt so much stronger than what we were used to in California.
Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, a hat and something to cover your shoulders—especially if you're doing the walk in the middle of summer.
Pro Tip: You don't have to walk the entire route. If you're short on time, even doing part of the walk around Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte will give you some gorgeous coastal views.
Here’s a guided tour: Bondi and coastal walking tours.
4. See the Sydney Harbor Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is another Sydney landmark that you really can't miss—literally. It's right across the harbor from the Opera House and somehow looks different depending on where you see it from.
You can walk across it, sail underneath it, admire it from Circular Quay or, if you're much braver than I am, climb it.
We were also lucky enough to see the bridge during New Year's Eve, when fireworks were shooting off of it. It was an unforgettable way to ring in the New Year!
If you're not visiting for New Year's Eve, don't worry. The Opera House and Harbour Bridge together are still one of the prettiest views in the city.
For a first trip, I'd make sure you see them during both the day and at night.
Want to see the harbor from the water? A Sydney Harbour sightseeing cruise is an easy way to get views of both the Harbour Bridge and Opera House without committing to a longer dinner cruise.
🚢 BOOK IT: Sydney Harbour Sightseeing Cruise
Under the Sydney Harbor Bridge
You have to check it out on New Years Eve!
Sydney Harbor Bridge Fireworks on New Years Eve
5. Explore SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
If you're visiting Sydney with kids—or you're a big kid like me—SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is another fun stop.
We visited after scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef, so admittedly we had already been spoiled by seeing some pretty incredible marine life in the wild!
But the aquarium still gave us a chance to see creatures we hadn't spotted while diving, and I loved walking through the underwater tunnels with sharks and rays swimming around us.
Today, SEA LIFE Sydney is home to a huge variety of marine life, including multiple shark species, a rescued dugong and a penguin exhibit with king and gentoo penguins.
I probably wouldn't put the aquarium ahead of the Opera House or Bondi if you only have one or two days in Sydney, but it's a great addition if you have more time, are visiting with kids or need an indoor activity.
6. Visit the Blue Mountains and Scenic World
If you have enough time to take one day trip from Sydney, put the Blue Mountains high on your list.
The scenery is completely different from Sydney, and it makes a great break from the city.
One of the most famous viewpoints is the Three Sisters, but my favorite part of the day was Scenic World.
We rode over the eucalyptus forest on the Scenic Skyway, which travels between the cliffs high above the valley. Today, Scenic World's Skyway travels about 270 meters above the ravine, with views toward the Three Sisters, Katoomba Falls and Jamison Valley.
Scenic World also has the Scenic Cableway and the Scenic Railway—the latter is billed as the world's steepest passenger railway.
This is one of those places where I really appreciated being on a tour. We didn't have to worry about driving, parking or figuring out how to fit all of the different stops into one day.
Is a Blue Mountains tour from Sydney worth it?
For us, yes.
If you're comfortable renting a car and want complete flexibility, you can certainly visit independently. But for a first trip to Australia, I loved being able to get picked up in Sydney and let someone else take care of the logistics.
And if you want to visit Featherdale too, a combination tour lets you knock out two of my favorite Sydney-area experiences in one day.
🐨 BOOK IT: Blue Mountains, Scenic World + Featherdale Wildlife Park Tour
7. Visit the Taronga Zoo and Take in the Views!
Yes, there is another animal stop on this list. I told you I love animals!
But Taronga Zoo is completely different from Featherdale.
The zoo is built into the hillside overlooking Sydney Harbour, so you get beautiful views of the city while walking through the zoo. It makes for some pretty amazing photo opportunities.
Taronga is home to both Australian wildlife and animals from around the world, but I think the location is what makes it especially memorable.
And getting there is part of the fun.
You can take a ferry from Circular Quay across the harbor to the zoo, which means this attraction can double as your Sydney Harbour ferry experience.
Pro Tip: Taronga is built on a hill, so plan accordingly when deciding which direction you want to explore the zoo!
8. Visit Olympic Park
The park hosted the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and you can still see pieces of that history today, including the Olympic Cauldron and memorials honoring the athletes who competed.
I wouldn't necessarily prioritize it on a very first visit if you only have a few days in Sydney, which is why I've moved it into the bonus section.
But if you remember watching the Sydney Olympics, it's really fun to see everything in person. They had the torch, the Olympic Cauldron that looks like a spaceship which was where the flame was lit the duration of the games, markers that noted how high someone jumped, who won each sport, and name of everyone who participated.
9. Find the Speakeasy, the Baxter Inn
If you're visiting Sydney without kids and love finding hidden bars, we had so much fun tracking down The Baxter Inn.
Part of the experience is finding it.
We headed down a nondescript alley off Clarence Street, through an unmarked entrance and downstairs into a dark basement bar that felt like we'd stepped into a completely different world.
It's known for its enormous whisky selection, but even if you're not a big whisky drinker, the atmosphere alone made it a memorable stop for us.
This is definitely more of a fun extra than a Sydney must-do, but I loved how completely different it felt from everything else we did during the trip.
Baxter Inn Speakeasy - Sydney, Australia
10. Play at Luna Park
After spending the day sightseeing, we cleaned up and took the ferry over to Luna Park Sydney.
You really can't miss the giant smiling face at the entrance!
Luna Park is an amusement park right on Sydney Harbour, with rides ranging from family-friendly attractions to roller coasters.
But want to know what our highlight was?
The slides in the fun house.
Josh and I raced each other over and over again for probably 30 minutes. We were DEFINITELY the biggest kids in there.
That fun house, Coney Island, is still part of Luna Park today and is actually a heritage-listed attraction. The park also now has newer rides including the Big Dipper roller coaster.
If you have kids, love amusement parks or just want to do something completely different after a day of traditional sightseeing, Luna Park is such a fun addition to a Sydney itinerary.
Plus, those Harbour Bridge views aren't bad either!
Buy tickets ahead of time here through Google Maps: Luna Park Tickets
Eat Gelato in Sydney!
It wouldn't be The Sweetest Escapes if I didn't tell you where to find something sweet.
And in Sydney, that means GELATO.
One of my favorites was Gelato Messina. They have tons of flavors and fun rotating specials, and yes, I think trying it should officially count as sightseeing.
We also loved Gelatissimo.
Did we need multiple gelato stops while we were in Sydney?
Of course we did.
After walking all those hills, coastal trails and zoo paths, I think we earned it!
If you see a Messina while you're exploring Sydney, do yourself a favor and stop.
Messina Ice Cream is my favorite!
Gelato from Gelatissimo is sooo good!
How Many Days Do You Need in Sydney?
I would give yourself at least four to five days in Sydney if you want to experience the city without rushing.
You can see many of the major Sydney attractions in three days, but adding a fourth or fifth day gives you time for the Bondi to Coogee walk, Taronga Zoo and a full-day trip to the Blue Mountains.
We spent five days in Sydney, and I loved having enough time to mix sightseeing with beaches, animals, food and a few completely ridiculous fun stops along the way.
For help putting everything together, head over to my 5-Day Sydney Itinerary next.
What Should You Not Miss on Your First Trip to Sydney?
If I had to narrow this entire list down, my five must-do Sydney experiences would be:
Tour the Sydney Opera House
See the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from the water
Walk at least part of the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
Take a day trip to the Blue Mountains
See Australian wildlife up close
And yes, I would still find room for gelato.
Is Sydney Worth Visiting?
Absolutely!
Sydney gave us such a fun mix of city sightseeing, beaches, wildlife and outdoor adventure. I loved that one day we could be touring the Opera House and the next we could be hiking along the coast or hanging out with kangaroos.
Whether you're visiting Australia for the first time or adding Sydney to a bigger Australia itinerary, there is SO much to see and do here.
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