Cool Streets in Sydney (for the local in you)

Sydney, Sydney, Sydney. What an incredible city. If you haven’t been, go. And spend some time. We only spent about 8 days there, and it wasn’t enough. (I mean, for me 😉.) This is of course enough time to see the sights and get a feel for the city. However, if you have more time and and like to experience a city like a local, stay a while because there are so many awesome neighborhoods here. If you’re short on time, start with these cool streets in Sydney to get a feel for all the unique areas. I have included links to my favorite places for a drink, coffee, and shopping, as well as google map links to get ya to the right place 😉. 

Oxford Street, Paddington

The first of the cool streets in Sydney? Oxford Street. If you love to shop, this is your street. Lined with amazing stores and coffee shops/ bars, Oxford Street makes for a great leisure day. While staying in the city, we stayed right around the corner in Darlinghurst (which I highly recommend) on Darlinghurst Road so this was an easy find. If you’re new to Australian fashion, you’re in for a treat. There are so many awesome brands budding here, it’s crazy. Just wander down Oxford to see what I mean.

Most of these shops are local or at least native to Australia, or carry predominantly Australian brands. Be sure to check out Harlom– the owner Gill is a pleasure and they carry a variety of funky, stylish lines. Also pop off on Glenmore Rd to find a few hidden gems, like Venroy and bassike, as well as the Village Inn for a nice Aperol Spritz. If you need a pick me up, stop by Ampersand cafe for an awesome Australian coffee and wander upstairs to check out the charming bookstore.

How to Order Coffee in Australia.

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The Corso & Sydney Road, Manly Beach

One thing you MUST do in Sydney is make it out to Manly Beach. I recommend taking the public ferry. Get your Opal card (Sydney’s public transit card) and plan this one for a Sunday if you can. Quick fun fact about Sydney’s public transit, there are daily maximums for spending on them, meaning if you travel enough in one day, eventually rides become free. Monday through Saturday, the maximum is $16.10, so basically once you spend that much (which a ferry ride to and from Manly is about that much) all other trips you take that day on public transit are free. The best news? On Sunday, the maximum is $2.80. So GO ALL OUT. Take advantage of that free public transit friends! There are also options for high speed ferry but they are expensive and I enjoyed the public ferry ride. It was about 25-30 minutes and has some really cool views.

Once you arrive at the Wharf, head straight across the street to the Corso, a huge palm-lined pedestrian street with shopping, bars and restaurants that drops you off right at the beach. My favorite part? Connecting to the Corso, you’ll find Sydney Road which hosts the Manly Markets on Saturday & Sunday. If you have taken my advice and planned this out for a Sunday, you’ve done it right. These markets are not to be missed. You will find all kinds of local art, jewelry, handbags and interesting Sydney souvenirs. Not to mention here are some adorable bars for a quick glass of Sauv Blanc. I loved In Situ, a stylish spot for tapas and happy hour.

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Darling Street, Balmain

So I like to really see all parts of a place when I travel. For a tourist destination such as Sydney, it can be easy to get caught up seeing the sights, etc. BUT there are so many unique neighborhoods here to see, so take the time to venture out. Balmain is an awesome area in the Inner West of Sydney, with many cool streets I’m sure. It’s super culturally rich with residents from all over the world.

The main drag through here is Darling Street and let me say, it is DARLING. I recommend starting your day at Efendy, a Turkish restaurant, with the traditional Turkish breakfast. If the photos below don’t sell you, I don’t know what will. If you have never been to Turkey and had Turkish breakfast, then this is a must. Turkish breakfast is hands down my favorite breakfast, so if you can’t get to Turkey just yet, this is a great place to start. The breakfast is $35 per person and includes tradition Turkish breads, spreads and cheeses as well as baked eggs and sausage. You can also enjoy unlimited Turkish coffee and tea. I recommend giving them a call and making a booking just in case as this can be quite popular.

From here, head down the road and admire the charm. There are historic hotels, one off coffee shops and bars all with a uniquely Balmain feel. On Saturdays, the Balmain Markets are held on the corner of Darling St and Curtis Rd at the St Andrews Congregational Church grounds. This is one of Sydney’s oldest markets and is a fun, local activity. We also stumbled upon a cute little store called The Local Store, selling books, clothing (like Rolla’s and Assembly Label), records and some housewares, definitely worth a look. 

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Glebe Point Road, Glebe

Another road to seek out to get you outside of the typical tourist path is Glebe Point Road. This road is loaded with book stores, coffee shops, bookstore/coffee shop combos as well as LOADS of great places to eat. From Spanish, to Mexican, to Greek, to Vietnamese, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Start where Glebe Point Rd meets Cook St and walk towards St johns Anglican Church and eventually down to Victoria Park. Check out Sappho Books, Cafe and Bar, we stopped right next door at Baja Cantina for a margarita or two as well 😉. 

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Hall Street & Gould Street, Bondi Beach

Now, you are probably planning a day in Bondi (at least). We stayed in Tamarama for a few nights to really see the area. Parallel to Bondi Beach is Gould Street. You will find some AWESOME local shops here as well as some more well-known ones and some cute little places for a quick bite. Definitely check out LMND (I bought my favorite pants I’ve ever owned here) and Tuchuzy for some interesting brands as well. 

Afterwards, head down Hall Street for some adorable restaurants with great happy hours and some BYOB’s. Check out Cafe Bikini or Bankok bites for some awesome Thai street style food. You can BYOB to Bankok bites as well, grab a bottle of wine from the liquor store right down the street 😉. Although we spent a few days in Bondi, I did not manage to take many pictures of Hall Street, but trust me, it adorable.

Bondi to Coogee Coastal walk

Alright, alright, I’m cheating with this one a little. Its not technically a street and it’s pretty touristy but it will BLOW YOUR MIND. You absolutely cannot go to Sydney without walking at least some of this walk. I had heard about it and thought, just another tourist activity, but NO. First of all, its not very crowded and the views are just crazy. This will take you from Bondi, through Tamarama and Bronte Beach, past the Waverly Cemetery and down to Coogee Beach. You will also see all the famous ocean side Sydney pools on this walk, pretty cool.

I HIGHLY recommend you go at sunset, well get there an hour or two before, but be there for sunset. It’s too beautiful. My favorite is the view over Tamarama Beach, it felt like a whole new world to me. If you are here for a few nights, plan a little afternoon picnic on the rocks and watch the sun go down. Its a great view over these crazy beaches and the surfers as well. This was one of my favorite nights in Sydney 🙂

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There you have it, seven cool streets in Sydney that you MUST check out. I always love to get off the beaten path and just see a place for what it is. This is a great way to do that. Any awesome streets that I’ve missed? I’d love to hear about them! Please drop them in the comments below 🙂 I love to hear from you!

Cheers,

Hannah

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