Sydney Tower – what a way to start your Sydney vacation. The tower offers the best views of Sydney. When you go up the tower you will find yourself at the highest point above Sydney and will surely enjoy the breathtaking views of the city. It is a great way to get a feel for where other attractions are located and the harbour views are sensational. You will find Sydney Tower at 100 Market Street. It is open daily from 9 am to 10.30 pm. Saturday has a later closing time which is at 11.30 pm. Admission prices are $24 for an adult, $14 for children 4-15. Family tickets are also available. You can get a 10 per cent discount if you book online at http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/stotickets.asp

If you are looking for that extra special spot to take a photo of Sydney I recommend going to Lady Macquaries Chair. This historically famous chair was fashioned out of the rock face to allow Governor Macquarie’s wife to checkout the panoramic views of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. In modern day Sydney you will get one of the best views of Sydney and you can take a photo with the classic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge backdrop. You will find the chair in the Domain at the northern tip of the Domain Parklands.

Chinatown – my wife is Chinese, so every time we go to Sydney this is a must visit destination. I also recommend it for the normal tourist. There is a great selection of not only Chinese food but Asian food and also the shopping is fantastic, just ask my wife. There is Paddy’s Market located in the lower section of the Market City shopping centre. Upstairs in Market City there are also many exciting shops. Chinatown is located on Dixon Street in Haymarket. Also from here it is a short walk over to Darling Harbour.

Sydney Aquarium – the aquarium’s website says it is a must see location when visiting Sydney. I would not quite go that far but having been there several times I would put it up there towards the top of the list. If you have kids I would say this is more for you. The aquarium boasts over 11 000 animals and hosts the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world. When you go in the under water section you will see huge sharks and rays as well as a stunning variety of fish. I remember it was like stepping into a whole new world when I visited the aquarium. Allow close to two hours to look around. The aquarium is located on Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour. It is open 9 am to 10 pm daily except for Christmas Day and New Years Eve where it closes at 6 pm. Tickets are $27.50 for adults and for children aged 3 to 15 it is $14. The aquarium also offers a 10 per cent discount for tickets purchased online. Visit http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/VisitorInfo/VIS060.asp to purchase.

Manly Beach – having been a professional beach volleyball player I have seen plenty of beaches. My all time favourite is Manly Beach. As a tourist I would get over there on the ferry from Circular Quay. It is 7 nautical miles from the city and the ferry takes about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry your can take the Jetcat which takes only 15 minutes. I cannot think of a more spectacular scenic ferry ride that I have been on anywhere in the world. Once you arrive at Manly Wharf it is a short walk to the Corso. Here you will find shops, food outlets and pubs. If you keep walking east along the Corso you will eventually come to the Manly Beach. The beach has a path that runs the length of the beach and is a great place to walk or jog as there is plenty of shade under the magnificent Norfolk Pines. After spending a day at the beach you can make your way back over to Manly wharf and dine at one of the restaurants.

Opera House and Harbour Bridge – I have saved the best to last. When you mention Sydney these two attractions would have to be up there as the must see attractions. I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking to Bill Bryson a popular author and in that discussion they mentioned that there are residents of Sydney that have not even seen the Opera House. Don’t be like them. Make sure you get down to the harbour and check out this modern day architectural marvel. You can walk around the harbour foreshores near circular quay and get some great harbour views as you approach the Opera House. From there you also get a fantastic view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Harbour Bridge is this year celebrating 75 years since it was opened. If you can make it to Sydney on March 18 you can join in with the bridge celebrations. The bridge will be closed to traffic from 4.30 am to 11pm. The public is invited to take a stroll across the bridge between 10am and 7.30 pm. If you are interested in taking part in this unique event you will have to register at www.ourbridge.com.au. If you cannot make it on that day you can undertake an even more spectacular bridge walk by going on a bridge climb. For more details visit the website at www.bridgeclimb.com.au.

These are my favourite Sydney attractions. There are plenty more such as Darling Harbour, Toronga Zoo and Bondi beach. No matter what you do Sydney is a great city to visit.

What is your favourite Sydney attraction?

I played the tourist myself and went with my family on a scenic cruise on Lake Burrill. This is a small lake about 2 hours drive south of Sydney. The cruise lasted 2 hours and cost $20 for and adult and $15 for children. Family prices are also available.

What I enjoyed about the cruise was seeing the lake from a different angle and also the commentary from the captain of the boat. He has lived in the area for some time and was entertaining to listen to.

It may not compare to cruising the Rhine in Germany or the Yangzhe River in China however it was still a relaxing and enjoyable cruise.

Let me know where you have been on a scenic cruise and how you found the experience.