Erica Coslop is a student at Ramapo College of New Jersey and an ISA Featured Blogger. She is currently studying abroad with ISA in Sydney, Australia.
Studying abroad can be expensive, so it’s important to take advantage of free attractions in the city around you. The only cost is getting there, but don’t worry! Public transportation in Sydney is cheap and easy and many places are walking distance, too.
- Royal Botanic Gardens
Just past the Sydney Opera House are acres of greenery. Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair offers a look-out point that gives a unique and beautiful view of both the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge at the same time. If you keep going, you’ll come across an herb garden and the Calyx, which holds an incredible flower wall.
- Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
The Bondi Coastal Walk is quite possibly my favorite thing I did in Sydney and it didn’t cost a dime. The walk is gorgeous and perfect for people of all fitness levels.
There are dozens of places to stop for pictures to stop along the way. My favorite was a hidden one we almost walked right past called Shark Point. On the other side of a dog park just before Clovelly Beach, it offers the perfect view and rock to snap some pictures.
- Museums
Located right in Circular Quay, the Rocks Discovery Museum and Museum of Contemporary Art are both free must see places. The Rocks Discovery Museum is small but packed with a detailed history of the area. The Museum of Contemporary Art is worth a walk through, as many of the pieces will make you think about the world around you. Be sure to walk through the café on the top floor as the terrace offers the perfect view of the entire harbour!
- Watch a Rugby Game at a Pub
Australians are known for being laid back, but when it comes to rugby, it’s a different story. For a recent Origins Game, my friends and I went to a pub to grab dinner watch it. The atmosphere felt like a Super Bowl Party. Decked out in blue for New South Wales, the rowdy Australians were cheering and booing and could have held their own with any American crowd.
- Walk Across the Harbour Bridge
There’s no better place to see the harbour than right in the middle of it! The pedestrian walkway is the perfect spot to see the area without paying to climb up the Pylon or doing the Bridge Climb.
- Vivid
If you’re lucky enough to visit Sydney near the beginning of June, then you’ll find yourself in the middle of one of the world’s greatest free attractions. Sydney’s three week long Vivid Festival fills the city with light shows every night. Just head toward Circular Quay and watch the city transform one the sun goes down. Not only does the Opera House put on a show, but around the Rocks are tons of smaller shows, many of which are interactive.
The world awaits…discover it.