My Aussie friend and coworker, Ann, forwarded this to me. She and her friend Reuben created it for travellers like myself. I claim no ownership of the material, but thought it might help out others as well. I'll try to get to all I can and create a list of my own toward the end of my trip (like I still need to do for Chile and Belgium!).
Eat Key:
$$$ over $50 AUD/person
$$ around $30-$55 AUD/person
$ 30 AUD or less/person
**assuming at least 2 course, with an alcoholic drink
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BRISBANE
Airport: BNE
Do/See:
Tangalooma
Location: Tangalooma Island
Dolphin Resort. About a 45min cruise from Morton Bay, which is about 30mins drive from Brisbane city. Can do day trip here or stay one of few nights. Evening dolphin feeding, snorkeling, and kayaking. Kayaking is nice because there are a few shipwrecks around this little island so its not just paddling in the ocean...
South Bank
Giant Ferris wheel provides great shots of the city, and assorted cafes/restaurants/markets/artificial beaches can provide for an interesting night.
Abseiling Kangaroo Point $$$
Abseiling down the cliffs of Kangaroo Point, facing the city, provides great view and awesome experience if you've never been before. Not too high, highest point roughly 20ish meters.
Mount Tambourine $ - $$$
Full of outdoor hiking activities, ranging from High Ropes courses and tree-suspension walks, to hand gliding.
Eat
The Belgian Beer Cafe $$
Location: Downtown Corner of Mary & Edward Street.
http://www.belgianbeercafebrussels.com.au/
- Very good mussels and select of beers of course! Definitely a night of mussel pots and fries in paper cones.
Hanachi $
Location: Downtown Queen Street, next to Strike Bowling.
- Nice Japanese Sushi despite being the kind that runs on a conveyor belt!
Cha Cha Char $$
http://www.chachachar.com.au/
Location: Downtown by the Pier, Shop 5, Plaza Level Eagle Street Pier.
Steakhouse - One of the best in Australia. Always satisfied. The wagyu here is awesome, melt in your mouth caramelly tender juicy goodness. It's also by the Brisbane Riverside so its a nice walk afterwards.
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GOLD COAST
Airport: OOL (or drive/train 1hr from Brisbane)
Do/See:
Dreamworld
Location: Coomera
Adventure Theme Park with thriller rides. Really fun if you are into Roller coasters and Giant Drops and other giant machines that roll you and fling you around like a dryer. The Wipe Out is definitely the best. Don't sit on the positions closest to the end if you aren't in for the extreme.
Warner Bros. Movie World
Location: Coomera
The Warner Bros. equivalent to Universal Studios. Superman, Batman, Looney Tunes characters etc etc...
Wet 'n' Wild
Location: Coomera
Water Theme park. Giant Slides, tubes, wave pools... the kinda stuff you'll find in Florida :P
** There are special deals/passes where u can get tickets to all 3 of the above theme parks for a discounted group price. You can usually find these at the back of brochures at the airport or at the tourist information stands.
Currumbin Sanctury
Location: Currumbin
Kinda like a zoo, but not so 'caged' as such, you can walk into the pens and feed the friendly ones like kangaroos etc. You can see all the Australian animals here and feed Lorrikeets (those rainbow birds that grandma has a truckload of photos with).
Surfer's Paradise Beach
Location: Surfer's Paradise, Broadbeach, Main Beach
This beach stretches so long along the width of the Gold Coast but because all the tourists hang out in the suburb known as Surfer's Paradise, there's more to Google at this part of the beach here. Nevertheless, you should go at least put your feet in the sand and water because it's not often you find such a large stretch of beautiful sand and water (well, maybe in the Caribbean or Florida. I'll confirm Florida sand next weekend). [update: I never saw Miami beach at TechEd...]
There's a bunch of water sport activities you can do - jet skiing, para sailing, speedboat rides etc...
Eat:
Charis Seafoods $
Location: Labrador (will need a car or cab)
Fish & Chips by the beach!
Ribs & Rumps $$
Location: Marina Mirage, Main Beach
- Ribs & Steaks grillhouse. Real good cuts & portions of meat
Max Brenner's $
Location: Marina Mirage, Main Beach
- Chocolate cafe: best try the chocolate cinnamon roll, chocolate souffle, and their signature drink, the Suckao.
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SYDNEY
Airport: SYD (20mins from downtown, 45mins to Aunt Windy's house)
Bridge Climb
Location: Sydney Harbour
Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge! Prices vary depending time of day, with sunset & sunrise being more expensive but you get beautiful city skyline, opera house, and harbour views. Definitely much better than going up Sydney Tower.
Luna Park
Location: Milson's Point
Ferry Stop: Milson's Point or Train Station: Milson's Point
It's a carnival theme park, more for kids BUT I would really recommend giving them $3.50 to go on the Ferris Wheel because you get such a great day view of the harbour or city or a very romantic ride in the evening (after or before dinner).
The Rocks Markets
Location: The Rocks
Ferry Stop: Circular Quay or Train Station: Circular Quay
Weekends you will find market stalls of food & crafts in this harbour side colonial part of Sydney. Even if you don't come on weekends, there's nice little shops and cafes (home to my favourite French Patisserie in Sydney, and their Cafe Bistro restaurant which you must go to - see Eats section).
Watson's Bay & The Gap
Location: Watson's Bay
Ferry Stop: Watson's Bay
Take a very balmy ferry ride from Circular Quay to Watson's bay and have Fish & Chips take away on the bay shore with your feet in the sand & water or posh it up a bit and have it in the restaurant (both the restaurant & takeaway store is called Doyle's which is a great seafood restaurant, I would say of the same caliber of The Atlantic Seafood Co. in Boston). Then (or prior) take a little walk up the cliff top (its not that high, 10mins tops) where you can see 'The Gap' which is the opening between Sydney Harbour & the Pacific Ocean.
Fort Deniston
Location: Middle of Sydney Harbour
Reservation Required: Daily Tours from Circular Quay Ferry Stop
The opposite of San Fran's Alcatraz... This is a little island that used to be a fort that keeps watch over Sydney Harbour. Nice to do the afternoon tour so you can get the sunset ferry at the same time.
Bondi Beach
Location: Bondi
Getting There: Train to Bondi Junction train station then Bus. Or Direct Bondi Beach bus from City.
- Sydney's most famous beach. Street markets on weekends. Great cafe bistro culture here. See Eats section.
Sydney Zoo
Location: Manly
Ferry Stop: Manly
Ok, it's a zoo, but its a zoo with a city view. It's on top of some hills so you get a cable car up there which has nice views (like when you go to ocean park in HK). You actually don't even have to go into the Zoo, just do a cable car ride up & down I suppose. But you can hold/touch/see kangaroos & koalas here and other Australian Animals if you don't do it anywhere else.
Sydney Fish Markets
Location: Pyrmont
Getting There: Light Trail (electric tram) from Haymarket (Chinatown)
This is a MUST to experience a good variety of fresh Australian seafood, especially freshly shucked oysters and spanner crabs (if available). Fresh Sea urchin, fresh sashimi, lobster mornay (we have spiny rock lobsters which is different to your Atlantic kind which have claws. ours don't) and mud crabs also... I'd recommend you go there early like 10ish/11 to beat the crowds a little bit and still get fresh stuff. definitely not a place for late lunch.
Opera House
Location: Circular Quay
Ferry Stop: Circular Quay or Train Station: Circular Quay
No description required, but I would try get a booking to do a tour of the inside of the opera house to see the architecture from the inside which is cool. If you can catch a show that would be of interest while you're there, would be even cooler. There's also Opera Bar outside, just by the water, with views of the bridge/harbour/opera house that's a nice stop for a coffee or drink depending on the time of the day.
Darling Harbour
Location: Darling Harbour
Getting There: Train to Town Hall or Central & walk.
Touristy part of the harbour, but has a Maritime Museum on one side, IMAX (largest in the world by the way, so maybe watch something there), cafe restaurant on the other with bars/clubs further down as it becomes King Street Wharf. Kinda like Pier area of SF.
Eat:
The Ivy $$$
http://www.merivale.com/#/ivy/ivybar
Train Station: Wynyard
- A multi storey bar/lounge/restaurant establshment
- Mad Cow in here is a New York style steak grill house with great modern australian food (seafood etc).
- The teppenyaki restaurant, is said to have waitresses in super short kimonos (i have not yet verified this myself).
- Several bars of different themes like a poolside lawn complete with even an oversized shower mist, etc.
- Smart dress code
Cafe Sydney $$$
http://www.cafesydney.com/
Train Station: Circular Quay
Ferry Stop: Circular Quay
- Really good food here. The ultimate place to wind down, and lose yourself over our harbour.
- I think if you were to have one awesome dinner, as your first time in Sydney, please, go here. Remember to make a reservation.
Baroque Bistro Cafe $$
http://www.baroquebistro.com.au/
Location: The Rocks
Train Station: Circular Quay
- Bistro cafes is a big part of Sydney culture
- This is my FAVOURITE, it is opened by my favourite patisserie which is close by [good for coffees & light meal if you are ever in The Rocks area].
- It's french-Australian fusion. Definitely fits in your budget for a 3 course, and will definitely please your senses.
Suminoya $
http://www.yakiniku.com.au/suminoya.html
Location: Martin Place (near Matrix fountain)
Train Station: Martin Place
Ferry Stop: Circular Quay & walk like 4 blocks
- Japanese Yakiniku (grill house)!!!!!
- All you can eat, but really really top quality stuff
- a bit smokey after a while, but SOOOOOO goood :)))
- There's a few other sister restaurants, which is north shore which may be closer depending where you guys end up living
- Koh-ya is the same thing but in Neutral Bay which is about 10 mins from Chatswood
- Rengaya is also the same, in North Sydney which is about 20mins from Chatswood and just before crossing the bridge to the city.
Din Tai Fung $
http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/product_b_list02.asp
Location: World Square mall
Train Station: Town Hall
- Shanghainese dumplings!!!
Prime $$$
Location: #1 GPO Martin place (near Matrix fountain, underneath the old clock tower building, which is also the Westin).
Train Station: Martin Place
- One of the BEST steak restaurants in Sydney
- Go the potato gratin!
Makoto $
Location: Town Hall (World Square Mall), Liverpool Street (where the monorail runs over).
Train Station:Town Hall
- Best sushi bar in Sydney
- The fresh made to order hand rolls (they look like cones) is the best, I like: Spicy Salmon & Avocado, Soft Shell Crab, Prawn Omlette, Tasmainian
- In Victoria Ave in Chatswood, pub about 3 blocks from Mantra
- In Town Hall on the corner of Liverpool & Pitt St (its in the World Square mall).
JuJu $$
Location: Shop 320, Bayswater Rd. Kings Cross [Phone: (02) 9357 7100] (underneath the huge flashing iconic Coca Cola sign/billboard).
Train station: Kings Cross
- Hard to find. This is my favourite good food & late hangout place, its a Japanese bistro tavern, but its underground and u sit in holes in the floor.
- last order is 11pm, opens till 1am which is heaps handy.
- Karaoke starts at 11pm and gets really funny, all those Japanese people singing.
- MUST EAT here: Tuna Salad with wasabi mayonnaise dressing. You will not see Tund salad in the same light again. Yukke (which is marinated raw beef with egg yoke). Mentai Udon Yaki (stir fry udon with prawns & squid with spicy fish roe)
Longrain $$$
http://www.longrain.com.au/intro_sydney.htm
Location: 85 Commonwealth St. Surry hills. [Phone: (02) 9280 2888]
Train Station: Town Hall or Central, take a cab. or walk.
- Best Thai-modern Australian fusion restaurant
- really good awesome cocktails bar
- make a reservation so you don't have to wait, or just drink int he bar while you wait. Food is really worth the wait.
Ramen Dokoro Ryotei (Roy's Ramen) $
Location: Flacon Street, Crows Nest
- Best Japanese ramen noodles in Sydney. Go for the chili negi tonkatsu special (chili roast pork with leeks special, limited bowls per day)
Ribs & Rumps $$
Location: Manly
- Ribs & Steaks grillhouse. Real good cuts & portions of meat. Good place to go if you are out & about in Manly. Overlooks beach.
Miro $$
http://www.mirotapasbar.com.au/]
Location: 76 Liverpool st., Haymarket (near Chinatown, street where the monorail runs over).
- Spanish Tapas bar
Encasa $$
http://www.encasarestaurant.com.au/]
Location: 423 Pitt St. Haymarket. (near 1 of the 2 possible Light Rail stops that goes to Fish Markets)
- Spanish Restaurant, not as big of a tapas kind as with Miro, but the Mains here are good, as with the Paella.
- Must have: Garlic Prawns, Saffron Scallops
Hurricane's $$
Location: Bondi Beach
- steaks & ribs grillhouse
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MELBOURNE
Airport: MEL (30mins from downtown. Taxi will cost $55 from airport)
Basically if you are after shopping, Melbourne has lots of little lane ways around the city.
Bourke St Mall
Location: Downtown Bourke St.
- I can't really tell you how to walk around here as its literally like wandering around downtown SF. There's a few large department stores, and a historic GPO (General Post Office) building which houses many cool shops. Parallel to Bourke street and also the little lanes that connect Bourke street to neighbouring streets are all small lane ways covered in little cafes and one off boutique shops so its really losing yourself in it all!
- If you happen to be near or past Royal Arcade (one of the little arcades off Bourke St mall) one of the KoKo Black stores (see Eat) is in there, which is a really nice stop for Hot chocolate or anything chocolate. Its better than Max Brenner to me. The hot chocolate is def. a good take away if u want to get something to sip on while wandering the streets before you stop at another cafe hahah its kinda like Filmore but downtown and in small streets.
Queen Victoria Markets
http://www.qvm.com.au/
Location: CBD Croner of Queen & Elizabeth Street.
- Crafts, gourmet food and wine
Docklands
http://www.docklands.com/cs/Satellite?pagename=Docklands
- Waterfront neighbourhood of condos, shops, restaurants. Nice area for dinner, try the Brazilian churrascaria restaurant!!! (see Eat section)
Chapel St.
http://www.chapelstreet.com.au/
Location: the street runs through the suburb Prahran through to South Yarra.
- each area it runs through has variety of cafes, shops, boutiques. Definitely do your shopping here!
- South Yarra is the posher end, whereas the Prahran/Windsor end is more kitsch and Soho.
Lygon St.
http://www.melbourne.com.au/lygon.htm
Location: Carlton
- The Melbourne equivalent to North beach :) lots of Italian restaurants, cafes, bakeries.
Eat:
KoKo Black
http://www.kokoblack.com/
Location: Downtown: Royal Arcade (off Bourke St Mall, small store) and Collins St (very nice store), Carlton (Lygon St).
- Chocolatier which has the best hot chocolate i think in Australia (over max brenner). not too sweet, not too bitter, not overly rich, perfect intensity.
- on the chocolate front, i would suggest you try the dark chocolate earl grey. its really different!!
- last time my friend & I were here after dinner, we saw a homeless person come in here with all his busk money, just to buy a hot chocolate!!! Gotta live life's little luxuries huh?
Cookie $$
http://www.cookie.net.au/
Location: 1st Floor, 252 Swanson St. Melbourne (yes, the entrance is dark and looks sketchy but you will be very pleasantly surprised)
- My favourite place in Melbourne to eat. it's a eating house & beer hall. Serves Asian-Australian fusion food.
- Must try the deep fried chicken (yeh i know, but its very nice!) and definitely the soft shell crab with garlic pepper & fish broth!! but all in all the menu is heaps tasty and great flavours so even if you have to go back again I think its decently priced :)
BlueFire $$$
http://www.bluefiregrill.com.au/
- At Docklands waterfront, churrascaria is a Brazilian style of BBQ eating. basically they have these 'passadors' that walk around with giant skewers of meat and seafood and they walk around the tables and carve them at your table. it's all you can eat. and not like hometown buffet quality. really really fun good stuff.
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