Travel

Accommodation

Near the action

All three venues sit within a 15-minute radius of each other on the lower north shore and northern beaches. Staying in this pocket means you're close to everything and will actually see a bit of Sydney beyond the CBD.

Manly Pacific$$$
Right on Manly Beach. The obvious choice if you want to wake up to the ocean. Book early.
The Albert Mosman$$$
Closest to the wedding venue at Athol Hall. Boutique, easy walk to good restaurants and the ferry wharf.
Wildlife Retreat at Taronga Zoo$$$$
If you want something genuinely unique and don't mind a bit of a splurge. Yes, you sleep at the zoo and get harbour views from bed!
Peppers Manly Beach$$$
A quieter alternative to the Pacific, also on the beachfront. Slightly more boutique feel.
Cremorne Point Manor$$
Harbour views, heritage building, genuinely lovely. A bit off the beaten path in a nice way.
In the city

If you'd rather be based in the CBD, there are plenty well-known names to choose from: Ace Hotel, Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, Kimpton, InterContinental, Fullerton, W, etc. For anyone who wants to REALLY SPLURGE, The Park Hyatt or Capella Sydney are both good options.

Airbnb

Worth considering if you're travelling as a group or planning a longer stay. We'd point you towards Manly or Freshwater for a beachy holiday vibe, or Mosman if you want to be close to the venues and well-placed for the city too.

Getting Around

Uber / Didi
The default. Both work well in Sydney and you'll use them for most venue transfers. Worth downloading Didi too as it's often cheaper, but there are fewer around.
The Manly Ferry
Technically transport, genuinely one of the better things you can do in Sydney. 30 minutes from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf through the harbour. Take it at least once, ideally at sunset. The Mosman ferry (F4) also runs from Circular Quay—a shorter trip, and it stops at Taronga Zoo Wharf if you feel like a visit.
Buses
Better than their reputation. Accurate on Google Maps, decent frequency, and you can tap on and off with your debit or credit card.
Car Rental
Only worth it if you're doing regional day trips. Parking around Manly and Mosman is genuinely painful, so don't bother with a car just for getting around the city.
From the Airport
You're landing at Kingsford Smith, which is on the south side of the city. An Uber or Didi straight to the northern beaches or lower north shore will run about $60–90 and take 45–60 minutes depending on traffic. If you're staying in the CBD, it will be around $30–60.

Eat & Drink

Mostly our locals, with a few others we venture out for. Sorry we don't hang out in Bondi much so don't really have any recommendations there!

ApolloGreek Potts Point
Our favourite Greek spot. Must-orders: saganaki (fried cheese with honey) and taramasalata.
Baker BleuBakery Double Bay
Arguably Sydney's best bakery. Worth the detour for the bread alone.
BancoBar & restaurant Manly
Neighbourhood bar and restaurant. Great cocktails, great service, can't go wrong with the menu.
Barrel One / Skittle Lane / SwayCoffee Manly
Go-to coffee spots in Manly. Skittle Lane also has a location in the city.
BustaItalian Manly
Fun Italian. Great pasta and cocktails.
Cafe NicheBreakfast Mosman
Classic healthy-ish Aussie brekkie spot. Low-key and good.
Cafe PaciSmall plates Newtown
Small plates worth the trip. The ox tongue taco and king prawns are both excellent.
CibariaItalian Manly
Beachfront Italian with fun vibes and delicious pastas. Also has an amazing gelato bar—get the pistachio.
GildasSmall plates Surry Hills
Great small plates and very OG Shady Acres vibes (for the Hong Kongers in-the-know.)
Girdler'sBreakfast & brunch Manly
A lovely spot for breakfast or lunch. Great drinks and excellent buckwheat crepes.
Harbord DiggersBar & restaurant Freshwater
A family-friendly, casual spot in Freshwater with a massive outdoor terrace. Great for beers and easy food—multiple cuisines to choose from.
Hugo'sDinner Manly
Wharf-side spot with great harbour views. Get the Yamba king prawns and try one of the pizzas.
JB & SonsBurgers Manly
Solid burger in the heart of Manly. Usually a good buzz.
MamakMalaysian Haymarket
Our favourite roti place. Get the original roti canai.
Manly Skiff ClubBar & restaurant Manly
A casual favourite. Decent food and drinks with a stunning view of the harbour if you manage to snag an outdoor table.
MessinaGelato
Not as good as Mapo, but there's one conveniently located in Manly.
MargaretSeafood Double Bay
Neil Perry's Double Bay spot. Fab seafood, great room, solid all-rounder.
MapoGelato Newtown
Better than Messina.
Morrison's Oyster Bar & GrillSteak & seafood CBD
Does oysters, meats and seafood exactly right. A reliable one.
Norma's DeliDeli Manly
Amazing New York deli-style sandwiches, salads and more. Even worth the gluten intake for Sasha.
Palmo Artisan AcaiAcai Manly
The bougiest acai bowl you'll ever buy. Also has a Freshwater location.
Pocket PizzaPizza Manly
Super popular, great pizzas. The Manly location gets crowded — Brookvale and Neutral Bay have the same menu with shorter queues.
RollersBakery Manly
The bougiest croissant you'll ever buy.
Ruby Lane's Whole FoodsBreakfast & brunch Manly
One of our go-to weekly breakfast spots. Solid food and great drinks (both coffee and non).
The White HorseBar & restaurant Surry Hills
Renovated pub turned sleek restaurant and bar. Great food and drinks.

Things to Do

Walks
Spit Bridge to Manly
One of Sydney's great half-day walks, ~10km through bushland, harbour inlets and coastal headlands, finishing right in Manly. Start early and reward yourself with breakfast at the end.
Manly to Shelly Beach
An easy 20-minute stroll along the Manly beachfront and around the headland to Shelly Beach, a calm, protected little cove perfect for a swim or snorkel. Grab breakfast before or after at one of the cafes on the strip.
Curl Curl Clifftop Walk
A stunning clifftop path overlooking the ocean with sweeping northern beaches views. Dramatic in the best way, especially on a clear day.
Bondi to Coogee
The classic Sydney coastal walk, ~6km along clifftops, past rock pools and a string of beaches. Worth doing if you're heading south for a Bondi day.
Snorkeling
Shelly Beach
A protected marine reserve right around the headland from Manly. Calm, clear water with plenty of fish, one of the best easy snorkel spots in Sydney. Bring your own gear or hire locally.
Shows
Sydney Opera House
Non-negotiable if this is your first time in Sydney. Even if you don't catch a show, do the harbour walk around it. But if there's something on, go.
Sydney Theatre Company
One of Australia's best theatre companies, based at The Wharf in Walsh Bay. A beautiful venue and consistently excellent productions.
Belvoir St Theatre
A beloved intimate theatre in Surry Hills. Great for something a bit more raw and unexpected than the big venues.
Capitol Theatre & Sydney Lyric
The big touring musicals tend to land at one of these two. Capitol is a stunning heritage building in the CBD; Sydney Lyric is at The Star. Check what's on in December.
Other highlights
Royal Botanic Garden
Right on the harbour next to the Opera House. One of our favourite places in Sydney, beautiful to walk through, especially in the morning. Free entry.
Bondi Icebergs
The iconic ocean pool at the southern end of Bondi Beach. Worth a swim if you're in the area, or just a drink at the bar upstairs for the view.
Art Gallery of NSW
A genuinely world-class collection, newly expanded with the Sydney Modern building next door. Free general admission, easy to spend a few hours here.
Taronga Zoo
Spectacular harbour views and native Australian wildlife: koalas, kangaroos, wombats. Take the ferry from Circular Quay if staying in the city for the full experience.

Making a Trip of It

If you're flying this far, you may as well make it count. Here's a rough guide for a week or two beyond the wedding, depending on what you're after.

Destination Sun & Surf Food & Wine Adventure Drive Notes
Blue Mountains
NSW
 ✦ ✦✦ ✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ Perfect day trip or overnight from Sydney. 90 mins west.
Hunter Valley
NSW
 ✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ Australia's most accessible wine region. Easy 2hr drive north.
Palm Beach
NSW
 ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ The northern tip of the peninsula. A 45-min drive up through the northern beaches — stop at Freshwater, Dee Why and Avalon on the way.
Byron Bay
NSW
 ✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ Iconic. Best for a few nights, not just a day trip. 8hrs north or a short flight.
Gold Coast
QLD
 ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ — Easy flight from Sydney (~1.5hrs). Good if you want guaranteed sunshine.
Whitsundays
QLD
 ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦✦✦ — Best Australian sailing and reef in one place. Worth the longer flight (~2.5hrs).
Great Barrier Reef
QLD
 ✦✦✦✦ ✦✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ — Fly into Cairns (~3hrs). Non-negotiable if this is your one trip to Australia.
Melbourne
VIC
 ✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦ — The food and coffee capital. Completely different vibe to Sydney. Worth 3–4 days.
Margaret River
WA
 ✦✦✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦ — World-class wine, great surf, stunning coast. Fly into Perth (~4hrs) then drive south.
Tasmania
TAS
 ✦ ✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ ✦✦✦✦ Underrated. Wild landscapes, incredible food scene. Short flight (~1.5hrs).
Uluru
NT
 ✦ ✦ ✦✦✦✦✦ — A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Best seen at sunrise or sunset. Fly into Ayers Rock (~3hrs).

Good to Know

Visa / ETA
For our international guests coming in from Hong Kong, US or UK, you will likely need an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before arriving in Australia. It takes about 5 minutes to apply online via the Australian ETA app and costs AUD $20.
Weather
December is the height of Australian summer! Expect lots of sunshine, warm evenings and the occasional afternoon thunderstorm. Sydney weather can be unpredictable even at its best. Pack a light layer just in case, but mostly pack sunscreen.