Harbor Cruises

The best thing about Sydney is the harbor, and you shouldn't leave without taking a harbor cruise. Sydney Ferries (tel. 13 15 00 in Australia, or 02/9245 5600) offers a 1-hour morning harbor cruise with commentary departing Circular Quay, Wharf 4, daily at 10:30am. It costs A$18 (US$14/UK£7) for adults, A$9 (US$7.20/UK£3.60) for children under 16, and A$45 (US$36/UK£18) for families (with any number of children). A 2 1/2-hour afternoon cruise explores more of the harbor; it leaves from Wharf 4 at 1pm on weekdays and 12:30pm on weekends and public holidays. This tour costs A$24 (US$19/UK£9.50) for adults, A$12 (US$9.60/UK£4.80) for children, and A$60 (US$48/UK£24) for families. The highly recommended 1 1/2-hour Evening Harbour Lights tour, which takes in the city lights as far east as Double Bay and west to Goat Island, leaves Monday through Saturday at 8pm from Wharf 4. The evening tour costs A$22 (US$18/UK£9) for adults, A$11 (US$8.80/UK£4.50) for children, and A$55 (US$44/UK£22) for families.

Captain Cook Cruises, departing Jetty 6, Circular Quay (tel. 02/9206 1111), offers several harbor excursions on its sleek vessels, with commentary along the way.

Examples include a 2-hour 20-minute Coffee Cruise departing from Jetty 6, Circular Quay, at 10am and 2:15pm daily. It costs A$46 (US$37/UK£18) for adults, A$24 (US$19/UK£9.50) for kids, and A$99 (US$80/UK£40) for a family. Another is a Seafood Buffet Lunch cruise, departing Circular Quay at 12:30pm daily, and costing A$62 (US$50/UK£25) for adults and A$30 (US$24/UK£12) for children.

Its Sydney Harbour Explorer cruise is popular and stops off at The Rocks, Watson's Bay, Taronga Zoo, and Darling Harbour. You get on and off when you want. It costs A$29 (US$23/UK£12) for adults, A$15 (US$12/UK£6) for kids, and A$69 (US$55/UK£27) for a family, and leaves Circular Quay at 9:45am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm daily.

Another favorite is the 1-hour 15-minute Harbour Highlights Cruise, which costs A$25 (US$20/UK£10) for adults, A$12 (US$9.60/UK£4.80) for kids, and A$59 (US$47/UK£23) for adults. It leaves Circular Quay at 9:30am, 11am, 12:45pm, 2:30pm, 4pm, 6pm, and 7:30pm. The first and last cruises are only offered if there are sufficient passengers for a trip.

The company also offers a range of dinner cruises.

Captain Cook cruises have ticket booths at Jetty 6, Circular Quay (open 8:30am-7pm daily), and at 1 King Street Wharf, Darling Harbour (near the Sydney Aquarium). It has limited opening hours of 11am to 4pm daily.

Matilda Cruises (tel. 02/9264 7377) offers a 1-hour Rocket Harbour Express narrated sightseeing tour leaving the pontoon at the far end of Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour eight times daily beginning at 9:30am (six times daily in winter, Apr-Sept, beginning at 10:30am). You can stay on for the full hour, or get off and on again at Circular Quay (opposite the Museum of Contemporary Art), the Opera House, Watsons Bay, and Taronga Zoo. The last boat leaves Taronga Zoo at 5:10pm in summer (4:10pm in winter). There's tea and coffee on board. The cruise costs A$25 (US$20/UK£10) for adults, A$17 (US$14/UK£7) for children 5 to 12, and A$59 (US$47/UK£23) for a family.

Boats also zip across from Darling Harbour and Circular Quay to Luna Park on the half-hour from 9:30am to 7pm (and to 10pm on Fri and Sat). The journey costs A$5.70 (US$4.50/UK£2.25) one-way for adults, A$2.80 (US$2.20/UK£1.10) for kids, and A$14 (US$11/UK£5.70) for a family.

The company also offers a Zoo Express, including zoo entry, from both Darling Harbour and Circular Quay. It costs A$37 (US$29/UK£15) for adults, A$20 (US$16/UK£8) for kids aged 5 to 14, and A$110 (US$88/UK£44) for a family.

The company also runs morning and afternoon cruises, and lunch and cocktail cruises with good food on a sailing boat. One example is the Seafood Lunch cruise, with a seafood buffet. It leaves Darling Harbour at noon and Jetty 6 at Circular Quay at 12:30pm. The 1 1/2-hour cruise costs A$63 (US$50/UK£25) for adults and A$38 (US$30/UK£15) for kids aged 6 to 12.

Matilda Cruises have a ticket booth at Jetty 6 at Circular Quay, and a ticket office next to the Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour.

Other cruise operators also have booths and information available at Circular Quay and Darling Harbour.

Harbor Cruise Tickets & Info -- The one-stop shop for tickets and information on all harbor cruises is the Australian Travel Specialists (tel. 02/9247 5151). It's a good idea to check websites before you come to Australia, or pop into a ticket office at Darling Harbour or Circular Quay, because cruise options, departure times, and prices change frequently. You can book on the Net, too.

Walking Tours

The center of Sydney is compact, and you can see a lot in a day on foot. If you want to learn more about Sydney's early history, then book a guided tour with The Rocks Walking Tour (tel. 02/9247 6678), based at 23 Playfair St., Rocks Square, The Rocks. Excellent walking tours leave Monday through Friday at 10:30am, 12:30pm, and 2:30pm (in Jan 10:30am and 2:30pm), and Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am and 2pm. The 1 1/2-hour tour costs A$20 (US$16/UK£8) for adults, A$11 (US$8.20/UK£4.10) for children 10 to 16, A$51 (US$40/UK£20) for families, free for accompanied children under 10.

Another interesting experience is The Rocks Pub Tour (tel. 02/9240 8788), a journey aimed at illuminating the lives of the sailors and whalers who once lived around here. You get to meet some of the locals, visit three historic pubs, take a wander around the alleyways, try a brew or two, and enjoy special offers for pub meals. The 1 1/2-hour tour departs from Cadmans Cottage at 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It costs A$35 (US$28/UK£14). You must be over 18.

A journey with a difference is Weird Sydney Ghost and History Tours (tel. 02/9943 0167). The tour -- in a hearse -- is fascinating and fun. It explores a section of historic Sydney and more modern additions, including a former VD clinic, the Sydney Opera House, and some buildings along Macquarie Street. It costs A$72 (US$58/UK£29) for adults for the 2 1/2-hour trip and A$36 (US$29/UK£14) for kids. The tour leaves nightly at 8pm (7pm in winter).

Sydney by Helicopter

If you have the cash, then a scenic tour of Sydney Harbour and beyond will be a nice investment in time. Sydney Helicopters, 25 Wentworth St., Granville (tel. 02/9637 4455), offers short flights from A$425 (US$340/UK£170) per person, and longer ones -- including a country pub crawl.

Motorcycle Tours

Blue Thunder Motorcycle Tours (tel. 1800/800 184 in Australia, or 0408/618 982 mobile) runs Harley-Davidson tours of Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and places around New South Wales. A 1-hour ride (you sit on the back of the bike) around the city costs A$95 (US$76/UK£38). A 1 1/2-hour ride through the city and out to Bondi costs A$145 (US$116/UK£58). A 3-hour trip to the northern beaches or down the south coast through the Royal National Park costs A$225 (US$180/UK£112), including lunch. Full-day trips including lunch and snacks, go to the Hunter Valley, the south coast, Bathurst, or the Blue Mountains.

If you love motorbikes and want to take one out on your own for a self-guided or guided tour, contact Bikescape (tel. 02/9356 2453). It will rent you a bike to go around Sydney, or as far afield as Byron Bay or the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.