1) Ocean pools

Anyone can swim in Sydney’s beachside pools year-round for free. Often attached to the local lifeguard club, these saltwater pools are for sunbaking, laps and showing off your Crossfit-honed abs.

2) Fruit inflatables

Sydneysiders spend every summer weekend in water – and a fair percentage do this while lounging on oversized inflatables shaped like fruit (complete with pineapple drink holders).

3) Craft beer walk

Some of Australia’s best beer is accessible by foot across a one-kilometre-square patch of warehouse brewpubs in Sydney’s Inner West. Check out Grifter , Willie the Boatman , Wayward , Batch  and Young Henrys .

4) Frankie’s Pizza

A dive bar  where you can wash down provolone-and-truffle pizza with its signature Bloodsucking Geeks red IPA to a soundtrack of Fleetwood Mac and the Steve Miller Band. Afterwards, there’s a room full of 1990s pinball machines to attend to.

5) Seaplane to Jonah’s

Fly in Sydney Seaplanes ’ De Havilland Beaver from Rose Bay to Jonah’s restaurant at Whale Beach for a long lunch and even longer view.

This story was originally published in November 2017 and updated in September 2020. Hero image:  Andrew Watson / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images

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