Winnie Stubbs

When it comes to winter getaways, Australia – namely, NSW – doesn't always get the best rap. We get a lot of hype for our marvellous beaches and fairweather fun, but our backyard isn't only worth frolicking around in the summertime. Dare we say, for many NSW holiday locations, winter is the merino-wool hat that they actually wear best.  If you're ready to venture out of the Big Smoke in search of glorious winter sunshine, brisk mountain air or a crackling hearth in a country pub, this guide to some of our favourite cold-weather NSW getaways may be just the thing for you.  So, without further ado, here are our picks of the best winter getaways in NSW to book now.  Read on and be warned: they are chillingly good.  Want more of the chilly stuff? Here are nine things all Sydneysiders know are true about winter, and if you're hitting the slopes, here's everything you need to know before you go to the snow. Staying in Sydney for the cold months? These are our picks of the best pubs and bars with fireplaces in Sydney. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. 

1. Step into the light at Vivid Sydney. The annual event will be lighting up Sydney from May 26 until June 15 – with luminous highlights including Lightscape (the epic immersive event in the Botanic Gardens) and Dark Spectrum (transforming the tunnels under Wynyard)  2. Go for a dip without the crowds. Prince Alfred Park Pool’s 50-metre, nine-lane pool is heated and open all year round. 3. Winter is the only time of year when you can walk under the romantic Japanese cherry blossom trees at full bloom. Auburn Botanic Gardens' Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the season with an epic festival (you'll have to wait until August – and exact dates for this year are yet to be released). Photograph: Cumberland Council 4. We certainly don’t get the snow fall of our European cousins, but New South Wales has some beautiful alpine resorts that makes going to the snow a lot cheaper. Head to Perisher, Thredbo or Charlotte Pass to hit the powder. Check their websites for sweet deals on ski and snowboarding during winter. 5. Warm up by an open fire at one of the city’s historic pubs, like the British-accented Lord Dudley in Woollahra. Here are the best pubs with fireplaces in Sydney. 6. With shorter days and longer nights, it’s the best time of year to spook yourself silly with one of Q Station’s Ghostly Encounters. This one is scary enough that it's only available for people aged 15 and over, and people under age 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. 7. Warm your hands and belly

Meat lovers, your hour is nigh; Meatstock is popping up this weekend for three days of barbecue-based feasts, bull rides, music and more. If you prefer a plant-based lifestyle, check out the best vegan restaurants in Sydney, or stock up on veggies at  one of the best markets in the city. For a seasonal wardrobe refresh, head to this huge vintage clothes market that’s popping up in Marrickville for one day only, or check out one of the best independent clothing stores in the city. If you’re keen for a dose of culture this weekend, check out this epic summer exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW before it comes to a close; or make your way to White Bay Power Station, this huge industrial landmark has undergone a major transformation for this year’s Biennale of Sydney. Keen to get out of town? Step out into nature on one of these stunning hikes in the Blue Mountains, then enter a magical luminous wonderland at Scenic World’s Nocturnal. Scroll on for our full list of everything you can get up to in Sydney this weekend. Want a quiet spot to swim? Check out Sydney's best secret swimming spots.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.

If you’re in need of a little lightness this week, we’d suggest booking tickets for & Juliet; the joyful, pop-fuelled musical that’s lighting up the Lyric Theatre. If you’d rather get your laughs over a pint and a parmi, head to one of Sydney’s best pub trivia nights – there’s nothing like a knowledge test to distract you from the woes of the world. To welcome in the winter in true Scandi style, head to this sauna that’s popped up on a beach in the north, or embrace hygge energy with a coffee and a pastry at one of Sydney’s best cafés. If you can’t wait until Vivid to get your fix of immersive light displays, check out Luna Park’s incredible new immersive experience, or make a beeline to the Blue Mountains for a luminous outdoor display. Scroll on for our full list of everything you can get up to in Sydney this week. Want more this week? How about starting the day at one of our city's best outdoor swimming pools, then booking in for dinner at one of the best restaurants in Sydney right now.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.

Call it what you will – the rainbow region, the Northern Rivers, the hinterland – the Bundjalung Nation (the region around Byron Bay) holds a certain ineffable magic. I was once told – en route to a very-Byron tea ceremony on a rainy Wednesday evening – that the magic comes from the earth; that the ground beneath the hills, spiked with crystals from a nearby volcano, generates a uniquely healing energy. And though my limited geological understanding prevents me from verifying that fact, I’m confident that there’s something special about this stretch of sparkling coastline and rolling hills that the Arakwal, Minjungbal and Widjabul Wia-bal people call home. Byron Bay – undeniably the region’s most well-known town – has traditionally acted as a place for people to come together, known by the Arakwal people as 'Cavanbah' which translates to mean 'meeting place’. And while the gentrified hippie beach town on Australia’s easternmost point does have its perks – a stunning coastal walk that curls up over a beach-studded stretch of sparkling ocean, high-end hotels that blend sophisticated design with beachside nonchalance, and a restaurant scene to rival any Sydney suburb – we’re of the opinion that the true gems of the region lie outside of town. Whether you’re looking to follow in the footsteps of the the hemp-clad, Byron-dwelling hippie of yesteryear, get lost in the waterfalls that wind through the hinterland, or glide from the blindingly bright shores of Wategos to a marble-trim

As well as crisp, autumnal mornings, the month of April is blessed with two public holidays – this is your reminder to get planning a weekend away before the best stays get snapped up. It’s also a month of light and laughter, with the Sydney Comedy Festival lighting up venues across the city, the ever-outrageous Rocky Horror Picture Show popping up at Theatre Royal from March 31 until May 12, and incredible immersive light shows coming to this historic harbourside spot and a forest in the Blue Mountains. On the art front, the Biennale is giving Sydneysiders front-row access to exhibitions from globally leading contemporary artists, and a blockbuster photography exhibition documenting the life of Princess Diana is popping up in Ultimo. Plus, this month we’ll see the first iteration of a new monthly laneway party from the forward-thinking folks behind Kyiv Social, our 2023 bar of the year El Primo Sanchez is hosting a tequila-spiked high tea, and Goros has had a cherry blossom makeover. Ready to embrace the changing seasons? Warm up at one of NSW's most stunning natural hot springs, and then explore one of these natural wonders that are worth leaving town for.

The Emerald City is peppered with a whole host of stellar hotels that each individually carry their own little sparkly slice of je ne sais quoi. Whether you’re in town for one night, want a longer stay, are flitting through for business, or are travelling to Sydney for the very first time and want to make sure you’re in the best possible spot to properly explore the city, we have you covered. Having earned our stripes reviewing hotels across the country, our team of writers (including Lifestyle Writer Winnie Stubbs and our Travel and News Editor Melissa Woodley) have shared their top picks – along with top tips on how to make the most of your stay. From five-star luxury to boutique boltholes, this list is our edit of the best hotels in Sydney (in no particular order). Warning: it'll be hard for you to choose just one to stay at! Sorry, not sorry. Rather stay under canvas? Find the best glamping sites in NSW or the best camping near Sydney. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Sydney is one pretty city, but it’s got nothing on the breathtaking vistas of the Blue Mountains. Just two hours west of Sydney's bustling urban heart, this vast, largely untouched wilderness, spanning some 11,400 square kilometres, is crisscrossed with walking trails that take in some of the most spectacular corners of the region. From forested canyons to towering rocks and majestic waterfalls, you’ll find them all on these top bushwalks in the Blue Mountains.Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. Looking to stretch your legs closer to home? Check out these great inner-city walks and easy day hikes near Sydney.

If there's one thing that Australia does right, it's really beautiful beaches – and a lot of them, to be precise. With a whopping 12,000 fringing our island continent, it would take you a wild 32 years to see them all – if you tackled one beach per day. Assuming that your 32-year plan doesn't singularly involve beach hopping around Australia (although, we can of course, dream), we've put together a list of the best and prettiest beaches in Australia that you should visit in 2024 – or at least once in your life. Each beach on this list has been selected for its remarkable beauty, safe swimming conditioning (read: you won't see anywhere with saltwater crocs on this list), and proximity to other incredible activities, so your adventure out doesn't end with just one dip. Some of these picks have been richly awarded in the past, while others are less mainstream – but rest easy knowing that every single one of them is well worth their salt, in more ways than one. Now, all that's left is for you to find out for yourself. RECOMMENDED: The best nudist beaches in Australia. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox. 

We might be a little biased, but we don't believe there's a better place on earth to spend a day than in our sparkling waterside city.From coastal walking tracks to secret swim spots so swanky sky-high bars, Sydney is home to the kinds of settings that play host to magical memories every day of the year – from ordinary Wednesdays to the most important days of your life.  On any given day, there are a whole host of happenings to discover in the Emerald City – each offering a new experience to add to your Sydney memory bank.  If you're stuck for activities, we're here to help – here is what’s in store today. Want to get your weekend plans in order, right now? Check out our pick of the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.Rain putting a dampner on your plans? These are the best things to do indoors. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.  

While manic repetition of squats, lunges, sprints and push-ups is one way to stay healthy and rev your engine with endorphins, some fitness fans prefer a more left-of-field sweat sesh than what a gym or an aggressive bootcamp can provide. These unusual workouts let you dance, bounce, swing and climb your way to a healthier you, and you'll have a ball getting there. If you can’t make it to a class (or are yet to stock up on the requisite glow sticks) you can make jogging fun along these scenic running routes in Sydney. Then, cool off in the salty embrace of our favourite ocean pools. After all that hard work, why not treat yourself? Check out Sydney's best spas. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox.  

Camping isn't for everyone – but we reckon maybe glamping is.  While a dream of sleeping beneath unpolluted starry skies, swimming on secluded beaches and snuggling by a campfire sounds pretty good to all of us, the thought of battling spiders, dirt floors and zero showers can shatter it real quick. Enter: Glamping – your solution.  In Australia, the opportunities are truly endless for all those who like their wild nature escapes with a side of fluffy luxury. Whether it's reclining in a private bubble bath beneath a rainforest canopy, dipping into a rainwater plunge pool next to Uluru, or sleeping in clean sheets next to one of the world's most remote coral reefs, the dreamy glamping spots Down Under are both epic and aplenty. All you've gotta do is hit the road.  Want to keep it a little more basic? Here are the 8 best caravan parks to hit up in Australia.

April 2024 update: Due to huge demand, SZA has added a third Sydney show, and the support act has now been announced – Californian R&B curator SiR will be joining SZA on the line-up.In major news for R’n’B fans across Australia, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter SZA has just announced the dates for the Australian leg of her S.O.S Tour – she’ll be taking over Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena for two consecutive dates in April. When is SZA in Sydney?  SZA will be taking over the Qudos Bank Arena on April 23, April 24 and April 26 2024, before heading to Melbourne. How can I get tickets to the Sydney SZA show and what are SZA ticket prices for Sydney?   The ticket pre-sale will start on Friday, February 9 via Ticketek – with prices yet to be confirmed. The general sale will begin on Monday, February 12 (2pm local time), with a limit of 10 tickets available per transaction. What will SZA concerts in Australia be like? Few details have been released about what Sydneysiders can expect from the show, but based on previous shows on her S.O.S. Tour – which has taken the artist through Europe, America and Canada – we’re expecting something pretty special. SZA’s shows have been described by The New York Times as "vigorous, confident, theatrical and intimate.” We'd expect nothing less. Who will the Sydney SZA support acts be? The SZA support act has just been announced; with Californian R&B curator SiR set to join SZA on the line-up.Keep tabs on updates over here.   Want more? Sophie Ellis-B

If the events of the past few days have rocked you, you’re not alone. It’s easy to feel afraid and helpless in response to tragedies like the one that unfolded over the weekend, but there are ways in which we – as a community – can help. One such example is the annual 10km charity walk, organised by Sydney-based grassroots organisation Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC). The  Walk for WAGEC 2024 will take place on May 5, 2024, with the aim of raising $300,000 to deliver crucial programs for women and children that restore safety, build financial independence and promote their recovery from trauma. Based in Redfern, Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) works throughout the year to support women and families in crisis – providing support whilst advocating for social change in the community.  Every night, WAGEC supports 200 women and children impacted by homelessness, domestic violence and systemic disadvantage by providing accommodation, material aid, case management, biopsychosocial support and crisis responses. They also work to address the underlying causes of gender-based violence through community engagement – part of a global movement aiming to end gender-based violence in a generation. Joining the Walk for WAGEC is a fun, interactive way of showing your support and helping to move the needle towards a safer world for women.Registration on the day will open at 7am – with walkers and runners making their way from Church Grounds within Centennial Parklands o

It’s 10pm on a Thursday night, and Luke Mangan – the acclaimed celebrity chef and restaurateur – is pouring Champagne over my dessert. I look around to check that I haven’t somehow found myself on the set of an Australian remake of The Great Gatsby, but the setting (an intimate dining room just off the marble-trimmed foyer of Kimpton Margot Sydney hotel) only compounds the illusion. Taking the lead from my dining companions, who are tucking into their Champagne-soaked chocolate tarts with gusto, I take another sip of Taittinger and follow suit. The event is the first of a series of intimate dinners that Mangan is running in partnership with the Champagne brand, and at $395 a head, it’s not one for the budget-conscious. But if you’re in the market for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience to bring some sparkle to your autumn evening, this is it. And it should be noted that these kinds of ambitious experiences are something that Mangan manages to pull off consistently, while simultaneously championing accessibility in the industry. Currently overseeing the operations at six kitchens across the city (Glass Brasserie, Luc-San, Luke’s Bistro & Bar Sydney Airport, one particularly surreal space within the Harbour Bridge and the Kimpton Margot’s Harper Rooftop Bar and Luke’s Kitchen) he’s a man of mammoth talent, scope and ambition, and he carries it with warmth and a jovial, welcoming sense of humour. He’s the kind of person you want to spend an evening with eating pasta at a bus

Some of the state’s biggest music festivals might be pulling the plug, but it would be a misrepresentation to say that the NSW music scene is in dire straits. In fact, the slew of recent live music venue openings across Sydney and beyond suggest quite the opposite. Thanks in part to the government’s six-pronged plan to amp up Sydney’s nightlife, the Harbour City has welcomed some exceptional live music venues over the past few months, and Impressed Recordings – a new record store turned live music venue – is the latest to join the ranks. The trendy new multidisciplinary space is the passion project of the team of the same name; a boutique Australian record label which has spent the past twelve months spotlighting and elevating unique releases in Australia from their online platform. Now, they’ve found their forever home in a vibrant new space in the creative hub of Wollomooloo. Committed to re-writing the rules, the Impressed Recordings team initially established themselves as an online platform for artists and music lovers to connect, share and discover. The label’s vinyl drop from none other than The Wiggles (titled Yummy Yummy) was a sell-out success, and they also worked with Sydney golden boys Royel Otis on their recent EP Bar & Grill/Sofa Kings. Visitors to the store can expect to find new vinyl drops alongside a carefully curated, genre-bending catalogue of records. “The only rules are diversity in our catalogue, belief in the music, and never compromising on the best

The Harbour City does a good line in immersive light experiences, and if you can’t wait until Vivid takes over the city later in May, Luna Park is here to help. The iconic attraction’s newest installation – Sonic Neon – will be opening to the public from Saturday, April 13, and tickets are on sale now. Housed in Crystal Palace – a building which dates all the way back to 1935 – Sonic Neon will take visitors on a journey through six different rooms, with state-of-the-art visuals and a layered soundscape creating a transportive experience. Illuminating more than 150 metres of the historic building, the experience will feature more than 26,000 lights set to a pulsating soundtrack using state-of-the-art technology that’s never been used before in Australia. Tickets to the event are available now, and first release ticket holders will be afforded access to what Luna Park has described as a “secret zone”. Details about this mystery “Blacklight Dessert Bar” are thin on the ground, but Luna Park has confirmed: “Visitors will be able to purchase glow-in-the-dark desserts including custom treats by Sydney’s famous Tokyo Lamington along with glowing fairy floss and soft serve ice cream.” The experience will run daily from 10am for approximately four months, though the exact end date is yet to be announced. Tickets for the self-guided Sonic Neon experience (estimated to take around 30 minutes) start at $29 per person, and the first month of tickets are on sale now. If you’re keen to secu

You’d be forgiven for mistaking Sage Space – the ridiculously beautiful dentist studio in a shady corner of Darlinghurst – for a trendy creative agency, interior design firm or high-end beauty salon. And in a way, it kind of is.  The brainchild of passionate interior design enthusiast and dentist Dr Corbin Barry – whose role at Sage Space isn’t only as Principal Dentist, but also as Founder and Creative Director – Sage Space is a dentist studio like you’ve never seen before. In the light-flooded, terrazzo-tiled foyer, you’ll be greeted with a glass of water (in Maison Balzac, no less), then led through to the "brushing bay" (an enclosed, warmly-lit space complete with a stylish sink below a designer mirror) and gifted with a dental wellness pack containing a toothbrush, organic toothpaste, natural lip balm and the cutest box of floss you'll ever see. Once you’ve brushed your teeth, your dentist will lead you through to the treatment room; another stunningly designed space that entirely defies convention. Aesthetically unpleasant, purely functional design features are replaced with artwork from local creatives, and instead of the scent of harsh chemicals thronging the air, you’ll notice a Maison Balzac candle burning in the corner. Every touchpoint of the dentist visit has been considered and re-worked for your enjoyment. And while Sage Space could get by on good looks alone, it doesn’t have to. The treatments offered are akin to the kinds of dental care treatments you’d expe

Since Australia’s first dedicated infrared sauna space (Nimbus Co) opened in Bondi back in 2016, Sydney’s eastern suburbs have taken on the unofficial role as the Emerald City’s sauna hotspot (pun intended). And now the offering is levelling up; with the launch of a new sauna, steam and ice bath studio with a membership model that’s wildly more affordable than the standard rate.  Founded by two brothers, Xtra Clubs is bringing an anytime membership model to Sydney – a model that’s never been seen before in the sauna studio space. Essentially, you’re paying less than the cost of one standard sauna session to get anytime access to a sprawling social bathhouse. It sounds a little too good to be true, but then so did ordering pizza to the park through an app on your phone until we started doing it. The first Xtra Clubs space opened its doors in Bondi Junction in early 2024; a huge studio that's home to a 30-person Finnish sauna, six ice baths, three four-person infrared saunas and a 20-person steam room. It’s like a Roman bathhouse, but the 2024 edition.Memberships start at a very affordable $28 per week, and the entry-level membership will score you unlimited access outside of peak times, plus one 70-minute peak-hour session per week. If you’re keen to upgrade, the “Elevate” membership will score you an additional two peak-hour visits per week (and extended use time with 100-minute instead of 70-minute sessions) for $44 per week. Considering the cost of a 45-minute infrared saun

Aussie comedian Josh Thomas has come a long way from being the guy who was always shooting zany one-liners on prime time television panel shows. Turning his hand to writing, acting and producing, he's gone on to create and star in the groundbreaking comedy series Please Like Me, and then the American-produced series Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. (Currently, he's working on Good Person, a new series in development with Hulu & 20th.) Now, Thomas is finally making his much-anticipated return to stand-up, with Let’s Tidy Up playing at Arts Centre Melbourne from April 9-21. Tickets are available here and you can keep reading for our review of the Sydney season of the show. Forty-five minutes into Josh Thomas’s solo show at Sydney Opera House, he grabs a broom and breaks into a languidly executed and bizarrely brilliant dance routine that belies the unlikely sex symbol that he is to many Australian millennials. As a British import, the intricacies of many of Australia’s pop culture personas remain a mystery to me. I’d been unaware of this side to the comedian (whose existence I’d learnt of only days prior), and it made a fun addition to the cocktail of traits that form his on-stage persona: erratic but engaging, wicked-smart but infinitely endearing. For someone who has (staggeringly) managed to make it to 2024 without encountering the cultural phenomenon that is Josh Thomas (or the television shows he has written, produced and starred in: Please Like Me and Everything’s Gonna Be Ok)

Swifties, rejoice. If you’re experiencing withdrawal after the queen of pop’s sensational Eras tour swept through Sydney, this could be the news you’ve been waiting for. Ella and Sienna – the sisters who stole our hearts with their shiver-inducing rendition of Cardigan back on the 2022 season of The Voice – are taking their incredible vocal chords on a Taylor Swift tribute tour. Reputation: The Ultimate Taylor Swift Show will see the talented siblings travel through Australia with twenty shows across three months and five states. They’ll be kicking off their nationwide tour with a very Swiftie show at Sydney’s Factory Theatre on Thursday, April 18. Accompanied by a full band (including The Voice star Freddie Bailey), the Adelaide-born sisters will bring a little taste of Taylor euphoria back to Sydney. “We don’t think of the show as a tribute in the traditional sense because we’re not attempting to impersonate her. The show is more of a celebration, just one huge party, where all the Swifties can get together and rock out to all of our favourite songs,” Ella explains. Guests can expect favourite tracks from the queen of pop, plus mashup versions, and songs inspired by some of Taylor’s pop-up live performances. Tickets start at $36.75 – a steal when compared with the thousands that some Swifties forked out for the Eras tour. You can grab yours over here.   RECOMMENDED: The Italian restaurant that Taylor dined at is our Food Editor’s favourite – find out whyThis poptastic music

If you’re a Melbourne-based fitness enthusiast, you’ll likely have heard of FoxFit; the female-only fitness studio that’s been facilitating hyper-toned mirror selfies for some of the city’s most elite fitness influencers since 2019. And after five years in Melbourne, FoxFit is launching its first Sydney space; opening the doors of its Redfern studio this weekend. Housed in a cavernous 332 metre space, FoxFit Redfern will be home to two stylishly minimalist rooms; one HIIT ROOM and a second offering resistance hypertrophy-based training. The HIIT room will offer high intensity circuit training with treadmills, mat-based pilates and endurance stations, and the strength room will also play host to personal training sessions for those keen to level up. The New York loft-style space will run a schedule of around eight classes every weekday, and two to three classes on Saturdays and Sundays; all designed to help female-identifying people achieve optimum strength and fitness, minus the macho energy. The circuit-style group fitness classes utilise full body integration methods, designed to “keep heart rates elevated and muscles burning for the ultimate functional workout”. And with some of Melbourne’s most well-known fitness enthusiasts (the likes of Rozalia Russian, Tully Humphrey, Tayla Broad and Tess Shanahan) swearing allegiance, we’re expecting good things. The space will open its doors on Saturday, March 23, and if you swing by on the launch day you can score a complimentary cl

Winter in Sydney can be pretty darn sparkly, with major thanks to Vivid – the annual multidisciplinary festival that lights up the city for a few weeks every year. One particularly glittery feature of the Vivid Sydney 2024 program is Lightscape – an immersive light show that will illuminate the Royal Botanic Garden from May 24 until June 15. After making its Botanic Garden debut with a sellout 2023 season, this multi-sensory experience of light, colour and sound is back, this year with a reimagined set-up.Originally created by a group of artists more than a decade ago, Lightscape has transformed spaces around the world into sell-out immersive experiences. And though some Sydneysiders were up in arms about having to pay to access the Botanic Garden (generally a free-to-access public space) during last year's season, once you’ve experienced Lightscape in the flesh, you’ll understand the reasoning. As the sun begins to set over Sydney Harbour, you'll wander under larger-than-life flowers, and tree canopies will come alive with light. Follow the 1.8km illuminated trail as your surroundings morph from one luminous delight into another. Food and drinks are available to purchase along the route, or you can hold out and head to one of the many excellent restaurants that Circular Quay has to offer. Tickets start at $30 for adults ($18 for kids aged 3-12), and the entrance for Lightscape is located at the Queen Elizabeth II Gates, which are right next to the Sydney Opera House forecour

For an overnight stay in Potts Point that reflects the energy of the area, you can’t look past this new boutique hotel – hidden behind Sydney’s most famous sign.  Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point – the first Hotel Indigo to open in Australia – opened its doors in early 2024, with 105 creatively designed rooms, a red and gold lobby, trendy on-site café and very easy access to some of the city’s best restaurants.  Designed as an ode to the shamelessly loud, creatively sophisticated suburb it calls home, Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point is playfully luxe. A heavy red curtain cuts through the lobby, where guests can choose a record from the vintage vinyl collection to soundtrack their night. Upstairs, rooms are kitted out with designer furniture in unapologetically bold colours, minibars groan with pre-mixed cocktails, and floral bathrobes from Aussie label Bambury hang in wardrobes as your staycation uniform. With a room service menu from Luke Mangan’s new French-Japanese restaurant and bar, and a café downstairs serving a daytime menu from the renowned Sydney chef, there are few reasons to leave the building. That being said, the celebration of Potts Point seen throughout the hotel will inspire you to harness the rambunctious energy of the suburb – and go get amongst it. You can learn more and book your stay over here.   RECOMMENDED: Heading out for dinner? These are the best places to eat in Potts PointWant to check out a neighbouring suburb? Here’s our guide to Darlinghurst

From charities cleaning up the ocean to rare baby pandas making their public debut, good news is out there – and it’s our duty to share it. Read on for some Sydney-based stories to make you smile. This restaurant in Surry Hills is now providing three-course meals to people in need, six days a week Photograph: Jasper Avenue The good people from Sydney-born social enterprise Ozharvest have been serving up excellent vegetarian food from their beautiful Crown Street restaurant since February 2022 – operating on a buy one, give more model. In the first two years of opening, kind-hearted customers helped the team of volunteers serve an incredible 74,425 meals to guests in need, and now they’re stepping up their game, opening their doors six days a week. Sydneysiders can now visit for an impeccably-presented three-course meal every Tuesday through Sunday; and by dining here, you’re providing a three-course meal for at least four people in need. Learn more and book your table over here. Sydney has been listed as one of the most walkable cities in the world A recent global report by comparison site Compare the Market identified the best cities in the world to live car-free, and Sydney was listed as number eleven on the list – only just missing out on making it to the top ten. If your car isn’t going anywhere, we’ve got good news for you too: ticketless parking tickets could become a thing of the past in NSW. The main buildings at the Art Gallery of NSW have been given Aboriginal nam

In glorious news for the ton and beyond, the NSW town of Bowral has scored a regency makeover – transforming into a real life Bridgerton for one magical week.  The makeover is a celebration of season three of the hit Netflix show, and after teasing us with a few sparse details a few weeks ago, the Netflix team have just revealed the full details of what we can expect at Bridgerton in Bowral. The activation will be taking over the town from yesterday (Tuesday, April 16) until next Tuesday (April 23), and will feature immersive shop makeovers, Bridgerton-inspired menus, writing workshops, croquet competitions and more. The week-long celebration will culminate in a glorious regency-themed garden party, that will be taking over the beautifully manicured grounds of Milton Park on Tuesday, April 23. Photograph: Supplied | Netflix If you’re visiting over the next seven days, you’ll see businesses across the town decked out in bunting and regency-style decor – and you might spot a few interesting characters pacing the streets, quills at the ready. We’d recommend starting at Dirty Janes: a treasure trove of vintage delights that will help you step into character, frills and all. From there, make time for tea and cake at the oh-so-heritage The Press Shop, or cut straight to the stronger stuff at SoHi: Bowral’s boutique spirits supplier. For a garden party-style occasion, make your way to Retford Park – a beautiful stately home just five minutes from town where you can live like the g

Sydney is a city blessed with varied topography, which makes for excellent views, spectacular hikes, and some occasionally hard-as-hell walking routes (we’re looking at you, Heartbreak Hill). That being said, if you choose your journeys wisely, getting around Sydney without a car is relatively easy. Now, a global study investigating which cities across the globe are the best for living a car-free life has affirmed this – naming Sydney as one of the top 15 most walkable locations (ie: easiest to get around without a car).  Our city came in at number 11 on the global list, facing stiff competition from other famous cities and just missing making it into the top ten. Topping the list as the best place to live without a car was Munich in Germany, followed by Milan in Italy, Warsaw in Poland, Helsinki in Finland and Paris in France. Rounding out the top ten was Tokyo, Japan in the sixth spot, then Madrid in Spain, Oslo in Norway, Copenhagen in Denmark and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Clearly, Europe is onto something when it comes to reducing the need for cars.  Photograph: Supplied | Destination NSW | Ultimately Sydney To determine which cities were the best for car-free living and walkability, comparison site Compare the Market looked at factors like the amount of rainfall, the number of biking and walking trails, the location's safety, public transport quality and car-free places. One of the criteria that Sydney scored well for was walking tracks, as one of the top four citi

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 13, Sydney stopped in its tracks and changed forever. The events that took place at Bondi Junction over the weekend are beyond horrific, and while tragically nothing can be done to change events that have passed, there is support in place for victims and members of the community who have been affected by the devastating events that unfolded. In the immediate aftermath, the NSW Government opened its support programs to victims across Sydney, and the support available has been extended today (Monday, April 15) – now including a dedicated victim support phone line, additional mental health support for first responders, and specialist disaster-trained clinicians to help those who witnessed or were otherwise affected by the attack. The support currently in place is as follows:   NSW Government’s Victims Support Scheme: Victims and families can access support via a dedicated phone line. This service can be reached on 1800 019 123, and will be staffed from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Support to the families: NSW Police have assigned a Family Liaison Officer to support each impacted family of those whose lives were tragically taken.  Post-disaster mental health support: NSW Health have specialist disaster-trained clinicians available at Bondi Junction today (Monday, April 15) and tomorrow (Tuesday, April 16) between 8am and 6pm, primarily around the Oxford Street Mall area. The NSW Mental Health Line: This mental health support phone line has be

Dog-lovers, rejoice. If you missed the pop-up rescue dog wine bar that took over Stanleys on Stanley for a weekend last month, you’ve got another chance to spend your weekend in the presence of some impossibly cute furry friends. This time, sub out your sauv blanc for a flat white – Guide Dogs NSW is throwing a brunch party, and a whole team of Labrador puppies are on the guest list.  The third iteration of this annual event will see the Guide Dogs NSW/ACT flagship office in St Leonards transformed into a puppy-themed café – complete with coffee, snacks, and a puppy-themed photo booth. Visitors will also get the chance to speak with dog handlers and staff to learn more about how guide dogs bring joy and freedom to so many, and about what it's like to be a Puppy Raiser. The event is in celebration of International Guide Dog Day, and all proceeds will go towards furthering the work that Guide Dogs NSW do in improving the lives of those with vision impairment. Tickets to this event will set you back $20 ($5 for children under 10), with sessions running from 9am to 10am, 11am to 12pm, and 1pm to 2pm. The ‘pup-up’ café will be going down at the Guide Dogs NSW flagship office in St Leonards. You can learn more and snap up tickets over here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  Dog lover? Read on These are Sydney's best dog-friendly parks. These are the best dog-friendly beaches in

In case you missed it, NSW's (actually, Australia's) festival scene is tanking. Last month, NSW's Splendour in the Grass (AKA the biggest music festival in the country) was canned. Back in February, the touring festival Groovin the Moo was canned due to insufficient ticket sales. Last year's Falls Festival took a break. And another one bit the dust when Tassie's Mona Foma called it quits. And while we like the idea of focusing on the positives – NSW has welcomed a slew of new live music venues over the past 12 months openings – it's pretty clear Australia’s music festivals are facing something of a crisis. Creative Australia (the Federal Government’s peak arts body) commissioned a large-scale survey into the music festival industry in response to the changing landscape, and has reported an “alarming” drop in attendance by young people. This fall in interest from young people has been cited as one of the main challenges the industry is facing – along with unpredictable weather events (leading to higher insurance premiums), currency fluctuations and rising costs across the board. The report, titled 'Soundcheck', highlights the obstacles the industry is facing, and the benefits that music festivals can bring to our economies and communities. The main takeaways? The impacts of climate change and the cost of living crisis are weighing heavily, and as running costs rise, more festivals are pulling the plug. Photograph: Groovin the Moo/Joseph Mayers 'Soundcheck' reported that in t

Back in June 2023, Sydney Trains began work on a $97 million program to improve the transport network. Sounds good. What didn't sound so good: A whole lot of train line shutdowns to get the work done. And while we usually hear about construction and fixing taking longer than expected, this repair plan is actually ahead of schedule. Less than a year since they started, more than 29,000 defects have been repaired. Sydney Trains’ Rail Repairs have hit a key target of repairing 1,916 high-priority defects (and 29,000 defects overall) three months earlier than anticipated. The aim was to bring the railway maintenance backlog under control to "acceptable levels” within 12 months, but since they’ve already met that aim, Sydney Trains have now cited a revised target of removing 2,116 high-priority defects before the end of June. As anyone who’s found themselves on a rail replacement bus can attest, railway maintenance doesn’t come without its challenges, but the interrupted services you might have experienced over the past few months have come about for good reason. Photograph: Supplied | Transport for NSW This said, there's still a lot to do. Trackwork will continue to be carried out over weekends and during school holidays, when there are fewer travellers journeying across the city. “While we have made exceptional progress, there is still much work to be done and I will not stop until we have the most reliable and resilient network possible for the passengers of New South Wales,”

It’s sauna season, and though we’re already sort of longing for summer to start again, we’re happy to make like the Scandinavians do, and spend our crisp, bright days between the sauna and the ocean. To welcome the cooler weather in style, we’d suggest heading to this magical Finnish sauna that’s popping up by a Northern Beaches beach for 13 days of coastal wellness. Photograph: Supplied | Danielle Nieuwendyk Cedar and Salt – Sydney's first pop-up seaside Finnish sauna – will be providing steamy oceanside experiences from Monday, April 15 until Sunday, April 28. The beautiful wood-fired sauna will be situated at the Wharf Precinct at the Q Station hotel, on the shores of Quarantine Beach (near Manly), meaning easy access to the ocean for a post or pre-sauna swim. Photograph: Supplied | Danielle Nieuwendyk Sessions are 45 minutes long, and the team recommends taking a mid-session dip in the water, before jumping back into the sauna for a final 20 minutes of stress-reducing, anti-inflammatory sweating. Keen? You can book your session over here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.  RECOMMENDED:  We tried Bondi Junction’s new affordable bathhouse. What’s the deal with Sydney’s pastry-centric running clubs?  These are Sydney’s best spas.

As if you need a report to tell you that Sydney rents are out-of-control high – but there is one. Domain's most recent rent report (released this morning; Thursday, April 11) shows a rapid reacceleration in rent across the Emerald City; with rents in Sydney at a record high. In fact, rents are high across the whole country – Australia’s entire rental market has skyrocketed over the first quarter of 2024, leading to record-high asking rents across all capital cities apart from Canberra. The only good part in this news is that a tipping point is “likely” to be reached later in the year, according to Domain. What does that mean for renters? Rents shouldn't keep rising at such ridiculous rates.  Rental prices in Sydney have reached a new record high, with the median rental asking price for a house now sitting at $750 per week (a 13.6 per cent increase from the same time last year). Similarly, the rental price for units in Sydney has also reached a record high, with a new median rental asking price of $700 per week. The rise in rental rates across Australia show the steepest quarterly gain in 17 years – the second-steepest surge on record. Plus, vacancy rates across Sydney are at an all-time low. According to Domain’s Chief of Research and Economics, Dr Nicola Powell, it’s not all doom and gloom. She explains that the first quarter of the year generally calls in a surge in rental rates; a “seasonal trend” intensified this year by “a surge in tenant demand against a limited supply

In news that should come as no surprise to savvy motorists who make regular journeys across Sydney’s many toll roads, since January 1 2024, toll fees in NSW have been capped at $60 per week. And as of this week, you can start claiming your cash back – with an average rebate of $134 available to drivers who’ve spent more than $60 per week in tolls since the cap was introduced. Keen to cash in? Read on. The NSW toll cap was introduced back in January, with Minister for Roads John Graham describing the measure as “part of the Minns Labor Government’s number one priority to deliver cost-of-living relief to families at a time when they are doing it tough”. And now finally, account holders can begin to reap the benefits of the toll cap; with 350,000 toll account holders able to claim back an estimated $46.8 million from the first quarter. Photograph: Tony Stante | TFNWS   To be eligible for a rebate, account holders must be a NSW resident, hold a personal toll account, and spend more than $60 per week in tolls from their personal licence plate on toll on eligible, personal trips. If you meet those requirements, logging on to your MyGov account could bring you a little mid-week boost; with an average rebate of $134 available city-wide, and average rebates of $195 available in certain suburbs. The Sydneysiders set to benefit most from the rebate scheme are those based in some of Sydney’s western suburbs, with Kellyville, Baulkham Hills, Greystanes, Marsden Park and Moorebank making

Sydney's known for its beaches, so it's no surprise that here at Time Out Sydney, we post a whole heap of stories about our shorelines. From globally-recognised stretches of sand to bioluminescent water to reports rating the best (and worst) behaved beach goers, we’ve covered it all. But this might be the first time we’ve written a story about class-A drugs washing up on Sydney’s sand. But there’s a first time for everything.  A reported 250kg of cocaine has washed up on beaches across NSW since December 2023, including five enormous bricks of the illicit substance that were found on the shoreline of Sydney’s Northern Beaches (at Freshwater and North Curl Curl) only this month.  Photograph: Destination NSW | Manly BeachCrowds enjoying a Summer's day at Manly Beach, Manly. The first reported discovery of cocaine on NSW's shorelines was back in December 2023, when a large, barnacle-covered package was discovered on Magenta Beach, on the Central Coast, by a local beachgoer (yes, they did report it to the police). That initial discovery prompted an investigation, which led to the discovery of a further three packages at Avoca Beach (also on the Central Coast), Blacksmiths (a town further north) and at Sydney’s very own Manly. And while the enormous bricks are the ones that most capture the public attention (their street value is estimated at around $1 million), plenty of smaller packages are finding their way onto our beaches, too.  The team investigating the issue are also c

​​Ever wondered what the term “national park” actually means? In Australia, it refers to an area of land protected by the government to conserve our natural (and/or cultural) heritage, and promote biodiversity. Here in Sydney, we’re lucky enough to have easy access to some of the most spectacular protected outdoor spaces in the state; with the Royal National Park, the Blue Mountains and even areas of Sydney Harbour afforded national park status. But what’s less widely known is that your very own back garden (pending size, and a few other factors) could gain the very same kind of protection as national parks, the kind of protection that the natural environment of NSW needs to thrive. Intrigued? Read on. In excellent news for the flora and fauna of NSW – and for sustainability-minded landowners looking to make some extra money – the government operates a biodiversity conservation scheme offering financial incentives for landowners who turn parts of their properties into protected land. The scheme (implemented in 2017 by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust) allows land to be placed under the same protections as national parks, with 2,368 private land conservation agreements currently protecting more than 2.3 million hectares across NSW. Photograph: Supplied | Destination NSW According to the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016, there are currently 932 plants, animals, algae and fungi that have been scientifically assessed as threatened, and 526 that fall into the 'endan