As I started to plan my next trip to Australia and New Zealand, I realized I hadn’t ever written a blog post about the first time I visited Sydney, Australia a few years ago. Sydney was my first stop on a long business trip that took me from Sydney to Singapore to Tokyo-all fabulous and very different cities. I had a few days off in Sydney after the work was complete and I’ll try to recall all the fun things I did. My lasting impressions were of a clean and diverse city where the waterfront views were stunning, and the most amazing birds wandered the busy downtown streets and city parks.

Taronga Zoo Sydney | Taronga Conservation Society Australia is perched on a hilltop across the harbor from the core Sydney downtown. This ferry ride was fast, easy and cheap, allowing me to admire the variety of boats up close in the harbor as we dodged them to arrive at our destination. Leaving the ferry, you have to take a gondola up the hill to the zoo, again providing amazing views of the harbor, Sydney Opera House and the downtown.

Since experiencing the koalas was an absolute must do for me, I went straight to the gift shop to sign up for the Koala Encounter | Taronga Conservation Society Australia. You couldn’t book just a single ticket when I was there, so I paid for a group of three and invited the young couple standing behind me to join me for free. They accepted and off we went to commune with the koalas and learn all about their habitat. It was a sunny December day (summer there at that time!) so the animals were a little sleepy. I got up close and personal and they were just as cute as I thought they would be. I kissed a koala, and I liked it!

The zoo is very spread out so wear your comfy shoes and be ready to get very close to the wildlife. One little park area that you could walk around and just be with the animals had kangaroos. Not a zoo employee in sight so they are very trusting of both the zoo tourists and the animals. Animals and human visitors are much more segregated in US zoos, so this was definitely a unique experience to see the animals so close up.

Sydney Opera House | Home is another “must see” in Sydney. Famous for it’s “sails” architecture, I took the time for a The Sydney Opera House Tour for a behind the scenes look at this iconic landmark. I would highly recommend taking the tour as you will not only learn all about the history but also get to see all throughout the interior of the building. I regret that I wasn’t able to attend a performance while I was there, but I will definitely rectify that when we go back next year. Once you are done with the tour, spend some time hanging out on the promenade surrounding the Opera House and have a cocktail with a view!

After work, my teammates and I would check out all the wonderful restaurants in Sydney. As it was summer, we would often sit outside on patios to enjoy the diverse and yummy offerings. There were places tucked away in alleyways lit up by overhead patio lights that were just charming. We visited a vinyl bar, Mojo Record Bar, where we ate, drank and bought vinyl while admiring the eclectic decorations. Of course, vinyl was on playing and it was a perfect night on the town in Sydney!

We stayed downtown Sydney at the Hotel in Sydney, Australia | Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park (marriott.com). If you are a Marriott loyalist like me, you will appreciate their gorgeous lobby and the members lounge at this hotel. Within easy walking distance of all the shopping, cafes and also the harbor, this was the perfect location for my business/pleasure trip.