Free Things To Do This Weekend Sydney

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Posted 2023-06-08 by Gypsy Rose ⇒ follow

Free Things To Do This Weekend (Sydney)

Need help with ideas on what to do this weekend? Stress no more and get entertained with the list below that features the best free things to do in a weekend across Sydney and its surrounds.

1. A Scenic Drive and/or Day Trip

Scenic drives and/or day trips are one of the best ways to spend the weekend exploring, experiencing and seeing something different. Whether it's with the whole family, friends, significant other or with your fur baby/babies, the list below has got you covered.

The top scenic drives and/or days trips from Sydney include:

- The Southern Highlands

Free activities include lookouts, tourist route drives, boutique shopping (window shopping to keep it free), parks and gardens, botanic gardens, museums and galleries (some may be ticketed), waterfall hopping, exploring quaint towns, exploring historic churches, historical walks, exploring dams, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, and bushwalks/trekking.

Click here for website.

- The Blue Mountains

This World Heritage-listed destination is home to many free activities including lookouts, waterfall hopping, walking trails, bushwalks/trekking, parks and gardens, museums and galleries (some may be ticketed), exploring quaint towns, natural landmarks, botanic gardens, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, scenic tourist route drives, boutique shopping (browsing to keep it free), and more.

Click here for website.

- Wollongong/Illawarra areas

Free activities include exploring the beaches, lighthouses, walking trails, cycling trails, bushwalks/trekking, water-based activities, birdwatching, fishing, lookouts, scenic tourist route drives, botanic gardens, and exploring coastal towns.

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- Kiama

Free activities include exploring the beaches, seeing the natural blowholes, lookouts, lighthouses, boutique shopping (browsing to keep it free), parks and gardens, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, coastal and bush walking trails, fishing, museums and galleries (some may be ticketed), and water-based activities.

Click here for website.

- Jervis Bay

Free activities include exploring one of the whitest sand beaches in the world, coastal walks, beach walks, bushwalking/trekking, lighthouses, lookouts, water-based activities, fishing, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, and whale & dolphin spotting (whale watching during migration season-May-November).

Click here for website.

- Central Coast

Free activities include lookouts, waterfalls, gardens and parks, botanic gardens, exploring coastal towns, bushwalking/trekking, coastal walks, beach walks, lighthouses, museums and galleries (some may be ticketed), boutique shopping (browsing to keep it free), water-based activities, pelican feeding at The Entrance, fishing, birdwatching and wildlife spotting.

Click here for website.

2. Exploring National Parks

Some National Parks may have fees based on per vehicle/per day.

Free activities include bushwalking/trekking, cycling trails, swimming holes, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, water-based activities, picnics, lookouts, 4WD drives, lighthouses, scenic drives through the National Park, exploring historical sites/landmarks, and many more.

The top National Parks in Sydney and nearby include:

- Sydney Harbour National Park- Home to spectacular lookouts, walking trails and bushwalks, beaches, picnic areas, Middle Head military history, lighthouses, and more.

Click here for website.

- Royal National Park- Founded in 1879, making it Australia's oldest National Park! The National Park has rugged cliffs, windswept beaches, indigenous rock art, picnic areas galore, and water-based activities, including kayaking or boating on tranquil waterways. It is also home to stunning lookouts, bushwalks and treks, cycling trails, scenic drives, wildlife spotting and birdwatching, and much more.

- Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park- Located in Sydney's north, this National Park is packed with significant history, scenic beauty, bushwalks, treks, cycling trails, great fishing spots, picnic areas, lookouts, wildlife spotting, birdwatching opportunities, and more.

Click here for website.

- Garigal National Park- Is packed with natural scenery, bushwalking and cycling trails, picnic areas, fishing spots, lookouts, cascades, and more.

Click here for website.

- Lane Cove National Park- Is packed with historic sites, lookouts, water-based activities, bushwalks and cycling trails, heritage walks, picnic areas, birdwatching opportunities, wildlife spotting, and more.

Click here for website.

3. Picnics and Walks at Botanic Gardens

The top Botanic Gardens in Sydney and its surrounds include:

- The Royal Botanic Gardens
- Wollongong Botanic Gardens
- The Australian Botanic Gardens (Also known as Mount Annan Botanic Gardens)
- Mount Penang Gardens (Central Coast)
- Picton Botanic Gardens
- Stony Range Regional Botanic Gardens
- Auburn Botanic Gardens
- Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens

4. Get Cultured at Museums and/or Galleries

Free museums and galleries to visit include:

- Australian National Maritime Museum- Entrance to permanent exhibits and galleries is free. There is an entry fee to see the historic vessels- see website.https://www.sea.museum/
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Australian Museum – Entrance is free to all the permanent exhibits and galleries.
- The Rocks Discovery Museum
- For the full list, click here

5. Explore Laneways and Street Art

The best laneways and street art in Sydney and its surrounds include:

- Ash Street and Angel Place, Sydney City: See the 'Forgotten Songs' art installation
- Atchison Lane, St Leonards: Scope out a couple of murals and cute shops
- McElhone Place, Surry Hills: This small laneway known to locals as 'Çat Alley' (home to many cats, you can see water bowls scattered everywhere) takes urban gardening to the next level, with colourful window box displays, front house decorations, and colourful flowers galore.
- Corner of Crown and Foveaux Streets, Surry Hills, the mural of AFL legend Adam Goodes calls home. This two-storey mural by Apparition Media took four artists using a cherry-picker and completed it in eight hours!
- King Street, Newtown, the I Have a Dream mural by artists Juilee Pryor and Andrew Aiken. The mural is a tribute to Martin Luther King and his famous words.
- May and Caroline Lanes, St Peters is home to colourful wall and garage doors art, including portraits, motifs, animals, and poetry.

- Mary's Place, Surry Hills, with a horrible past; Mary's Place is named for the survivor, Mary Shalala, who was beaten and raped by men (because she was a lesbian). They were never caught. The Lamp for Mary installation and inscription on the side of the Beresford Hotel is a stand against homophobic vilification. It was the first project to arise from a governmental plan to combat street violence.
- The eastern side of Novotel Darling Square is home to Melbourne artist Matt Adnate's mural: portrait of Aboriginal rights activist and Wiradjuri elder Jenny Munro. Munro founded the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Redfern in 2014. The six-storey-high portrait took five days to complete.
- The 40,000 Years Mural shows scenes of Aboriginal life from the last 40,000 years. It is located at Redfern train station's exit onto Lawson Street and has greeted people since 1983. It was restored in 2018. There are also portraits, including Aunty Mona Donnelly and All Blacks rugby league team.
- May Lane, St Peters art project was launched by Tugi Balog in 2000 and features a range of graffiti art by graffiti artists.
- Kimber Lane, Haymarket is not just home to tantalising aromas from different restaurants but also to the hanging spirits of the 'In Between Two Worlds' installation by Jason Wing.

6. Exploring Sydney City's Landmarks

Sydney city is home to an array of some of the best and most famous landmarks in the world. This weekend why not check them all out?!

Landmarks include:

- Sydney Opera House
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Queen Victoria Building
- Sydney Town Hall
- Sydney Observatory
- Hyde Park Barracks
- Sydney Eye Tower (previously known as Centre Point Tower or Sydney Tower)
- St Mary's Cathedral
- Luna Park Sydney
- Government House