Seeing Sydney

Sydney is gorgeous. If you're planning a visit here, you'll read all sorts of rapturous comments in guidebooks about how Sydney is set in one of the most beautiful locations in the world. It's all true. It's up there with San Francisco, Cape Town, Vancouver, etc. as being in one of the most spectacular settings on the planet. Everywhere you look, there's water. Between Sydney Harbor, Darling Harbor and the Beaches, Sydney is the ultimate city by the sea. From the spectacular Heads which are the gate to the open Ocean, Sydney Harbor has innumerable coves, small beaches, and parklands that make it one of the most lovely places where land meets water. The Sydneysiders deserve credit for the city's beauty, too - they planned it right. The most famous landmarks, beautiful residential neighborhoods, and even the Zoo accentuate the dramatic landscape and beautiful harbor.

So what are the best places to take all of this in? In my opinion, the following are the 5 best spots to take in a great view and soak up Sydney:

1. The Ferry to Manly (or any Sydney Ferry). The Sydney ferries are legendary. Not only are they one of the primary ways to move around this vast city, they are also one of the least expensive harbor cruises you're ever likely to take. The ferry to Manly is a 30-minute ride to one of Sydney's beach suburbs. Manly is a great beach town with a laid back surfer's vibe. You feel far removed from the hustle of the city. Along the way, you'll cruise past the Opera House, the Harbor Bridge, the skyline, and many harborside neighborhoods and patches of parkland. Sydney needs to be seen from the water, and this is the best (and least expensive) way to do it.

2. The Club Lounge at the Intercontinental Hotel. The crown jewel of this great hotel is it's rooftop Club Level lounge, with amazing views of the city, bridge, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, and Harbor all the way to the Ocean. The jaw dropper is it's deck - sit outside, have a cocktail, and take in one of the most incredible views in the world. If you stay here, you'd be missing out if you didn't get Club Level access.

3. Altitude Restaurant at the Shangri-La Hotel. See "Club Lounge at the Intercontinental", above. The Intercontinental ranks a notch higher because of it's tremendous rooftop deck.

4. Bondi to Bronte Beachwalk. While you won't see the usual Sydney sights, this very unique 3K footpath between two of Sydney's more famous beaches provides stunning views of the Ocean from beach to bluff, and passes some beautiful beaches and seaside homes you'd be very happy to call your own. A very enjoyable reminder that Sydney is a big beach town at heart.

5. AMP Tower. This is the big "Space Needle" type structure often seen in pictures of the Skyline. It's the tallest building in Sydney, and it would rank higher if it didn't feel like to trip up to the Observation Deck of the Empire State Building - a bit touristy and crowded. Still, the 360 views of Sydney are hard to beat.

Honorable mention goes to the Harbor Bridge Climb (great views and a real adventure, but no cameras and anyone with even a mild fear of heights will be paying attention to the climb, not the views) and the walk down to the ferry wharf from Taronga Zoo (an almost jungly walk - thick bush and the sounds of animals - with some great views of the Sydney skyline across the harbor).

Oh, and I just received a call from the luggage people. They actually found my bag here on day 3; it's being delivered tonight. So I can stop my newfound daily ritual of buying a new pair of underwear and a shirt that doesn't quite fit. Life is good.