Sydney Harbour Bridge

I love visiting big iconic bridges during the sunset. Trips at dusk to the Golden Gate Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge have resulted in spectacular photographs of the urban landscape. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was another great experience! The bridge is accessible by foot or by bike and is surrounded by some of the biggest attractions in Sydney. More adventurous types might opt for the Bridge Climb Tour (http://www.bridgeclimb.com/) where participants get to scale the summit of the 134-meter arch for panoramic views of the city. And yes, they offer a Twilight Tour near sunset (and a dawn tour at sunrise). We were content walking across the bridge on the pedestrian walkway. It was a brisk spring evening in Sydney, and we didn’t envy the tourists climbing the bridge overhead. The views from the bridge are stunning in every direction, and it is a magnificent vantage point to see the Sydney Opera House and the Central Business District.

If the full bridge climb is not for you (or your wallet), the bridge tower view is definitely worth the $10 entry. The climb up a few flights of stairs brings you to the top of the first tower, with incredible views of the harbor, bridge, and city. Inside, the historical photos and quotes are a mini-museum exhibit about the history of the bridge and its builders.

It’s the quintessential thing to do in Sydney, and it’s alot of fun! You won’t get a better bird’s-eye-view of Sydney‘s amazing landmarks— including the Opera House and Luna Park— than from the top of the iconic Harbour Bridge. #afarexperiences photo: Leanna Maione

A little touristy? Perhaps, but a heck of an experience, nonetheless, and views to die for. I’m not sure you’ll be able to climb a bridge like this anywhere else. It’s expensive ($200-$300 per person) and you cannot take a camera (not even your iPhone up there—your climb leader will take a picture of you).

View of the Sydney Harbour Bridge climbers from the deck of the Manly ferry.

The south east pylon museum has great views.

Walking down from the Observatory in Miller’s Point, I can’t stop snapping away at the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. It never gets old. I think the same can be said of the Eifel Tower in Paris, the Pyramids in Alexandria, all of Manhattan in New York, and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. That’s why we travel, right? We want to be in all those take-your-breath away places.

It’s always sunny in... Sydney! Except for the day I decided to walk across the bridge. It rained and pour, but the metal work glistened and shined.

Get a great view of the bridge from a ferry, day or night.

There are very few places in the world that can actually move someone, emotionally. Somewhere that a person can sit for hours without thinking too much. Just being. For me, one of those places is Sydney Harbour. Seeing the Opera House and Bridge for the first time made me feel special and small at the same time. The combination of elegance and the everyday make it unique and inspiring. So as soon as I found out that one could climb Harbour Bridge, I made it my mission. The first part is a little unnerving, as you ascend narrow ladders, to what seems like your death, while cars whizz by. But once you’re above the road, fear vanishes to make way for humility. As the city expands before your eyes, your breathing slows and your mind clears. It’s amazing how such a simple feat has such a powerful effect. I climbed at night, which allowed for the city lights to sparkle before me. The Opera House never looked more fantastic. This was an experience of a lifetime, and something that everyone should do when they’re in Sydney.