It’s Australia, mate. They don’t appreciate wussies. It is your national duty to not leave a poor impression of your country when you visit. Break the mold, get out of your comfort zone, and get the adrenaline pumping when you visit Sydney.
What Are Some Leisure Activities in Sydney?
Here are 7 activities designed specifically for the brave.
1. Sun, Sea, Surf and Sydney
What’s Oz without the surfing? With thousands of miles of pristine beach literally lining the country, it is one of the best places in the world to hit the waves. Sydney itself boasts no less than 100 surf-worthy strips of coast.
Not a surfer? Not a problem! There is no shortage of surf classes you can rock up to even on some of the most popular beaches such as Bondi and Manly. Opt for a quieter stretch like Palm Beach or Maroubra to save on costs and get more surf space for yourself to boot.
Think you’re not having much of an adventure as you paddle out into the gorgeous blue with just the sound of the surf and gulls for company? Remember, Australia has the highest number of shark attack fatalities every year.
2. Jetboat in the Harbor
So maybe you prefer experiencing your marine adventures from inside a boat. That doesn’t mean that you have to leave the heart-thumping action behind. Quite the opposite when you have massive jetboats thundering about Sydney Harbour at 100 kmph (60 mph).
Available from a number of tour operators, this nautical adrenaline rush gives you 30 minutes of 270-degree spins, tight turns, and heart-stopping near misses right in the harbor. That means you will be doing it all under the approving eye of some of the city’s most historic landmarks, including the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House.
Contact HarbourJet, Jetboat Sydney or Oz Jetboating to start tearing up the water.
3. Water Jetpack
Sticking with the maritime theme, here is your chance to replicate all those crazy music videos. Water jetpacks are the zaniest and one of the most exciting ways to defy gravity today. With the safety of water below, they will allow you to hover and move around floating as high as 35 feet in the air.
There are two variations of the device. The first is the standard back-mounted pack that you strap on. The other is the board, which you can stand on during your stint. Most users find their feet wings within a few minutes.
Single packages are as short as 5 minutes and as long as half an hour. (Believe me, you will be left yearning for more after just 5 minutes). Walk on water or soar high here.
4. Axe Throwing
Could there ever be anything more macho than throwing an axe at a target? Well, yes. The satisfying ‘thunk’ as the axe head embeds itself deep in the wooden block, that’s what.
Here is your opportunity to replicate Rambo, the Predator and every other example of alpha masculinity from the most gung-ho movies you’ve ever seen. Learn the basics of throwing, including how to get the distance right and how to put more power into each hurl, all from your personal axe-throwing instructor.
Sure, anyone can pull a trigger at a gun range but flinging an axe into a tree trunk is the camping party trick to learn. Begin your journey to coolness with the experts.
5. V8 Supercars
If the throaty grunt of a revving engine and the squeal of racing slicks negotiating a tight curve are your cup of gasoline, head on to Eastern Creek Raceway to satisfy your craving.
Here, you can get behind the wheels of a number of 450 hp V8s that have been tearing up and down the hills, flats and hairpins at this legendary Aussie track. Capable of reaching speeds as high as 200 kmph (125 mph), they are the most fun you can legally have on any stretch of Aussie asphalt.
With a pit stop lesson prior to boarding your beast and an instructor by your side all the way, you will get to learn how to master the course. Better still, many of the skills and tricks are just as applicable to normal roads, meaning you come out a better and safer driver, wherever you live.
Gentleman, start your engines here.
6. Fly a Plane
Just a car? Why not a plane? Don’t just go for a ride – fly the darn thing!
Experience the Gs over the scenic Macarthur countryside and ogle at unobstructed 360-degree views all the way to the horizon. Sure, it’s a small plane and not an airliner, but you get full control of the craft almost the entire time you are up in the air.
What’s more, the instructor will even guide you into carrying out some basic aerobatic maneuvers. The next time you watch the Redbull Air Race, you can roll your eyes and tell everyone how easy it all is.
Who the heck would hand over the controls of a plane to someone with no flying experience? These legends.
7. Wild Ropes at Taronga
Visit the zoo? Pffft! Total beginner move. Inject a dose of adrenaline into your animal adventure by checking out the flora and fauna from the air.
The Wild Ropes course at Taronga Zoo, a stone’s throw from the Harbour Bridge, is an exhilarating combination of flying foxes, suspension bridges and climbing walls. You are literally swinging from the trees. Not quite Tarzan but close enough!
Built into the treetops are rest points and mini platforms. Watch the animals, gaze at the boats, yachts and ferries in the water, or just admire the Sydney city skyline from a unique vantage point. While completely safe because of the harnesses, this is a physically challenging trek that requires stamina and agility. You’ve been warned. If you choose not to heed the warning, sign up here.
A last bit of advice for nature lovers. If you are an avid thrill-seeker and decide to go exploring in the bush, always remember to watch out for drop bears.
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