Australia is a unique place when it comes to day trips. It’s not like Europe, where a day trip can easily involve another country.

We can’t just hitch a train to New Zealand and be back in a couple of hours.

But there are some benefits to being an island and largely uninhabited- namely, that getting away from it all is very easy. After all, the Blue Mountains are a day trip from Sydney, the Great Ocean Road is a drive away from Melbourne, Phillip Island a short jaunt from Adelaide and the Daintree readily accessible from Cairns.

There is so much to do and see in Australia, and lots of activities you can do cheaply.

No need to day trip to another country, day trip to another world

Australian’s, by and large, live near the coast. We are also blessed with coastal waters that are unparalleled. With a couple of hours driving and some snorkeling gear, most of us could have a day spent under the sea for the price of petrol and a picnic lunch. Good guides online as to where’s best to snorkel in Australia are here and at DiveOZ.

Go bush

Australia is pretty uninhabited, with 2.6 people per square kilometer. That means there’s lots of space for us and our adventures. Growing up in the Blue Mountains, the bush isn’t so much a daytrip away as it is right on my doorstep. Pull out your good walking shoes, drink bottle and hat and get out there. The peak body Bushwalking Australia is a portal for organisations across Australia, and can provide information about where to head in various areas. A cool guide to a variety of tracks is here.

Road trip

Remember when you used to just jump in a car and drive? Day trips don’t need to be about lots of activities crammed into a day. How about you just jump in a car and head to a scenic spot with a packed lunch? Turn the radio up, roll the windows down and enjoy a bit of open road. Great road trips can be mapped here.

Get some history

Australia is pocketed by cute, quaint, or blast from the past kind of towns and usually they are well within reach. Get some history, and visit an old courthouse, park, or pub. Usually entry is free or pocket change. A great guide to one near you is here.

We all want to get away from it all, and with a train fare and a homemade sandwich, it’s pretty easy to do so cheaply. It’s not about the planning; it’s about getting a bit of adventure into your everyday. It’s about jumping in the car and heading to the place you’ve always said you’ll visit. There’s a long weekend heading our way, how about spending it in the elsewhere?

What are your favorite cheap day trips and day trip activities?

Are you planning any for the future long weekends?

Surveys always rank Sydney as one of the most expensive cities to live in. While this is true of the cost of an apartment or a cappuccino, Sydney is also one of the best cities to be in if you like having fun for free.

Here are a few fun things to do for free over the coming months:

Newtown Festival

It’s an annual event, it has a line-up to kill for and its absolutely free. Happening on November 8th in Camperdown Park, the Newtown festival is set to be a sensation for another year. Bring your picnic rug, sun block and hat and get ready to browse market stalls with Hermitude and others pumping in the background.

Dr Pong

The beer isn’t free, but entry and the ping-pong certainly are. Dr Pong is a new addition up in the suddenly booming Burton St, and is a cozy and chatty bar centred around the greatest of modern activities- the ping-pong table. Bats are handed out on entry and whether you’re good, moderate or totally atrocious at the game, you’re sure to enjoy yourself.

Carriageworks.

On any given day, Carriageworks can play host to new dramatic works, Kitchen Garden workshops or the Eveleigh growers markets. Carriageworks tags itself as Sydney’s new home for contemporary arts, but it is also a great space for a bit of community. It’s one of the most wonderful resources Sydney has and its schedule of events can be found here, http://www.carriageworks.com.au/whats_on.php. The Finders Keepers markets will be a sensation, so pencil them in to the diary.

Free Pool Nights

Lots of pubs have set times when the pool is free. Sometimes this means they are crowded to the hilt, and your attempts at sinking anything are watched with the eagle eye of aficionados. Often it means you can spend your afternoon sinking (or not sinking) balls with reckless abandon with no one watching. Some of the best:

Roof Bar, 77 Castlereagh St. Every Tuesday until Saturday after 5pm.

Golden Barley, 167 Edgeware Road, Enmore. Tuesdays after 7pm.

Nag’s Head Hotel, 162 St Johns Road, Glebe. All day Sunday.

Sculpture by the Sea and Laneways By George

Art and About has really pulled out the big guns this year. The annual Noodle Markets and art lining the central walkway of Hyde Park were as wonderful as usual, but Laneways by George have really stepped it up a notch. Laneways full of bars, art exhibitions and places to sit now hide just off George Street. They’ll be there until January and maps can be found here.

Sculpture by the Sea has it’s fair share of controversy and attention every year, but can anything be better than a wander along one of the best stretches of coast in Sydney to the backdrop of the wild, wacky and wonderful creations of sculptors.?

It’s here until January and you can always cool off your artistic heels by a well-earned dip at Bondi or Bronte when you’re done.

What do you think are the best free activities Sydney has to offer?

Staying at home is the easy solution, but when the weekend passes and the kids are back to school and we’re back at work, it can seem as though the weekend was unsatisfying and spent doing virtually nothing.

Getting out of the city to refresh and re-energize your battery doesn’t have to be a costly exercise — take the family on a road trip, and not more than two hours out of town, so you save on petrol.

What do you do to make the weekends exciting for the whole family without spending a lot of money?

Here are some money saving ideas for your next road trip with the family:

Make use of out-of-town friends and family

When it comes to saving money on accommodation, your loved ones are your best bet. Everyone loves having friends and relatives over for the weekend, just remember to bring a bottle or two of wine and a few treats from the city and don’t leave your wet towels on the floor!

Camp

The kids will thank you for it, when they’re older that is. Camping in the great outdoors is one of the best things families can do to bond and share special moments, especially when the kids are young. If you don’t have any camping gear, ask around your friends and neighbours, someone’s always got a few tents and sleeping bags in the back of their garage.

Find out more about camping in Australia at http://www.camping.com.au/

Pack healthy snacks for the road trip and a picnic basket

Stopping off at convenience stores on the way to pick up snacks and drinks is a real money waster. So make sure you pack plenty of fruit, muesli bars and bottled water to keep the kids and driver happy during the trip. Stopping for lunch off the highway may not be very expensive, but it sure will be unhealthy. Arm yourself with a basketful of goodies and find a nice spot for a lovely family picnic and some fresh country air.

Save money on food during the weekend

If you’re on the coast, find out where you can go fishing. Not only will you have dinner, but it’s a great opportunity for the family to bond, relax and have fun. If you’re staying with friends, bring some milk and cereal for breakfasts and have plenty of simple barbeques. If you’re camping, bring along a portable barbeque — someone’s always got one laying around if you don’t have your own.

Save money on petrol

Don’t venture too far out of the city. A two-hour drive each way is a comfortable distance to travel for a short weekend, and on the pocket. It’s easy when you live in Australia, nature is a skip, a jump and a hop away no matter where you are. Talk to your friends, family and neighbours, they might know a great spot that’s not very far away.

One the other hand, if you live outside the city, a great family excursion would be to visit the city over the weekend. If you drive, leave the car at home and use the buses and trains. You’ll save plenty of money, time and grief — parking and finding your way around the city can be stressful.

Pack a picnic and have lunch in the park and arm yourself with plenty of water and snacks for the kids to save money and visit free museums and concerts.

To find out what’s happening in and around your area, visit About Australia.

Sydney offers fantastic outing that will stimulate all of your desires – food, wine, sights and amazing entertainment and night life.

Whether you are an expat working in Sydney, a tourist visiting Sydney or a local resident, we are going to look at some of the things on offer for seeing this beautiful city without breaking the budget.

Sites to see in Sydney for free

There are some great places to visit while out and about in Sydney, here is our suggested list:

• The Sydney Opera House
• The Botanical Gardens
• Darling Harbour
• Star City Casino
• China Town
• The Rocks
• The Harbour Bridge
• Sydney Beaches such as Bondi and Coogee.
• and more

Visiting the Sydney Opera House for free

The Sydney Opera House is one of Sydney’s most popular tourist attractions. You can walk around the opera house and enjoy the truly unique design of what has to be one of the most amazing buildings ever built.

Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the views by sitting on the grass alongside the Opera House or for those who are feeling a wee bit healthy – why not climb all of those stairs out the front (184 to be exact!).

You can also enjoy a drink with family and friends at the Sydney Opera Bar located just underneath the Sydney Opera House – though beware of the inflated prices, so just stick to one or two. There is no charge for entry and there is an outside sitting area where you can enjoy the beautiful harbour and see the harbour bridge.

The views are incredible and it has a vibe unto itself come dusk.

Sydney Opera House official site

Visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens for free

Why not take a trip to the Sydney Botanical Gardens? Entry is free and you can take a nice picnic lunch and enjoy all the different varieties of beautiful flowers planted in this amazing garden. It has over 30 hectares of garden to visit. Ranging from herbs to Australia’s natural horticulture, you will definitely get a taste of Australian wildlife and plants.

Royal Botanical Gardens official site

Darling Harbour for free

Venture down to Darling Harbour and enjoy the great views it has to offer. Take a packed lunch and go for a long walk – there is countless things to do and see. Enjoy the free entertainment of buskers entertaining the many passers by or enjoy the views the city lights from your choice of Harbour restaurants.

You can also walk across the Pyrmont bridge to see the city in all its glory from both sides.

Darling Harbour official site

Visit Star City Casino – but don’t gamble!

Entry is free but you will need photo id to get in. You don’t need to spend money to go to Star City Casino. You can simply take a walk through the casino and feel like you are in Las Vegas! Watch the hustle and bustle of people on the pokies or enjoying a game of blackjack. Observing is free and sometimes more enjoyable. There is also a few bars situated in star city casino that has no cover charge to get in. If you wanted an excuse to dress up this would be the reason and can be an interesting way to spend your time before dinner, just remember to never gamble – casino odds are not made to help you win!

Star City Casino official site

Sydney’s famous China Town

China Town offers a great cultural look at one of Australia’s most thriving inner city areas. You can visit Paddy’s Markets which is notorious for a bargain during the late to mid week and weekend. Bargains a plenty!

Paddys Markets official site

Ye old Rocks

The Rocks is a great place to visit because its absoultey free. Check out the rocks market stalls where people setup stores and sell anything from clothes to handmade jewellery. There are some great english pubs in the rocks offering some great live bands.

To save money, just enjoy the wandering streets and take in one of Sydneys oldest inner city areas. The cobble streets and guttering were first made by convicts who arrived in Sydney from the UK.

The Rocks official site

Sydney Tourist Maps

You can get free tourist maps of Sydney at any information stand that are all over sydneys major streets like George Street. These information booths are specifically set up to help with free tourist information and providing free information about sites and things to do and see in Sydney.

More things to see in Sydney cheaply

There are countless things to do and see in Sydney on a limited budget.

Things to see for backpackers

For all those backpackers that want a tour that will last all night why not do a pub crawl? Pub crawls are usually organised through backpacker accommodation outlets or through your local backpacker centre. Prices range from $30 upwards and involve either an all day tour or evening tour of a list of pubs one after the other with a group of people. Meet new people and enjoy hours packed full of live bands and some drinks for the night! You can spend as much or as little as you want and will meet some interesting characters.

Centrepoint Tower

You can dine in one of the worlds most amazing restuarants from as little as $25 per child for lunch or adults from $49.50 (prices are subject to times and days). Check out Centrepoint Tower for more details. You can simply go up to the observation deck and see sydney via a 360% angle through their amazing telescopes. Its a breathtaking experience that you will never forget!

Targonga Zoo

Why not spend a day out at the zoo? Entry is $39.00 for adults and children are $19.00. Infants are free. There are always family passes available and specials available during certain times of the year. (Shopper dockets are great ways to find simple savings!)

Sydney Museums

There are numerous museums to go and visit in Sydney – ranging from the Australian National Maritime Museum, Museum of Contempoary Art, Art Gallery of NSW and more.

Entry is very reasonable and you will learn alot about Australia art and culture.

Luna Park

The entry is free but you do have to pay for rides whilst in the park. The great attraction about luna park though is that you pay a set fee for unlimited rides. Adults cost $37.95 and children $27.95. There is also family packages avaiable.

Sydney Aquarium

Sydney Aquarium is one of the most exciting visitor attractions in Sydney. Cost of entrance is for adults – $31.90 and children are $17.95. There are packages available for family and groups that will also help you save money.

IMAX Theatre

If you have ever wanted to see a movie in 3D on one of the worlds biggest screens, look no further! It is the worlds largest IMAX theatre and prices for entry range from $19.50 upwards for adults and $14.50 for children depending on what movie is seen.

The amazing thing about the IMAX theatre is that the movie screen is around ten times larger than a normal movie threatre screen and it is either 2D or 3D depending on the movie! Its an experience you wont forget!

Sydney Sight Seeing Pass Cheap

How does it work? Ranging from $135 upwards for a smart visitor card this allows you to get free admission into top local attractions, discounts at selected restuarants and shops and attractions. Some of these places include guided tours of the Sydney Opera House, half day sightseeing tours, Rocks walking tours and much more.

Available from www.sydney.com.au

How do you go out in Sydney on the cheap?

Share with us your money saving tips for going out in Sydney at little to no cost!