Sydney: Holidays by the Sea

If you're looking to make the winter vacation feel like a summer vacation might I suggest Sydney, Australia. While it's cold and cloudy here, it's warm and sunny down under. Sydney has a range of attractions that will keep you shopping, having fun, drinking, and enjoying the aussie spirit.

After a fourteen hour plane ride from L.A. you must be ready to stretch your legs. If tourist attractions and activities are what you're looking for, you don't have to look far. Sydney has speedboats that will dash around the bay at break neck speed. You can also take some ferry rides to get a good look at Sydney as well as transportation to attractions like the Zoo, where you can get aquainted with most of the Australian wildlife as well as some other classics like lions, tigers and bears. My favorite part of the bay is "Maquarie's Point". There you can get a view of the opera house and harbor bridge and is the most picturesque place in Sydney at sunset. 

If you're looking for history and culture, Sydney has a range of museums as well including art, history and sciene. The opera house itself has many different shows to choose from and most are more reasonably priced than opera houses in the states. The opera house accustics are simply perfect, the best accustics I've heard anywhere in the world. I saw the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in concert there and the accustics let you hear each individual instrument, not all blended together like most theatre halls. The sound was so clean and clear, better than a CD. While Sydney, do not miss the chance to see a show there. They have many to choose from including opera, musicals, concerts, plays, and ballets.