We can all probably agree that planning an outing with your friends feels like a logistical challenge worthy of its own event planner. The mood of the outing should cater to the different personalities within the group: the nerd, the adrenaline junkie, the hiker, the foodie and the one who simply wants to relax. Then comes the challenge of finding a date when everyone is actually free.
This is precisely why Sydney works so well for group adventures: it packs so many different experiences into one destination. Whether the plan involves speeding across Sydney Harbour, climbing above the city’s skyline, exploring world-class galleries or simply sharing a great meal with a staggering view, there is something that appeals to every personality in the group.
For visitors, it is an opportunity to explore Sydney beyond the standard sightseeing checklist. For local friend groups, it is a great way to catch up and rediscover the city. So, once the endless messages, scheduling conflicts and last-minute cancellations are finally out of the way, here are ten Sydney experiences that make the effort worthwhile.
Jet Boat Ride
A jet boat ride in Sydney takes passengers across the harbour while performing spins, slides and sharp turns against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Luna Park and more.
These jet boat rides depart from Circular Quay and combine sightseeing while also boosting your adrenaline. For adventure-seeking groups of friends, this involuntary terror followed by immediate euphoria makes for an unforgettable experience.
Glass Boat Dinner Cruise
If jet boating is the exclamation mark on a Sydney day, a Glass Boat dinner cruise is the full stop at the end of a very good evening. These glassboat dinner cruises in Sydney depart from King Street Wharf and offer a restaurant-style dining experience as you cruise through Sydney Harbour.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll enjoy 360° views of the harbour’s iconic landmarks. The dining experience centres around a chef’s signature four-course menu, which is freshly prepared on board. Drinks can also be purchased on board.
For groups of friends, the all-inclusive dining experience removes the usual hassle of planning a night out, leaving more room for good food, harbour views and the kind of conversations that make shared experiences more memorable.
Surfing in Bondi Beach
Located around 8 kilometres from Sydney CBD, Bondi Beach is Australia’s most famous beach and one of the world’s most recognised surfing destinations. Even people who have never touched a surfboard know Bondi Beach. So, it would be a shame to visit the beach and not do the activity it is famous for, right?
Taking surfing lessons with your friends only makes the experience funnier and more memorable. Surf schools in Bondi offer beginner-friendly lessons with professional instructors, with all surfing equipment provided. The inevitable falls and the triumph of finally standing up make this one of Sydney’s best experiences for friends.
Kayaking on Rose Bay
Rose Bay, located on the eastern side of Sydney Harbour, offers one of the most peaceful and underrated ways to explore the city. Guided kayaking tours from Rose Bay take paddlers to secluded harbour coves, waterfront suburbs and sections of the harbour that larger vessels cannot access, including Milk Beach. The kayaking experience also includes a delectable lunch or dinner, depending on the selected session.
The larger the group, the lower the cost per person. With friends, kayaking offers a nice balance between activity and relaxation. There is enough paddling to feel adventurous, but also plenty of time for conversations, laughter and photos.
Bondi to Coogee Beach Walk
If there is one thing in Sydney that you should definitely do, it is the Bondi to Coogee Beach Walk. Better yet, it is completely free; all you need to do is turn up. The walk is a 6 km coastal trail that begins at Bondi Beach, passes through Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly and Gordon Bay, and finishes at Coogee Beach. It takes around 2–3 hours to complete, though most groups stretch it out longer by stopping at beaches and cafés along the way.
The path is entirely paved and offers stunning ocean views, rock pools and cliff-edge lookouts. Along the trail, you can enjoy multiple activities including swimming, surfing, snorkelling, dining at Bondi Icebergs and café hopping. This variety ensures there is something for every member of the group.
Blue Mountains Hike
The Blue Mountains National Park is roughly 100 kms from Sydney and is accessible by train from Central Station to Katoomba, which takes about two hours. The park covers over a million hectares of eucalyptus forests, sandstone canyons and stunning escarpments. It also has some of the best walking tracks in New South Wales.
The Grand Canyon Track near Blackheath is a popular day hike featuring rainforest scenery, sandstone cliffs and creek crossings. The Wentworth Pass Loop in Wentworth Falls offers a more challenging day walk with waterfalls and valley views. The Prince Henry Cliff Walk connects several lookouts near Katoomba and can be completed in sections. The Six Foot Track, on the other hand, is a multi-day overnight adventure.
The shared challenge of reaching viewpoints and navigating trails makes for a rewarding activity with friends.
Harbour Bridge Climb
The Sydney Harbour Bridge stands 134 metres tall and spans 503 metres. Most people experience it by walking across it or cruising beneath it. BridgeClimb’s Summit experience takes small groups up the arch to the very top, where panoramic views of the ‘Emerald City’ unfold in every direction.
The climb is fully guided and conducted in specialised climbing suits, with all safety equipment provided.
There is also a breathalyser test before the climb begins, so anyone planning to participate should avoid a big night out the day before. Call it scary or call it adventurous… you’ll definitely feel both as you ascend with your friends!
Sydney Tower Eye
The Sydney Tower Eye is the tallest structure in Sydney at 309 metres and is located in the heart of the CBD. It offers two distinct experiences that suit different personalities within the same group.
The Observation Deck, at a height of 250 metres, provides 360° views of the city. It is an indoor, climate-controlled space equipped with high-powered binoculars and interactive touchscreens that help visitors identify Sydney’s landmarks.
The SKYWALK goes even higher. It is a fully guided, one-hour open-air experience at 268 metres, where participants walk around the outside of the tower on glass-floored platforms with the CBD directly below. It is currently the highest outdoor viewpoint in Sydney.
This makes it an excellent activity for mixed groups of friends because it combines sightseeing, photography and a touch of adventure without requiring a high level of fitness.
Art Gallery of NSW
Now, for the nerds in the group! Located beside the Royal Botanic Garden, the Art Gallery of NSW houses one of the country’s most significant collections of Australian, Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Asian and international art. The gallery has been operating since 1871 and underwent a major expansion in 2022 through the Sydney Modern Project, creating an impressive two-building campus.
The best part? Entry to the gallery is free, making it one of Sydney’s top and important cultural experiences.
The Rocks Ghost Tour
The Rocks is Sydney’s oldest surviving neighbourhood. This sandstone-heavy precinct has a colourful, and often troubling, history of convict labour, plague quarantines, public hangings, sly grog haunts and a 19th-century street gang known as the Rocks Push.
The nightly ghost tours depart at 7:45 pm and run for approximately two hours. It is a lantern-lit walking tour through the area’s narrow laneways. The experience covers sites including Nurse’s Walk, Foundation Park, Observatory Hill, Reynolds’ Cottage, the Big Dig archaeological site and several reputedly haunted buildings, while also sharing the ghost stories associated with them.
Two route options are available: Dark North and Dark South. Both feature stories drawn from local historians and community memory rather than the generic haunted-house theatrics often found on similar tours.
For a group of friends, this can be an especially entertaining choice. Depending on the group’s personality, it could end up being genuinely frightening or completely hilarious.
So, these are some of the best things to do in Sydney with friends. If time permits, try them all. If not, pick at least three that caught your attention. Which one would you choose? And more importantly, would your friends approve of this?
