What to Expect on a NSW Winery Tour: All your questions answered
Going from winery to winery, tasting the best wines that NSW has to offer? We couldn't think of anything better! New South Wales is home to three amazing wine regions: the Hunter Valley, the Southern Highlands, and the South Coast. The Hunter Valley shines with its 200-year old winemaking history and is by far the most famous wine region in NSW. The Southern Highlands and the South Coast are worthy competitors however with excellent boutique wineries and scenic landscapes. We get a lot of questions on what to expect on a NSW winery tour. So, we decided to answer all of them!
What to Expect on a NSW Winery Tour: All Your Questions Answered
Going from winery to winery, tasting the best wines that NSW has to offer? We couldn't think of anything better! New South Wales is home to three amazing wine regions: the Hunter Valley, the Southern Highlands, and the South Coast. The Hunter Valley shines with its 200-year old winemaking history and is by far the most famous wine region in NSW. The Southern Highlands and the South Coast are worthy competitors however with excellent boutique wineries and scenic landscapes. We get a lot of questions on what to expect on a NSW winery tour. So, we decided to answer all of them!
Don't have time to read them all?
Table of contents
Look & CLICK THROUGH this table of content to guide you towards your specific question!
Buying wine & why this is so important on any wine tour
We are so lucky to have such a great variety of wineries in NSW that provide such different experiences. You can visit large-scale wineries such as Ben Ean Winery and small boutique wineries that you have never heard of, but that serve some of the best wines and deliver the best tasting experiences of the region. Some tastings will be conducted by the cellar door staff and others will be by the winemaker himself, which always is an amazing treat. Tastings could take place standing at the counter for $5 or you might get spoiled with a free tasting and locally made complimentary cheeses. Some wineries allow you to rock up with your mates while others only take appointments or don't even allow groups. The best tastings for large groups in our opinion are always done seated, and usually cost 2 or 3 times more than these cheaper, quick standing style tastings. You see, there is a lot involved in planning your NSW winery tour. Thankfully, we have put in the hard yards for you. Happy wine tasting legends!
** All photos in this blog post below are from real Urban Legends Tours **
Can I go on a winery tour by myself or do you recommend a tour?
Visiting the vineyards of NSW is a great day out! All three wine regions of NSW, the Hunter Valley, South Coast and Southern Highlands, can be visited both through a tour or with your own vehicle. What option is best for you depends on a few factors. We will go into the pros and cons of both so you can make the best choice for your group.
Self-drive winery tour
Let's start with the self-drive option! First things first, this adventure cannot be taken without an appointed sober driver. Are you the 'flipping a coin' or 'drawing straws' kind of group? While the driver will be able to do a little bit of the tasting here and there, we do not recommend taking on this adventure without someone who's prepared to miss out on all these delicious wines!
Heading out and finding vineyards is easily possible with resources that you can find online and maybe even a quick Google Maps search. We also recommend popping into the local tourism office for extra advice. They might even give you the names of some insider wineries that you would not have found yourself. The trick is finding wineries that allow visitors without an appointment and that accept your size of group. While a couple driving around the vineyards might be able to squeeze in, a group will be turned away in many wineries. With over 150 wineries to choose from, it is a little tricky finding all the best spots with out a little insider knowledge.
Winery Tours
So how are you able to get into all of the best boutique wineries that don't accept groups? That is, my friends, where tours come in. Many tour operators, including our founder Jared, have spent many years developing a good relationship with unique winery owners that might otherwise be reluctant to receive groups. On a NSW winery tour, you gain access to the best wineries without having to call around yourself or being turned away at the door.
The very best tour operators also work to cultivate special experiences that are exclusive to their relationship with the winery, for example epic gourmet picnic platters , longer tastings, private areas, expert sommeliers and wine makers, extended tastings and bonus wines.
Just as there is a huge variety between wineries, no tour on offer is the same. The tour price will often dramatically effect what is included, and the quality of tasting experiences you will be given. It's your job to find the perfect one for you, but we're here to help! Start by looking at the types of wine you want to taste (small artisan wines or larger scale wines) and the type of tasting you prefer (quick and dirty at the counter or slow and comfortable at a seated tasting). You’ll also need to decide if you are happy with just wine or if you want to spoil your group with incredible home made cheese platters to share during your wine tasting. Still struggling? Here are a few questions to ask yourself and your tour operator.
Do you want to learn lots about wine and bring home the best bottles, or are you just looking to taste as many wines as humanly possible?
Do you want lunch included with a variety of options, or do you prefer to take your own picnic?
Picnic by the sea are the picnic specialists on the south coast!
Do you want to enjoy epic complimentary cheese platters or artisan chocolates during your wine tasting, or do you not mind just being dropped off at the local cheese store instead?
Do you want to learn with recommendations from the winemaker, or do you prefer to drink and dash from less experienced cellar door staff?
Do you want to see exquisite landscapes during the tour with an operator that also takes time to show you the sites, or would you be happy with a shorter urban indoor experience?
Do you like to taste anything else along the way such as craft beers or liquors such as vodka, gin or schnapps?
But wait a minute this all sounds a bit too serious? is the tour still fun? We would also argue that is also one of the major differences between the best tour operators and the best wine tasting experiences. Your tour will select only a few wineries so you want to make sure they have the best of both worlds so that the tour always exceeds your groups expectations. Your tour should certainly be loads of fun for everyone involved!
Lots of things to think about! Want to know what is included in the Urban Legends tours? Keep on reading!
I want to book a tour! What is the day going to look like?
Awesome, we're so excited to have you and your group on one of our tours. At Urban Legends, we know how important it is to get value for money and make sure the person who organises the tour looks like a hero by the end of the day. That is why we spend plenty of time figuring out the best type of experience for each and every group. No Urban Legends tour is the same!
While we do have lots of fantastic ready made packages available, we always make a discovery call to make sure the package is right for you and tailor the tour accordingly.
A winery tour allows you to sit back and relax without having to worry about who will be the sober driver. You will also never have to worry about having enough space for all that wine that you want to bring back. We will pick you up from your chosen location, keep all your wine on ice and you can fully customise your winery tour to your group's wishes! We specialise in groups and can take any size of group in one of our private airconditioned standard or luxury buses and coaches. Our best tour guide Jared is licensed to drive any size vehicle from a 10 seater mini bus right up to a 57 seat luxury coach that looks like a private jet inside!
With Urban Legends tours you know that all the legwork has been done for you. We tend to visit only 2-4 wineries in a day and take you somewhere special for lunch. We also include at least one amazing scenic location. We focus on visiting fewer venues, but making sure they are all epic full range tasting experiences with up to 10 wines each, this allows for a smoother less rushed schedule and gives you more time to fully enjoy the experience. This is more and more important the larger your group is. Large groups take much longer to get on and off the bus as well as in and out of each wine tasting.
The perfectly laid out schedule focuses on the best boutique wineries which we only know about because we have spent a lot of time cultivating relationships with the winery owners. This means that you will never be treated like 'just another tour'. Our wineries are actually super happy to see you coming through the door! Our guests are often treated like royalty with premium seated wine tastings, explanations by the winemaker or owner himself and artisan cheeses or chocolates to accompany the star of the show, the wine!
As mentioned above, we provide winery tours to The Hunter Valley, the South Coast, and the Southern Highlands. As every wine region is a little bit different, we recommend that you check out the more detailed descriptions on each Urban Legends winery tour below:
Still can't choose? We've listed out all why we love each and every region below!
Which wine area should i choose? Hunter valley, South coast or Southern Highlands?
We might be biased but we love all of NSW! It is an amazingly diverse state which means that all these areas are great for different reasons.
The Hunter Valley is the most famous wine region close to Sydney due to its 200-year old winemaking history. There is an abundance of wineries to choose from (over 150) and plenty other delicious produce to try. The Hunter Valley's soil produces high quality vines, olives, great dairy, and much more. It also draws in craftsmen that make chocolates and distilleries that produce different kinds of liquor. There are even a few breweries and you bet that we love a good craft beer!
The best winery in the Hunter Valley? What an impossible choice! We can, however, let you in one of our favourites at the moment: Moorebank winery. The winery serves a fantastic selection of wines during their seated tasting and even includes an incredible homemade cheese and picnic platter for our tours. It's one of the best platters we have ever seen! Our guests are treated to a private tasting room “the press room” which is home to the 2nd oldest wine press in the Hunter Valley ! This family run winery has been shared by 3 generations of wine makers. You will likely be greeted by the Summer, the beautiful daughter of the owners Deb and Ian.
The South Coast winery tour has the obvious advantage of ocean views. It's also home to lush green rolling hills and due to high rainfall, this area has an incredibly fertile soil! Visit Coolangatta Estate, which is built on the site of the first European settlement on the South Coast of NSW, have a picnic by the sea and make sure to check out one of the other 5 cellar doors in the area.
Last, but not least, the Southern Highlands. While the area is better-known as a wedding destination, it is also a fantastic location for your winery tour! The area has many beautiful gardens to visit with an abundance of deciduous trees. The colder climate and high elevation above sea level contributes to the area's specialisation in Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Head here during the autumn to see the colourful foliage and try a Pinot Noir or three.
Bendooley estate pictured below
Can we visit a boutique winery? What's the difference?
All Urban Legends wine tours include visits to boutique wineries. This is quite unique as many tour operators focus on the easier to visit cheaper, larger wineries. What makes boutique wineries so special is the level of care that is given to visitors. These craftsmen take their time to show you all of their best bottles in the hope that you fall in love with at least one. The wines usually come with a unique story and expert tasting and pairing notes. The visits are often accompanied by complementary artisan cheeses or chocolates, bringing out the flavour of the individual wines even more. This can be in stark contrast with wineries where the tastings are done standing by the bar where a cellar door staff member gives you a quick recap of each wine and the entire tasting can be finished in 15- 30 mins instead of 1-1.5 hours at a good boutique winery.
Due to the nature of their business, many of the boutique wineries will ask you to make an appointment or call in advance. After all, they might be out working on the vineyard when you pop in. They also often are only big enough to host 1 large group at a time. If you want to visit only boutique wineries with a group, the easiest way to visit them is with tour. This way, you won't need to spend any time calling around to make sure that you can get in.
The tasting fee for both boutique wineries and larger scale wineries varies between $0-$15,+ the cost of cheese platters if included by the tour operator which should all be included in the price of your tour (it always is in ours). Keep in mind that the less you pay for a tasting, the more that is included and the longer the tasting goes for, the more the winery depends on visitors purchasing wine to keep the business going. So, do pick up a bottle when you go to show your support.
Tasting Fees
The tasting fee for both boutique wineries and larger scale wineries varies between $0-$20 per person,+ the cost of any cheese platters if included by the tour operator. This is all usually included in the price of your tour (it always is in ours). 6 - 10 premium wines are usually poured out averaging about 3.5 standard drinks in a 1 hour seated tasting experience. It is worth noting that the relatively small fee payed for a tasting, with the volume of wine that is included, as well as the time spent inside the venue, does mean the wineries depend heavily on the visitors purchasing wine to keep the business going & insure large group wine tastings are financially worth while for the wineries. So please do pick up a bottle when you go to show your support and keep the tour industry alive for large groups.
Are Gourmet cheese platters usually included on a wine tour?
The short answer is no not really, but this will depend which tour operator you choose. Cheese and produce spreads are usually an optional extra and they vary in price depending what’s included in them, how big they are, the variety of cheeses and condiments, how big your group is and whether they are locally sourced or imported just to name a few. We have seen hundreds of cheese platers over the years and they vary in quality from winery to winery and region to region. In our experience the standard for cheese platters is a lot higher in the Hunter Valley, especially at the boutique wineries we use. However they are also often included on the South Coast and Southern highlands , but tend to be a lot smaller and cheaper in these 2 areas.
In the Hunter Valley most tour operators offer the option of a cheese tasting on their tour. It is important to realise that many cheaper tour operators might just take you to a local cheese shop, such as the Smelly Cheese Shop, rather than providing a real tasting. After all, this costs them nothing as the cheese shop will be the one investing the time & money into the tasting. Our tours, however, offer the option of gourmet cheese platters with amazing local cheeses during all of your wine tastings. Hand made by the wineries with local Hunter valley cheeses. This will give you and your guests a more authentic and tastier experience. Having a cheese platter during your wine tasting will also provide you with an extra experience with better use of time, rather than having to rush to an additional stop such as a local cheese shop. We pay extra at each winery to provide our guests with gourmet cheese platters during each and every wine tasting for the ultimate Hunter Valley experience.
Should i bring extra budget on my winery tour?
Great, your tour is booked! Time to sit back and enjoy the ride. You're about to be spoiled with fantastic wines to taste, cheese platters, chocolates and panoramic views. Before you leave, we have to let you in on a little, but very important, secret. What is one of the best parts of winery tours? The wines, chocolates, local cheeses, condiments, olives and vodkas you take home!
We know that the expectation to buy wine is not talked about often, but we wouldn't be supporting our friends in the wine business if we were to let you go without telling the truth. It is actually incredibly important, both for our business and the wineries, that your group buys some bottles of wine at the wine tastings. In fact all tastings including cheese, chocolate, olives and vodka all run on this same premise. We will explain why below.
Are you on a really tight budget and can't afford a whole bottle? That is totally fine! Try buying a glass of your favourite wine instead. Or maybe a few of the cheeses or condiments that are on sale. Share a bottle with your friend or you could even buy the chutney to enjoy at home. Trust me when I tell you that buying just one glass of wine or a jar of condiments makes a massive difference. It is an important gesture of good will that you have appreciated the effort the wine maker has put in to their tasting and the many premium wines they have poured out for you and your large group.
Why it is important to buy wine on a winery tour (self-guided or in group)?
To understand why it is important to buy wine on a winery tour, we have to explain how the wine industry works. Don't worry, we won't bore you! Did you know that making wine is a long process? A winemaker invests anywhere between 3 and 5 years to grow a vine up to wine-producing quality. Knowing that most wines also need time to age before they can be sold, it can take up 7-8 years before for a wine maker is able to sell his best product. Sure, they can produce wine with the grapes off a 3-year old vine and sell it the next year, but a strong wine-making business is not built on these young wines. So how do wineries survive and thrive?
Enter the tasting system! Winemakers like our friends at Two Figs Winery pictured here bring their finest product to customers so that they are sure you are taking home your favourite wine. However, to survive, a winery needs to sell their wines by the bottle, not through the tastings. If a winery's turnover only consists out of their tasting fees, there would not be a wine industry. While the small tasting fee might cover the cost of the tasting, it does not cover the cost of their location, their over heads, the staff, the land, the cheese, and so much more. If a winery chooses to not charge or only charge $5-$10 for their tastings (which many do) they cannot even cover the cost of all the delicious wine you just had. Especially large groups, which is our specialty, can cause cash-flow problems for a winery if there are not enough bottle sales. A winery simply cannot compensate for a large group doing a free or low-priced tasting if they don’t make sales.
Especially for our Saturday tours, it is important to pick up a bottle. As this is the winery's busiest day (the weekdays are so much quieter!), it is such a great opportunity for a group to make a positive impact by buying a few bottles!
This also especially important for boutique wineries that often do not sell their wines in bottle shops.
Yes, you legends are already paying for a winery tour and this price includes your tasting fees, the transport, our wonderful guide, all the research that went into setting up the perfect tour and so much more. While we love you for joining our tours and they enable us to show people around our favourite wineries, this alone is not enough to keep the wine industry going. Especially the smaller family-run wineries, which Urban Legend Tours focuses on, which really struggle without enough cellar door sales. So, go ahead, take a bottle home for you AND for your mum, we know you'll both love it!
Remember the wine makers beautiful stories that come with each vintage and variety, and then share the story when you eventually decide to open that special bottle with your friends and family.
The Wine industry and tours
A lesser-known fact about our industry is that the wine industry and winery tours have a bit of a love-hate relationship. On the one hand, it is great that tours allow for so many people to get introduced to NSW's best wines. All wineries, big or small, love receiving people and get so much joy from seeing people enjoying their wines. It's an industry that is all about passion, hard work, and connection with their customers.
On the other hand, tour operators who bring in big groups (which is our specialty) can cause a problem when tours focus too much on the 'cheap' drinking experience. As we explained above, if a small winery lets all our guests try their best wines for a very small fee, they quickly run into trouble without the sales of bottles. Did you know that many tour operators have actually been banned from wineries all around the state? Before we knew as much about the wine industry as we do now, we even got temporarily banned from 9 wineries in the Hunter Valley for wasting their time and poor group behaviour.
The industry is still grappling with the boom in tour groups and the changes this brings to the business model. For now every winery deals with this differently, the tasting fees are always changing, groups are being more and more restricted and wineries are becoming more and more selective over which tour operators they allow.
Our prescription to help both the small tour companies and the small wineries out? Buy a few bottles on our tours and enjoy your bounty with your friends while reminiscing on the day! Didn't like the wine in one of the wineries? Buy some condiments for your next BBQ or DIY cheese platter instead!
What should i wear on a winery tour?
Another question that we get asked a lot is what the correct wine tasting attire is. Flip flops or sneakers? Something light and airy or something that protects yourself from the elements? What about themes? Could you wear that animal costume you bought for a festival last year? Sometimes it's not that easy to figure out what to wear on your wine tasting day.
Winery attire is a special type of outfit that you whip out for a day of breathtaking sceneries, plenty of photo-ops and for meeting a few of the best craftsmen in the country. The ideal outfit consists out of comfortable footwear (think flat sandals or sneakers) and a comfortable, yet stylish, outfit that you won't mind wearing on the bus ride. Throw in a hat and a jacket and you’re ready to roll. Think more chic garden party, less rowdy beach party! So, the animal costume or your loud Hawaiian shirt? Best to leave that one at home. Some of our favourite dress themes include special head peace, all white and cocktail dress, Do you want more inspiration? Check out this article!
Is there any ettiquette while at the wineries?
Yes there is a few things you should ideally keep in mind during a wine tasting, while usually common sense at the first tasting, your friends may need reminding by the end of the day.
Tastings are always fun and social experiences where you will of course always be chatting and having a great time amongst your friends through out the day.
It is worth mentioning though that it is polite to use inside voices , when in large groups and to not be shouting over the top of each other, so as not to affect the experience of other guests inside the venue.
It is also polite to pause conversation and listen if and when the wine maker is explaining a new wine he or she is about to pour.
It is quite frowned upon to pour your wine into your friends glass, you should always pour it into the spittoon if you don’t like the wine.
You must also never open take away alcohol of any kind, including wine or vodka, while still on a wineries property as this is against the liquor licensing laws the wineries must adhere to.
RSA remains a serious consideration for boutique wineries, if guests appear to be overly intoxicated from BYO alcohol or previous venues they may be denied service or entry to the venue
Supporting the Local Legends
We're not sugar-coating it, 2020 has been a rough year for our small businesses and, in particular, the rural community. First a drought, followed by the bushfires, floods and now a major health crisis. Many small businesses will struggle greatly to get back up on their feet after this is all done. Including us.
Therefore, we would love to encourage you to bring a little extra budget the next time that you go on one of the Urban Legends winery tours. The best thing you can do to help the rural community right now is buying an extra bottle or ordering an extra glass of wine. Until then order a a case of wine delivered! Both the businesses that we work with and our own business will be very grateful for this extra gesture of support!
Whoop Whoop, you just finished a very long post, congratulations! Do you still have more questions? Contact us here.
Stay safe and keep in touch,
Kind regards,
Jared Malcolm & Marijs Vrancken
Urban Legends Tour Co
Planning A Marrickville Brewery Tour? Include These 6 Delicious Sydney Craft Breweries!
The Inner West suburb, Marrickville, is one of the best places to taste the best craft beers that Sydney has to offer. For those planning a Marrickville Brewery Tour, or even a wider Inner West Brewery Tour, we're sharing our 6 favourite Sydney craft breweries that you can't miss out on!
The Inner West suburb, Marrickville, is one of the best places to taste the best craft beers that Sydney has to offer. For those planning a Marrickville Brewery Tour, or even a wider Inner West Brewery Tour, we're sharing our 6 favourite Sydney craft breweries that you can't miss out on!
This Marrickville brewery tour ranges from once in a lifetime flavours at Wildflower Brewing & Blending to gorgeous seating areas at Willie The Boatman. Let's dig into the ultimate brewery pub crawl!
The Legendary Marrickville Brewery Tour
Willie The Boatman
The first stop on your Marrickville brewery tour is the gorgeous Willie The Boatman. Named after the legend of a convict boatman, self-proclaimed 'fat dads', Pat McInerney and Nick Newey, launched the brewery in 2012. Over the years, the craft brewery has become much loved by beer-loving Sydneysiders while remaining slightly unknown to the bigger crowd.
We recommend starting your craft beer pub crawl here as your head will still be clear enough to listen to the behind-the-scenes brewery tour. During this tour, you will learn how craft beer is made and why their craft beer is so special compared to your average larger.
If you're taking it easy and starting with only one beer, we go absolutely ballistic over Crazy Ivan IPA. The name perfectly embodies the flavour of this bold little firecracker and we highly recommend it.
Willie The Boatman brewery is on the edge of St Peters and Marrickville and is only open on Thursdays through Sundays.
Batch Brewing Co.
Next up on our the Marrickville Brewery tour, we head over to Batch Brewing Co! Plan this one in early as well as this craft brewery gets packed -with a capital P - later in the afternoon.
Batch Brewing make their beers the old-fashioned way; batch per batch. Changing the offer every two weeks, you will continuously be entertained with new batches of craft beer. Even if you live around the corner. Batch Brewing Co. brews its beers for its neighbourhood and is therefore open most days, Tuesdays to Sundays.
Similar to Willie The Boatman, you can ask for a private brewery tour where they share the "science and art behind each Batch". We highly recommend trying one of their beer tasting paddles with no less than 6 of their craft beers. Not crazy about tasting paddles? Try the India Pale Ale or the current equivalent instead!
Stockade Brew Co.
Cocktail lovers rejoice as Stockade Brew Co. is a place for both beer-lovers and their non-beer-loving friends. Serving limited-run beers is where Stockade Brew Co truly shines. Often serving craft beers that are exclusive to their tasting bar. If you get peckish, locally famous food truck Baby Rey's Burgers is parked outside and has got you covered!
Sauce Brewing Co.
We love Sauce Brewing Co. and include it in most of our inner west brewery tours as it has Sydney's best beer garden. Particularly if you are traveling with a bigger group, Sauce is a great stop during your Marrickville brewery tour!
With 12 taps of the best craft beers "this side of Pluto", you can easily spend all afternoon here. Sauce Brewing Co is open Thursdays to Sundays with an on-site food truck every Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Thursday evenings you can head straight here from work as they serve pizzas for their mid-week clientele.
Wildflower Brewery
The fifth stop on the Marrickville brewery tour is the Wildflower Brewery. The name is, as you can probably guess, inspired by the natural landscape of NSW. Not surprising at all if you know that the founders of the brewery look for natural sources of yeast and bacteria in said landscape.
Using natural yeasts is known in the industry as 'mixed fermentation' and it allows the brewery to create one of a kind Belgian-style sour ales. Another much-loved technique in Wildflower Brewery is blending old and new barrel-aged beers. This allows them to emphasize the complexity of their wild yeast flavours even more.
Head to their blog if you want to read more in-depth information about the thought process behind each and every beer created by this inner west brewery. Plan your brewery pub crawl on a Friday or Saturday if you don't want to miss out on Wildflower Brewery as they are closed every other day of the week.
The Grifter Brewing Co.
The Grifter Brewery was started by mates Matt, Glenn & Trent in 2012. Already making craft beer in their homes, they wanted to bring their version of a coldie to beer-loving Sydney. Edward, their friendly-named pale ale, became their first commercially brewed beer. Back then, it was only served in the newly opened Young Henry's. In 2015, many awards later, Edward was finally being served in its first proper home, The Grifter Brewery.
Keeping Edward, their pale ale, as the only permanent beer, they continuously try out new styles of beer. Our favourite, hands down, is the Grifter Pale Ale. It is one of those craft beers that gets better with every mouthful.
Grifters Brewery makes you feel like home and even allows you to bring your kiddo and your pooch. While Sydney restaurants are not very pet-friendly, most Inner West breweries happily welcome you and your furry friends!
Marrickville Brewery Itinerary
That's it guys, you now know everything you need to know to plan in an epic Marrickville Brewery Tour! We recommend following the craft breweries as we mention above. First stop at Willie The Boatman, followed by Batch Brewing Co., Stockade Brew Co., Sauce Brewing Co., Wildflower Brewery and finishing at The Grifter Brewing Co.
But wait, we can't let you go yet. Not without a special little bonus. A craft brewery that we could not leave out of this article, Young Henrys. Let me tell you why.
Bonus Brewery: Young Henrys
While we have to wander out of Marrickville and into Newtown to get to Young Henrys, we could not complete this article without mentioning our all-time favourite craft brewery.
Only a 15-min walk from the last craft brewery on your Marrickville brewery tour, Young Henrys is Urban Legends Tour Co.'s local brewery. Consequently, it is also home to our most beloved local beer, The Newtowner. As Urban Legends Tour Company was born in the heart of Newtown, our earliest meetings were always accompanied by a Newtowner. Consequently, it comes as no surprise that this brewery will always have a special place in our hearts.
Whether you plan you plan your own craft beer pub crawl or you come along on one of our own Inner West Brewery Tours, don't miss out on Young Henrys or any of the craft breweries mentioned in this article for that matter.
Happy bar hopping legends!
The 7 Best Easy Mountain Bike Trails in Sydney: Cycling Routes In & Around the NSW Capital
As the biggest city of Australia, Sydney is great to explore by bike. While any type of bike will do, Sydney's hilly landscape, especially near the beaches, is perfectly suited for mountain biking. In this article, we are exploring the 7 best easy mountain bike trails in Sydney plus a few more further away from the city. Great for first-time visitors or locals who want to explore the city in a new way! We focus on the easy cycle routes and will leave the challenging mountain bike trails to the experts.
As the biggest city of Australia, Sydney is great to explore by bike. While any type of bike will do, Sydney's hilly landscape, especially near the beaches, is perfectly suited for mountain biking. In this article, we are exploring the 7 best easy mountain bike trails in Sydney plus a few more further away from the city. Great for first-time visitors or locals who want to explore the city in a new way! We focus on the easy cycle routes and will leave the challenging mountain bike trails to the experts.
Mountain Bike Trails in Sydney
Sydney and its surrounding suburbs are home to a few famous and must-do mountain bike trails. From classics such as cycling across the Harbour Bridge to local secrets in the Inner Western suburbs. The Sydney-based mountain bike trails are suitable for all levels of fitness and for city bikes as well. If you want to rough it, skip the inner city and head to the below section where we discover mountain bike trails outside of the city.
From The Harbour Bridge to The Anzac Bridge & The Rocks
Let's start with the most iconic bike trail in Sydney, from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Anzac Bridge. You get to explore The Rocks and its iconic landmarks including great views onto the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House; locations that are not to be missed on a trip to Sydney.
Start your bike adventure in Kirribilli, the suburb on the other side of the bridge and home to spectacular views of the CBD, Opera House, and bridge. From here, take the dedicated bike path across the bridge into the city to reach Kent Street cycleway. Both the bike path across the bridge and the Kent Street cycleway are perfectly made for bicycles, meaning that it is very safe from the busy traffic this area is known for.
Follow the Kent Street cycleway to the luxurious finger wharfs of Millers Point and along Barangaroo to the Pyrmont Bridge. Don't forget to stop by the Sydney Observatory to see one of Sydney's most epic views onto the Harbour Bridge. From here, cross over to Pyrmont via the Pyrmont Bridge and discover even more of the Sydney harbour area. Make your way around the suburb via the water or ride through Pyrmont streets to discover it's beautiful historic buildings.
The Bay Run: Cycle around Sydney’s Inner-West
The Bay Run is a 7km long shared-use path for both cyclists and pedestrians along the water in the inner western suburbs and another great mountain bike trail in Sydney. To reach the Bay Run route, you need only to cross the Anzac Bridge and keep going straight until you hit the water on the other side of Rozelle. We highly recommend going zigzagging through the wonderful areas of Rozelle, Lilyfield, Drummoyne and the beautiful waterfront areas close to Birkenhead Point. This trail is easily combined with the previous route from the Harbour Bridge to the Anzac Bridge.
An alternative, one that we prefer for our Sydney mountain bike tours is bypassing the Anzac Bridge and riding along the gorgeous Blackwattle Bay of Glebe. As one of our founder Jared's favourite spots of all time, we consider it a must on your visit to Sydney. Besides, the view from across a bridge is always better than being on the actual bridge, am I right?
Narrabeen Lake Trail
For this mountain bike trail in Sydney, we head to the Northern Beaches. Narrabeen Lagoon is an 8.4km circumference, graded as easy and offering the perfect break from the big smoke. Surrounded by wildlife and nature, this cycle route replenishes the soul and will give you a good exercise fix. If you are looking to extend your day trip even more, rent one of the kayaks or paddle-boards and explore the area on the water.
Centennial Park
A green oasis in the middle of Sydney, Centennial Park is one of the most popular inner-city Sydney mountain bike trails. Centennial Park's Cyclists Avenue opened in 1900 and sees around 75.000 cyclists each year. It offers a 3.5km Grand Drive loop around the park showcasing the history of the park and its rich collection of native and exotic plants. While this might not satisfy your off-road cravings, it's an absolute cracker of a relaxing bike adventure in Sydney. We highly recommend sneaking in a cheeky picnic to complete the day.
Mountain Bike and Cycling Trails around Sydney
The Blue Mountains
Looking to go behind and discover your inner adventurer on real Sydney mountain bike that are fully off-road? The Blue Mountains is where you need to head! The mountainous forests of eucalyptus reachable by train or car from Sydney is famous for its blue hue and is home to many mountain bike trails. The trails through these forests are graded from easy to extremely challenging. Two easy mountain bike trails that we recommend are Hanging Rock Trail in Blackheath and Blue Gum Swamp Trail in Winmalee.
Both mountain bike trails are rated easy to medium difficulty and are a great way to explore this national park!
Hunter Valley
Sydney's favourite wine area, the Hunter Valley, is only a few hours north. Home to over 120 wineries, there is plenty of exploring to do. Offering a multitude of off-road locations, the Hunter Valley draws in all types of mountain bikers, from beginners to advanced. They even have an annual mountain bike festival! The Wollombi Wild Ride is a 13.5 km, 30 km or 60 km mountain bike trail all around the vineyards. Mountain biking is the perfect way to spend a day in the Hunter Valley and why not combine it with one of our Hunter Valley Wine Tours?
Mountain Bike & Cycling Tours & Bike Hire
There are many ways you get around the Sydney sights and bike riding is an absolutely fantastic option! There are a few locations that will allow you to rent you a bike for the day, have a look here to see where your closest bike rental is. There are even facilities both in the Blue Mountains and in the Hunter Valley that offer these services.
If you want to skip the research and jump on a mountain bike or cycling tour instead, we offer fully customisable bicycle tours for any size group. Focusing on local venues and showing you the spots that most tourists don't get to see, we absolutely love our exclusive cycle route. Jump on the chat if you have any questions or head to our detailed booking page to discover more!
Is Bike Riding Safe in Sydney?
We won't fool you to say that Sydney is as bike-friendly as Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but with a few precautions, you will find your cycling experience to be very safe. We have gathered a few safety tips if you are exploring Sydney by bike on your own. If you are partaking in one of our tours, we'll make sure that you are safe at all times:
Wearing a helmet is obligatory when cycling around Australia, please wear one at all times.
We recommend wearing a fluorescent vest if you are planning to bike ride around Sydney at dusk or in the dark.
Keep to the cycle paths as much as possible, if there is one available.
Try to keep to the left of the road as much as you can.
Use your arms to indicate your direction well in advance. Always look back to see whether it is safe before you cross the road.
Avoid busy roads if you are not comfortable with fast-paced traffic
That's it legends! Have a great time exploring the Sydney sights by bicycle or mountain bike!
Sydney in a Day: 5 Best Ways of Getting Around The Sydney Sights
Sydney is one of the most popular destinations in Australia and has many amazing sights. Do you want to see all of Sydney in a day? It is possible, but due to the many ways of getting around the city, it will be challenging! From the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge to Manly or Bondi Beach, there is a lot of ground to cover but it is worth it! After all, Sydney is one of the most liveable cities in the world and has the views to prove it.
Sydney is one of the most popular destinations in Australia and has many amazing sights. Do you want to see all of Sydney in a day? It is possible, but due to the many ways of getting around the city, it will be challenging! From the Sydney Opera House or the Harbour Bridge to Manly or Bondi Beach, there is a lot of ground to cover but it is worth it! After all, Sydney is one of the most liveable cities in the world and has the views to prove it.
Getting around Sydney is not always straightforward as the city is sprawled out across a large distance. With a variety of buses, trains, and ferries to take, it can be daunting to figure out the best way to navigate Sydney sightseeing. In this article, we are exploring the best ways to explore Sydney and take in all the sights. We know you don't want to miss out on any of it!
We will look at why public transport might not be your best option if you want to see as many Sydney sights in a day as possible, why a Sydney day tour could be a great idea and why riding a bike is a cool alternative that you might have not considered before!
Sydney Sights by Public Transport
Did you know that you can't take the train to any of the Sydney beaches? Public transport is the most popular way to get around the city but it's not always the most convenient. Many locals even opt to take an Uber instead of taking public transport as frequent transfers are not uncommon.
It also takes a while to figure out the myriad of trains, buses, and ferries in the city. Many people joke that Sydneysiders tend to stick to their own suburb. Ask any local about the Manly or Bondi Bubble and they will tell you how leaving their suburbs is just too much of a hassle. Neither Bondi nor Manly are connected to the city by train. Coincidence? You tell me! Besides, both suburbs have a lot to offer anyway, so why ever leave?
That being said, we do highly recommend getting on at least one of the ferries because the view of the harbour is simply breathtaking! To ride the ferry or any other kind of public transport in Sydney, you can either get an Opal card, which pays for all public transport, or you can tap on with your American Express, Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card.
Discover Sydney By Car
Having a car in Sydney is often necessary. This makes Sydney very different from other big cities in the world, such as Singapore, New York or London, where public transport is so well organised that you don't need a car. Due to the sheer size of the city, having a car in Sydney can make your life a lot easier, unless, as we mentioned before, you stick to your suburb, you can easily get to a train or you live close to the CBD.
For visitors of the city, we would never recommend getting a car as most of the sightseeing is done close to the CBD and around areas where it is difficult, dare I say, impossible, to find a parking space (unless you pay a pretty penny in one of the CBD parking garages). If you are only in the city for a day or two, getting a car is not going to be your best option.
Bike Riding Through Sydney
The CBD of Sydney is very walkable. You can easily walk from the Botanic Gardens to the Sydney Opera House and on to Darling Harbour if you have a reasonable level of fitness. If you would like to see any of the beaches or more local areas such as the Inner West (which has great craft beer breweries), bike riding through Sydney is a great option!
One of the reasons we love living in Sydney so much is due to the amazing vistas that we have on offer. You'll be amazed at the breathtaking landscape within a 10km radius from the Sydney Opera House. Riding a bicycle offers you a great way to stop along the way to take in these beautiful views!
Here at Urban Legends Tour Co we actually offer our own Sydney bike tour where we take visitors around the most popular sights. On this day tour, we ride along one of the many mountain bike trails in Sydney. Riding past the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Fish Markets and take you into more local areas such as Blackwattle Bay (one of our favourite sunset spots) and much more.
Sydney's Hop On Hop Off Buses
While public transport buses might take you a little longer to get from hotspot to hotspot, a great alternative can be a Sydney Hop On Hop Off Bus. The concept is simple, you can 'hop on and hop off' as much as you like along a predetermined route that goes past all the important Sydney sights. This allows you to see the maximum amount of sights at your own pace, often being the most efficient way to discover a new city.
Get on a Private Bus Tour
We’ve said it before, Sydney is not the easiest city to go sightseeing. This is due to it being the largest Australian city, meaning that the sights can be far as 10km apart! For those traveling in a large group, a private bus tour would be our recommended way of exploring Sydney. A guided bus tour allows you to talk to your operator, sometimes even tailoring the tour to your needs.
When choosing the tour of your choice, make sure that you have a look at where the company is taking you, where you are going for lunch (there are touristy stops and there is also a great variety of local restaurants that are an experience in themselves) and whether the pick up and drop off spot is convenient.
We might be biased in loving our own Sydney private bus tours as we tailor the tour to whatever you would like to see. We take you to the best lunch locations and throw in a few epic local spots that you might never have found yourself.
What is the best way of getting around Sydney in a day?
So now that we have covered all of the different ways of getting around Sydney in a day, you might wonder, which one is the best? Well, we can't make that decision for you. It really depends on the type of travel that you prefer and the number of people that you are travelling with.
Do you want to experience a local way of seeing Sydney and step off the beaten track? Consider one of the Sydney bike tours.
Travelling in a large group and don't want to invest too much time into finding out where to go? A private bus tour or the hop on hop off bus is perfect for you.
Travelling by yourself and have a bit more time to explore? Get on one of the Sydney ferries and see Darling Harbour, the Harbour Bridge and Manly beach alongside the commuting Sydneysiders. It's quite the experience!
Whatever you choose, Sydney is a breathtaking city and we're confident you will have an amazing time. Dig your toes in the Sydney sand and take in the incredible vistas!
