Circular Quay

Okay, this is basically a transport hub where you can catch buses, fairies, and trains (and soon to be a tram) to all parts of Sydney. In fact this is the ferry terminus so if you are looking for a ferry to go somewhere then this is the place to go. It is really handy having the train station here as well as it makes interchanging between ferries much easier (though the ferries don’t go as often as the trains — with the exception of the Manly ferry which heads off every half-​an-​hour). It’s not just a transport hub either because you are also in close proximity to the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, as well as the Rocks. You also have buskers, usually of the traditional aboriginal variety, down here playing music and selling CDs. I have to say that some of those buskers are actually really cool. However if you want to explore the CBD it is probably best to head to Town Hall station because that is where the main shopping district is. Oh, there is also the Musuem of Contemporary Art if you are into that thing.

Location. Location. Location. I give it 5 stars for the view and not for the food or vendors. It has a nice feel to it and there’s always something to see around. Even it feels touristy and crowded, you really can’t help but be amazed on how rich (culturally) this area is. It definitely has a lot of history and a lot of character. When you can, go for a nice stroll towards the park around sunset. its quite an experience seeing the transition between the harbor bridge and the opera house.

If you lived on the ocean and someone asked if they could build a brick wall at the front of your house which would partly obstruct your view, would you let them? I’d say not because waking up to a brick wall everyday would be worse than having to wake up next to Tony Abbott. But it’s not my decision — you can do with your house whatever you want.
However, I get upset when our government, which is meant to act in accordance with the wants of its people, allows money hungry developers to construct stacks of brick walls throughout Sydney, our home, like that one in Circular Quay they call Bennelong Apartments. They approved it in full knowledge that it’d diminish the beauty of Circular Quay, and you have to ask, why would they do that? It’s an ugly building which is so big that it can be see from every corner and it blocks the gorgeous Botanical Gardens and from some spots the Opera House.
Bear in mind that this wasn’t the first bucket of mud our government poured on the Mona Lisa. In the 1950’s it built an expressway over it and a train station on it. Again, why would they do that?
Anyway, Circular Quay is inherently beautiful and it takes more than a building or expressway to deprive it of all of that beauty.

Circular Quay is lovely. There are all different types of shops and eateries and it is a transportation hub as well. Great views of the harbor and bridge and Opera House and it doesn’t feel touristy. It’s a must see for visitors.

It’s hard to say a bad word about The Quay. It’s almost a national treasure, right up there with Barry Humphries and the all-​singing, all-​dancing, is he /​isn’t he Hugh Jackman. And don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot to love. Sparkling harbour, The Rocks at one end, the Opera House at t’other, old school ferries in between and a regular schedule of events and selfie sticks.
I just wish they’d make it, well, cooler. The shops, for instance… there’s a couple of nameless fish and chip shops, a few banal sandwich joints, a Hungry Jacks… strip the blah out of it and get some rad small bars in there, some food trucks, some creative concession stands and coffee huts, a chill-​out area, a late-​night bar, there’s so many options and yet we’re stuck with this golden strip studded with tacky tourist traps.
Oh, the potential. The potential I say! *shakes fist, smokes pipe*

Great central train station to the opera house and the rocks area. Circular quay has restaurants nearby and also take out places. They have toilets near the exit and covered walkway east and west from the exit. It gets particularly busy around rush hour but there are usually people around all the time. You can access the ferries right out of the exit from the train station.

Very touristy indeed but still a must-​see. It’s a very beautiful harbour both day and night. Tons of restaurants and artists. Great connecting point between the trains and the ferries. The ferry is a must do — doesn’t even matter which boat you are taking (just don’t do the really long ones unless you have a reason to) The view of the skyline is even more amazing from the boat!

Loved it. Very touristy but also lots of locals! It’s the main hub with the train station and ferries. Clean, with a few street performers. A couple shops and a few restaurants. This is also the start location for the hop on/​off bus tours which I highly recommend.
Only downside — the restrooms are a bit less appealing than some of the others around sydney.

Opera house, Opera Bar, Café at the museum to the left of the harbor (great cake, coffee, and patio view), and ferries to Manly. Plus, a bus hub so easy to get anywhere from here

Nestled between The Rocks from the west and the Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens from the east, Circular Quay is packed with tourists, locals, and amazing city skyline views. Circular Quay is a lively and beautiful port where ferries, boats, trains, and buses intersect.
You can get around almost anywhere from Circular Quay — northern or eastern parts such as Luna Park and Manly via ferry or train, as well as CBD or other suburbs via bus. To get the best views of the city skyline, take one of the ferries (F1 Manly ferry is very popular) or walk along the Harbour Bridge.
The waterfront restaurants around here are pretty expensive, so if you’re on a budget, there are plenty of cafes around The Rocks. Also, there are so many tourist trap shops around here selling overpriced souvenirs that you could get for a fraction at Paddy’s Market. But other than those minor drawbacks, Circular Quay is still a lovely part of Sydney worth visiting, both at day and at night.

Wonderful views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Tons of restaurants and photo ops and its great to walk around the whole thing. You can also take lots of different ferries here and there are many souvenir shops to choose from. At night this place is super lively with many bachelor/​bachelorette parties and people going out for dinner. If you are not dressed up there are also many casual spots to choose from. Must visit in Sydney for sure!

Circular Quay (pronounced «KEY») was pretty awesome, and even though it says I only checked in once, I was actually here three times. Wifi is limited to only certain areas (the opera house bar is one of them), and I explored quite a bit. Downtown itself reminded me A LOT of Seattle with the brick buildings and iron work… It could’ve been the crappy Seattle drizzle I brought with me too, who knows.
Some things I found while meandering around the quay:
sundry art galleries, shops, and museums galore. Fresh, cheap ($ 4), local pasties baked daily, right around the corner from Hungry Jack’s. Cheap public transportation around the city; A day pass will get you unlimited access via bus, train, and ferry for only $ 25. Amazing local oysters! Coffee shops (including but not limited to Starbucks). The opera house, of course, which I actually got to experience a concert in. Ahhhmazing! And there are many big ticket performers that entertain here.
And the stunning royal botanical gardens. Holy cow, Australia has some huge spiders! YES, they’re all over in the gardens… looming over power lines and branches with their big butts and long webs. Thankfully, they did not seem too interested in anyone walking by (or under). The statues in the gardens were lovely and a bit whimsical. The music conservatory is set in between one garden to the next. The government house, which looked like a giant castle, sat picturesque behind the large field and elaborate iron fence. Plumeria trees of every color line many of the pathways, enveloping the air in heavenly tropical scent. The bay is beautiful, as is the bridge, especially at night when everything is lit up. There is no shortage of places to eat, drink, or buy souvenirs from; some places are indeed expensive (like the opera house bar), but others are also pretty darn reasonable. On a sunny day, I’m sure this area just sparkles. Such a beautiful place!
Even the locals seem to enjoy the quay during the weekends, which is nice to see. You know it’s gotta be good if it keeps bringing people back. Good for tourists. Good for dates. Good for dressing up or dressing down. Good for families. Good for everyone.
And even if you decide not to take public transportation around the area, it’s small enough that you can easily hoof it to other nearby sights, such as Darling Harbor, which has a whole host of interesting things to explore as well, or even Bondi beach and its sculpture park. If I ever come back to Australia, Sydney will be on my list again for sure.

Pretty views and plenty of transportation options for all your commuting and/​or sightseeing needs. You can hop on a touristy cruise, or self tour by grabbing a much cheaper ticket on a government ferry. Try tripping over to Cockatoo Island for some exploring, or take the ferry to Manly which, apparently, has great views. (I didn’t partake of that route myself)
There are many different spots to eat and shop nearby. There are also usually local performers either painting/​drawing or playing music. All in good fun. When the weather is nice, grab an ice cream, have a seat, and just enjoy the people watching.

Ferries, Iconic Opera House, Fine Dining, Fast Food, Ice Cream, Indigenous Australian music performance, Stuntmen…
Circular Quay has it all :)
Watch out for people (everywhere!) over the weekends
Watch out for joggers during the week
Circular Quay brings a smile to everyone’s face :)

Used to take the Jetcat catamaran here as a commute to work. Would come down here sometimes for lunch. Sydney has the best harbour in the world.
The approach on a boat looks like lower Manhattan.

The good ol’ Quay (or «kway» to some of my tourist chums) is the home of my 9 – 5 slaving, and although I struggle to get out of bed most mornings, I am always instantly revived once my train pulls into the Circular Quay station.
What. A. View.
Whats not to love about this iconic part of Sydney?! Its full of sunshine and glistening harbour views, street performers, gelatos, pubs, buskers, restaurants, cruise ships, happy tourists, and even some celebrity spotting and wicked events.
Take a walk from The Rocks around to the Opera House and Royal Botanical Gardens (or vice versa if you prefer to end of your journey with a beer in the oldest pub in Sydney!) — you will find there is much to admire about this beautiful city and discovering it all wont cost you a cent.
Circular Quay is also a main port for ferry services. Daily trips to Manly, Toronga Zoo, and Luna Park are available. You can also catch the hop-​on hop-​off bus tours here that service the city and Bondi Beach.
Musuem of Contemporary Art (MCA) has just undergone a refurb, and exhibitions and guided tours are free if you are craving a taste for the arts.
I asked earlier whats not to love about the Quay, and sadly I have the answer — the vulture stylings of our Aussie Seagulls! Speaking from experience (and humourous observation of others), they are a menace to be reckoned with if you try to eat outdoors. So, my tip is to keep the meal times indoors, or prepare to be belting away collaborative groups of Seagulls with your menu until you finish your meal.

This is the core of Sydney’s downtown (CBD in Australian). If you go downtown, you’ll end up here. It’s has so much vitality and personality, you’ll love it. From every direction, the views are remarkable. It’s s short stroll along the pier to the Opera House. The water dominates the view, but here the people and the flow of the people are as much a part of the scene as the water. If ocean-​going cruise ships are docked, it right next to Circular Quay. The Aussie buskers are performing all around the area. Tourists mix with locals. It’s not a place you need to spend an hour, but it’s a key part of the Sydney experience.

I used to work in the McDonald’s across from the train station in my much younger days, and am very familiar with this location. It’s much better to take the train here than to drive. Driving around the city can make one’s peace of mind go crazy and ruin a great vacation.
There are bars and clubs for people who like the night life, restaurants if McDonald’s does not appeal your appetite, and sights to see like the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. As far as I recall, you can get to the Botanical Gardens from here too. It’s a great place for a first date with romantic views and friendly for for a family who just want a lovely day out.
My mother and I used to come here often and always had a great time. We also took the ferry for a short ride to go to Manly Beach. One time I was taken here on a first date one evening and was taken aback by the lights and water. Friends and I would venture here to play hookie from work and take a ferry ride to the beaches. It’s an all around type of place worth visiting.

The Circular Quay is not actually Circular but no one seems interested in correcting it to Semi-​Circular Quay. Hmm. One explanation could be, in keeping with the true Aussie spirit, they just shortened the word. Not that ozzies are lazy, but they do enjoy shrinking every possible word to give them more time to spend in the water probably?!
Breakfast is Brekky, Arvo is afternoon, Bikkie is Biscuit, Postie is Postman, Yewy is a U-​turn in traffic, the list is endless…
Well, like a rose will always smell as sweet, Circular or Semi-​circular quay will remain the Number 1 place in Sydney to visit. There is heaps of stuff to do and see, but on top of the list has to be visiting the Opera House.
My top 10 things to do in that vicinity
— Visit the Opera House
— Get your adrenalin fix in a Jet Boat Ride
— Ferry to Manly
— Indulge in a Belgian chocolate at Guylian
— Stroll inside the Royal Botanic Garden
— Step back into time, by visiting the Rocks
— Support the local buskers
— Sample the Australian indigenous music
— See Sydney under your feet at Customs house
— Dine in any of the waterfront restaurants
While taking pictures with the Harbour bridge in the background, remember to turn around and capture an image with the Skyline in the background. It is quite impressive.

Definitely the fabric of Sydney, and a great locale to appreciate Sydney Harbour. So relaxing, so cool and great to hang out. Be entertained with street performers (some of which are really funny, you will be able to sort out the wheat from the chaff soon enough) and musicians as you walk towards the Overseas Passenger Terminal or towards Opera House with your ice cream and water on a hot afternoon.
The Harbour Bridge (both during the day and at night) is such a joy to watch in mindfulness meditation. With great restaurants (albeit a few) and places to eat; definitely a great and popular hang out spot. Another great locale for the new years eve fireworks. And of course, the ferry service terminates here and moves on to various Sydney Harbour destinations.
Also the Dendy cinema is worth it here as well, as well as nearby The Rocks. Dendy is fantastic to come and see a film here on a Saturday afternoon, and by 7pm on a Saturday night you are out into the open, and this is where Circular Quay (during the summer months) is just magical. I miss Circular Quay now that I am living in Melbourne; although it is great to visit once a month while in Sydney.