Australia: Sydney's Best at Bargain Prices

From there, it's impossible to miss the Sydney Harbor Bridge, known locally as "The Coathanger" for reasons obvious to anyone who's seen it. Guided climbs to the apex are very popular, but prices start at about $122 (A$179) — http://www.bridgeclimb.com. But you can walk across it at street level for nothing and still get a high-rise look at the opera house and the length of the harbor.

Travelers take in the view as they ride on a harbor ferry in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. Though a...

Travelers take in the view as they ride on a harbor ferry in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. Though a charter cruise can cost thousands, instead, why not take one of the ferries that shuffle workers to and from downtown each day? (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

(AP)

THE BEACH: Bondi Beach, one of scores of crescent-shaped belts of sand that cut into the sandstone cliffs along Sydney's coastline, is one of the world's most famous. During summer, thousands vie for space in the sand to soak up sun rays or watch surfers show off. In winter, latte-slurpers huddle behind glass windows or under gas-fired heaters in the cafes and restaurants along the strip. Sydney's otherwise comprehensive rail network doesn't quite reach Bondi, but a combined train and bus "Link Ticket" will get you from Central Railway Station right to the promenade for about $5.20 (A$7.80) return, http://www.cityrail.info.

Related

What Inauguration Weather Really Means

Could Drivers Face Total Cell Phone Bans?

Weekend Window: Mammoth, Calif.

When you're done with the sun, leave the look-at-me crowd of bodybuilders and bikini babes behind and hit the Bondi Icebergs club — http://www.icebergs.com.au — for a cold beer, pub-style food and a stunning view of the beach. If the traditional southerly afternoon buster (as the stiff wind here is called) is bringing in a storm front, there are few places better to watch thunderheads roll in from the sea. The southern end of Bondi also marks the start of a walking path that meanders along a spectacular coastline of sheer rock cliffs and beaches to Coogee about 4 miles away.

FOOD: Sydney's multicultural makeup is most clearly reflected in its food, from tapas dishes at Captain Torres, 73 Liverpool St., or other eateries in the Spanish Quarter to crisply fried felafel and creamy tadziki at Abdul's, at Cleveland and Elizabeth streets in inner-city Surry Hills. On Goulbourn Street in Chinatown, the unpretentious BBQ King offers some of the best Chinese food outside of Asia. No reservations here, so get there early or be prepared to wait on the sidewalk outside until a table becomes free.