ellaslist Reviews: Reaching New Heights With Sydney❜s Big Bus Tour & Sydney Tower SkyFeast Buffet

Ever since my teen was a tot, she has been intrigued by Sydney’s impressive double-decker tour buses and has long wanted to experience one for herself. Despite her maturing interests, that desire hasn’t diminished, so I jumped on the opportunity to make that dream a reality with Experience Oz.

Truth be told, I was equally excited to climb aboard and be a tourist for a day. I relish any chance to bond with my daughter before she completely outgrows me, especially when it’s one-on-one, screen-free time. Plus, I am constantly trying to cultivate a deep awareness of how lucky we are to live in this beautiful corner of the world, and the relaxing ride through our grand and glorious city, on the most stunning of summer’s days, was the ultimate way to drive the message home.

Tourist For A Day: The Sydney Big Bus Tour and Sydney Tower SkyFeast Buffet

All Aboard The Sydney Hop-on Hop-off Tour

 

We hopped on the Big Bus Sydney Hop-on Hop-off Tour in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, not far from our home, starting with The Bondi & Bays Tour (The Blue Route). The lovely driver equipped us with headphones for the audio commentary and a map to plan our journey, then we were off.

With an abundance of sunshine and blue skies, we opted for the upstairs, open-air seats where we could make the most of the coveted, elevated vantage point. Top tip: Don’t forget sunscreen and a hat! 

 

Winding through picturesque neighbourhoods including the Rose Bay waterfront, upmarket Double Bay, harbourside Rushcutters Bay and bustling William Street, not even Sydney traffic (my usual bugbear) could detract from the experience. From our lofty height, at a relaxed pace, I barely noticed it. We were way too consumed with the gorgeous surroundings and the excitement of spotting iconic landmarks including the vibrant Coke sign, the towering Still Thriving mural and of course Sydney Tower.

The accompanying commentary offers a wealth of interesting historical facts and fascinating tidbits and the Aussie playlist woven throughout the recording was a fun trip through our homegrown musical landscape.

Meandering down through the metropolis of the city, we disembarked the Big Buses Blue Route at Central Station and jumped straight on the Red Route for the City Tour.

 

The extensive journey gave us a bird's eye view of the panoramic city skyline and some of Sydney’s most noteworthy landmarks, including The Rocks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Woolloomooloo Bay, the Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanical Gardens, confirming Sydney's beauty and charm over and over again.

We alighted from this leg of our delightful adventure within a stone’s throw of Pitt St Mall so my teen could get her shopping fix before our exciting, sky-high lunch date.

A Feast For The Senses at Sydney Tower

Following a peek at Sydney's new LEGO Store - the largest of its kind in the world - and a little spree at Sephora, we checked in for our SkyFeast Sydney Tower Buffet Lunch. From the get-go, we felt like VIPs with a very exclusive invitation as we went through security and were whisked up to the dizzying heights of Sydney's tallest structure.

Ascending 82 floors above the CBD we were met with a mesmerising 360-degree revolving view of the city that left us awestruck. Seated by the window, gazing out at the sprawling cityscape, enhanced the giddy thrill of being on top of the world, as we joyfully spotted familiar sites all over Sydney.

 

The SkyFeast buffet lunch was itself a feast for the senses, featuring six separate counters of exotic cuisine from fresh seafood and sushi to gourmet salads and roasts.

My daughter spotted her favourite fodder with wide-eyed delight and enthusiastically piled her plate with chicken nuggets and chips. I, on the other hand, opted for a culinary choice more reflective of the opulent dining experience, sampling oysters, bugs and prawns, sushi and dumplings, grilled fish and antipasto. With so many delicious dishes to devour, we had to be discerning to leave room for dessert! While my teen chose mini pavlovas and sprinkled her plate with lollies, I selected some of the petite cakes from the mouth-watering array that beckoned. 

Sydney, We Love You!

 

Dining at SkyFeast was such an indulgent treat for my teen and me, and with tummies full, selfies done and feeling utterly spoilt, we made our reluctant descent back to reality and again found the closest stop for the Big Bus, continuing the Blue Route from the Australian Museum to breathtaking Bondi Beach.

The 24-hour ticket for the Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour, and its two diverse routes, offered us the breadth and flexibility to tailor our expedition to our whim throughout the day and eventually return to a stop close to home. 

Ultimately, our tourist-for-a-day escapade on the Sydney Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour and SkyFeast Buffet Lunch at Sydney Tower was a unique opportunity to see the city with fresh eyes, celebrate all its wonder and immerse ourselves in the simple joy of adventure.

Not only did we fall in love with Sydney all over again with a renewed sense of gratitude, it was the perfect way to spend a super special summer’s day with my absolute favourite sidekick.

Create your own special Sydney family adventure! Book now for the Big Bus Sydney Hop-on Hop-off Tour and SkyFeast Sydney Tower Buffet Lunch and hundreds more experiences at Experience Oz.

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