FAQs

Question

What dates should I fly?

Answer

FLIGHTS TO SYDNEY: Remember YOU LOSE A DAY WHEN YOU TRAVEL FROM USA TO AUSTRALIA because you cross the International Date Line and it's a super long flight. So, for example: if you fly out of NYC or LA on Friday night, you'll land is Sydney on Sunday morning. If you (can) and want to have two weekends in Sydney, we'd recommend looking at flights that leave the US on Wednesday, November 20th. That way you'll land early Friday morning and can have a whole weekend in Sydney. If you're looking for a quick 'in and out' trip to Sydney, booking flight to Sydney for November 20th to 24th is kind of the sweet spot for not taking too much time off of work but getting to Sydney with enough time to deal with jetlag and enjoy a summer beach wedding. Also, we would NOT recommend booking your flight for November 25th, unless you want to land the day of the wedding. And definitely don't book for November 26th, because then you'll MISS the wedding :( RETURN FLIGHTS TO THE US: Flights from Sydney to the US usually take off early in the morning, around 9-10am, which means you would need to be at the airport anywhere from 6-8am. So, if you choose to fly back on Sunday, a late Saturday night out might not be in the cards. No one wants a 15hr flight made worse nursing a hangover. BUT, since you cross the International Date Line in the opposite direction you'll actually land in LA about an hour or two BEFORE you take off from Sydney. So, in theory, you could fly back on Monday and land on Monday (in LA) with enough time to log in to work and not use that vacation day.

Question

Where to stay for the wedding?

Answer

AirBnB and the smaller, local hotels are your best bet. We would recommend finding a place on the Northern Beaches for the night of the wedding at the very least. It's an hour+ back to the city and an Uber from Palm Beach to Sydney will run anywhere from AU$90-150. Sydney's Northern Beaches is truly a beautiful place with amazing beaches and small coastal towns with cafes, shops, and restaurants. If you don't want to spend all your time in the city, it's hard to beat a few relaxing days here as summer kicks off. Ideally you'd want to stay in Palm Beach, Whale beach, Avalon, or Newport (all suburbs are within 10 mins from Palm Beach). Mona Vale is probably as far south as you'd want to stay while on the Northern Beaches (about 15-20 from Palm Beach). Here's a list of a few local hotels: - Barrenjoey House Palm Beach - Palm Beach Bed and Breakfast - Jonah’s Restaurant & Boutique Hotel - Avalon Beachside Apartment - Metro Mirage Hotel Newport One note with AirBnB: Make sure they are on the Northern Beaches and not the Central Coast or on the other side of Pittwater (which would require a ferry ride that doesn't run super late). ALSO, it might be cheaper if people group together and rent a multiple room AirBnB. Some of the 4+ Bedroom places in the area are much cheaper when split multiple ways.

Question

Getting from The City of Sydney to Palm Beach

Answer

If you've got the cash, Uber will get you to Palm Beach from Sydney in about an hour. But it'll cost anywhere from AU$80-150. If you're open to public transport, the B1 bus from the Wynyard Station BUS STANDS (a stone's throw from the Harbour Bridge) will get you as far as Mona Vale in about 45-50 minutes. The B1 is a bright yellow, double-decker bus that is clean, safe, and lets you see some of the best beaches in the world as it takes you north. From Mona Vale you can do one of 3 things to get to your hotel/AirBnB: - Order an Uber - Download the Australian app, KEORIDE and request a ride. Keo Ride is basically a government version of Uber that uses mini buses that shuttle people around from the main transport hubs and costs about AU$4 per ride per person. - Catch another Sydney Bus* The 191, 190, and L90 go all the way up to Palm Beach. The bus drivers are usually friendly and happy to let you know which stop you should get off if you mention the hotel and suburb you're going to. *We would only recommend a second bus if you're going to one of the hotels listed or your AirBnB is in walking distance from Barrenjoey Road/the beach. ALSO, you can always reach out to Zac for help. There are no trains that go to the Northern Beaches so they are not an option.