Best Vivid Sydney Views: How to get the best angles

The blinding lights and mesmerising projections that make up the Vivid Light Walk are so impressive that it’s always worth seeing them from multiple angles. From below, from above, from the side. These light works only come in once a year, so you’ll find that most Vivid-goers tend to scope out the best viewing spots well before attending.

Given just how busy it gets, it’s always worth having a plan as soon as you arrive at the Vivid Light Walk. It’ll be teeming with people from 5pm to 11pm, especially around Circular Quay. Make sure you take note of the following Vivid Sydney viewing spots so you know where to hang to get the best perspective on all the colour and culture.

READ MORE: The ultimate guide to Vivid Sydney

1. Best viewing spots for Circular Quay and The Rocks

Circular Quay will invariably be the busiest spot throughout Vivid Sydney. Get a jump on the crowd by heading straight to the following.

Overseas Passenger Terminal: Because it stands tall over the waters of Sydney Harbour, Overseas Passenger Terminal is always going to be a fantastic way to view the Sydney Opera House sails all lit up. Have a drink at the newly reopened Cruise Bar or take advantage of The Squire’s Landing’s 24-7 trading licence.

Campbell’s Cove: Campbell’s Cove offers uninterrupted views of Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge without being so obviously part of the typical tourist trail. You’ll be able to find some relative peace and quiet here, making it a popular Vivid viewing spot for families and couples.

First Fleet Park: First Fleet Park should be buzzing throughout Vivid Sydney and it’s open area makes it a great spot to sit and view Circular Quay all lit up. You’ll also be sitting right by the Museum of Contemporary Art project, which this year is handled by the great Vincent Namatjira.

2. Best viewing spots for Sydney Opera House

You can’t come to Vivid Sydney and not view the Sydney Opera House. The foremost symbol of Sydney’s unique cityscape will once again come to life with the Lighting of the Sails every night. This year, David McDiarmid’s Kiss of Light works will unfold across the iconic building. Take note of the below viewing spots if you want the best angles.

Mrs Macquarie’s Chair: One of the most famous viewing spots in Sydney will leave you breathless any day of the year. But it’s a completely different story for Vivid Sydney, with both Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House in its panoramic view. It’s also just the right distance from the two landmarks, giving you a wide scope of Sydney Harbour’s beauty.

Fleet Steps: Also on the same side of the harbour as Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, Fleet Steps is another great viewing spot with excellent sightlines of the Opera House. The best part is that not many people come here during Vivid so the crowds should always be minimal.

3. Best viewing spots for the Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge’s light display may not be as dynamic as the projections you’ll see on buildings like the MCA and Customs House, but it’s still an essential part of Vivid’s visual set. There are two perspectives that we think the bridge is most useful for, one on it and one nearby it.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylon Lookout: You can take in panoramic views that scan the entirety of Circular Quay from up on Sydney Harbour Bridge. One of the pylons is accessible to the public and hangs over Sydney for a unique perspective, You can also dine at Luke’s Table while you’re up here.

Cahill Expressway Walkway: Skip from Macquarie Street to the Cahill Expressway Walkway, which offerings incredible views over Circular Quay. This is the most obvious viewing spot in the area so you’ll find plenty of other people with the same idea, but show up early and get a spot against the railing. There’s simply no other better and more direct view of Circular Quay than the one from this fortuitously-placed highway.

4. Best viewing spots for Darling Harbour & Barangaroo

The Darling Harbour and Barangaroo sides of Sydney Harbour have been just as exciting as Circular Quay in recent years. Vivid Sydney is at its best when its paying equal attention to all five of its zones, so expect plenty of interesting installations set for this area. There are three places that’ll offer the best and widest perspective of the precinct.

King Street Wharf: Grabbing an al freso dinner at King Street Wharf while watching this side of Darling Harbour come to life each night will be one of the best ways to start your Vivid journey. It’s position towards Barangaroo means that you’ll have easy access to that precinct while also being a short walk away from the main action of Darling Harbour, which should mostly take place around where W Sydney is.

Barangaroo Reserve: Trail along Barangaroo Reserve and look back at illuminated sculptures and interactive art for an incredible view. The by-the-water walking trails are generally much quieter than what you’ll find over at Circular Quay so take this time to enjoy the peace before you make your way over to Vivid’s main area.

W Sydney: Find a way to get yourself up to W Sydney’s pool area. The Wet Deck takes up a large part of W Sydney’s front face, looking over Darling Harbour through large floor-to-ceiling glass windows. Not only is it a great view of Darling Harbour, but you won’t have to worry about sharing space with many others.

When are the Vivid Sydney fireworks?

Unlike New Years Eve, Vivid Sydney is less about fireworks and more about those immersive light projections. But lovers of those shiny little sky boomers need not worry, there will still be fireworks at Vivid Sydney pencilled in for the following dates:

Sunday, May 25
Wednesday, May 28
Thursday, May 29
Sunday, June 1
Wednesday, June 4
Thursday, June 5
Monday, June 9
Wednesday, June 11
Thursday, June 12

If recent years are anything to go by, Vivid’s fireworks displays will kick off around 6:30pm on each of the night listed above.

The best way to experience Vivid Sydney

Vivid Sydney is at its best when you’re choosing your own adventure, and for that you’ll need to carefully study the light walk map (when it’s released online) and decide how best to tackle the Vivid Light Walk while avoiding the crowds.

You’ll see to see some of our most iconic landmarks all lit up with dynamic, narrative-driven projections before experiencing Sydney’s increasingly vibrant nightlife. You can soak in the festival’s sense of creativity and community at Vivid Fire Kitchen, which lines The Goods Line and is one of the most exciting inner city events for the 23-day festival. Or you can watch as the Australian National Maritime museum comes to life with a creation story, deepened by an Aboriginal choir that will echo across the waters of Darling Harbour from Cockle Bay Wharf all the way to Barangaroo.

Or maybe you want to stick to the other side of the harbour and start your Vivid Sydney experience near Luna Park, looking back over Circular Quay as the lights slowly come on. Catch a train back over the bridge and follow that up by checking what Martin Place has in store before joining the rest of the crowd at Circular Quay. However you choose to tackle the lights, you’ll be wrapped in a surreal dream at Vivid Sydney promises yet another year of impressive light works and curated events from programs like Vivid Ideas and Vivid Music.