17 ways to beat the winter blues in Sydney

A trip to the pub is a perennial pleasure in Sydney, but while a beer garden or rooftop may be the place to enjoy the summer sun, a plush seat by the fireside is where you want to be come winter. These Sydney pubs with fireplaces are the perfect spots to while away a chilly afternoon with mates, and many of them also serve wonderfully warming mulled wine, for when you really need to get Jack Frost off your back.

Like heat? Like chocolate? Well lucky you – Sydney has plenty of rich, creamy, velvety smooth cocoas and hot chocolates for you to sample. To help you choose, we've gone ahead and slurped our way through litres of the good stuff to cherry-pick the 11 best Sydney has to offer. From the thick and decadent, to the sweet and satisfying, these truly are the top of the hot choc pops. 

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, as the saying goes, so when the temperature plummets outside, why not lean into the freeze with a spot of skating? Taking to the ice is perfect for a romantic first date, a family day out or even just a casual hang-out with friends, and it can be quite the workout, so don't expect to feel cold for too long. Sydney has three indoor rinks currently open, but with capacities capped, booking in advance is essential. 

Sydneysiders are spoilt for choice when it comes to art galleries. Some of the finest institutions in the country can be found here, and there are also a number of specialist and independent galleries around the city for those in search for rarer works. You can easily while away a day – or several, in fact – perusing masterpieces in wonderfully comfortable, climate-controlled exhibition halls. 

Get in gear, crank up the heating and take to the open road for a few pleasant hours behind the wheel. There are some simply breathtaking drives not far from the city and the rural areas on Sydney's fringes are just as beautiful during the colder months as they are in summer. Or, why not make a day of it by going on one of these wonderful day trips, less than a two-hour drive from the city?

Another way to stay active this winter is indoor rock climbing – it's a challenging yet fun way to burn those arm and core muscles with a killer workout. Brave the ropes at Sydney Indoor Rock Climbing Gym which has courses to suit all levels of experience, including for seasoned climbers, bouldering 4.5m high walls.

One of Sydney's most remarkable qualities is that you can escape the city and be surrounded by unspoiled nature with barely a hint of civilisation to be seen in under an hour. There are seven easily accessible national parks on Sydney's fringes to explore, so lace up those hiking boots, throw on a scarf or two, and discover the gum-lined bushwalks, coastal heaths and blissfully deserted beaches that are waiting for you.

June and July are the peak months of the whale watching season in Sydney. You can see spectacular displays, with breaches, fin and tail slaps, and close-quarters encounters on just about any journey beyond the Sydney Harbour's heads during this time. There are plenty of whale watching tours on offer in Sydney, but there are also lots of easily accessible areas along the coast that are ideal for land-lubbers hoping to catch a glimpse or two of Moby Dick. 

Winter isn't just rough on your mood – the colder weather can play havoc with our complexion too. But worry not, it's easy to give your skin a well-deserved glow-up with a restorative trip to one of Sydney's best spas and saunas. Stimulate your tired joints in a hot and bubbly heated spa bath, banish those winter blemishes with a soothing facial, and ease your SAD stress with a relaxing massage. Go on, treat yo' self!

If you're prepared to embrace the cold, a trip to the Snow on NSW's southern border is a wintertime must, and luckily, every snowfield in the state will be open for business from June 22. Not so slick on the slopes? No problem. Go cross-country instead by braving Tredbo's 5km Village Trail. Keep your eye out for flare running on Saturday nights, snowshoeing tours, tobogganing and snow tubing. Tune in to the weather reports for snowfall updates so you can visit during the best powdery times.

There’s nothing like feasting your eyes on the Sydney Harbour as the winter sun dances off its lapping waters. The BridgeClimb twilight sessions run every day around sunset and often include live performances to create a romantic atmosphere. It’s ideal to book a twilight climb during the colder months as the sun is lower in the sky making the sunsets extra spectacular. Plus, the number of tourists in Sydney is at an all-time low presently, so the climb should be less crowded.

Sydney's food scene is a melting pot of multi-cultural fare, with many of the world cuisines the city has in abundance catering to those chilli-holics among us. If you feel you've got the stomach to take on the challenge, we've selected the five spiciest plates in Sydney, but be warned, these firey dishes aren't for the faint-hearted. You have been warned.

The winter cold will be a distant memory when you turn up the temp with fiery vinyasa at your nearest hot yoga studio. Stretch your muscles in the toasty rooms at Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst, which reopens from June 20. Or why not hone your practice at BodyMindLife Yoga, which has venues across Sydney and is also currently doing livestreams so you can take part at home. Wherever you choose to vist, you’ll be guaranteed to warm up your muscles and nourish your soul. Ommm...

There are bracing innercity bushwalks, picturesque coastal paths and gentle parkland strolls to be found all over Sydney. So no matter your fitness level, how far you're prepared to travel, or how much time you have to spare, there's a walk to suit your needs. We've racked up steps in the thousands to rank and rate the best walks in the city, so rug-up and get out there.

Calling all culture vultures – there are numerous horizon-expanding museums in Sydney for you to explore. Whether you're excited by the natural world, science and engineering, exotic cultures or historical intrigue, there's an exhibition at one of the city's fine institutions to put a spring in your synapses. If your interests are piqued by more idiosyncratic topics, there are several unusual museums you can visit in Sydney, and should you be in the mood to take a walk on the wild side, the city's many animal attractions are amongst the world's best.

While our regular picture palaces must remain shuttered for the time being, that shouldn't mean you miss out on a movie night. Drive-in cinemas are emerging as the perfect stopgap solution and there are several options in Sydney. If you're after a retro experience from the drive-in's heyday in 1950's America, the Sky Line Drive-in in Blacktown, with its Grease-esque diner, has all the nostalgia you're searching for. Alternatively, try the new kid on the drive-in block. Mov'in Car Drive-in has just popped up in the Entertainment Quarter, until the end of June.

Look, we've all been there: you're wound up, you're full of frustration and stress, so naturally, you pick up a hatchet and hurl it as hard as you can. Tale as old as time. Well, while that may once have been considered "dangerous" or "illegal" – jeez, nanny state, amiright? – you can now hurl razor-sharp axes with total impunity, just so long as you're throwing them in the direction of a wooden target. The brave souls at Maniax will let you chuck a few axes around to your heart's content for a small fee, and you can even enjoy some pizza and beers while you do it.