Newtown
Newtown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2042
With a bohemian soul plus a party-hearty student population, Sydney’s Inner West suburb of Newtown offers street art, live music, retail therapy, performance spaces, and a wealth of bars, cafés, and restaurants. Head to King Street, the main drag, for bookshops, vintage stores, vinyl outlets, young designers—and plenty of food.
The basics
Many travelers visit Newtown independently, shopping and snacking at their own pace. But you can also book local guides to help you hit the highlights or tailor-make a tour. Popular things to do include picnicking on the green slopes of Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, checking out the street art on Lennox Street and beyond, catching a show at the Enmore Theatre, Sydney’s oldest theater, or enjoying live music or cabaret at The Vanguard. Food options span the gamut from vegan through to cheese, while bars run from cool cocktaileries to late-night dives.
Things to know before you go
Newtown is an excellent choice for shoppers, foodies, and nightlife lovers.
Newtown bars and pubs are more relaxed than Sydney’s stuffy CBD venues: there’s generally no dress code, and men can wear what they like on their feet.
Sydney is generally a wheelchair-friendly city, and Newtown is accessible: many restaurants and some stores offer wheelchair access.
How to get there
Newtown is a central Sydney suburb within the Inner West band of central western neighborhoods, about 3 miles (4.5 kilometers) southwest of the Central Business District (CBD). Regular trains run from Sydney’s Central Station to Newtown station on King Street, Newtown’s main street: the journey takes barely five minutes.
When to get there
If shopping is your bag, head down to Newtown in the afternoon: most stores operate fairly standard retail hours and close in the late afternoon. But the area comes into its own at night when pubs, bars, and Newtown’s many multicultural food options open up. Sadly, the annual Newtown Festival is no longer running.
Exploring the Inner West’s suburbs
In Australian English, the word “suburb” denotes something very different from the American or British English burbs: the term means just ‘neighborhood.’ And Newtown isn’t the only Inner West suburb worth discovering. Craft breweries, music, arts, and food make the post-industrial neighborhood of Marrickville a major draw; villagey Balmain offers chic boutiques, quirky bakeries, and heritage houses; and Enmore, in between Newtown and Marrickville, boasts world-class coffee and multicultural cuisine.
Travel Like an Expert with AAA and Trip Canvas
Get Ideas from the Pros
As one of the largest travel agencies in North America, we have a wealth of recommendations to share! Browse our articles and videos for inspiration, or dive right in with preplanned AAA Road Trips, cruises and vacation tours.
Build and Research Your Options
Save and organize every aspect of your trip including cruises, hotels, activities, transportation and more. Book hotels confidently using our AAA Diamond Designations and verified reviews.
Book Everything in One Place
From cruises to day tours, buy all parts of your vacation in one transaction, or work with our nationwide network of AAA Travel Agents to secure the trip of your dreams!