Sydney

Sydney is a magical place, as an American you feel very much at home but it's different enough to feel like a vacation. I was lucky enough to study abroad here in grad school and returned recently to visit some local friends.

Sydney is pretty temperate in the winter, but I love the summer there. While it can be incredibly hot, it also unlocks the vacation vibes. And Sydney is a place where people love the vibes. The restaurants and the sprawling bars in the Rocks to the laid back beach of Bondi, Aussies love to have fun.

I definitely recommend traveling around Australia to get a better feel for the non urban culture. Sydney has a lot of similarities to Los Angeles from a climate and zones perspective. I've driven to the Blue Mountains as an example of an easy day trip.