There’s so much more than just lights at Vivid Sydney.
Restaurants add brilliantly coloured items to their menus, harbour cruises hit the water offering views of the lights from a different perspective and plenty of talks and performances are held. But, unlike (most of) Vivid’s lights, most of these aren’t free. Luckily, there’s a slew of Vivid Sydney deals to help make the experience a lot more affordable.
And with just a few weeks left until the lights turn off, you’ll want to snatch them up now before they’re gone!
Vivid Sydney deals for 2024
30% off Sydney SEA LIFE Aquarium tickets
- What’s the deal? Visit the SEA Life aquarium after hours during Vivid and save 30% on your ticket.
- Book by: 15 June, when Vivid ends.
30% off Sydney Wild Life Zoo tickets
- What’s the deal? Visit the Wild Life Zoo after hours during Vivid and save 30% on your ticket.
- Book by: 15 June, when Vivid ends.
30% off Madame Tusauds tickets
- What’s the deal? Visit the Madame Tusauds after hours during Vivid and save 30% on your ticket.
- Book by: 15 June, when Vivid ends.
Up to 25% off Oaks Hotels
- What’s the deal? Book a stay at an Oaks hotel in Sydney at least 14 days in advance and save 15% off, plus an extra 10% off if you’re an Oaks DISCOVERY member (membership is free).
- Book by: It’s an ongoing deal, but book by 1 June to be able to stay during Vivid Sydney.
Up to 64% off Vivid cruises
- What’s the deal? Buy tickets to a Vivid cruise with Groupon for up to 64% off the regular price. Cruises start from as low as $18.
- Book by: Until 15 June.
Save up to 64% on luxury stays in Sydney
- What’s the deal? Lock in a discounted stay at hotels like the Shangri-La and the Langham with Luxury Escapes. Accommodation packages vary depending on where you stay, but some include extras like breakfast, afternoon tea or food and drink credits.
- Book by: Until 15 June.
10% off Fantasea cruises
- What’s the deal? Book a Vivid cruise directly with Fantasea and save 10% off with the promo code below. If you’re a My NRMA member, you can save an extra 9% by entering your membership number at the time of booking.
- Book by: Until 1 May.
- Promo code: VIVID2024
5% off Vivid packages at Metro Hotels
- What’s the deal? Get 5% off an accommodation package at one of four Metro Hotels in Sydney during Vivid by using the below promo code.
- Book by: Until 1 May.
- Promo code: METRO123
When is Vivid Sydney in 2024?
This year’s festival started on Friday, 24 May and runs until Saturday, 15 June.
Where can I go for Vivid for free (and where can’t I)?
Walking around the the Vivid Sydney precincts to see the lights is mostly free.
That means you’ll be able to see the lights for free at The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and the Goods Line (where the Fire Kitchen is this year).
There are a few cases where displays are held inside buildings or areas that aren’t open to the general public. For those you will need tickets. That includes Dark Spectrum, which made its debut in 2023, inside the Wynyard Tunnels. Unfortunately, the Royal Botanic Gardens is also a paid area once again.
Most of the Vivid Ideas and Music events do require tickets.
When is the best time to go to the free Vivid displays to avoid the crowds?
Vivid tends to be the busiest on weekends, so avoid Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
We’ve been attending the Vivid festival for more than a decade, and while it’s one of our favourite events in the city, we do avoid it on some nights.
We try to visit mid-week, just after work. This way we arrive early just as the lights are turning on and before it gets too chilly. Aim for a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. That way you’re more likely to avoid extra people who are coming into Sydney for an extra long weekend to check out the lights.
The drone show is also back this year, and the Love is in the Air display will be shown at 9:10pm on 8, 9 and 15 June. So, if you’re not too fussed about seeing that particular display, we’d recommend avoiding those days too as they’ll probably be extra busy.
