General Information
Where else in the world can you go disco bowling, board a wartime submarine, hold a cockroach as big as your hand or get close to killer sea creatures without getting wet, be entertained by international stars, get flung two storeys high into the sky, dine on dumplings or sample some of Sydney’s best seafood while being offered accommodation to suit every taste?
Darling Harbour is the place where you can do all this and so much more, getting lost for days in a bubble of fun for the whole family. Even before European settlement, the area that sits just a 10 minute walk west of the CBD, was known to local Aboriginal people as a meeting place which still holds sway today as one of Sydney’s most popular places to play and stay in accommodation with wonderful views of the city’s famous harbour and city skyline. From spacious self contained apartments to luxury hotels suites, you’ll find the accommodation you need.
The pedestrian precinct is a favourite with over 1.3 million locals and visitors each year. Stretching from Paddy’s Markets and Sydney Entertainment Centre on the edge of lively Chinatown in the south to King St Wharf and the Maritime Museum in the north and Star City Casino in the west, Darling Harbour is home to Sydney’s best attractions, galleries and shops. Stories of navy battles and mutiny will enthral at the National Maritime Museum as you climb aboard the HMAS Onslow submarine while at the Sydney Aquarium you’ll walk underwater and come face to face with killer sharks as giant sting rays pass overhead.
The real Australia is there to explore at Sydney’s Wildlife World cuddly koalas to red kangaroos and hairy-nosed wombats await as you get cosy with a python. The Powerhouse Museum in a restored power station is also a must-see. Standing eight stories high, the IMAX theatre will transport you to another world in 3D on the biggest cinema screen on earth or fly a Boeing under the guidance of a qualified instructor in the latest full-size cockpit flight simulator. For some extra adrenalin pumping action, let a jet boat throw you into wild fishtails and a 270 degree spin. If you’re after some more relaxed action take a ride high above the city streets on the above-ground monorail that docks on your doorstep or relax by the water in the Chinese Garden on Friendship.
Darling Harbour can be as action-packed as you want it to be but it’s also all about stress-free fun and with no city traffic jams to contend with, you can simply stroll between attractions and tuck into Australian and international cuisine at more than 45 eateries from fine dining to cheap eats. When the sun goes down, the action really heats up with city workers making a beeline to the bars that line the boardwalk or the 2000-capacity nightclub Home where you can dance all night with the harbour lights behind you. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well, it does but it’s one of Sydney’s best kept secrets. On top of Star City sits the sophisticated indoor/outdoor Astral bar where, with champagne in hand, you can toast discovering the awe-inspiring, most unique view of one of the world’s most liveable cities.
See Also: Sydney Attractions, Sydney City Hotels, Hyde Park Inn Sydney, Rydges World Square Sydney, Hilton Hotel Sydney, Grace Hotel Sydney.