Darling Harbour was a charming area nearby my Vrbo. I wish I'd spent more time in the area, as there were a number of restaurants I'd have like to visit, but I didn't have enough time. It was a lovely space to walk through, so if you're in Sydney, I recommend going by! read more

Darling Harbour - Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

The backdrop of our window view from the Hyatt Regency Sydney, the Darling Harbour occupies a large portion of the western area adjacent to downtown Sydney. It was named after a former governor of New South Wales. Some famous attractions in the harbour include Chinese Garden of Friendship, National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, and Sydney Zoo. The pyrmont pedestrian bridge can get you across the harbor (East-West). read more

Darling Harbour - View of Harbour from above - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Darling Harbour is a great spot many things to do and lots going on! The convention center is there as well as many places to eat, drink, shop and hang with friends. There's also attractions that include the aquarium, IMAX theatre, museum. Something for everyone! It's also around the water, which makes for a nice walk and getting your steps in. read more

Originally named Long Cove. Quality/Quantity - Also known as Barangaroo, Cockle Bay, King Street Wharf. They also have many events often here. Cultural events, Lunar New Year, Greek Festival, Latin nights, "Beat Breakdown," Outdoor Movies at the Beach Cinema, etc. The area is also good for picnics, etc. See pictures. Atmosphere - Tourist attractions, so expect to pay tourist prices. This is a place for people watching. This is supposed to be a higher end area in Sydney. Chinese garden. Street performers. Imax theater. Public art trails - Free. https://www.barangaroo.com/editorials/public-art-in-barangaroo Arts and culture. Barangaroo reserve. Service - Good. Family friendly. Price - Tourist prices. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1825, what a cool place to hang out. read more

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We stayed at one of the many hotels around Darling Harbour, located in the heart of Sydney. It's an entertainment district with scenic waterfront views. Originally used as a dockyard in the 1800s, the area transformed over the years from an industrial site to a premier leisure and tourist hub. Today, Darling Harbour has many attractions like the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, the Australian National Maritime Museum, and Tumbalong Park. Its extensive promenade, bustling with shops, cafes, and dining options, makes it an ideal spot to explore via walking. This is a fantastic base of your exploring Sydney. read more

Arrived in Sydney and booked at Mantra hotel at Kent St. Lovely view of the Harbour from our room. Walking distance to the place shops restaurant. Wear comfortable shoes beautiful view to enjoy. The harbour the waterfront the sceneries. The streets were well directed. We were able to enjoyed the night fireworks. read more

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Darling Harbour is place to go in the evening for drinks and the light show. I went during the day when there just wasn't much going on and honestly, it's just a harbour. The views were not particularly spectacular and tourist prices are never fun. So, my recommend is to only come before just before sunset to see the colors change and otherwise have a good view of anything going on! read more

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A very busy and touristy area of Sydney now. But almost 200 years ago it was called Long Cove. But referred to as Cockle Bay until 1826. Governor Darling renamed it after himself. It was originally part of the commercial port and home to Darling Harbour Railway Goods Yard. Today it's home to many attractions, restaurants and shops. I spent a day and a half and only covered the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, and Sydney Wildlife World. I ran out of time for Paddy's Markets, Chinese Garden of Friendship, Tumbalong Park, Madame Tussauds, The Star Casino, Aboriginal Centre, and Powerhouse Museum. Those are just a few of the sites. Then there's a huge list of restaurants, cafes and bars. Enjoyed happy hour one afternoon at a waterfront spot call Mecca Bah. A ton of fabulous outdoor dining venues. You could try for a month and never repeat it seems. Several great billboard like maps dot the area to help you navigate. Heavy in foot traffic. So enjoy the view and enjoy life. Darling Harbor was an entertaining area. read more

Darling Harbour - Map - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Quintessential place to visit when coming to Sydney. This area has a lot of things to do. There's general touristy stuff like sightseeing on Pyrmont Bridge; there are the tourist trap places like Sea Life and Madame Tussauds; there are A LOT of restaurants and bars to check out; there seems to be events that happen here, we watched them breakdown a concert series of some sort; there are docks for boating activities; and probably so much more that I don't know about. It's a fairly easy walk into the CBD and down to Circular Quay. read more

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A hop and a skip from where we stayed! It was a hidden treasure cause I heard about it but didn't realize how close it was to where we were. A great people watching venue and there was a Ukranian Fest going on which was cool to see. Aquarium and other venues nearby and one of the ferry stops (realized that when we were at Circular Quay). Walking over the Pyrmont Bridge was cool! A definite "must stop" in Sydney! read more

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We took the ferry to Darling Harbor. Dinner cruises, showboats, restaurants, aquarium,, Madam Tressau's, and an easy walk to Chinatown and the business district. The restrooms were stocked, clean & attractive. There are many hotels here, the Crown, W and a Hilton. read more

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#64 for 2021 I don't know where to begin. There is so many things to do. What ever you are in the mood for you will find something to satisfy. My met my cousin here to for lunch, dinner, desserts, drinks on many occasions . The food is incredible. Lots of shopping to. And, there is still so much more Darling Harbour has to offer. We spent several days attending the Oz Con in the International Convention Centre Sydney. They have fireworks every Saturday night. I was able to catch that a couple times. Harbourside Shopping Centre, besides some wonderful shopping, has some other interesting things to do there like bowling, laser tag and flight simulators with other 3D simulators. You can also entertain yourself at the Star Casino. Visit the the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney Aquarium, Power House Museum, Madam Tassauds. The IMAX theater will be reopening this year 2021. Tumbalong Park was still being completed but you can visit there. On one day we picked up some food and had a picnic. It was a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle watching activity in the harbour. But wait there's more. Paddy's Market with more food options. The Aboriginal Centre, Chinese Friendship Garden and the Sydney Wildlife World. Cockle Bay Wharf is where lots of the action is especially at night. By day it is a smorgasbord of restaurants and bards serving up some of the elegant and tasteful food in Sydney. At night they turn into dance clubs and party centers for the hipsters, young entrepreneurs and those coming of age and well... everyone else. lol It is incredible how much food is there. Even though we were there for a month it was not enough time to hit all the good spots. And that's why a return trip is necessary. There are many ocean adventures to do here too. Travel on a glass bottom boat. Scuba diving if you want to do more sight seeing. Get up in the sky with parasailing. Sunset dinners and booze cruises are on several boats. My cousin was able to bring us into her building where she works. I was really impressed with the whole floor and where her department was located but the main reason we were there was to have a different view of Darling Harbour. I don't know how she can work looking at that all day. It's too sinfully tempting to want to go down and enjoy it all. The view from up high, I forgot what floor we were on, was amazing. We stayed there an hour admiring the view. The AC too was nice. Talk about 1st dates. Actually any date here would be impressive. You can easily fall in love over and over again with Darling Harbour. Oh, and your special someone too. read more

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Darling Harbour is pure magic. There are fabulous restaurants, fun bars, an IMAX theatre, aquarium, amazing dance studio and more. I always picture it as a sparkly place because at night, the lights from all of the businesses reflect in the water and it's truly beautiful. One of my favorite nights in Sydney involved dancing at one of the spots along the harbour and then walking outside, only to be on the water with a cool breeze and beautiful view. I can't wait to return one day! read more

Darling Harbour is a touristy area with shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. We ended up coming here after our visit to Chinese Garden of Friendship. Not worth a special trip and the water does smells a little funky. The view though is ok. We ended up getting a coffee and just chill out for awhile. read more

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This is a super touristy district however it's a great area to walk around. It's not as packed as Circular Quay and there's a bit more green space to relax if you just grabbed some takeaway and want to sit down. There's still a lot of good food in this area as well as hosting some popular tourist attractions. read more

Darling Harbor, named after Lieutenant General Ralph Darling, a former Governor of New South Wales, running adjacent to the City of Sydney, Australia along Cockle Bay, Darling Harbor Warf and opening north into the main Port of Sydney, which is actually Port Jackson, is one of my favorite harbors to come into. It is surrounded with all sorts of restaurants, boarders near Sydney's China Town, shops and points of local interest. I've spent whole days wondering the area and have yet to have taken in all there is to see. Best off from a tourist's point of view, the locals couldn't be more friendly, helpful or accommodating, plus with security being rather tight, no worries of any dangerous situations. And for me, being from America, a driving on the right hand side of the road as opposed to what is here with traffic driving on the left, plenty of cautionary reminders warning me which way I should be looking. read more

Darling Harbour - With these guys following you on the sidewalk, you're safe. LOL! - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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I walked around Darling Harbour a couple times when I vacationed in Sydney, once at night and once in the day. When I visited at night, it was extremely packed with hundreds of people watching the fireworks on Australia Day. So it was a BIG mistake arriving during the show rather than a couple hours before. Getting run over by baby strollers and trying to maneuver around people packed like sardines wasn't the best way to start my first night in Sydney. However, when I revisited again during the day, it was a pleasant experience. It was a weekday, not too crowded, yet peaceful enough to stroll along the pier, grab some gelato, and just take in the warm sun and watch the day go by. Darling Harbour is a must-visit when in Sydney. It reminds me of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco - both are along the waterfront, are heavily touristy, have several museums with pricey admission, and have lots of seafood restaurants. Just replace those sea lions at Pier 39 with jellyfish, and you've got Darling Harbour! On the side note: There's a firework show almost every Saturday night at 9pm, not just on New Years and Australia Day. read more

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Oh Darling you're pretty. Darling Harbour is a tourist mecca like Circular Quay but is teeming with life. It has a firework show every Saturday and is host to the Sydney Aquarium and Australian National Maritime Museum, as well as cafes, restaurants, and clubs. It also is nearby the Chinese Garden of Friendship, an IMAX theatre, and the convention centre. Pyrmont Bridge lies in front of the harbour. Worth a stop to get a view of Cockle Bay and to people watch. read more

My dearest Darling Harbour. I miss your Aussie awesomeness. This review is not for the jaded who tag you as a boring tourist trap coz you're not. For locals this is a reminder of what you have access to that many cities don't. For tourists, these are some options available to you. Central location to most of Sydney's attractions. You hungry? Loads of eateries from casual to fine dining with perfect romancy fancy skyline views shining and shimmering off the waterways. You want a snack? Head over to the fish market. Still trying to impress your date? Walk along the shops on a Saturday night and look up at the fireworks show if none is happening for you. Need a laugh? They have a giant rubber ducky just wading in the water to say G'day. Healthy living folks. This is a walkable area you are sure to get your steps in without even noticing. It's locked and loaded with lots to do. Oh wait. This is not California. You're in Sydney! Turn around and make a beeline to the rooftop and visit real Koala's, wombats and wallabies. If this has you jumping for joy with giddiness just to do it to the awesome music that is coming out of the clubs close by. Want to get cultured there's Chinatown, a Chinese garden. Aquarium, ferris wheel and places to post up and people watch whilst sipping on coffee or sampling the happy hour specials. If you've never been to my Darling Harbour she awaits you. Any fellow Yelpers in the area I'd gladly meet up and we can Yelp it out. Cheers mates! Darling Harbour drinks, bites and Aussie sites! Mel M Yelp 19:56 read more

This can best be described as the Australian version of San Fransisco's Fisherman's Warf. Planty of places to grab a bite, do a little shopping or just enjoy the beautiful view. It is a bit touristy but it is a must go kinda place. read more

What's in a name? That which we call a sewer by any other name would smell as sour. dHarb as the cool kids call her (actually just Benny B... errrr... and me) is a victim of its own name. It purports to be a dahlink. An affluent lady born of high society and high tea. Sadly it's more effluent - the disgorging of tourists from another disappointing expensive meal, and the casual discarding of over-priced, tactless souvenirs. Nomenclature has an interesting way of giving the opposite impression of a person or place. Remember that girl at school named after a precious gem or expensive sports car brand? (big sad-face emoji to Mercedes at Maccas, Opal at Oporto, and Porsche at Pizza Hut). The primary purpose of this man-made attraction (distraction?) is to act as a hub that provides access to a large number of infinitely more interesting attractions (Chinese Gardens, Tumbalong Park, the now-defunct Exhibition Centre), and a blank-space buffer between the city and Pyrmont. "Darling", is really an aussie bogan slang term that superior types use to patronise their local pizza waiter Dazza (or his female equivalent Shazza). On the very odd occasion when you come across a Derek, it's shortened to Darls (with or without the ess). So Darling Harbour, should really be named Dazza Harbour or Derek Harbz as a nod of authenticity to its real roots, or even Darls Harba. Calling a place Darling, doesn't make it one. Admiral Ackbar said it best..."It's a trap!" read more

Darling Harbour - Waterfall Swing, Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Great place to spend the day. Plenty of shops, restaurants and tourist attractions. It's central to China town, fish market and the Chinese Garden. They have fireworks every Saturday night and I will go down there tomorrow night to see them. read more

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Great place for people watching. This place can get really crowded. There are many restaurants and bars. Lots of women wearing short, tight skirts that they should probably not be wearing while trying to walk around in heels that are way too high. It's funny to watch people walking back and forth trying to either pick up or put on a show. Funny stuff. There is the IMAX theatre, Maritime museum, aquarium and many other touristy types of things to do. It seems to also be a popular place for birthday celebrations and bachelorette parties. Free fireworks are always a bonus. read more

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Darling Harbor used to be an aging and ominous district of wharves and warehouses, where no tourist ventured unless they were lost, just like Bonfire of the Vanities. But then they dreamed big, spent large and developed it in a masterful way. Now everyone goes to visit the entertainment, and the bevy of stores and restaurants for all tastes. Though it's "touristy", it is not all overpriced. Entertainment and great views of the cityscape and the harbour. The Maritime Museum is here. The nearby Paddys Market is where you can buy your inexpensive T-shirts and other souvenirs. The historic Pyrmont Bridge and the old docks give it a blend of the old and the new. The locals don't really go too much after a time or two, except to escort their visitors from elsewhere. They may stroll through on their way to the nearby Sydney Casino. But most tourists will probably end up here for a half or full day of spending. Sydney can get complacent about having the best harbour in the world, but other people get as much as they can because they may never be back if they live far away. The city did need some kind of tourist mecca, and DH works for that purpose. This ain't the real Sydney of course. I think everybody knows that. read more

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Whether you're there for the big tourist draws (aquarium, zoo, Madame Tussauds, Maritime Museum, IMAX, etc.) or not, Darling Harbour is a pleasant area to wander around and a welcome break from the busy Chinatown/CBD streets. Each time I passed through there seemed to be something going on from craft stalls to a Greek festival. If like me you take an interest in curiosities, have a nosey at the remnants of the old Darling Park and Harbourside monorail stations (though the monorail itself sadly went to the great train shed in the sky a few years ago) situated on either side of the Pyrmont Bridge. There's an excellent programme of regular free fun events. Yes, budget travellers - FREE! On various nights I enjoyed entertainment as part of their 'Month of Love' celebrations including outdoor cinema screenings of Finding Neverland and The Wedding Singer, and 'Loved-Up' fireworks. Some nice touches at the cinema screenings - pink heart-shaped picnic blankets were dotted over the grass for guests to use, and wine was available to buy. The sound was broadcast through wireless headphones allowing you to get immersed in the movie without any background noise. The fireworks display over the bay was fabulous as well - worth going to see (displays every Saturday night). read more

Darling Harbour - Old monorail station - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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For sure it's one of my favorite spot in Sydney. It's a vibrant and beautiful area. During the daytime you can appreciate the nice view from the wharf and all the buildings surrounding this area. At the night, it's a perfect place for romantic dates. It's a famous tourist point so there are many things to do and a lot of places to go like Aquarium, Madame Tussauds, Maritime Museum and the Zoo. You'll certainly need more days to visit all of them. Also be prepared to find many people taking pictures and selfies all the time. Save your best click here! It's a nice place to take a stroll if you're in Chinatown or CBD. Oh, and don't miss the fireworks on Saturday nights, take a seat in one of the restaurants and enjoy the view!!!! read more

Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

I recently visited Darling Harbour during my trip to Sydney Australia. There are many places to stay and visit while in Sydney, but one of the most popular is Darling Harbour. Darling Harbour is known for its amazing entertainment, delicious waterside dining, and wildlife. Darling Harbour is the perfect destination in the heart of Sydney. You can meet penguins at the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium or get up close in personal with koalas at the WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. You'll find plenty to do and see. If you like wax museums, they even have a Madame Tussauds. The waterfront restaurants are an amazing experience as well and make for a fun night out or a good date night with the significant other. You can also dance the night away at the local nightclubs. Don't forget it is a large recreational and pedestrian precinct which means it is great for walking. Darling Harbour is walking distance from other attractions, to name a few: Cockle Bay, Circular Quay, Chinatown, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanical Garden, and many more. We experienced Darling Harbour by staying at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. This was an awesome experience. Our room had a harbour view, so we could enjoy the scenery of the harbour as the sun rise and set. read more

Darling Harbour is a harbourside entertainment area which features a variety of restaurants, entertainment and shops. Located on the water, this vibrant part of Sydney has a pederstrian walkway along the outskirts of the water with spectacular ocean views and its a fun place to spend the day, browsing and eating. Darling Harbour is a particularly fun place to bring kids during the day. You can drop into the Aquarium - which is a wonderful way to engage children with nature of perhaps blow their minds by watching a movie on the ULTRA BIG screens of Imax. There are also beautiful play areas for children with gym equipment or waterways - so its super family friendly.... Friday and Saturday night darling harbour transforms into a night club - with people mainly there to have a fun night out with friends....(so at this point, tuck the kids into bed). There's a wonderful array of restaurants, cafes and clubs. Darling Harbour can be a bit touristy.... but its a fun place to head to on occassion to enjoy how stunning Sydney really is.... They regulary have excellent live free entertainment events - so make sure you check out their website to get updates. read more

Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

We strolled through Darling Harbour on our first evening in Sydney, taking in the free light and firework show during Vivid before finding somewhere for a bite to eat. The Harbour looked beautiful while lit up for the festival, and there's certainly no shortage of places to grab some food or a drink. I found it to be a lovely, vibrant area and would like to visit again during the daytime. read more

Darling Harbour - Lit up for Vivid - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Other than the fireworks on Saturdays, I'm not sure what else there is to do around here...get on a boat? go to a club? Fireworks every Saturday is great though! read more

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Touristy area in Sydney with lots of restaurants, shopping centres, the aquarium and the big imax cinema. Worth a wander round and a good place for dinner and a stroll read more

Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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Recently visited Darling Harbour for the first time during my Sydney trip. Darling Harbour is another famous harbor in Sydney besides Circular Quay. I would say that Darling Harbour has more to do than Circular Quay, with an abundance of restaurants, shopping (although not very good shopping IMO -- a lot of touristy shops), a ferris wheel, outdoor seating for people watching, and a few museums -- Australian National Maritime Museum, Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Aquarium, and Madame Tussauds. When I was here, I enjoyed just sitting and admiring the view, and people watching. I walked through the shops but didn't see anything good. There are a lot of restaurants so definitely make sure you check them out while you're here. I went to the Wild Life Sydney Zoo, which I really enjoyed. Highly recommend the Breakfast With Koalas! Next time I would like to visit the aquarium, and perhaps the Maritime museum. Overall, nice place to walk around and check out if you're in Sydney! read more

A TOURST stop! I've been coming here since it first opened and its evolved a lot. A lot to see and do from the Maritime Museum, shopping, walks, Chinese gardens, some great restaurants, kids play areas, hotels. You can catch a Ferry here, a water Taxi, walk, light rail or just walk. read more

The tourist Mecca of Sydney! I'm a fan of the setting - on the water with the CBD skyline acting as a backdrop (if you're on the Pyrmont side), which is lovely during the day, and one of my favourite views at night. However, that's where my love affair with Darling Harbour ends. As a tourist, I can perfectly understand why you'd go down there, but as a local (after 5 years, I deem myself a local), I can't see any particular reason to head down here, aside from perhaps you have too much money and you want to get rid of it. Much like Circular Quay, I like to come down here on nice day and have a walk around, and occasionally I'll drift into one of the bars along King Street Wharf (Cargo, Bungalow 8, James Squire, plus others, are set along the water, which proves a nice spot on a sunny day), but you won't find me going out for dinner or shopping - especially when there are much better places if you just go for a bit of a walk! Oh and the clubs down here on a Friday and Saturday, forget about it (but that's cos I'm getting old!). read more

Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

Darling Harbour provides a nice comparison to Sydney's more famous Circular Quay (aka Sydney Harbour). It's about a 30-minute walk from Circular Quay. The harbor is extensive with several things to do: shopping, restaurants, and even an aquarium and the maritime museum. At night, almost every restaurant becomes a nightclub. It can be pretty touristy over here like at Circular Quay, but it is definitely worth exploring while visiting Sydney. read more

We had a great afternoon walking around and taking in the sites. Highly recommend for food and drinks too

This place is not just for tourists, great for local families and children! It will be even much better once all works done, construction take so damned long. read more

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Darling Harbor was extremely touristy with the rows of restaurants on one side, and the theatre and boardwalk rides on the otherside. Nontheless, it is worth a visit for the beautiful view of the wharf and the skyline of Sydney! read more

Plenty of tourists, photo-ops and even a view of Sydney's infamous New Year's Eve fireworks. There's a lot to do around so you make sure you put on your walking shoes and give yourself plenty of time. read more

My absolute favorite spot in Sydney! Darling Harbour is the perfect place to sit down with a glass (or bottle ;p) of wine at night and people-watch. There are many restaurant options along the Harbour, and it's extremely relaxing. The Zoo and other attractions are in the same area. Chinatown is also very close by. I definitely recommend visiting whether you're travelling solo or with a family! read more

Darling Harbour - Local Flavor Near Me - Sydney, NSW

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