Darling Harbour

Short description

If you feel like some fun in Sydney, Darling Harbour is the place to go. Sitting inside Sydney Harbour, west of Sydney Harbour Bridge, it’s a one-of-a-kind destination packed with restaurants, bars, museums, boat cruises and more. It’s the only place where you can learn about Sydney’s rich maritime history, cruise through a penguin enclosure, eat fresh seafood and dance ‘til dawn at a multi-level nightclub.

Darling Harbour
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Families can talk to the animals at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, with its resident dugong, sharks, rays and penguins, and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, home to koalas, wombats, kangaroos and crocodiles. Meet the celebrities at Madame Tussauds wax figures museum and learn about all things nautical at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Refuel at one of the more than 160 places to eat and drink around Darling Harbour, from casual cafes to fine dining restaurants and everything in between. You can spend a whole day and night here, and never run out of things to do.

Darling Harbour is also one of Sydney’s best places to stay. The waterfront is lined with hotels ranging from ultra-luxe high rises to family friendly digs and historic boutique properties. That means it’s just a short stroll home once the lights of Vivid Sydney go out.

During Vivid Sydney, the water and the buildings around it are brought to life with a kaleidoscope of coloured lights. It’s creativity, innovation and technology writ large, with a backdrop of laughter and excitement.

How to get there: Sitting just on the edge of the city, there are lots of ways to get to Darling Harbour. The light rail has four stops here: Paddy’s Market, Convention, Exhibition and Pyrmont Bay. Catch a bus to Market, Park, Druitt, Bathurst or Liverpool streets and walk down towards the water. It’s just a short stroll from both Town Hall and Wynyard stations and ferries run regularly from Circular Quay.

Darling Harbour

This is an image of Darling Harbour lit up with the lights reflecting in the water for Vivid Sydney

Light Events

Hika Rakuyo

Reflective dark water, brilliant lasers and projections, Japanese philosophy – see Cockle Bay in a new light. This spectacular artwork is a celebration...

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Hika Rakuyo render
Location: Cockle Bay Price: Free

Poem Booth

Poetry plays with language. Illuminates. It speaks to being human in a way nothing else can, but do you need to be human to write it?Prepare to engage...

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Poem Booth render
Location: Hay Street Price: Free

Neolithic

A blaze of lights above. A reverberating beat. A structure both ancient and modern. Welcome to Neolithic. It’s time to dance to the music from nearby...

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Neolithic
Location: Tumbalong Park Price: Free

BARANI

Step back in time to Warrane, a.k.a Sydney Cove, 500 years ago. A time long before the present-day climate crisis. A time when humans and nature lived...

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Barani
Location: Australian National Maritime Museum Price: Free

Neuron

Peek inside the most mysterious, powerful, and wonderous structure in the world – your very own brain.Neuron is a motion-triggered light installation...

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Neuron render
Location: Chinese Garden of Friendship forecourt Price: Free

Omnivisu

A building that looks back at you. The otherwise faceless silhouette of our city is given a human touch with this playful, interactive art installation...

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Omnivisu
Location: North Village Greens, Darling Quarter Price: Free

Music Events

Vivid Kids at Tumbalong Park

Get silly, bust a move, and feel the music – it’s all about little people and big fun at Vivid Kids at Tumbalong Park.Round up the kids and start your...

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Kids at Tumbalong all artists
Location: Tumbalong Park Price: Free

Jalbu Muna | Tumbalong Nights

Join us for Jalbu Muna, a unique night of multi-generational First Nations storytelling through music. It’s time for an unbridled and uplifting celebration...

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Jalbu Muna First Nations Artists
Location: Tumbalong Park Price: Free

Ideas Events

REMIX Summit Sydney 2024

Explore the scope and limits of human creativity at Australia's biggest creative industries summit, REMIX Summit Sydney 2024.Across two days of inspirational...

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REMIX Summit Sydney
Location: Australian National Maritime Museum Price: From: $335.00

Food Events

Deals