8 Hidden Gems in Darling Harbour
Sure, you know all about IMAX Sydney, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and Madame Tussauds, but what you might not know is that Darling Harbour is home to so much more! It’s evolved into a hangout for entertainment seekers and foodie fanatics and art enthusiasts. Find out why with this compelling, and surprising, list of hidden gems.
Sydney’s famed harbourside precinct, Darling Harbour has undergone many changes over the years. The original name of the land is Tambalong, in Dharag language, and later named Long Cove, before being known as Darling Harbour, the area stretches from Chinatown along Cockle Bay and King Street Wharf, and to the suburb of Pyrmont, where our hotel is located.
The area has long been home to some of Sydney’s best known tourist attractions and venues, including the Australian National Maritime Museum, Chinese Garden of Friendship, and the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney), and in recent years has become a buzzing hotbed of new multicultural dining and shopping experiences, with the opening of Darling Square and several other new developments, housing specialty boutiques, bars and restaurants unique to the area, and often to Sydney as a whole.
If you haven’t been to Darling Harbour in a while, you might not recognise it today!
To help you discover what’s new, we’ve pulled together our top picks for the best hidden gems in Darling Harbour worth experiencing.
Credit: Destination NSW
#1. Feed Fish at The Chinese Garden of Friendship
You may have walked past the iconic gates of The Chinese Garden of Friendship, but did you know that you can witness daily feedings of the koi fish? Each morning, gather by Lenient Jade Pavilion, and you can clap to attract the koi and feed them. Another little-known secret of the Chinese Garden of Friendship is the 400 million-year-old coral fossils embedded in the garden’s Burrawong Limestone rocks. You can even enjoy a traditional yum cha feast at One Dining restaurant, sipping Chinese tea and scooping up dumpling after dumpling.
#2. Sip Some Of Sydney’s Coolest Drinks
Darling Square is home to an eclectic selection of Sydney’s coolest drinks. Quench your thirst with these unique sips around Darling Harbour, starting with one of Sydney’s best matcha and a fantastic aromatic coffee at Edition Roasters. For the bubble tea lovers, you can’t skip Bubble Nini with their flavoured pearls and freshly-brewed teas including their best-selling ‘Honey, I’m home ’- a mix of butterfly pea tea, honey, lemon juice and chia seeds. For more colourful concoctions, Two Sis & Co in nearby Pyrmont is hard to beat with beautifully-decorated Instagrammable lattes. Or you can check out our signature cocktails at Wayfarer’s!
Image credit: @what.tony.sees
#3. Uncover Hidden Street Art
Discover art that even the locals might not know about in Darling Harbour. The Canopy by acclaimed urban Aboriginal artist Jacob Nash can be easily missed, so make sure you look up as you walk through the Pier St Underpass, the golden shapes and stream of blues and blacks is Nash’s ‘The Night Sky’ – an artwork imagining the sky before Captain Cook’s arrival in 1770, marking a poignant moment in Australian history.
A short walk from our hotel is Data Scape on Moriarty Walk by Japanese visual and sound artist, Ryoji Ikeda, made up of an expansive giant screen several metres high and stretches in length and vibrant bursting colours displaying streams of moving data against captivating, colourful backgrounds.
Another gem is the heritage-listed Woodward Water Feature, a stunning downward spiralling water fountain, located in the forecourt of the International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney. For more hidden art around Darling Harbour and the Sydney CBD, check out our blog on hidden street art in Sydney.
Image Credit: Darling Harbour
#4. Watch Moves Being Busted at Dancers Alley
Dancers Alley is the best spot to watch street performers practicing and dancing their original routines and recreating popular dances from TikTok trends to K-Pop. Dancers have long danced in the dubbed ‘Dancers Alley’, busting moves in the reflective doors of the old Entertainment Centre. To keep the urban magic alive when the area was redesigned, architects ensured to include stainless steel mirrors and light installations to encourage the growing numbers of dancers Tik Toking and locking and popping.
Image Credit: City of Sydney
#5. Play For Hours in Free Playgrounds & Water Parks
The buzzing Darling Harbour waterfront is packed with hidden gems and free fun for all ages. From relaxing with a good read at Darling Square Library, or unleashing at the free ping pong tables. Or kick back with a sunset picnic at Tumbalong Park’s expansive green lawns. If weather and adventure permits, cool off in the playful fountains and water features scattered throughout.
Image Credit: Kwang Jang Pocha
#6. Eat Sydney’s Best Secret Bites
Find Sydney’s best kept foodie secrets at Darling Harbour and take a culinary journey across the world with the best restaurants in the city with the spiciest noodles at Dodee Paidang or all you can eat BBQ churrasco at Braza Churrascaria, with over 20 types of premium meats carved tableside. As a multicultural food hub, Darling Square also boasts delicious bites from authentic Asian eats and drinks at Nakano Darling and Kwang Jang Pocha – two of Sydney’s best late night drinks and snacks spots that’ll transport you to Japan and South Korea, respectively, with their street food classics like karaage chicken and a sizeable serving of spicy rice cakes – tteokbokki.
Image Credit: Darling Harbour
#7. Go Round the Merry-Go-Round
The perfect slice of fun and nostalgia for all ages, take a spin on one of Australia’s oldest carousels, built over a century ago. The beautifully-restored vintage carousel is a Darling Harbour icon, perfect for timeless fun and holiday memories. This hidden attraction in Sydney is nestled right by the water and is open daily with no bookings required. Simply walk up, grab a ticket and jump on.
Image Credit: Australian Maritime Museum
#8. Go Back In Time Aboard The Endeavour
Step aboard history at the Australian National Maritime Museum with a visit to the HMB Endeavour, one of the world’s most accurate replicas of Captain James Cook’s famous ship. Explore below deck where the crew once slept in hammocks, climb the narrow ladders, and imagine navigating uncharted waters under towering sails. Just a short stroll from the hotel, its moored right in Darling Harbour, the Endeavour offers a hands-on journey into 18th-century maritime life.
Need a place to stay?
Base yourself by all the action across from the CBD and next door to Darling Harbour, in the village-like neighbourhood setting of Pyrmont. That way, they can have the best of both worlds as well as easy access to everything around Sydney. Convenience meets artistic flare here at Aiden Darling Harbour, with luxe features like hand-painted murals, Dyson hair dryers and free-flowing Moda sparkling water, on-site restaurant and bar, and one of Sydney’s best hotel breakfasts.
Cheers with a complimentary glass of house wine or beer when you book your stay at Aiden Darling Harbour directly with our team via our website, phone or email.