Darling Harbour and Barangaroo

Until the mid-1980s this horseshoe-shape bay on the city center's western edge was a wasteland of disused docks and railway yards. Then, in an explosive burst of activity the whole area was redeveloped and opened in time for Australia's bicentenary in 1988. Now there's plenty to take in at the Darling Harbour complex: the National Maritime Museum, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, and the gleaming Exhibition Centre, whose masts and spars recall the square-riggers that once berthed here. At the harbor's center is a large park shaded by palm trees. To the right is Barangaroo Reserve, Sydney's latest harbor playground, with world-class eateries and stunning walks. Waterways and fountains lace the complex together. To the left, the newly developed Darling Quarter offers brand-new dining spaces surrounding a splash park and expansive park, with green spaces to relax.