Top attractions to spot on your Sydney Harbour cruise

Sydney Opera House

This iconic performance arts venue is famous all over the world and has come to become the iconic symbol of Australia. The landmark, designed in a modern expressionist style, has many resident companies — Opera Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra are some of the famous ones. It is visited by more than 1.2 million people annually.

Fun Fact: The Sydney Opera House has a cooling system that uses seawater from the harbor.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Another major Sydney Harbour attraction, the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through-arch bridge that runs from the Central Business District (CBD) to the North Shore. This striking bridge, along with the Sydney Opera House, is one of the most coveted frames in all of Australia. It is an integral part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney.

Fun Fact: The arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge have earned it the nickname "The Coathanger" for their shape.

Royal Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanic Garden sits at the eastern fringe of the Sydney CBD. This heritage-listed landmark is the oldest scientific institution in Australia and was opened in 1816. Apart from being a botanical garden, it is also an event venue and public recreation area with stunning views of the harbor.

Fun Fact: Some of the oldest trees here were planted as early as 1820.

Taronga Zoo

The Taronga Zoo is over a hundred years old and has more than 5000 animals and about 350 different species within its premises. It is a government-run establishment on the Sydney Harbour shore and is a beloved tourist site. Apart from the zoological attractions, a key spot inside is the Rustic Bridge, a historic landscape feature from 1915.

Fun Fact: Taronga is an Aboriginal word which means "beautiful view".

Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour is well-known for its recreational offerings. This harbor area is home to many attractions like Cockle Bay Wharf, Paddy's Markets, the Chinese Garden of Friendship, and others. It is also an ideal stop for history buffs, with a number of museums like Australian National Maritime Museum, Powerhouse Museum and Madame Tussauds.

Fun Fact: The Eora people would call this harbor “Tumbalong”, meaning a place where seafood is found.

The Rocks

Located at the southern shore of the Sydney Harbour, this is a major Sydney Harbour attraction, filled with souvenir shops, handicraft stalls, historic pubs and themed restaurants. The Rocks is a popular spot for street performances as well, and houses The Museum of Contemporary Art. Church Hill is also an important historical attraction, with some of the earliest churches in the country.

Fun Fact: The earliest buildings here were traditional vernacular houses but later local sandstone houses started coming up, giving the area its name.

Blues Point Reserve

The Blues Point Reserve is a popular park with amazing views of the harbor, especially the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is a great family spot with a nautical-themed playground and large Port Jackson and Moreton Bay figs, which provide the ideal shade for a little picnic by the sea. It is named after Billy Blue, a convict who arrived in Sydney in 1801 and became a local legend.

Fun Fact: The Blues Point Reserve is used as a center point for Sydney’s famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Circular Quay

This public piazza and heritage area in the city is a former working port and one of the must-see Sydney Harbour attractions. It is also the place where the First Fleet initially landed in 1788 and is a major landmark of Australian colonial history. Warrung or “Little Child” is the Aboriginal name for the Circular Quay. 

Fun Fact: A series of plaques commemorating writers who are connected to Sydney, known as the Sydney Writers Walk, were installed in Circular Quay in 1991.

Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island Wareamah, the largest of the Sydney Harbour islands, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between 1839 and 1869, the island was used to house convicts who had re-offended in the colonies. Cockatoo Island has Australia’s most extensive and varied record of shipbuilding, making it invaluable for Australian Maritime history.

Fun Fact: The Cockatoo Island gets its name from the sulfur-crested cockatoos that once were abundantly seen on the island.

Mrs Macquarie's Chair

Mrs Macquarie's Chair is an exposed sandstone rock that was carved into the shape of a bench by convicts in 1810. The chair was made in honor of Elizabeth Macquarie, the wife of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie. Legend has it that she would sit at the spot and enjoy the panoramic views of the harbor. Part of The Domain near the Royal Botanic Gardens, it is a lesser-known nugget of history along the Sydney Harbour.

Wendy Whiteley's Secret Garden

This beautiful garden is an artist’s dreamscape and is full of aesthetic landscaping and exquisite views of the harbor. Artist Wendy Whiteley and her late artist husband, Brett Whiteley, had their family home in Lavender Bay. When he died, Wendy started working on this garden as a tribute. Now, it is a public park that is great for small picnics and leisurely strolls through meandering trails.

Luna Park Sydney Face and Towers

Although one of the most famous Sydney Harbour attractions, Luna Park can still be considered a hidden gem because we seldom consider going to an amusement park when on vacation. However, if you don’t catch a glimpse of the iconic entrance face and Art-Deco towers at Luna Park, you will surely be missing out on a spectacular view. This heritage-listed amusement park was opened in 1935 and remains a symbol of Sydney tourism.