ellaslist Reviews: Christmas at Darling Harbour

Truth be told, we love Darling Harbour all year round. The spectacular Saturday night fireworks on the water, the incredible kid's playground at Darling Quarter that never gets old and the lively atmosphere of the little lanes and awesome eateries at Darling Square lure us here throughout the year. There is always something to explore at this buzzing harbourside hotspot - a fun destination to get away and play, without leaving the city!

However, Darling Harbour really comes alive at Christmas with a festive flurry of multi-sensory installations and events to rejoice in the most wonderful time of the year.

ellaslist Reviews: Christmas at Darling Harbour

Darling Harbour is Sydney’s largest fully pedestrianised waterfront destination and the entertainment hub is abuzz with Christmas cheer to get you feeling the festive spirit.

Pedal Boat Rides

Our adventure in the urban oasis started with the famous Pedal Boat Ride. We got kitted up in our buoyancy vests, had a quick safety briefing and set sail in our pedal boat for a leisurely tour around the bay. With a breeze at our backs and sprawling views of the city before us, this fun little sojourn on beautiful Cockle Bay was a surprisingly relaxing way to take in the sites, including Darling Harbour's own supersized baubles and resident Ferris wheel.

Both first-timers on these little skiffs, the pedal boats were super easy to manoeuvre - my 12-year-old commandeered ours - and made a unique novelty experience for me and my little explorer to cool off and soak up the summer vibes.

Giant Christmas Baubles

Darling Harbour is celebrating Christmas in a really big way - the entire precinct is dotted with gigantic, oversized decorations to celebrate this bright and beautiful season - and we set out to discover them all!

First up, huge inflatable baubles adorned the water - fun floating obstacles that we successfully navigated in our pedal-powered boat - giving the picture-perfect vista a full festive makeover. Disembarking from our ride on the harbour, a whopping 6-metre-tall, bauble installation lights up the night on ICC Forecourt with an ever-changing rainbow of vibrant, illuminated colours. Perfect for a Christmas happy snap!

Giant Living Christmas Presents

In addition to the supersized baubles, an impressive display of larger-than-life Christmas presents takes pride of place in Darling Quarter.

Embellished with red ribbons, the living sculptures are made from plants and are breathing fresh new life into the bustling dining and play hub. These were also stunning sights to behold!

Fairy Light Tunnel

Finally, we headed to one of our favourite places where an enchanting tunnel of sparkly golden fairy lights welcomed us into the fabulous Darling Square courtyard.

A Delicious Christmas awaits along the exciting cobblestone paths and laneways of Darling Square and we explored an array of eateries overflowing with exotic cuisine and mouthwatering treats. The season of indulgence has well and truly begun!

What Else is Happening in Darling Harbour?

Throughout December, Tumbalong Park will be teeming with family-friendly yuletide celebrations including a festival extravaganza featuring live music, Christmas markets and sneaky visits from Santa himself. Kids will be spellbound by the whimsical wonderland.

Pixar Putt is also back at Darling Harbour this summer for movie-inspired mini-golf and there are sensational fireworks displays every Saturday night.

Of course, Darling Harbour is also the perfect place to eat, drink and be merry with over 150 venues for foodies.

Find out everything you need to know for a cracker of a Christmas at Darling Harbour.

What Else Is On This Christmas?

The Best Sydney Streets to See Christmas Lights
The Best Christmas Events in Sydney
Christmas Markets in Sydney

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