Darling Harbour is Sydney's major waterfront precinct, transformed in the 1980s from a derelict dockyard into a sprawling entertainment district on the western edge of the CBD. It is a five-minute walk from Town Hall station.
The area is home to the Australian National Maritime Museum, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, and the Powerhouse Museum. The Chinese Garden of Friendship, tucked behind the southern end, is a quiet escape from the crowds. Restaurants and bars line both sides of the harbour, and on Saturday nights there are often fireworks.
Darling Harbour is busiest on weekends and during school holidays. It is touristy by design, but the museums are genuinely good and the harbourside walk from Barangaroo through to Pyrmont is pleasant.