Top Rated Parks to Visit in Manly

"The Royal Botanic Garden has one of the most beautiful locations in Sydney – on the harbour, next to the Opera House, bordering the central business district. For visitors, it’s a stunning location that gives views of the Harbour Bridge and across to the north shore of the city. But it’s also one of the most important botanical institutions in the world with about 9000 species of plants."

"Royal Botanic Gardens Just past the Opera House, you will enter into these beautiful gardens. It’s full of stunning displays and hosts different events each week. It’s the perfect spot to take a break and watch the world go by or choose one of the paths and see some of the beautiful displays."

"While waiting for my friend, I spent the time walking around the area, where Hyde Park is, and I couldn’t help but marvel at the structures. Several buildings were still designed the way they used to be 50 years back or older, giving the district art deco and gothic vibes. Parks were also well-maintained, wishing it were the same here in Manila."

"1 km from city center 9 out of 18 places to visit in Sydney. Near the city centre, the Hyde Park is a vast spread of green land. The beautiful park is full of green lawns, pretty flowers and rich trees, and also has the Archibald Fountain and Anzac War Memorial."

"One of Sydney’s worst kept secrets is Wendy’s Secret Garden, a green oasis of native plants, fig trees, beautiful flowers and a thriving community of birds. The garden is a beautiful place for office workers and local residents to wind down, eat their lunch, read a book or to simply enjoy the views. Wendy’s Secret Garden is now part of the Lavender Bay Parklands, a collection of green spaces and parks in and around Lavender Bay, such as Clark Park, Watt Park, Quibaree Park and also the Lavender Bay Foreshore."

"Ok, it is not really a secret – but Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden is still very much an underrated attraction in Sydney often overlooked by locals and tourists alike. A free place to visit, this delightful Lavender Bay garden on the lower North Shore of Sydney Harbor has charming views and a unique feeling of peace and tranquility. A public garden and much-loved oasis formed on railway land at the bottom of Wendy’s Garden, the site has an intriguing history and is well explained by signboards dotted around."

"Built over an abandoned train yard, this hidden gem is full of winding paths and offers gorgeous views of Sydney Harbour."

"Fairfield Adventure Park is our absolute favourite kids playground in Sydney, perhaps because we have tweens and teens amongst our little crew. This incredible park has a range of activities from a super tall climbing net which will take the kids up to a viewing compound a good 11 metres up in the air. Then there’s the ninja warrior course, a tug of war area and even a water mist shower to cool you off without drenching you wet."

"Fairfield Adventure Park has been around for a few years but is one that impresses the young kids and the tweens too!. When the 30-metre slide at Hilltop Park in Schofields closed down due to safety concerns, Fairfield Adventure Park took back its title of biggest playground slide in Western Sydney. It twirls and glistens in the sun and simply has to be seen to be believed."

"Especially designed to provide a play space for kids of a variety of ages, the Fairfield Adventure Playground brings the “wow” factor in spades. The park opened in 2015 after a $1.4 million council investment. With the star attractions designed specifically for teens, this is a unique playground that provides a much-needed recreational space for older kids."

"Parramatta’s first all-inclusive playground opened in early 2019. It features climbing structures, water play with a splash play area and water pumps, an elevated sandpit, an accessible carousel, swings, BBQ facilities and excellent bathrooms. Read the full review of Ollie Webb Reserve playground here."

"A great spot to take kids in summer, Putney Park features climbing equipment for kids of all ages plus two shallow pools connected by a pebble creek and a large climbing web. Read more about Putney Park here."

"It was only a year ago that I worked across from Putney Park and marvelled at its ability to evoke peels of laughter from children all day every day that would carry across Parramatta River."

"The site of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games is now a monument to sporting legends and a peaceful parkland. Visit Cathy Freeman Park to see the Olympic Cauldron that was used throughout the games. It has now been transformed into a water feature that kids love to play under."

"In the evening, catch a performance at the Sydney Theatre Company at Walsh Bay. But before hand, drop by the Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf for a pre-show drink; its terrace boasts some of the best views in the city. Get a good night's sleep at one of Sydney’s countless city hotels – in fact, you’ll find the elegant Pier One Sydney Harbour right next door."

"The historic Capitol Theatre plays hosts to theatre shows, musicals, ballets and other concerts throughout the year. Located in Haymarket, the theatre is easily accessible from the Sydney CBD. It’s not just the shows themselves though, the Capitol Theatre is the perfect location for a great night out."

"Feature: Everyday life in early Sydney through the lives of the families who lived in these terraces. Situated on Sydney Harbour in the historic Rocks, Susannah Place was built in 1844 as a row of terraces and occupied by working-class Sydneysiders right up until it became a museum in the 1990s. One of the few places to escape slum clearances and gentrification intact, today visitors can step through a portal in time and walk through the preserved rooms that show the mundane and daily aspects of Australian-working class life throughout the buildings’ long history."

"One of our favourite things we did in Sydney was visit Susannah Place. Located in the Rocks, Susannah Place is a couple of old terraces which have been conserved and set us as they would have been many decades ago. Here your family can have a fun, educational experience where you can discover what it was like to be living in these small houses."

"Susannah Place Museum is a historic house museum located at The Rocks in the heart of Sydney. The museum consists of four terrace houses whose history dates back to 1844. The occupancy of these houses has been collected..."

"A landmark building near Circular Quay, this is the location of the library. It used to be the headquarters of the Customs service and is an impressive building to walk through. One of the best features to check out is a small scale model of Sydney under the glass floor."

"While the mere mention of the word "museum" may instantly cause a cloud of boredom to pass across the average child's face, these two quality exhibitions that are long-time staples of Sydney each go to great lengths in an attempt to appeal to people on all ends of the age spectrum. Sydney's Australian Museum, established in 1827, is the first originally-established museum in the country and has evolved over time to the point that it now puts a lot of effort into catering to kids as much as possible. Featuring numerous interactive, hands-on elements and exhibits that encourage participation rather than simple observation, kids will have fun trying out some of the displays while also hopefully learning something along the way."

"Bringing to life the perils and adventures of the sea, the Australian National Maritime Museum has a jam-packed kids calendar all year-round. During school holidays, there are plenty of activities for kids of all ages to learn about maritime, but when Family Fun Sunday rolls around (once a month), all hands are on deck with character-led tours, live performances, face painting and activities. They have Mini Mariners play space and permanent exhibits that show how families travelled on to Australia on the First Fleet and convict ships."

"Catch the ferry back to Darling Harbour where you can jump off and visit the Maritime Museum. There’s lots to see and do with collections about the history of boats and sea exploration around Australia. The permanent exhibitions and some children’s activities are free."

"This Coogee café has everything you need to start your day right. With crispy bacon, caramelised onion, swiss cheese, fried eggs, kale slaw and a kick from espresso BBQ sauce. Or make your work lunch special with a chicken and haloumi toastie, Wagyu steak sandwich or their impressively named Better Than Sex ramen with soy infused egg, nori, wild mushrooms and your choice of wagyu beef or chicken – it’s a delicious winter warmer and, as the name suggests, it’s pretty damn good."

"Expect to see rabbits and lots of them at fun and funky café The Lion and Buffalo on Malabar Road in Coogee. There’s a huge wall mural featuring rabbits, along with smaller Polish porcelain bunnies th..."