What's on at Darling Harbour ~ August 2014

Daily Event:
True Blue Cruises (Sydney Whale Watching)
Two level decks and a 360-degree lower viewing deck bring you as close to Sydney's migrating humpback whales as possible.
Time: 8:45am to 12:35pm and 1:30pm to 4pm
Price: From $60
Where: Departing from Cockle Bay Marina near IMAX Theatre
Website: sydneywhalewatching.com


Daily Event:
Beautiful Whale
American articst Bryant Austin is the only photographer in the world producing life-size photographs of whales. Come eye to eye with his portraits of nature's underwater giants.
Time: 9:30am to 5pm daily
Price: Adults $15, child/concession $10
Where: Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour
Website: anmm.gov.au


Daily Event:
Undersea Art Exhibition Sydney
A 5-metre tall, 15-metre long floating sea turtle has arrived inn Cockle Bay to celebrate the new Undersea Art Exhibition by BJ Price featuring at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium until 11th of September.
Giant turtle: Showing 24 hours (located southern end of Cockle Bay)
Exhibition time: 9:30am to 7pm daily
Where: Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, Aquarium Wharf
Website: sydneyaquarium.com.au


Sat 16, 23 and 30 August:
Harbourside Fireworks
why wait until New Year's Eve to see fireworks in Sydney when you can see them every Saturday night at Darling Harbour? It's a great way to celebrate the weekend!
Time: From 8:30pm
Price: FREE!
Where: Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour
Website: harbourside.com.au


Tues - Sun: 
Luminous
Constructed from 557 LED lights, powered by 100% renewable energy and boasting unique interactive capabilities, Luminous is a shimmer canvas through which to explore your curiousity.
Time: From 7:30pm
Price: FREE!
Where: Darling quarter
Website: darlingquarter.com/luminous


Sat 16:
Stella Fella Black Tie Ball
Enjoy a three course dinner and canapes including drinks and live entertainment. All profits from tickets go towards The Salvation Army's Trafficking and Slavery Safe House.
Time: 6:30pm
Price: $190 per person (for table of 10 - $1750 using the promo code stellafella2014)
Where: Dockside Pavillion, Darling Harbour
Website: stellafella.com

For more information on any of these events, visit DarlingHarbour.com


Need accommodation near Darling Harbour?

Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour has Darling Harbour views and is located only 10 minutes from Wynyard station. Located perfectly in the heart of the city, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is within easy access of all major attractions such as, the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium, IMAX Theatre, Cockle Bay Restaurants, Maritime Museum, Chinatown - restaurants and taverns, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Powerhouse Museum and the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

We are offering this online discount: Book an accommodation package at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour to receive 15% off. Promotion code: DarlingHarbour.
http://www.darlingharbour.com/stay/metro-apartments/receive-15-off.aspx
Select specials from here: www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/new-south-wales/metro-apartments-on-darling-harbour/hot-deals/

Website: www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/new-south-wales/metro-apartments-on-darling-harbour
Tel: (02) 9290 9200
Address: 132-136 Sussex Street, NSW 2000

Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

It's all about the views. Imagine standing on your own private balcony with a relaxing drink and watching the sun set over Darling Harbour. Well that's exactly how you could enjoy the end to another day when you next stay with us in one of our executive apartments located on levels 4-7.

The fully serviced one bedroom loft-style apartments provide you with many of the creature comforts of home. The brand new well equipped kitchen and bathroom with laundry facillities in your room are ideal for longer stays and provide you with plenty of room to relax and enjoy your stay.

Each of the well appointed rooms also has a LCD television with free Foxtel , telephone, free WiFi and small balcony.

More info: www.darlingharbour.com/stay/metro-apartments.aspx

How To Have a Stress-Free Family Day Out For Less Than $100

The weather’s warming up, and the kids are keen to get out and explore. But sometimes fun for the kids can mean stress for mums and dads, and a strain for their wallets.

So we’ve taken the stress and the expense out of the family day out. Here’s how to do Darling Harbour – stress-free, without breaking the budget.

Play

The Children’s Playground at Darling Quarter is completely free, and it’s a great place for the kids to spend some time. And the more time the better, as the huge playground has 16 separate features, including the Balance Ropes, an 18.7m rope course and the first of its kind in Australia; the Big Slide, the largest in the whole playground at over 3m high and 8m long; the 21m Flying Fox; the Giant Ring, a 3D swing experience that lets kids go up, down, side to side and around in circles; the Octanet, a climbing course that rises 10m into the air and uses 83m of rope; and the Pump Station, a cool water play feature with 26 water jets! Or just hang out in the sandpit, or chill out under the Shade Zone.

Mums and dads can grab a coffee from one of Darling Quarter’s great cafes, and take a load off on one of the playground’s many benches while the kids play.

Head over from the playground to Kingpin Bowling in the Harbourside Shopping Centre. It’s $40 for a family pass (two adults and two children), which includes one game of bowling per person and two free soft drinks.

On the way, stop off at the Carousel in Palm Grove and take a ride for only $4. Thought to be the second oldest carousel in Australia, and one of only a handful of surviving 19th century carousels, this carousel is a slice of super fun history. It’s driven by a steam engine that was made by Tidmans of Norwich (England) in 1892, and the horses were expertly carved by G & J Lines and Co, London in around 1895. It reached Australia in 1894, and has been enjoyed by roughly six generations of children!

Experience

Located in Australia’s first purpose built theatre dedicated to work for young people, Monkey Baa Theatre Company in Darling Quarter adapts the very best of Australian children’s literature to the stage. With a mission statement to “[create] exceptional theatre experiences for young people by bringing to life uniquely Australian stories”, at Monkey Baa your little monkeys will be entertained and inspired. Tickets are between $20-$25 depending on the show. Keep an eye on their website for new shows.

Enjoy a ride and a movie all at once at Harbourside Shopping Centre’s 9D Action Cinema. Melding 3D animated movies with surround sound, ‘active motion’ seats, and dramatic touch effects like rain, snow, and wind, it’s a cinematic experience like no other. Rides run all day and you don’t even have to book ahead. Just rock up; a family ticket for one ride is only $35.

Families can check out all permanent galleries at the Australian National Maritime Museum for only $17.50, or for an exciting and educational experience to cap off a weekend, check out their Family Fun Sundays. It’s $8.50 per child, $3.50 for the first adult and $7 for each additional adult, plus all day parking for only $13 (have your ticket stamped at the musuem). Every Sunday during the school term, the kids can get up to lots of maritime-themed activities, like making a long ship, or a viking helmet!

Explore the Chinese Garden of Friendship with the Emperor’s Quest smartphone app (available from Google Play and the iTunes App Store), which educates kids about the Chinese zodiac, known as ‘Sheng Xiao’ or ‘birth sign’. Fun clues and the history of each of the animals of the zodiac are hidden throughout the gardens on the way to the 12 hidden animal sculptures, and it’s up to the kids to find them! Once they’re all unlocked, a special surprise will be revealed…

Eat

There are so many great kids menus at Darling Harbour! Blackbird Cafe offers a $14.90 main with a free dessert and free colouring in, and for an extra $3 you can take home a limited edition wobble-bobble ice-cream-head.

Authentic Italian can be found at Vesta ($10), while at Adria, all kids meals are $12.50 including soft drink and dessert. On Saturdays and Sundays at Stacks, kids can get a pizza and unlimited soft drink for $5. Kamikaze offers a selection of Japanese meals for kids for $14.90 each plus a free red lemonade, and desserts for $6.50. Pontoon has a family friendly menu, with ten dishes under $10.

For kids under 12, Passello has a selection of mains for $8.50, and a scoop of free ice cream. Zaaffran has yummy Indian starters and mains for kids, ranging from $7.50 – $15.00. It may seem like a restaurant made entirely for big kids, but Pancakes on the Rocks has a kids menu too, ranging from $2.95 – $7.95.

Plan

Book ahead and you can get discounted all day parking at various Darling Harbour locations with Wilson Parking’s Book A Bay.

All Darling Quarter public amenities have baby change facilities, and Cockle Bay Wharf has a parents’ room and baby change facility.

Enjoy!

Source: http://www.hashtagdarlingharbour.com/stress-free-family-day-less-100/

Need affordable accommodation near Darling Harbour?

Stay at Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour and be conveniently located to all the major attractions in the article above.

Check out Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour's latest accommodation specials: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/hotels/new-south-wales/metro-apartments-on-darling-harbour/hot-deals/

Location: 132-136 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia (walking distance from Wynyard station)

Phone: 02 9199 - 2517

Princess Package @ Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour

Pamper yourself like a true Princess. Enjoy your complimentary wine and chocolates upon your arrival to your one Bedroom Executive Apartment. With stunning views of Darling Harbour, and see where Princess Mary met here Prince , with the Floor to Ceiling cathedral windows, brand new kitchen and a midday checkout

$229.00* Sunday - Thursday, $349.00* Friday - Saturday

Book here: http://www.metrohotels.com.au/special/58

Location: 132-136 Sussex St Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia

Phone: +61 2 9290 9200

Offer expires 31 May 2013!

Terms and Conditions:

• Subject to availability
• Offer valid until 31st May 2013
• Rates are based on 2 adult occupants
• Minimum 2 night stay is required
• Booking is non-refundable 

Located in the Sydney Central Business District (CBD), Metro Apartments on Darling Harbour has 26 spacious guest apartments.

Our 3 ½ star fully serviced one bedroom loft-style apartments provide you with many of the creature comforts of home. The well equipped kitchen and laundry facilities in your room are ideal for longer stays and provide you with plenty of room to relax and enjoy your stay. Each of the well appointed rooms also has a LCD television with 28 free Foxtel channels, telephone, free WiFi, ensuite bathroom and small balcony.

It's all about the views! Imagine standing on your own private balcony with a relaxing drink and watching the sun set over Darling Harbour. Well that's exactly how you could enjoy the end to another day when you next stay with us in one of our Executive Apartments located on levels 4-7.

Located perfectly in the heart of the city, Metro Apartments Darling Harbour is within easy access of all major attractions such as, the Sydney Aquarium, IMAX Theatre, Cockle Bay Restaurants, Maritime Museum, Chinatown - restaurants and taverns, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Powerhouse Museum and the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.