Royal Botanical Gardens
The Domain
(02) 9231-8125
Cost: Free except for special exhibits
Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to sunset
Originally established as a farm by convicts transported to Australia by the First Fleet, the Royal Botanical Gardens is a lush grove of botanical wonders situated beside picturesque Sydney Harbor. A Tropical Center features the exploits of the Venus flytrap and other intriguing tropical plants that live in the glass-house environment (A$5 adults, A$2 children, A$12 family). Pungent plantings populate the Herb Garden.

Bondi Beach
Campbell Parade, Bondi
Cost: Free
Pronounced bon-die, this magnificent stretch of sand is Sydney's most famous beach, the place to see and be seen either from the sand or from one of the many hip cafes across the street. Prepare for a carnival atmosphere as tourists and locals alike flock to Bondi for an anything-goes frolic in the sun.

Sydney Harbor Bridge
(02) 9247-3408
Cost: A$2 adults, A$1 children for Pylon Tower
Hours: Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Completed in 1932, this bridge remains an engineering feat even today. At 1,650 feet, the bridge is the city's most-revered landmark after the Sydney Opera House. Affectionately called "The Coat Hanger," the bridge contains 8 vehicle lanes, 2 railroad tracks, a cycleway and a walkway. The southeast column of the bridge contains a museum that documents the bridge's construction; walk 200 steps up the Pylon Tower for a magnificent view of the harbor and cityscape beyond.

The Sydney Aquarium
Darling Harbor
Cost: A$15.90 adults, A$8 children
Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Home to the most extensive collection of Australian marine life, the Aquarium features crocodiles, seals, fairy penguins and platypuses, as well as an enormous collection of sharks that lurk in its Open Ocean exhibit.

Taronga Park Zoo
Bradley's Head Road
(02) 9969-2777
Hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $15 adults, $38 families
One of the world's great zoos, Taronga lets its guests visit nearly nose-to-nose with some of Australia's most spectacular and exotic creatures - native koalas, of course, but also kangaroos, dingoes, Tasmanian devils and wombats. Scary creatures crawl through their Reptile House habitat. A Zoo Pass includes unlimited passages on the scenic gondola that meanders the 75-acre compound.

Centennial Park
Oxford Street, Paddington
(02) 9331-5056
Cost: Free
Hours: Daily, but hours change seasonally
A prime spot for athletes and nature-lovers alike, Centennial Park's 550 acres boast a wealth of wildlife that coexists beside miles of walking, cycling and horse trails. Visitors can picnic while they watch classic films shown at the amphitheater during summer months.

Luna Park
Milson's Point
(02) 9922-6644
Hours: Rides open weekends and school holidays; call for seasonal hours
Cost: $20-25 adults, $12-17 children for rides
Built in 1935, modeled after Coney Island's Luna Park and set against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour, this is a loud, brash, in-your-face amusement park that features a variety of classic rides. Visitors enter beneath the ghastly, grinning face of a painted clown, who has evolved alongside the park's collection of attractions.