Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney (must see)

The Royal Botanic Gardens, located to the East of the Sydney Opera House, overlooking Farm Cove, is the former farmland established by Governor Philips, the founder of Sydney.

Surrounding the gardens is the Domain, a green space adjacent to the Government House, founded by Governor Macquarie in 1916. The first Colonial Botanist, Charles Frazer, began the collection and study of plants in the garden thus making it the oldest scientific institution in Australia.

Each year, the gardens welcome over a million visitors coming to see the trees and plants (some of which are quite rare) from across Australia, plus the population of unique birds and fruit bats. There is a large pond with ducks, the white-faced heron, and other aquatic birds.

The Royal Botanic Gardens are divided into several themed sections such as the Palm Grove, the Oriental Garden, and the Herb Garden. Also interesting are the Rainforest Walk, the Succulent Garden with desert plants, and the Australian Native Rockery.

The place is family friendly and children and adults are free to walk and play on the grass and observe the plants at close quarters. The entry is free and visitors can enjoy picnics right there on the lawn.

This super cool location on the side of the Bay is the place you can hardly get bored of; a visit here easily can be a whole day's entertainment. You can use the train for an overview of the place; however, walking is just as entertaining a way to get around. If you plan to have longer hours in the Gardens, there are also restaurants, as well as a café, plus plenty of benches in the shade, where a tired visitor can have a rest.

Tip:
Don't forget to check out Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, from where the wife of Governor Macquarie was watching the ships sailing into the Harbour – a great vantage point with beautiful views!
Also, try and book the Aboriginal Heritage tour, which is about an hour long and runs on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings at 10 am.