Centennial Parklands

A weekend trip to Centennial Park, especially in summer, reveals Aussies at their leisurely best. There’s an outdoor fitness station, and you can hire rollerblades and bikes or even go horse riding. Cyclists used to be a bit of a menace, but these days most adhere to the 30km/hr (18.6mph) speed limit and will dodge a pedestrian if at all possible. But don’t be scared off by all this activity: the park is also teeming with those just looking for a shady spot to snooze or read a good book. Even in peak season, when it seems every Sydneysider wants a piece of the park, the vast lawns mean that there’s always a secluded spot to claim as your own. Statues, ponds and native Australian flowers make it one of the prettiest places to spend a day, and there’s a great restaurant and café. Ranger-led walks include Tree Tours, Frog Pond workshops and the night-time Spotlight Prowl, and keep your eyes peeled for the Moonlight Cinema from December to March. Another highlight perfect for families is the Ian Potter Children's Wild Play Garden – a fenced-off landscape featuring a bamboo forest, dry creek beds, banksia tunnels, turtle mounds and a huge treehouse, with water play fountains to splash around in during summer.