Luna Park Sydney

Luna Park is the amusement park with the best location in the world. It sits on the northern shore of the harbour at Milsons Point, right beside the Harbour Bridge, and its enormous smiling face entrance has been grinning across the water at the city since the 1930s. It is heritage-listed, and much of the appeal is the atmosphere: art deco buildings, painted signs, carnival games, fairy lights at night and the sense of a place that generations of Sydneysiders remember from childhood. The rides mix vintage and modern. There is a Ferris wheel with superb views of the Bridge and the Opera House, classic dodgem cars, a spinning teacup-style ride for little ones, and bigger thrill rides for teenagers, including a drop tower and a wild-mouse-style roller coaster. Coney Island, a 1930s funhouse full of slides, rotating barrels and wobbly floors, is a highlight for all ages. Rides are paid with ride passes priced by the rider's height, so younger children pay less, and passes are cheaper bought online in advance. Opening days and hours vary through the year, with more days in school holidays and summer, so always check the calendar before you go. Luna Park is also a busy venue for concerts, functions and events in its big hall, the Big Top, and the Crystal Palace. For visitors, it is best as a few hours with children, or as a nostalgic evening stroll and a ride on the Ferris wheel when the park is lit up and the harbour is glowing behind it.

History: Luna Park opened in 1935, using rides brought over from the Luna Park at Glenelg in Adelaide, and it has had a turbulent life, with closures, redevelopments and a tragic ghost train fire in 1979 that killed seven people and led to the park's long closure. It reopened and closed several times before the current operation was established, and it was listed for sale in 2024, its first time on the market in two decades, with operations continuing. The face, rebuilt several times, is one of Sydney's most recognisable icons, and seeing it from a ferry is part of any harbour trip.

How to do it well: check opening days and buy ride passes online, which saves money and queuing. Go at opening time on holiday days to get the most rides before the crowds build. For younger children, a smaller pass may be enough; teenagers will want the unlimited options for the thrill rides. In the evening, the park is at its most photogenic, and even if you do not ride much, a walk through the gates and along the boardwalk is a lovely end to a day on the north shore.

Practicals and fit: Luna Park is at 1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, a short walk from Milsons Point station and the Milsons Point ferry wharf, or a walk across the Harbour Bridge from The Rocks. Food is available inside the park and around Milsons Point. It suits families with children of all ages, teenagers, and couples in a nostalgic mood. Pair it with a walk across the Bridge and a visit to the BridgeMuseum in the pylon.