13 Best Things to do in Darwin (+ Map)

Darwin, the capital city of the Northern Territory, is often only seen as the entry point to the rest of the region. But there’s so much to see and do in the city that I’d really recommend dedicating a few days to exploring it.

I spent 2 full days in Darwin as part of my bigger trip exploring the Northern Territory, and I fell in love with it. There’s an incredible food scene, so much culture and loads of activities (a lot of which are free).

A woman in a pink skirt walks alone along a wooden boardwalk surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, dappled with sunlight filtering through the dense canopy.

The very best things to do in Darwin

1. Take a street art tour

A vibrant street mural features a relaxed woman in blue and yellow clothing surrounded by bold floral and graphic elements, painted on the side of a white building under a bright blue sky.

Darwin’s incredible street art scene was the thing I found the most surprising about the city, and it’s the number one thing I’d recommend you see whilst you’re there.

Even if you’re not seeking it out, you’ll stumble upon some of the art, as there’s now 129 pieces across the city, so you can barely walk down a street without spotting one.

The abundance of street art is a result of the Darwin Street Art Festival, held each year in May and June, where artists from across the world come to Darwin to paint a mural.

There’s a huge variety of art, with a big focus on telling the stories of the territory, the local people and the wildlife. You can even use your phone to bring some pieces to life with augmented reality which I absolutely loved!

You can easily find the art yourself by downloading the Darwin Street Art Festival app, or you can book onto this food and art tour, where you’ll experience the very best of Darwin’s street art, alongside delicious local food. You’ll visit 3 award-winning restaurants, and learn lots of information about the street art and local culture from your experienced guide.

2. Mindil Beach Sunset Markets

People gather around tents and stalls at an open-air market on a grassy field, with a tall palm tree in the center and a golden-orange sunset over the ocean in the background.

Mindil Beach Sunset Market is one of the best things to do during the summer months in Darwin. There’s over 200 stalls selling food, crafts, clothes, souvenirs, art and indigenous products, as well as live music and performances.

Tourists and locals love this place, it’s a real part of the community in Darwin, and although it does get very busy, its location right on the beach means you can easily find some peace and quiet.

The markets are open every Thursday and Sunday from April to October (dry season), from 4pm – 9pm.

3. Sunset cruise

A group of people relax on a catamaran during a sunset cruise, with rich orange and gold hues reflecting off the calm ocean waters.

There’s no better way to end a day in Darwin than out on the water, where you’ll hopefully be treated to an incredible sunset.

I went on the Champagne Sunset Sail tour with Sail Darwin, which takes you around the Darwin Harbour for 3 hours. The boat is a 50ft luxury catamaran with plenty of seats on the deck, as well as an air-conditioned interior.

During the cruise you get unlimited sparkling wine and soft drinks, as well as a BBQ dinner served tapas style.

The team were amazing, constantly keeping our glasses full and serving a never ending stream of food. There’s no way you’d leave this cruise feeling hungry.

The Northern Territory has amazing sunsets in abundance, and even though the sky was really grey at the start of our tour, we had a bright orange sky by the end which was truly magical.

4. George Brown Botanic Gardens

A small waterfall cascades into a shallow, clear pond surrounded by dense tropical plants and trees, creating a serene jungle scene.

Darwin’s botanical gardens are a great place to start your day in the city as they’re so peaceful. The gardens opened in 1886, cover an area of over 100 acres, and are home to plenty of native plants, a rainforest walk, children’s play area, waterfalls and a variety of themed gardens.

They’re free to enter which I couldn’t believe, as most of the other botanical gardens I’ve visited around the world charge a pretty hefty fee.

There’s also a great restaurant within the grounds called Eva’s Cafe, which is the perfect place for breakfast after your walk around.

A wooden picnic table holds a plate of waffles topped with fresh strawberries and herbs, a cappuccino, and a glass of iced tea, set in a shaded garden cafe. — Eva’s Cafe

5. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT)

An exhibit at a natural history museum displays dinosaur skeletons and prehistoric marine life models in a dimly lit, modern gallery space.

MAGNT is the main museum in the Northern Territory, and it’s an amazing place to learn more about the region.

They have a huge collection of art and cultural items, as well as exhibitions dedicated to aboriginal culture. It’s also home to the body of Sweetheart, a 17ft saltwater crocodile who’s pretty famous across the Northern Territory!

They have a number of permanent exhibitions, including one dedicated to Cyclone Tracy, a catastrophic cyclone that hit Darwin on Christmas Eve 1974.

In the exhibition you’ll get to see the real weather reports from the day the cyclone hit, and you can even step inside a sound booth that plays actual recordings of Cyclone Tracy.

Entrance to the museum is free but you’ll need to pay if you want to visit some of the temporary exhibitions.

6. Crocosaurus Cove

Two crocodiles swim in a clear, enclosed tank with sunlight beaming down, one of them approaching a suspended cylindrical feeding device containing a red object.

Crocosaurus Cove is Darwin’s most popular tourist attraction – think of it as an aquarium for crocodiles.

Here you can see saltwater crocodiles up close, and if you’re feeling brave you can even get in the water with them in the “Cage of Death“, where you’re lowered into the water inside a perspex box so you can come face to face with a croc.

I wasn’t brave enough to give it a try myself, but it happens multiple times a day so even if you don’t fancy it, you’ll be able to watch someone else do it on your visit.

I’d always advocate for seeing animals in their natural habitat, but if you’re short on time and want to get up close to crocodiles, then Crocosaurus Cove is a good place to do it.

Most of the crocodiles here have been relocated from areas where they were causing problems for humans, and it provides an alternative to them being killed.

7. Darwin Waterfront Precint

A view of a coastal city features modern high-rise apartments, a wooden pier, and a waterfront recreation area with inflatable structures on the water, all backed by a calm blue sea.

Darwin Waterfront Precint is an area in Darwin’s CBD full of restaurants, bars, cafes and hotels.

It’s not safe to swim in the water around Darwin as there’s so many crocodiles, but the waterfront precint has a saltwater lagoon and a wave pool that are both safe to swim in, so it’s a great place to spend an afternoon to escape the heat.

8. Enjoy lots of great food

A colorful breakfast spread on a round wooden table includes a smoothie bowl with fruit and seeds, a coconut-covered treat, a cappuccino, and a glass of fresh orange juice.

Darwin has loads of great restaurants and there’s so much variety so you’re spoilt for choice. I’ve listed my favourite places to eat and drink below:

Snapper Rocks – Located on the Darwin Waterfront, this place does fresh seafood and their famous ‘Salt n Pepper croc’

The Gully – A waterfront cafe that does incredible katsu sandos and freshly baked bread

Darwin Sailing Club – Delicious seafood with great views over Fannie Bay

Aboriginal Bush Traders – A not-for-profit cafe and art gallery using native ingredients from across the Northern Territory

Ella by Minoli – An award-winning Sri-Lankan restaurant from Masterchef contestant Minoli de Silva

Moorish Cafe – A tapas restaurant with great cocktails

MERAKI – Authentic Greek taverna serving a variety of meat and vegetarian food

Dock One Bar – This small bar in Darwin’s Waterfront Precinct is right next to the departure point for the Sail Darwin cruise, so it’s the perfect place for a drink whilst you wait to board

9. East Point Reserve

A serene coastal scene with turquoise waves gently lapping against a sandy beach and rocky cliffs, framed by leafy trees under a clear blue sky.

East Point is Darwin’s largest park area, and is a great place to spot wallabies, butterflies, birds and possums.

There’s also a man-made lake here, called Lake Alexander, which is a great place for safe swimming all year round, as well as The Mangrove Boardwalk – a raised walk through the mangroves and a great spot for birdwatching.

If you’re a history fan, East Point played a really significant role in WW2, and you can visit the Darwin Military Museum, to find out more about it.

10. Kakadu National Park

A person stands next to a large sign reading “Welcome to the Aboriginal Land of Kakadu National Park,” surrounded by dry bushland and tall trees under bright daylight.

You can’t visit Darwin without a trip to Kakadu National Park. The park covers an area nearly half the size of Switzerland, so you’ll need at least a couple of days there to be able to explore it properly.

In Kakadu you can see ancient aboriginal rock art that’s nearly 20,000 years old, take boat tours to spot saltwater crocodiles in the wild, and learn about the Aboriginal people who have lived there for more than 65,000 years!

I absolutely loved my trip to Kakadu, it’s a magical place where you can really appreciate the culture and traditions of the Northern Territory.

11. Spectacular Jumping Croc Cruise

A large crocodile leaps vertically out of muddy river water with jaws wide open, aiming for a piece of meat suspended above its head during a feeding demonstration.

I mentioned earlier that it’s always best to see crocodiles in the wild, and the Spectacular Jumping Croc Cruise is the perfect way to do it.

The boat tour takes place on the Adelaide River, around a 1 hour drive from Darwin. The river is home to a huge number of saltwater crocodiles, and you’ll spend 1 hour on the water with experienced guides who dangle meat off the side of the boat, encouraging the crocodiles to jump out of the water to grab it.

It’s a crazy experience but such a great way of safely getting up close to crocs in the wild.

If you’re planning on visiting Kakadu National Park, I’d recommend stopping here on the way. It’ll break up your drive nicely as it’s halfway between Darwin and Kakadu.

12. Litchfield National Park

A powerful waterfall cascades from a rugged rock face into a deep natural pool, surrounded by greenery and cliffs under a sunny sky.

Litchfield National Park is known for incredible waterfalls and swimming spots, like Wangi Falls, Tolmer Falls and Buley Rockhole.

It covers an area of 1,500 square kilometres, so it’s the perfect day trip from Darwin. Plus, it’s only around 1 hour from the city so you won’t spend a long time in the car.

It’s also a fantastic place to see Termite Mounds, which can reach up to 4metres high and are unlike anything I’ve ever seen!

13. Berry Springs Nature Park

A concrete platform with metal steps leads into a calm, clear blue swimming hole surrounded by dense tropical trees and thick vegetation.

Berry Springs Nature Park is 40-minutes outside of Darwin and is the perfect day trip if you want to escape the city.

There’s lots of shaded picnic and BBQ areas, but the main reason people visit is for the clear swimming pools.

I visited on my way back to Darwin from Litchfield and it was a really peaceful place, where people were enjoying the water at the end of the day.

You probably won’t need a whole day here, so I’d do what I did and stop in on the way back from Litchfield or Kakadu.

Darwin Google Map

This Google Map has the locations of all the places I’ve mentioned in this post. Click on the rectangle on the right hand side to make it bigger.

Planning a trip to the Northern Territory?

I’d really recommend extending your Darwin trip and visiting the rest of the Northern Territory.

It’s an incredible region with so much culture, history, wildlife and beauty. Whilst Darwin gives you a small flavour of life in Australia’s Top End, it’s only once you get out of the city that you really appreciate its vastness.

I spent 6 days road tripping around the Northern Territory, and I’ve written a full Northern Territory itinerary including everything I got up to.