If the tourists won't go out to see the crocs, then bring the crocs to the tourists. Right in the middle of Mitchell St, Crocosaurus Cove is as close as you'll ever want to get to these amazing creatures. Six of the largest crocs in captivity can be seen in state-of-the-art aquariums and pools. Other aquariums feature barramundi, turtles and stingrays, plus there's an enormous reptile house (allegedly displaying the greatest variety of reptiles in the country).

You can be lowered right into a pool with the crocs in the transparent Cage of Death (one/two people $160/240). If that's too scary, there's another pool where you can swim with a clear tank wall separating you from some mildly less menacing baby crocs.

Named after the gardens' curator from 1971 to 1990, these 42-hectare gardens showcase plants from the Top End and around the world: monsoon vine forest, the mangroves and coastal plants habitat, baobabs, and a magnificent collection of native and exotic palms and cycads.

The gardens are an easy 2km bicycle ride out from Darwin, along Gilruth Ave and Gardens Rd, or there's another entrance off Geranium St, which runs off the Stuart Hwy in Stuart Park. Alternatively, bus 7 from the city stops near the Stuart Hwy/Geranium St corner.

Many of the plants here were traditionally used by the local Aboriginal people, and self-guiding Aboriginal plant-use trails have been set up; pick up a brochure at the gardens' information centre near the Geranium St entry. You'll also find birdwatching brochures and garden maps here.

At the far northern end of Smith St is this small but important precinct of four houses built from 1930 to 1939 (which means they survived both the WWII bombings and Cyclone Tracy!). They're now managed by the National Trust. One of them, Burnett House ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.nationaltrustnt.org.au; by donation; h10am-1pm Mon-Sat, 2.30-5pm Sun), operates as a museum. There's a tantalising colonial high tea ($10) in the gardens on Sunday afternoon from 3pm between April and October.

The hugely popular Wave Lagoon is a hit with locals and travellers alike. There are 10 different wave patterns produced (20 minutes on with a 10-minute rest in between) and there are lifeguards, a kiosk and a strip of lawn to bask on. Adjacent is the Recreation Lagoon with a sandy beach, lifeguards and stinger-filtered seawater (although the nets and filters are not guaranteed to be 100% effective).

You can escape from the heat of the day and relive your Hitchcockian fantasies by walking through the WWII oil-storage tunnels. They were built in 1942 to store the navy’s oil supplies (but never used); now they exhibit wartime photos.

This excellent marine aquarium at the Waterfront Precinct gives you a close encounter with the denizens at the bottom of Darwin Harbour. Each small tank is a complete ecosystem, with only the occasional extra fish introduced as food for some of the predators, such as stonefish or the bizarre angler fish.

Also recommended here is the Coral Reef by Night ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %08-8981 1294; www.indopacificmarine.com.au; 29 Stokes Hill Rd; adult/child $120/60; h6.30pm Wed, Fri & Sun), which consists of a tour of the aquarium, seafood dinner (on biodegradable plates, no less!) and an impressive show of fluorescing animals.

This superb museum and gallery boasts beautifully presented galleries of Top End–centric exhibits. The Aboriginal art collection is a highlight, with carvings from the Tiwi Islands, bark paintings from Arnhem Land and dot paintings from the desert. An entire room is devoted to Cyclone Tracy, in a display that graphically illustrates life before and after the disaster. You can stand in a darkened room and listen to the whirring sound of Tracy at full throttle − a sound you won't forget in a hurry.

The cavernous Maritime Gallery houses an assortment of weird and wonderful crafts from the nearby islands and Indonesia, as well as a pearling lugger and a Vietnamese refugee boat.

Pride of place among the stuffed animals undoubtedly goes to Sweetheart: a 5m-long, 780kg saltwater crocodile. It became a Top End personality after attacking several fishing dinghies on the Finniss River, south of Darwin.

The museum has a good bookshop, and the Cornucopia Cafe is a great lunch spot with views over the sea.

This interesting (if slightly grim) museum represents almost 100 years of solitude. Serving as Darwin's main jail from 1883 to 1979, the solid cells contain information panels that provide a window into the region's unique social history. Lepers, refugees and juveniles were among the groups of people confined here. You can still see the old cells, and the gallows constructed for two hangings in 1952.

At this innovative, multimedia experience, you can hear personal accounts of those affected by, or those who actively participated in, Australia's defence during WWII. Darwin and the Top End is the focus – the area was bombed 64 times, with 188 aircraft attacking the city on 19 February 1942. A small theatre runs a 20-minute show bringing it all to life. On East Point’s northern side is a series of WWII gun emplacements and the Darwin Military Museum.

The NCCA is a really small space but has some changing and challenging exhibitions. It's worth checking out while doing the Parap Market.

Crocodylus Park showcases hundreds of crocs and a minizoo comprising lions, tigers and other big cats, spider monkeys, marmosets, cassowaries and large birds. Allow about two hours to look around the whole park, and you should time your visit with a tour (10am, noon, 2pm & 3.30pm), which includes a feeding demonstration. Croc-meat BBQ packs for sale!

The park is about 15km from the city centre. Take bus 5 from Darwin.