Suburban Escape to Manly
A big city suburb in the form of a stunning seaside village, Manly overflows with treasures both physical and culinary. All kicked off by one of the world’s great ferry rides.
Even as a local, it’s easy to see why being in Manly feels like a holiday. On a midweek morning at 6am, waterfront paths are packed with people strolling the esplanade in swimsuits, walking dogs and wheeling kayaks. Visitors often wonder quietly, “does anyone here work?” Manly is an early riser, and although it appears like everyone is on a permanent vacation, many of them make the commute 20-minutes into the city by ferry each morning, an enviable way to travel to the office.
Manly has a long history as a holiday destination, established in the 1850s as Australia’s first seaside resort. During this time (and until 1984), Q Station at Manly’s prominent North Headland was a quarantine for migrants arriving to Australia. Today, this historic 30-hectare site offers some of the most unique hotel accommodation in the area.
Manly’s selling point is undoubtedly its natural beauty. Headland hikes, bushland trails, harbour and ocean lookouts, protected coves and sprawling beaches are all easily accessible from the wharf, which remains the hub of Manly. In fact, whichever way the wind blows, there is almost always somewhere you can swim on this peninsula. On the harbour side, Fairlight Beach is local favourite (along the Manly to Spit walk). A small reefy bay with a 30-metre rockpool, it’s a 15-minute walk from Manly, so doesn’t attract the same crowds as those closer in. On the way there along the same coastal path, you’ll stop by Delwood Beach, accessible via some sandy woody stairs. On the other side of Manly, as you head up in the national park to North Head is Collins Flat Beach, tucked into a nook of the coast. The best way to get there is on foot, or via the water (boat, SUP, yacht etc). During the summer months, a man in a dinghy may deliver ice cream to you on the sand at any one of these beaches. Dreamy.
If the surf is what you’re looking for, Manly Main Beach on the ocean side has kilometres to spare. This well-loved beach is always brimming with ocean life. The south corner near the South Manly Surf Club is where the local swimmers the Bold and the Beautiful group set off on their 1.5km daily swim around to Shelly Beach each morning around 7am. It’s one of the best ocean swims you can do in Sydney, and passes through the Aquatic reserve of Cabbage Tree Bay past Fairy Bower. After a dip, sit up on the sunny corner steps where local artist wakes before dawn each day to take the water temperature and draw it up on a concrete pillar in colourful chalk.
The manmade offering is also rich in Manly, with a high concentration of excellent bakeries and coffee shops dotted around six-block seaside village. Staple Bakery serves artisan loaves and flaky croissants filled with cheese and oregano, and chocolate and custard. Next door is Barrell One Coffee Roasters, a small outpost of the roastery based in Brookvale. This bolt-hole cafe always has a collection of patrons and their pooches hanging around out front waiting for lattes. Then right in the thick of Manly, just off pedestrian promenade The Corso, is Norma’s – a huge Greek deli serving breakfast and lunch plates of Taramasalata and boiled eggs, moussaka, spanakopita and slabs of cheesecake. It’s wall to floor granite, with a big glass kitchen at one side, where chefs are busy dressing cakes in coconut and stuffing focaccias with meat and cheese. This place is so big there’s a map at the back to tell you what you can get at each station.
In the evenings Pocket Pizza on Pittwater Road does New York/Italian style pies to take away, or dine with a spritz at the bar, or on red and white checked tabletops. Stop into Natural Wine shop Winona, a block away, on your way past. For special occasion dining, Pilu, positioned up the hill above Freshwater Beach, is a Northern Beaches icon, serving contemporary Sardinian food with ocean views.
The Manly to Spit Bridge walk (10km) is one of the best days you can have in Sydney. It’s a harbour traverse that explores the diverse landscapes and the many people that have called it home. The landscapes changes dramatically with each bend in the trail, passing through diverse urban environments, microclimates, historical places and plenty of swims. We like to start this walk early, passing by the Manly Boatshed for a coffee on the deck, and pack a picnic lunch for a stop later in the trip. A nice little pot of gold at the end of the walk is Chiosco by Ormeggio a seaside eater just over the Spit Bridge, which serves house made gelato (or book for a long lunch on the water).
At the end of the day head back to Manly for a cold drink (the 144 bus is the fastest route). Holiday or not, it’s a great excuse to indulge a little after a day of walking and swimming.
*This story first appeared in an issue of Green Magazine in January 2025.
Places We Swim Sydney - A guide to the city for water-loving people.
Places We Swim Sydney features the city’s best beaches, ocean pools, harbour pools, rivers, waterfalls and gorges. We divide the city and its surrounds into six main regions, encompassing walks and swims within two hours of the CBD. You’ll discover just what makes each swimming spot unique, learn the best time to go, and gain some useful local knowledge like where to find the most delicious things to eat nearby.
This is a book for all people that love exploring the outdoors. Whether you are a multi-generational Sydneysider, new resident, or temporary visitor, Places We Swim Sydney will inspire you to experience the city in a new way.
Places We Swim Sydney $42.95
More Stories
