A Day Trip in the Northern Beaches with Caroline Clements
Pulling off a great summer road trip isn’t always as simple as it seems. But our hot take is that you don’t actually have to drive that far for the ultimate day out. And Sydney’s northern beaches provide the perfect backdrop for city-fringe exploring. Now a Manly local, Caroline shares her ultimate spots to eat, drink, hike, swim and shop your way along the peninsula.
An early start
The key to road trip success is to beat the competition. Clements suggests rising early and heading to Barrel One in Manly for your morning cuppa. (Her summer caffeine hit of choice is an icy cold brew.) You can also nip next door to Staple Bakery’s Bread & Necessities outpost for a breakfast snack. Clements is a fan of a classic flaky croissant but suggests a chocolate and custard specialty as good fuel for the day ahead.
While you’re in the neighbourhood, she recommends making another pit stop along the way: Norma’s Deli is the perfect place to collect some picnicking supplies for your journey. The Greek deli dishes up enormous focaccias filled with meats, cheese, dips and veggies. There’s also tinned fish and bags of chips on the shelves, as well as salads and cheese in the fridge if you want a DIY spread.
A quick dip
Once the goods are secured, jump in the car for a quick drive to Freshwater. “It’s a really protected beach for a paddle, but there’s also a 50-metre ocean pool if you want to get a few laps in,” Clements says. She has a one-piece from local brand Elce that she loves for either activity. In the interests of staying on schedule, Clements doesn’t bother dragging a whole bunch of stuff down to the beach – a Kobn towel, a wide-brim hat and plenty of SPF are her essentials.
Driving north
Hop back in the car and settle in with a playlist of cruisy tunes: Beach House, Real Estate, Khruangbin, Solange, Rhye, Maple Glider and #1 Dads feature regularly on Clements’s summer soundtrack. It should take about 45 minutes to an hour to drive up the peninsula to the Palm Beach ferry stop. When you pull up, you’re looking for an all-day car park – you might have to take a spin around the backstreets, but you should find a spot if you’re here early.
Exploring the heads
Board the ferry to The Basin – ferries generally leave Palm Beach on the hour. It takes about 20 minutes to cross Pittwater and land in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. This is where the fun really begins. Clements suggests hiking from The Basin to the headland overlooking Great Mackerel Beach. The track, which is about five kilometres one way, is on the tougher side, so make sure you’re wearing good shoes. It takes you inland, through calm coastal rainforest and past Indigenous art sites, delivering epic views back over the water.
“Make sure you take your time on the walk. Stop and have lunch, find a few spots to cool down with a swim and just enjoy being in nature,” Clements says. One of her favourite places to jump in the water is at Resolute Beach – you’ll have to venture a bit further to get to this spot near West Head.
When you’re finished exploring, jump back on the ferry at Mackerel Beach and cross back over to the Palm Beach stop to collect your car.
An easy dinner
No one feels like cooking dinner after a day out in the sun. Keep the road trip vibes going with one final stop – a feed at Queen Ester in Newport. The OG hole-in-the-wall location for the Israeli street food favourite serves up generous portions of falafel and pita stuffed with all the goods. “It’s owner-run and really chill. You can pull up in your beach clothes and order piles of pita, falafel, dips and really great salads,” says Clements. It’s open until 8.30pm on Friday and Saturday. If you’re travelling on another day, you could drop in at the Harbord Hotel in Freshwater for a drink by the water and a lobster roll served with salt and vinegar crisps.
A version of this story first appeared on Broadsheet in December 2024, in partnership with Avis.
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