It was a beautiful day to be at Bayview park. Parking was plentiful, although there were a lot of…read morepeople with boat trailers. We sat at a covered concrete picnic table for awhile, enjoying the boats and birds (especially pelicans) in the brilliant blue water. We decided to stroll in the direction of the dog park, even though we didn't have a dog with us. Best decision ever! It was so much fun watching dogs cavorting on the leash-free beach with their doggy and human friends. There's also a grassy, leash-free area for non-water loving dogs and owners. The pure joy demonstrated by people and dogs playing in the water was priceless.

One of my favorite beaches in Sydney. And today was a stunning day to be there. Mostly locals and…read morerelatively quiet. The walk along the headlands to bilgola beach is also recommended. I used to live close to this place so have been many times over the years. Loads of nice cafes and the Newport Arms is a short distance away on the Pittwater. This is an amazing part of Sydney.

Newport is a suburb of Sydney, about 30 K or 20 miles north of the city center. Newport sits…read morebetween the Pacific Ocean to the east and Pittwater harbor to the west. On the inland shores of Pittwater are several marinas and small boatyards, including the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and Royal Motor Yacht Club. Newport also features many cafes and restaurants, as well as the famous Newport Arms Hotel. Plenty of parking and plenty of shops and a Coles supermarket. The ocean beach is patrolled by Newport Surf Life Saving Club, so swim between the flags as the open exposure to the Pacific can produce big waves and rough conditions. Newport Beach is a great beach, but watch out for the "shore dump" by the waves at times. For those who prefer, there is an ocean pool at the south headland, filled by the Pacific at high tides. At the north end are tide pools and you can walk around the point. The coarse sand of Newport Beach is unusually red. There is good vegetation growth behing the beach and few buildings can be seen. Crowded on weekends and school holidays, but during the week there are few beachgoers. Some other beaches in the area are more protected.

During my time studying abroad in Sydney, this was one of my favorite beaches to go to. It was a…read morequick and affordable 30-minute bus ride from MacUni. The best part about Mona Vale was it was so peaceful and calm. A lot of the beaches by Sydney's city centre were flooded with people, so it was always nice to go to this beach to get away from the mainstream beaches of Sydney. (Don't get me wrong; those are great too!) This beach was always so clean. It was relatively calm and the waves weren't too crazy. It was a very residential area, so you have to walk a bit of a way to get to the beach from the bus stop and the restroom / restaurants / shops, but it's worth the 5 minute walk! For some unknown reason, there would always be these random tiny foam balls all over the beach when we would go. And we can't forget the couch that was there to draw and leave a note on for other beach-goers. Ahhh... the sound of fresh, warm Sydney air with the views of Mona Vale sounds perfect!

Who doesn't love the beach? That'd be nobody (except for those weirdos who hate sand... and…read moreredheads, obviously). And who doesn't love huge, sweeping beaches more than anything else? If you're sufficiently normal to identify with the above, then you will also dig Mona Vale Beach. At the end of Mona Vale Road, it's a popular spot for kids from the North Shore, as well as the beaches locals. Mona Vale has everything that you'd want in a beach - ample parking (the free spots are highly competitive on Saturday mornings and summery weekends, be warned), a lovely ocean pool, lifeguards, clean and modern toilets and nearby food - winner! Additionally, Mona Vale is a very big beach, rendering it ideal to run/walk/stroll leisurely up and down. It's also ideal if you're not into the crowds of Freshwater and Manly; you can set up camp wherever you like on the long sandy strip. Popular with both surfers and swimmers, it's always possible to get away from it all at Mona Vale Beach. Be aware of swimming conditions though - it's often choppy and rough, and you should swim between the flags if you're not a strong swimmer!

This place has it all. Gorgeous clear blue water, a great breeze to keep you cool in the…read moreAustralian summer sun and plenty of room for towels, etc. to lounge on and get some Sun. There are also some shady areas with benches and/or grass. The beach is very clean and peaceful -- although every once in a while you will hear someone squeal playfully from the water. There are some shops across the street from the beach if you want a snack or a drink. Also, it looks like there is plenty of parking (although I was here on a weekday). If you are looking for a rest room, they actually have a ladies room that has showers, a change area and toilets free of charge. They probably have the same shower and change area set up in the men's room. I hope you can come enjoy this beautiful beach sometime! Good day mate.

We were staying in Sydney. Took a ferry to Manly and hopped on a bus for an hour 10 minute ride to…read morePalm Beach. We had nothing but time so why not. The bus ride took us through many smaller towns and plenty of other beach opportunities if you wanted to make a day if it. We walked, waded and sunbathers for a few hours. Had a coffee and snack opposite the beach before the bus ride back. The beach is beautiful, quiet and felt very secluded from the hustle and bustle of most. The homes built into the hilltops around the cove are outstanding. There is also a bath for swimming at the far end. Bathrooms, showers available to public. Enjoy!

Hey, promise me something ok? As soon as you read this review please forget you ever read it and go…read moreback to happily splashing around at Balmoral or Manly or any of the fine Sydney beaches in the East and South. Because me and the 12 locals that frequent this beach on even the most perfect beach day don't want you here crowding up this pristine strip of sand. I like finding a free park no matter what time I arrive, I like not lining up for the shower and I like toilet paper in my public convenience dammit. Did I mention there are no shops nearby? You have to walk a whole block and a half to buy some great coffee and food. Pretty inconvenient right? Also if you live in the Northern Suburbs it's actually as quick to get here cutting through Mona Vale road as it is to get to any other beach in Sydney. Wait, forget I said that.

Great beach, if there is swell, some part of Narrabeen will catch it. Wit hsize and the right swell…read moredirection the waves get very hollow and you have a very good chance of snapping your board. you have been warned. If you don't live in Narrabeen DON'T bother paddling out at North Narrabeen. You won't be welcome. It's not as good as everyone says and there simply aren't enough waves to go around, it's already over crowded.

The beach is beautiful with surf that's not too high or brisk. Not a lot of people, but it's only…read morethe first day of spring. I can imagine it being quite crowded in summer. We came to eat lunch at the Father's Day special by Rowie's-- a caterer who serves gourmet food on Sundays. Very casual, the space is filled with banquet style seating, so you will be lunching with strangers who will soon be friends. We had a choice between lamb or barramundi. I chose the fish & my friend selected lamb. We were both happy with our choices. The rest of the meal included special recipes consisting of a cauliflower salad, a carrot salad, a cabbage salad and a pumpkin dish. All were unique and flavorful. We skipped dessert which was a delicious looking chocolate mango mixture. This is probably a one of a kind meal that will never be repeated but having a gourmet lunch in such a beautiful place is an event to be remembered.

Whale Beach on the ocean side of the Pittwater Peninsula is smaller, though no less stunning, than…read moreits neighbour, Palm Beach (http://goo.gl/D6pFQ). It doesn't receive quite the same surging swell of Palm Beach, though when the surf is up it's very popular with surfers and it can be a bit of a struggle to share the water (Still not to the nightmarish human density levels of Bondi though!) There's an ocean pool to the south end, Surf Life Savers in summer months and a cute little playground right on the beach in the shade. Trees that line the beach provide welcome shade and are part of the reason why it's so popular with families. Parking is limited and is exclusively Pay and Display though that keeps visitor numbers down. The beach is serviced by a couple of cute cafes including a Ripples (part of the group from Milsons Point (http://goo.gl/2LO1l) and Chowder Bay (http://goo.gl/Xc3Hh)). In fact their neighbours at Palm Beach Paradise (http://goo.gl/HAAA2) could do with having a visit here to see how it's done.