Of late I have been driving around Sydney in search of awesome venues, views, parks and cafes, this…read morepark covered everything but the coffee. If you are after a location that has views of the harbour, specifically of heads of Sydney Harbour heads, then you will not find better than this. The views are stunning! The other amazing thing about this park is that only in a Australia would you put a cricket pitch in such an awesome location. Seems almost a waste. Though... if you are looking for the ultimate place to fly a kite in Sydney.... this is likely to be it. Another big plus about this park, especially if you have kids, is the enclosed play area (near the toilets), which also has a BBQ ready and waiting. This place is awesome and a must visit, especially if you have people in from out of town.

If I didn't play football here a few times this season I never would have discovered the…read moreexceptional eagles eyrie that is Tania Park. Just across the Spit and 10 mins from Manly, Tania sits perched precipitously atop a bushy tabletop headland looking over Sydney Harbour and out through the heads into open ocean (and the pirate's law that I'm led to believe is in force in international waters). I watched Jessica Watson sail her yacht The Pink Lady back into Sydney after her record-breaking round-the-world solo voyage as a sprightly 16 year old from here, one of the highlights of 2010. Cracking for walks, dates, sports, dates, and dates. (and hey, do you fly kites? Because if you do, this place is your damned nirvana yo.)

This quaint little park has a rocky walk down to the water or a set of stairs if the tide is low…read moreenough. The BBQs often attract weekend picnic eaters who often have dogs running around the park. While it's not strictly dog friendly, we always let our dogs off for a swim and to annoy the picnic eaters who don't seem to mind. If you're passing through because you're on your way to Manly or if you make this park your destination, you won't be disappointed. The only thing is, don't tell anyone about it, let it be our Yelpie little secret :) Shhhhh...

This place is a lovely picturesque park however the playground is an absolute nightmare! I am a…read morenanny of two little kids and I hate taking them here because it is super dangerous. The playground is all open and situated between a busy road and open water with a rock face on the side. Would only recommend taking older kids there that you know aren't going to run off. Apart from that it's a good spot for a picnic or get together.

Want to have a whale of a time?…read more I particularly love going to North head for spotting whales! From May to Nov, North head offers an amazing opportunity to watch a Blow, a fin, an occasional body splash. The migration route is close to the coast so these whales can often be seen from the north headlands. From late August to November, the whales head southwards. Females with their newborns, and males after the mating season. Mothers tend to spend more time on surface and swim slower so that the calf can keep up. The calves tend to come out of the water more often. Remember to bring your binoculars! The North and South Heads of Sydney mark the entrance to Sydney harbour. The bay is called the Mouth of Sydney and this is where all ships enter and leave Sydney. The lookout points towards the city and you can catch views of the Harbour Bridge, city, Rose bay all the way unto Vaculuse. North Head National Parks is a ten minute drive from Manly. It's a pristine headland and a great vantage point to watch the Sydney to Hobart race on Boxing day. They have walking tracks and barracks. If you stand close to the edge, you can feel the water spray from below. This is particularly welcome during summer months.

Are you looking for the ultimate view of Sydney. Look no further. On a blue sky day, driving…read morethrough the stone gate, along the bushy road, and then coming across the two lookouts... well... it is stunning. For me though, while there are more sporting options of biking and hiking... the quick tourist drive in and maybe a picnic would suffice. Besides... I quick drive away from here you'll find Shelly Beach ( http://frid.co/mYE5LL ), which for my money offers a much more relaxing location (though the parking cost is a bit of a killer).

Quality/Quantity - What a cool place to hang out!…read moreGlad we came on a Monday, but still crazy busy. Fairly Bower Rock Pool - Cool! Check out the pictures, as usual the pictures do NOT do the pool and area justice. Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve. Manly Scenic Walkways - Do remember that "freak" waves can come any time and hit you while walking the pathway. Small cafe; I did not visit. Good for scuba diving and snorkeling - A maximum depth of 12 meters. We saw many classes out there teaching and training locals and tourists. Atmosphere - Lizard and bird (turkey) friendly, see pictures. Art, statues, educational information, etc. along the walking paths. Pedestrian friendly, no/restricted bikes allowed on many paths. In the main town, there is plenty of shopping, eating, and people watching. Pay parking lots. Service - Quick easy ferry from and to Manly. Much easier than driving. Express ferries are also available for a little more $$. "Smart beach" - See picture for definition. There are public toilets and showers, but there was a long line the entire time we were there. So they need more... Price - Beach - Free. Everything else is tourist prices, LOL. Owner Comment - Thanks for such a great visit!

A little bit of a walk from Manly beach. Just follow the sea wall. It's a lot calmer for swimming,…read moresnorkeling, just getting your toes wet. The area between the two beaches is a protested reef. So be mindful. The sand did have bit of shells and ocean debris. There was also some beer caps floating around, so just be wary where you walk. If you're looking for a nice shaded spot, bring your own or relax by the side where the trees are. The do have public showers, toilets, rinse off area and a filtered water station. Plus a nice beachside cafe for your dinning pleasures. Took a lot of great photos, but do respect the signs and the law. And clean up after yourselves.

This sheltered beach is a great place for families due to its small, manageable size, and its…read morerelatively calm surf that makes it an attractive beach for those who love to swim. Many people come here to participate in watersports, so you will see many windsurfers, kayakers, and swimmers when you visit. There's also a shaded playground located behind the beach, which offers a great place for kids to play if they get tired of swimming or building sandcastles at the beach. It doesnt have the crowds that Balmoral Beach can get but on the rare occasion can be busy. Come and relax at Chinamens away from the maddening crowd.

If you love to swim in the ocean, then this is the beach for you. If you love to play ball in the…read moreocean, you can't go past this place. If you love to soak up the rays, Chinamans Beach is the answer - it's always the answer. There is plenty of room on the sand and in the water - the only crowding you get is battling the traffic along Military Rd in Neutral Bay and Mosman to get to this gem of a beach ... sooo bring your Webber, throw on some prawns, slice up a frozen watermelon and enjoy our Sydney summer days.

If Lara Bingle was a beach, she'd be Camp Cove…read more Of course, we're talking the fresh-faced, brown-skinned, salt-tinged Lara Bingle of yesteryear though, before she got commercial and dated cricketers with dicky backs and Hollywood, ahem, stars. Back then Lara was young and happy and carefree. She didn't have any big problems like a crappy reality show, she was blissful and sun-kissed and fun to hang out with, she had no pretentions and was small but really gorgeous and she had some great rockwalks and a little kiosk at one end. And sure, parking was tough but it was always worth it. I LOVE YOU LARA BINGLE. YOU ARE THE TASTE OF SUMMER.

Bon, je l'avoue, je suis très difficile en matière de plage... Je n'aime pas quand c'est trop…read moretouristique (coucou Bondi), j'aime bien quand le sable est pas trop cracra, et plus l'eau est transparente, mieux je me porte (reloue, vous avez dit reloue ?). C'est pourquoi maintenant que j'ai trouvé Camp Cove, je compte en faire ma plage number one. Située à Watsons Bay (j'habite Vaucluse, c'est donc assez prêt de la maison, en plus !), quartier que j'adore-mon-dieu-donne-moi-une-maison-la-bas, Camp Cove est une plage assez bien cachée. A ne pas confondre avec l'étendue de sable au port de Watsons Bay, Camp Cove se situe à 10 minutes max du port. Et si vous vous aventurez dans les environs du parc national juste à côté, vous aurez une vue magnifique de la skyline de Sydney. Amateurs de surf s'abstenir, ici il n'y a pas de vagues. Amateurs de natation, cet endroit est fait pour vous. ------------------------------------ I've something to tell you, I'm pretty tricky about beaches... I don't like when there is too many tourists (yes, I'm French, so a little bit a tourist, but I avoid Bondi as much as I can), I love when the sand is clear and when the water isn't too dirty (This is me, helllloooo). That's why, when I discovered Camp Cove, which is pretty closed to my house, I can tell you it's my beach number one ! I really love Watsons Bay, the warf, Beach Club, the view, and now I can add Camp Cove, which is pretty well hidden. You have to walk like 10 minutes from the warf, and just enjoy this amazing place ! You can also have a walk closed to the beach in the National Park and have a wonderful view to Sydney's skyline ;) Surfers, sorry, this place is too calm for you ! Swimmers, what are you waiting to go there ?

Do you love getting nude?…read more Do you lament the restricting nature of contemporary underwear and long to let your skin breathe under God's blue sky, as nature intended afore Eve bit from the poisoned apple and condemned us to a life of self-awareness, shame and rhine-stoned Gucci t-shirts? Well, have I got the place for you: Obelisk Beach, one of Sydney's very few havens for the pants-free lady and gentleman. You'd barely know this place existed but for a sign on Middle Head Road down towards Chowder Bay. Pull the car over, skip down a short bush path and there she blows, a tiny, beautiful stretch of sand where you can shed those duds, spread those legs and wave at the Manly ferries as they chug by with their load of gawking tourists with their telephoto lenses. There's even a little hollowed out area in the shrubbery that serves as a changing room. No camping, fires or pets are allowed, but wangs and hoo-hoos aren't just okay - they're welcomed! Wee!

Raining, windy, cool! Total bliss after the last few days cremating! The water was beautiful!…read moreParking no problems today, 2 others there and $4 for 24 hours because the machine is damaged! Now off for coffee. Craig keeps saying he can't believe you have to pay for parking. Obviously he hasn't been here since he left high school....

I attended a small picnic/going away party at this lovely park in early March. Five stars because…read morethe grounds are well maintained. You're at the beach. There are cooktops and plenty of rubbish bins. There's parking and nearby toilets which are also well maintained. Oh and it's dog friendly. The beach access is netted on one side so no pesky creatures can get in to eat the children. The sand is a little silty but it's clean. There's a pier from which children were daring each other to jump in the water. There's a water fountain and a shower to rinse your feet. Plus as we left and walked through the nearby neighborhood I met some lizard friends.

I don't know why this place isn't busier. It's just perfect. A harbourside beach reserve looking…read moreout to Chowder Bay that is dog friendly, has lots of open space, enclosed bathing area, a wharf that's popular for fishing, great picnic areas, brand new toilets and a fab playground to boot. The playground has sand flooring, great climbing structures, swings and even a disability swing. It's a complete mystery to me why it's so quiet during the week but perhaps that's why we love it so much. Parking is paid, which is fine for Mosman residenst with parking permits but a bit exxy otherwise. Bushwalks from the west end of the reserve are head around the Sydney Harbour National Park and though the start of the walk involves a number of steps once on the track it's pretty easy walking along well maintained track. There's an ice-cream van at the weekend and just over the beach is a Bacino Kiosk. Superb spot.