Manly Beach, ManlyCredit: Destination NSW
Manly Beach entices everyone to its sandy shores.
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With its trendy cafés, cool bars and beautiful beaches, Manly offers laid-back coastal New South Wales vibes combined with the cosmopolitan buzz of the city. Cross the harbour from Circular Quay on a 30-minute ferry ride and you’ll enter a natural wonderland. Pristine sea life, secluded shorelines and world-class surf are just some of Manly’s attractions.
Highlights:
- Snorkel an aquatic reserve at Cabbage Tree Bay
- Hit the waves, or watch the surfers in action, on Manly Beach
- Dine on divine seafood at the water’s edge
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It’s hard not to be in awe at the sight of Manly Beach: rolling waves and golden sand are fringed by a pine-tree shaded promenade that extends its entire length. But when you can drag yourself away, you’ll find there’s plenty more to like about Manly.
Start by exploring under the crystal-clear water on a tour with EcoTreasures. You can learn about Sydney’s magical marine life on a snorkelling or stand-up paddle boarding tour through Cabbage Tree Bay, a pristine aquatic reserve between Manly Beach and Shelly Beach. EcoTreasures’ experienced guides will share their knowledge of the area’s incredible biodiversity and how to conserve the sea life while enjoying it too.
Ride Manly’s lesser-known pathways on two wheels with Joe’s Mountain Bike Tours. The Manly Dam trail is perfect for beginners or more experienced mountain bike riders and offers lush tracks with magnificent views.
Take a scenic walk south from Manly Beach to Fairy Bower Beach Pool and on to pretty Shelly Beach. The sheltered, sandy beach is popular for picnics, and the sparkling clear waters are great for snorkelling. Continue on the path to North Head and enjoy the panoramic lookouts along the way.
Shelly Beach, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
Underwater life off Shelly Beach, Manly.
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Shelly Beach, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
Underwater life off Shelly Beach, Manly.
Manly Bike Tours, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
A picturesque ride past Fairy Bower Beach Pool, Manly.
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Manly Bike Tours, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
A picturesque ride past Fairy Bower Beach Pool, Manly.
Eat
With a focus on quality coffee and a seasonal menu, Market Lane Café is the perfect place for brunch, right in the heart of Manly. Or get your caffeine hit at Barrel One Coffee Roasters right on the esplanade. This café outlet of the local coffee roasting house offers a New York-style brunch that shows off some of Sydney’s best artisan produce. Brooklyn Boy Bagels are stuffed with LP’s smoked meats, while bread and pastries are by Sydney bakeries Butter Boy Bake House and Staple.
You can order never-seen-before pastries at Rollers Bakehouse to enjoy with locally roasted coffee. The sunny outdoor café is known for its creative spin on croissants, from peanut butter and jelly or banoffee creations to savoury versions like spanakopita or cauliflower and cheese.
Make it a long lunch at JB & Sons, whose burgers are loved throughout the Northern Beaches. The menu offers classic American-style options: buffalo wings, loaded fries, margaritas and plenty of craft beer options. It’s just the spot to say cheers to a perfect visit to Manly.
Want something slightly more healthy? Order a cleansing meal from Ruby Lane Whole Foods. A favourite locals’ hangout, the restaurant serves nourishing, wholesome meals and organic coffee. With a focus on sustainability and community, its health-focused menu supports producers throughout NSW. Stock up on organic food and health supplies at the on-site wholefoods grocery store.
For dinner, feast on antipasti, Napoli-style pizza, pasta and other Italian classics at the Manly outpost of much loved Fratelli Fresh, opposite the wharf. For upmarket Italian, cross the road to The Bistro at Manly Pavilion which serves tempting fish, seafood and handmade pasta dishes that are as impressive as its spectacular quayside views.
Alternatively, try out the share-style Japanese dining at Sunset Sabi, tucked away on Pittwater Road. This vibrant izakaya serves contemporary Japanese full of unexpected flavour combinations — think Mexican-spiced sushi, Korean-inspired ramen or sweet dessert burgers. Complete the experience with a classy cocktail or classic Japanese beer.
Drink
At happy hour, the foreshore beckons for a picturesque aperitif on the rooftop of Manly Greenhouse, a stylish wine bar and bistro where cocktails are the star of the menu and uninterrupted beachside views steal the show.
Two blocks down the road you’ll spot The Sebel Sydney Manly Beach. Stop for a drink at its beachfront bar and restaurant, Manly Wine. Take your time perusing the lengthy list of wine and craft beers, and the menu of sustainable produce sourced from throughout NSW.
For a perfect finish to an evening out in Manly, enjoy a nightcap at underground speakeasy The Cumberland. This hidden bar can be found by opening a fridge at the back of Cove Deli, revealing a 1920s-style drinkery offering three distinct cocktail menus and more than 250 bottles of whisky.
Around the corner, Donny’s Bar is a Manly institution. Pull up a seat and admire the award-winning designer interiors of this New York-style loft bar and order from a Prohibition era-inspired drinks menu, handpicked wines by the glass, plus classic American snacks.
On the Esplanade opposite the ferry wharf, the famed 4 Pines Brew Pub is a must-visit for all craft-beer lovers. For a hands-on look at the beer-making process, book a tour and tasting at the original micro-brewery upstairs, or sample a pint or two at the lively street-level 4 Pines Keller Door. Or go straight to the source at the 4 Pines Brewing Co. Truck Bar in Brookvale, a 15-minute drive from Manly beach.
Sleep
Check in to The Sebel Sydney Manly Beach, beautifully positioned at the southern end of world-famous Manly Beach, just a 30-metre walk from the sand. The chic apartment-style hotel has a relaxed seaside atmosphere and sweeping ocean views.
Once a quarantine site for migrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, Q Station at North Head is a historic precinct which invites exploration of its real-life stories and heritage buildings. Book into one of the cute rooms here for a memorable stay, or join a one-hour History Tour to learn more about the daily life of people who once quarantined at this unique Sydney landmark.
4 Pines Truck Bar, Brookvale Credit: Destination NSW
Beers at the 4 Pines Brewing Co. Truck Bar, Brookvale.
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4 Pines Truck Bar, Brookvale Credit: Destination NSW
Beers at the 4 Pines Brewing Co. Truck Bar, Brookvale.
Manly Wine, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy wine by the water at Manly Wines.
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Manly Wine, Manly Credit: Destination NSW
Enjoy wine by the water at Manly Wines.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.