Things to do in Sydney
Manly has so much to offer, you really have to visit here. I would definitely rate this is as one of my top five things to do in Sydney.
The ferry trip to Manly from Circular Quay is awesome & a must do for any visitor to Sydney. The views of the Harbour Bridge & Opera House are excellent as you go past. See the people walking up the Harbour Bridge arch.
Also lots of bus services operate out of Manly regularly so getting here is easy. Vehicle parking can be problematic. The council has it’s main car park on Whistler Street with 357 spaces that is free for the first two hours (prior to 7pm). Another three Manly Council car parks exist.
As you exit Manly Wharf over on the right hand side of the forecourt (behind the bus shelter) is Manly Visitor Information Centre. Visit here for free maps, tourist guides & helpful information from the staff.
Manly cove, the harbor side beach of Manly is a great place for a picnic, swimming & snorkeling. There is a swimming enclosure between Manly Wharf & Oceanworld. Both sides of the wharf have good grassy areas for picnics.
Take the Eastern side walk inside Manly Cove from the wharf to Manly Skiff Club or walk from Manly Wharf through the corso to Manly Beach. There are many restaurants & takeaway outlets to choose from if you are hungry. There are a few pubs to get a drink from Ivanhoe Hotel & Steyne Hotel are popular.
You will see the markets every Saturday and Sunday from 9 am – 5 pm on Sydney Road.
The beach is usually safe for swimming & offers good surfing conditions. It can be extremely busy during summer time here. The walk along the beach is good with two tracks. One goes along the beach edge & is just for pedestrians & another track is set a little further back & is shared with both pedestrians & pushbike riders. Be careful to pay common courtesy to the passing bike riders.
Once on Manly Beach you can walk either way North or South. I recommend the walk South around to Shelly Beach the scenery is excellent. The walk to queenscliff is also very nice.
Another fun thing to do in Manly is hire a pushbike & explore all around Manly Cove, up to Queenscliff Beach & around to Shelly Beach. The guys at Manly Bike Hire were friendly enough although we arrived after a massive group & were lucky they still had a couple of bikes spare.