Travelling to the best beaches in Sydney

The Manly ferry

The best way to travel to Manly is by ferry.

The Manly Ferry leaves Circular Quay every 30 minutes and takes half an hour to travel to the best beaches in Sydney. The ferry is one of the best and cheapest ways to see Sydney Harbour as well – so you’re killing two birds with one stone. There is also a fast ferry that travels the same route which will cost you a bit more and slice 12 minutes off your travelling time. Fast ferries also leave from Barangaroo.

Northern beaches yellow buses

If you want to see more of the best beaches in Sydney, catch a yellow doubledecker bus which will take you further up the northern beaches peninsula. They leave outside Wynyard Railway Station every 5-10 minutes, are numbered B1 and the destination will be Mona Vale – the last stop on the limited-stop service. Once the bus crosses over into the northern beaches Sydney, it stops at Manly Vale, Brookvale, Dee Why, Collaroy, Narrabeen, Warriewood, and Mona Vale. A few buses continue on to Newport. You can transfer to other bus routes from any of these stops by using the Sydney Buses Trip Planner.

Drive your car

If your destination is not on the public transport route, then you’re best to drive. Travel across the Sydney Harbour Bridge or drive through the Sydney Harbour tunnel. At the other side take the Manly exit and travel along Military Road until the end. When you’ve crossed The Spit, you’re on the northern beaches.

One road runs along the spine of the peninsula from Seaforth to Palm Beach, however it changes its name several times along the way. From Burnt Bridge Deviation it becomes Condamine Street, then Pittwater Road and finally Barrenjoey Road after Mona Vale.