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| Things to Do & See
Manly Attractions
Located on the Northern Beaches 17km north-east of the Sydney CBD, Manly is a destination that is notable for the Manly Beach as its main feature beach, with its few other nice and relaxing beaches, and one of its main streets which connects Manly Ferry Wharf to Sydney Harbour, known as The Corso where you can find plenty of shops and dining options. Around town, youll find outdoor and nature experiences such as bike riding, kayaking, coastal walks and even whale watching!
Manly Beach
Relax, swim or surf at one of the most popular beaches in Sydney. If youve never surfed before, you can take beginner lessons from the Manly Surf School or SEA Australia. Kayaking along the beach and Sydney Harbour is also an option. There are other beaches nearby too such as Queenscliff Beach and North Steyne Beach.
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Food & Drink
Besides the beaches, Manly has plenty of places to eat, especially with takeaway shops and cafes down at The Corso. At night youll see the pub atmosphere come to life, al fresco dining and lots of restaurants. If youre into beer, head over to the 4 Pines Brewing Company (the only local brewery in Manly) for a unique experience!
Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary
Right next to Manly Beach, this aquarium features 3 main exhibits: Shark Harbour, Underwater Sydney, and Penguin Cove. At this sanctuary, expect to see a large variety of species and learn about the importance of animal conservation. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays there are shark feeding sessions that you can watch. You can even take part in a special shark diving tour which involves scuba diving and swimming with huge gray nurse sharks up to 3m long! The aquarium boasts the longest underwater viewing tunnel at a length of 110m.
Image: CC Wiki (JJ Harrison)
Bike Riding
At Manly, there are over 20kms of bike paths and trails that you can explore. Ride around and come across secret places by taking the road not taken. Secluded coves and beaches and the nice breeze as you take in the coastal views make it well worth it. There are bike riding tours that operate in the area too for those who are not too experienced. A bike ride can take you to iconic attractions of Manly such as St Patricks Estate, North Head Sanctuary and the Quarantine Station (this place is said to be haunted and does ghost tours).
Coastal Walks
Manly has scenic coastal walks for those who enjoy the outdoors. The Manly to Spit Bridge Walk is one of the more popular ones, at a distance of 10km and takes you through the stunning beaches of North Sydney. Itll take about 3-4 hours to walk and theres plenty of pit stops along the way to enjoy!
Whale Watching
From May to November, follow the whale migration along the coastline of NSW by heading to North Head at Manly, one of the most popular whale watching hotspots in the area. There are whale watching tours which will take you on boat through the waters to spot some whales. Though there are 43 different whale species that pass by, youre most likely to see humpbacks and southern right whales.
Manly is a great destination for locals and tourists alike. Being close to the Sydney CBD it offers a serene and laidback environment to escape to that has an abundant amount of activities to keep you busy through the day and into the night. If you are visiting Sydney, you should definitely stop by snorkel, eat, swim and to soak in the sun.
