Palm Beach

Q: What is Palm Beach known for?

Palm Beach is best known around the world as the setting for Summer Bay in the long running TV show Home and Away. It is also Sydney’s northernmost beach, has fantastic surf and offers great views of Pittwater and Broken Bay.

Q: What is there to do in Palm Beach?

Palm Beach offers a number of activities, such as: Swimming, surfing and sunbaking at the beach Following the trail up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse Chartering a yacht around Pittwater Catching a ferry across to The Basin A Pittwater kayaking tour Check out our full list of things to do in Palm Beach .

Q: How far is Palm Beach from Sydney?

Palm Beach is 31km north of Sydney along the coast, though the drive is around 40km. The drive typically takes around an hour from the Sydney CBD and Palm Beach is also easily accessible from the CBD via bus.

Things to do

Palmy, as the locals affectionately call it, is a perfect place to spend the day at the beach. Surfers will enjoy the waves at the northern end of the beach while the southern end offers a protected area for swimming in the ocean pool and pretty picnic spots under the pine trees.

Two surfers heading out to enjoy the morning waves at Sydney's Palm Beach.

Surfing, Palm Beach

Palm Beach curves 2.3km, from Little Head to Barrenjoey Head, Sydney’s northernmost seaside point. Follow the trail to heritage-listed Barrenjoey Lighthouse which boasts splendid views of the coast, Pittwater and Kur-ring-gai Chase National Park. You can get there via the Palm Beach ferry, which lands at the Basin campground or head to Ettalong on the Central Coast via Broken Bay at the mouth of the Hawkesbury River.

Barrenjoey Lighthouse Walk, Palm Beach

Explore everything Palmy has to offer with a tour. Go kayaking with Pittwater Kayak Tours, sailing with Taylor Made Escapes and a nature tour with EcoTreasures. Visit the locations where Home & Away is filmed with Flamin’ Galahs Sydney Tours, play a nine-hole game at Palm Beach Golf Course or shop the monthly Palm Beach Market.

Friends kayaking on Pittwater near Boathouse Restaurant and Palm Beach Lighthouse

Kayaking, Pittwater

Eat & drink

When you're surrounded by this much water, it makes sense to order seafood. The fish 'n chips at the original Boathouse Palm Beach is legendary, Barrenjoey House is a slightly more upmarket affair and if you want to go on full-on fine dining, head up to nearby Whale Beach to eat at the acclaimed Jonah’s.

Lunch at Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach, Northern Beaches

Barrenjoey House, Palm Beach

Getting there

Palm Beach may look far on the map, but it's only 90 mins by public transport from the city centre. If you want to slice that time to about 20 mins, take a sea plane from Rose Bay. If you feel like making a weekend of it, there is a delightful range of boutique beachside accommodation.