Palm Beach

Location

What makes Palm Beach such an enchanting place is the fact that it lies on a narrow isthmus, which somehow makes the beach appear like a secluded island. This is usually perfect for tourists who want to get away, at least temporarily, from the hustle and bustle of the city and simply enjoy the relaxing company of the sand and the surrounding waters.

Situated about 40 kilometers away from Sydney, Palm Beach offers easy access to most visitors as it can be reached in less than sixty minutes of driving principally across Pittwater Road, the main avenue through which visitors can get to see this lovely beach that was the setting of "Home and Away", a popular TV soap drama in Australia. Once here, tourists can do a variety of outdoor activities, including surfing and sailing, which are actually the main preoccupations in these parts.

Things to Do

A relaxing walk across the entire length of this beach is soothing to the soul with several attractions along the way. These include a number of restaurants and small cafes although admittedly, these are rather limited when compared with the likes of Dee Why and Manly. Still, they do offer the basic necessities and should be quite sufficient for most beach goers.

For exotic attractions, visitors should look forward to seeing Horden Park settled at the edge of Palm Beach where its lizard statue never fails to attract the attention of passerbys. And if one walks further along, Barren Joey can be accessed. This is a prominent rocky outcrop in Pittwater that features an artificial rock pool, a common feature in majority of Australian beaches.

At Barren Joey, one can find several specialty shops offering various items that should be good souvenir gifts. Soshu's Gallery, for example, is famous for its elegant Australian glassware, unique pottery and pashmira shawls. When it comes to grocery needs, tourists will find Palm Beach Cellars and Grocery Store the ideal partner with its offerings goods, including fresh farm products like dairy milk, cheeses, vegetables, meats and fruits. There are also French and Australian wines available here that should suit the diverse tastes of wine lovers.

The marina also found at the edge of Palm Beach should prove to be quite interesting for boating enthusiasts. Visitors, will most likely find the nearby lighthouse more exciting since a walk up to its top will provide them with picturesque views, not only of Palm Beach, but of several other nearby attractions like the Ku Ring Gai Chase National Park.

One other outdoor sport quite popular at Palm Beach is golf with a course catering to lovers of the sport. Nestled at the mainland beach entrance, the Palm Beach Golf Club allows non-members to make use of its resources, including the resident club house where a cozy restaurant is in operation. Needless to say, this should be quite a treat for many golfers visiting this popular Sydney beach.

When attempting to reach Palm Beach, driving is obviously the most popular way as it only takes an hour to get to this particular beach when one is coming from northern Sydney. However, alternatives can also be explored which can range from a regular bus service operating from Sydney to Palm Beach and back and a romantic ferry ride where Palm Beach is accessed via the Central Coast.