Palm Beach — Attraction in Sydney

Palm Beach is a beautiful northern Sydney beach at the end of the peninsula. You may notice that the surrounding scenery forms part of the many locations they film "Home and Away" in Sydney with the "coffee shop/diner" scenes filmed a little further up the Beach making it a must see location for H&A fans. There's also saltwater baths up one end and the beach is typically patrolled by surf lifesavers. The other side of the beach gives views to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. It is all metered parking though and a whopping $10 an hour to park or all day rate of $35. There's lots of buses to the beach so perhaps consider a bus or if staying more than 2hrs an all day parking rate. Locals with a Pittwater Parking Pass can park free. There is a cafe across the road called 2108 Espresso (the suburbs' postcode) where the milkshakes are lovely, huge cookies, ice cream and snacks, I've only had milkshakes here and tried the gf cookie, so can't really comment much on the food, but milkshakes are great. I even think a furry "local" gives free hugs (i saw the dog dissappear behind the counter at one point so i think his owner may work there) which is always a highlight for me to make little fur friends when I'm out and about and there's a little surf shop called "Beach Without Sand". There are free public toilets, showers available as well. It is an expensive area, the cookie was $9 (it was huge but still!) Regardless if your visiting Australia 🇦🇺 its a lovely spot to include in your itinerary and a must see for Home and Away fans.... further up from here is The Dunes and if you go up past the restaurant you'll see the other set locations, familiar coloured flags on the beach etc etc... 😉 Of course though it's also an absolutely beautiful 😍...

In the 90’s, at the height of my Home & Away fandom, I was ecstatic to visit Palm Beach. Making it my destination for a half-day trip from my accommodation in Sydney, I can’t deny that I was actually hoping to stumble across filming taking place, but alas it wasn’t to be.

My disappointment was however short lived when I realised just what a beautiful setting it was. The beach nestled between the two headlands is just beautiful and it’s a lovely walk from end to end. The surf looks inviting and not too menacing and even on a busy day at this beach there’s enough room for a dip without crashing into a myriad of other swimming bodies!

I was also very pleased to be just one of a handful of beach goers that day - it wasn’t busy at all - which made it far more enjoyable than the more famous Bondi beach, which is often polluted with so many human bodies that personal space feels like a luxury.

Since first visiting in the early 90’s when I was young, I try to get back there for a visit whenever I’m in Sydney. Sadly though I did lose interest in Home & Away many years ago now as their storyline’s very obviously shifted to being so over the top and always overly dramatic that it just wasn’t...

Palm Beach is as far as you can travel north by car along Sydney's Northern Beaches. Made famous on television, being the filming location of Home & Away, with The Surf Club/Diner overlooking the sand, & Alf's Bait Shop on the Pittwater side at The Boat House Restaurant which is as scenic as they come. Palm Beach itself is a beautiful beach, with Barrenjoey lighthouse & Headland as a backdrop. It's not very accessible via public transport, so driving here is your best bet. Being so out of the way though means you're more than likely to have this gorgeous stretch of sand to yourself most of the time. While you're here, make sure you walk up the headland from the Pittwater side, up to Barrenjoey Lighthouse. The views are amazing!! Also, visit The Boathouse on the Pittwater side. This scenically located restaurant is what dreams...