Little Manly
Quite possibly the best family beach in Sydney
Prior to our last visit a couple of days ago Shelly Beach, just around the corner and Palm Beach, further up north, held my vote as top two Beaches for our family but this last weekend Little Manly came to the party!
Little Manly is just around the corner from the Manly Wharf but I’ve stuck a map below. It’s on our GPS which is surprising given how useless it is (it tried to make me do a U-Turn on the harbour bridge… But I digress).
Where is Little Manly Beach
Little Manly beach is in Manly, South West of the main Manly beach and just South West of the ferry terminal. For those that are no good with directions – if you’re facing the City when you get off the ferry its to your left. I’ve put in a map below to show you where it is.
How to get to Little Manly Beach
I would use the address as the Little Manly Beach Kiosk or either of the following:
– Stuart Street, Manly 2095, Australia
– Marshall Street, Manly 2095, Australia
Alternatively you can get to the Wharf and drive from there using the picture I inserted above or walk from there, it’s allegedly a 10 minute walk but it’s up a hill and with kids, um no thanks 🙂
While I have put the two addresses in above you will find when you get there that there is a grassy reserve further along Marshall but try avoid parking there.
Parking for Little Manly Beach
I would aim for the entrance nearest to the Stuart and Marshall intersection for three reasons:
- you can easily access it with a pram
- you avoid the main parking lot which is up a massive hill
- it takes you into the middle of the beach (left to the enclosed swimming area and right to the open water area).
The only problem with parking on Stuart or Marshall is that your parking time is limited, to 2 hours in some instances.
Other transport options
Famously, there is the ferry that comes from the City into Manly.
The other transport option is the Manly Hop Skip and Jump Bus but as I haven’t tried this I can’t attest to it, I have inserted the link below anyway in case someone wants to give it a go. http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/attractions/transport/hop-skip-jump-bus/
[QUICK SIDEBAR: if you want to go to a Manly Beach when coming off the Ferry at Manly Wharf it’s easiest walking to just get to Manly itself, it’s flat and there are plenty of walkways]
Beach Features
Back to the beach at hand: Little Manly. What an awesome place for families with young kids!!
There were still some families with older teenage kids floating around and a few couples too but no topless bathing which is great because I do not want to have to explain that to my 3 year old just yet (he can’t see me when I’m holding out his backpack for daycare but I’m sure he’d spot that a mile away and question me for days.
Why is Little Manly Beach so perfect
If the pictures don’t sell you on this beach, let the following do so:
- The sand is super soft.
- The water is generally crystal clear.
- There is an enclosed area for the kids to swim in.
- There is shade.
- Should you get sick of preventing your baby from eating mouthfuls of sand there is a lovely grassy patch to sit on, picnic on etc
- A small swing set is situated at the entrance.
- The coffee is fantastic at the Little Manly Beach Kiosk and if the smell of the food is anything to go by, the food can’t be half bad.
Beach Facilities
The top “facility” to the beach is that here is a cafe just above the beach which sells the best egg and bacon rolls ever!
There are bathrooms just off the beach close to the cafe.
One thought on “Little Manly Beach, Manly ”
Comments are closed.