Want to have a whale of a time?…read more I particularly love going to North head for spotting whales! From May to Nov, North head offers an amazing opportunity to watch a Blow, a fin, an occasional body splash. The migration route is close to the coast so these whales can often be seen from the north headlands. From late August to November, the whales head southwards. Females with their newborns, and males after the mating season. Mothers tend to spend more time on surface and swim slower so that the calf can keep up. The calves tend to come out of the water more often. Remember to bring your binoculars! The North and South Heads of Sydney mark the entrance to Sydney harbour. The bay is called the Mouth of Sydney and this is where all ships enter and leave Sydney. The lookout points towards the city and you can catch views of the Harbour Bridge, city, Rose bay all the way unto Vaculuse. North Head National Parks is a ten minute drive from Manly. It's a pristine headland and a great vantage point to watch the Sydney to Hobart race on Boxing day. They have walking tracks and barracks. If you stand close to the edge, you can feel the water spray from below. This is particularly welcome during summer months.

Are you looking for the ultimate view of Sydney. Look no further. On a blue sky day, driving…read morethrough the stone gate, along the bushy road, and then coming across the two lookouts... well... it is stunning. For me though, while there are more sporting options of biking and hiking... the quick tourist drive in and maybe a picnic would suffice. Besides... I quick drive away from here you'll find Shelly Beach ( http://frid.co/mYE5LL ), which for my money offers a much more relaxing location (though the parking cost is a bit of a killer).

Just look at that view! It's the kind that makes you pinch yourself that you're a Sydneysider - and…read moreit's definitely a view that you want to smugly show your overseas visitors. Preferably on New Years Eve. Oh yes I've spent many a NYE on these shores. Every year it seems to be a bit more restricted (more cops, more checks), but the result is that it's a great place for families to come and watch the 9pm fireworks - you'll just have to make sure you send a vanguard EARLY! But actually I prefer Blues Point every other day of the year, when I can wander down with a book and a coffee (see my Allpress rave from The Point Deli) and soak up some sun and that view for an hour or two. Bliss!

This is a view of Sydney Harbour if I ever did see one. The first thing I thought of when I drove…read moredown to this spot was what an amazing place to view the New Years Eve fireworks from. My second though was that it's a pity the grassed area is so small as I imagine every man and his dog would be trying inch their way in to the perfect viewing position. And it's got to be THE perfect viewpoint. The bridge looks complete, your virtually in the centre of it and only far enough away for it to be too close. I probably would attempt it on fireworks night but I would take any out-of-towners there for the complete view. There's also a designer playground... meaning no colourful plastic equipment here - silver shaped climbing frames... on second thoughts it might be workout gear for big people.

This is a well kept park that is suitable for all members of the community. If you are interested…read morein learning to sail the Concord and Ryde Sailing Club have lessons during the school holidays. The cement path through the park links a variety of parks from Rydalmere to Putney and beyond. Cyclist use this path extensively and often there are the early morning walkers getting that bit of exercise before work. The park has bench seats and is very close the Kissing Point Wharf. There is a ferry from this wharf every hour and it is less than an hour into the city. If you are catching a ferry go early especially on the weekends. Sometimes the ferry will continue past the wharf if it is full to capacity. The beautiful feature of the park is the very large bronze fish that are on poles. The fish change direction moved by the wind.

This was the location used for the starting area for the Sydney Marathon. It was large enough to…read morehandle approximately 40,000 race participants spread across the half marathon, 10k, marathon, and 3.5 km family run. The park looked to be well maintained with a nice view of the underside of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. One thing about the park was that it was slopped towards the harbour, so some of the portapotties weren't quite stable.

What a great use for the underside of a bridge. It helps that it's right on the water and has great…read morebreezes. It features: great views, well maintained lawn, not as many seagulls as on the south shore...which is kind of weird, right? There are a few benches and you can get some shade by hiding under the bridge. There's a playground and public toilets (did not use). It does slope so be prepared to chase a ball if it goes astray...which is a good way to tire those kiddos out should that be needed. Great spot to fly a kite, have a picnic, enjoy outside and read a book.

A great location to get out of the hustle and bustle in the city and reconnect next to the Harbour.read more

First of all, I'm going to say this park is great. Yeah I know, you could say that about many other…read moreparks but here you should expect good views and a peaceful atmosphere for your enjoyment, and as a local park in Pyrmont it's not so crowded. Ah then again, you might see a lot of local residents walking their dogs. The park has a couple of BBQ areas which is great if you want to have a party or just feeling hungry. As I've been here quite a few times, I can say that this park is quite good for having a BBQ if you want to relax and enjoy with your friends. At the back of the park there's a large open space if you want to play some ball games, run around or just want to relax on the grass. Nearby one of the BBQ areas there's a very small playground which is a great way to spend the afternoon with the kids. So this park is great if you're in the area and you want to take a rest or you just want to have a BBQ if you feel hungry. Also for dog owners out there, this park is an off-leash park, so another good reason to go.

Dr Mary Booth Lookout is probably something that many tourists and visitors to Sydney never get to…read moresee, and they'll be unhappy when they read this review and realised they probably walked, drove or public transported past it several times on their trip. Bummer dude! Why do I rate it so highly: - Look at the view - It's quiet and peaceful - You can have a picnic here - Plenty of room and seating is available - It's FREE to use How do you not miss out next time? Easy. There is a walkway below that runs along the harbour foreshore from Bradfield Park all the way to the lookout. Get on that and when you climb the steps you'll be here. Also there's some sort of Pagoda building with seats in the park, you can't miss seeing that.

Where else can you see the opera house & the Harbour bridge?!? Simply stunning - grab a picnic &…read moreenjoy the sights! Not much else to say as the pictures say it all

I attended a small picnic/going away party at this lovely park in early March. Five stars because…read morethe grounds are well maintained. You're at the beach. There are cooktops and plenty of rubbish bins. There's parking and nearby toilets which are also well maintained. Oh and it's dog friendly. The beach access is netted on one side so no pesky creatures can get in to eat the children. The sand is a little silty but it's clean. There's a pier from which children were daring each other to jump in the water. There's a water fountain and a shower to rinse your feet. Plus as we left and walked through the nearby neighborhood I met some lizard friends.

I don't know why this place isn't busier. It's just perfect. A harbourside beach reserve looking…read moreout to Chowder Bay that is dog friendly, has lots of open space, enclosed bathing area, a wharf that's popular for fishing, great picnic areas, brand new toilets and a fab playground to boot. The playground has sand flooring, great climbing structures, swings and even a disability swing. It's a complete mystery to me why it's so quiet during the week but perhaps that's why we love it so much. Parking is paid, which is fine for Mosman residenst with parking permits but a bit exxy otherwise. Bushwalks from the west end of the reserve are head around the Sydney Harbour National Park and though the start of the walk involves a number of steps once on the track it's pretty easy walking along well maintained track. There's an ice-cream van at the weekend and just over the beach is a Bacino Kiosk. Superb spot.

We took a walk down to this pretty park from our nearby apartment. It's got a bit of everything -…read morewalking/running paths, great water views, tennis courts, play equipment for the kids and more! We walked along the bay for a bit, and stopped at the marina for a drink. There are signs warning you that sharks have been spotted in the bay, so not a place for a refreshing dip. But if you have a boat, it sure seems like a nice place to dock it. For a place so close to the CBD, it was quiet and felt like smiles away from the noise of the city.

Rushcutters Bay Park has a few hidden gems (ok maybe not that hidden) that are great if you are…read moreactive or not. The monkey bars at the south end are actually a great area to do a workout. Watch out for peak hour - right after work - sometimes there are groups of people being coached in that area so you might need to wait for specific stations. There are tennis courts at the south west side of the park - book them online but if you try for early evening there are some people that have standard bookings each week. Later at night is good since they have a great lighting system. Even better is during the day with fewer people around. There is a cafe here that is decent for a coffee but there are so many other coffee shops nearby that you may want to walk a bit. At the Cruising Yacht Club there is a restaurant as well. Fantastic outdoor deck seating and fish and chips are ok. Of course nice cold beer is available as well. You can get reservations and some weekends are very busy. Never tried the indoor seating (why would you when you are by the harbour?). The whole park is dog friendly so be prepared for some visitors if you are having a picnic. Some dogs running 'free-range' but never had a problem. Just make some new friends.