Six must-dos this long weekend

Restrictions are easing and just in time for the long weekend!

If you’re having a staycation on the Northern Beaches or family and friends are coming to town- we’ve got your long weekend sorted.

We’ve got three days off, and it’s the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends and family now we’re out of isolation. Support your favourite local as they reopen their doors to more customers or buy a takeaway to enjoy at home if they're not doing dine-in yet. 

There are so many options up and down the Beaches from water view restaurants and bars to cosy cafes and eateries. So get the gang together and celebrate!

With the chillier weather in winter comes the silver lining of whale watching up and down the coast. Whale migration is between May and November each year, and you’ll get some great views from most of our headlands particularly impressive ones are Manly’s North Head, the top of Long Reef headland and Barrenjoey Lighthouse headland.

You can also download the free Wild About Whales app to help locate whales close to you, share your whale watching experience and learn more about different species and characteristics of the whales you’ll be spotting.

The Gallery is celebrating its 90th birthday this month and has curated an exhibition celebrating its amazing collection (one of the best in Sydney). You’ll find hidden gems and see artwork from some of Australia’s best artists. Better yet it’s always free entry- book your timed ticket now. The Gallery is open Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend, closed Monday. 

It’s the perfect time of year to head underwater with clear visibility and average water temperatures of 19 degrees. Check out our favourite snorkelling spots on the Northern Beaches or contact one of our repeatable dive operators to visit our world class dive sites right on our doorstep including Fairy Bower, Chowder Bay, Old Man's Hat and The Waterfall.  

If going underwater is bit extreme for you this time of year hire a kayak or stand up paddle board and explore Pittwater’s secret beaches, Manly Cove’s foreshore or Narrabeen Lagoon’s quiet lake and estuary. You’ll be guaranteed to return home with a big smile on your face.

Enjoy a picnic - because we can! Get your friends together (right now, it’s up to 10 people for an outdoor gathering) and pack a basket full of produce from local businesses.

Add some blankets, good tunes, water views- and you’re all set. Some great picnic spots include Manly Dam, Bilarong Reserve, Winnererremy Bay, Station Beach, Palm Beach and Davidson Park.

Treat yourself to some post-iso self-care. Many of our local beauty salons and spas have reopened. Give them a call and book in some deserved ’me time’ and feel rejuvenated again.

Enjoy your long weekend- and wherever you can please support our local businesses on the Northern Beaches.

While we now have more freedoms, please remember to stay safe, and keep up the social distancing (1.5 metres apart) as well as good hand hygiene.