Manly sits at the northern entrance to Sydney Harbour, about 11 kilometres by ferry from Circular Quay — and the 30-minute ferry ride is one of the great free pleasures of visiting Sydney. The journey passes under the Harbour Bridge, past Taronga Zoo and dozens of coves and headlands before rounding the heads into open Pacific water and arriving at Manly Wharf. You can also reach Manly by bus through the northern suburbs, but that misses the point.
The suburb straddles a narrow isthmus between the harbour and the ocean. On the harbour side is Manly Cove, sheltered and calm, good for families. A five-minute walk through the Corso pedestrian mall delivers you to Manly Beach, a broad ocean surf beach facing directly into the Pacific swell. The Manly to Spit Bridge coastal walk (10 kilometres, no cars) is one of Sydney's finest half-day walks, passing through bush and along cliff tops with near-constant harbour views. Manly is significantly cheaper and less frenetic than Bondi and rewards an overnight stay.