Wollongong City Beach is the most central of the city's beaches, a broad arc of sand just north of the lighthouse headland with good swimming and an ocean pool at the northern end. The beach is patrolled and far less crowded than Sydney's beaches, making it genuinely usable rather than merely decorative.
North Beach, immediately north of City Beach, has a better surf break and a more local feel. Together the two beaches stretch for several kilometres with rockpools, a coastal path, and excellent seafood restaurants nearby. The contrast between the industrial harbour to the south and these clean beaches to the north is one of Wollongong's more interesting qualities.