Where to stay at Palm Beach
Sydney’s northern tip: a 2.3 km ocean beach on a narrow strip of land, with Pittwater on the other side and Barrenjoey lighthouse at the end. A handful of places to stay, and none of them on the ocean sand.
Every bed at Palm Beach is a walk from the ocean beach: the hotels and the B&B sit on the Pittwater side or up on the ridge. When we checked, Barrenjoey House, by the wharf, was the closest: a 14-minute walk with a 45 m climb home, at $285 a night. Palm Beach B&B ($244) and Jonah’s are 15–16 minutes, with over 100 m of climb. There’s no hostel.
At a glance
- 41 km north of the CBD
- bus 199 · ferries from the wharf
- flags Sep – Apr
- Home and Away’s Summer Bay
Two waterfronts. The beds face the quiet one.
Palm Beach is the end of the Northern Beaches peninsula. The ocean beach runs 2.3 km up its eastern side to Barrenjoey Headland; on the western side is Pittwater, calm water with the wharf and Station Beach.
The places to stay are on the Pittwater side or up on the ridge at the southern end, and the walking routes to the ocean sand all cross high ground. When we checked, the closest was 1.2 km from the sand, with a 45 m climb home; the rest climb more than 100 m. The village is mostly holiday homes, which we don’t list.
Where to stay
Every place on the map, closest first. Real businesses; nobody paid to be here.
| Map number | Place | Price a night | Walk to the sand | Climb home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barrenjoey HouseHotel | $200–350 | 14 min walk · 1,158 m | 45 m |
| 2 | Jonah’sHotel | Not checked | 15 min walk · 1,201 m | 115 m |
| 3 | Palm Beach Bed and BreakfastGuesthouse | $200–350 | 16 min walk · 1,262 m | 105 m |
| 4 | Iluka Resort ApartmentsApartments | Not checked | 25 min walk · 2,002 m | 110 m |
How we measure. Times are walking times, not driving: the walking route from each property to the nearest edge of the sand, at an easy 4.8 km/h. Climb is the uphill on the walk home, rounded to 5 m. Prices are bands from one nightly rate on Google Maps on 9 October 2026.
Which end of the beach?
North end
North Palm Beach runs 1.4 km south from Barrenjoey. Its surf club is the Summer Bay Surf Club in Home and Away. At the end, the track climbs Barrenjoey Headland to the 1881 lighthouse, more than 100 m above the beach.
Onin / Pexels
South end
Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1921, is at this end, with the rock pool below the headland. All four places on this page are closest to this end.
SunnyGunn / CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia
Pittwater side
Across the strip, Station Beach and Governor Phillip Park face calm Pittwater water. Barrenjoey House is opposite the wharf, where ferries leave for Ettalong, Mackerel Beach and The Basin.
Suthee Pakcharoen / Pexels
From the lighthouse on Barrenjoey Headland, built in 1881, the whole of Palm Beach runs south below you.
Kapitan1999 / CC BY-SA 4.0, WikimediaKnow before you go
How do you get to Palm Beach?
From the city. There’s no train. Take the B-Line bus to Mona Vale and change to the 199, which runs between Manly and Palm Beach. Allow plenty of time: it’s 41 km. Plan the trip on the Transport NSW trip planner.1,2,3
From Manly. Bus 199 runs from Manly wharf to Palm Beach.1
By ferry. Ferries from Palm Beach wharf, on Pittwater, cross to Ettalong Beach on the Central Coast and to Great Mackerel Beach, Currawong, Coasters Retreat and The Basin.1
Is Palm Beach safe?
Is Palm Beach patrolled? In the season. Northern Beaches Council lifeguards patrol most of their beaches for 32 weeks between September and April. The Palm Beach surf club is patrolled by paid lifeguards on weekdays in summer and by volunteers at weekends. Swim between the red and yellow flags.4,1
Calmer water The ocean beach is a surf beach. For a calmer swim, there’s the rock pool at the south end, or Pittwater on the other side of the strip.1
Water quality after rain Stormwater runs onto Sydney’s beaches after heavy rain. Check Beachwatch for the daily pollution forecast before you swim.5
With kids
The rock pool at the south end is the calmer swim when the surf is up. Pittwater, on the other side of the strip, is flat water. The walks from every place to stay here climb. Check the climb figure below before booking with a pram.
The catch
- No beds on the ocean sand. Every place here is a 14–25 minute walk, and all but one climb more than 100 m on the way home.
- It’s a long way: 41 km from the city, with no train.
- Not cheap. The prices we saw were $244–$285 a night, and there’s no hostel.
- No flags in winter. Patrols run September to April.
Quick answers
Where is Home and Away filmed?
- Palm Beach has been the location of the outdoor scenes for Summer Bay since 1988. The North Palm Beach surf club plays the Summer Bay Surf Club.1
How far is Palm Beach from Sydney CBD?
- About 41 km north of the CBD.1
How long is Palm Beach?
- About 2.3 km, with North Palm Beach making up the northern 1.4 km.1
How do you get to Palm Beach by public transport?
- There’s no train. Take the B-Line bus to Mona Vale and change to the 199, or take the 199 all the way from Manly.1,2
Can you walk to Barrenjoey Lighthouse?
- Yes. The track climbs Barrenjoey Headland at the north end of the beach to the lighthouse, built in 1881, more than 100 m up.1
Are there hostels in Palm Beach?
- Not when we checked. The closest hostel is the YHA at Pittwater, reached by ferry.
Nearby beaches
Also close: Whale Beach (the next beach south, over the hill), Avalon (further south).