Nielsen Park

There are many beautiful and unique places in Sydney and this is one of them:
— The view of the city from the water is incredible
— It’s hidden behind the massive trees and slopes surrounding it
— The water is calm
— The beach itself is small and very intimate
— Cars park quite a distance from it
There are very few beaches here about which the above can be said.

One of our favourite Sydney parks and great café. Get there early as parking is at a premium

Nielsen Park and Shark Bay are such seminal parts of Sydney for me. A harbour that has crystal clear water and a mix of bush and beach all in the one area, and for a suburb of Sydney to still have a little kiosk I just love it. This park is popular on hot days, and I can see why, there seems to be a kids and and a hipster end. Nice eye candy here too…

This has to be one of my favourite beach parks in Sydney. Tucked away in the back of Vaucluse this is a hidden gem. The park is gated by enormous trees and only once you’re a good couple of hundred meters inside do you get to the beach.
The park is a great area for picnics with lots of space and shade. There are also lots of walks that you can take from Nielson Park which offer spectacular views of Sydney Harbour. The best in my mind is the 3 km Harbour Foreshore walk, which is stunning at any time but particularly in the morning.
The beach is just beautiful — white sand and crystal clear blue water. Unlike some of the smaller harbour beaches this beach seems to remain pretty clear of washed up rubbish from boats. There is also a netted swimming area, which is great for anybody who is reluctant to do laps in the ocean for fear of sharks!