North Head Sanctuary

North Head Sanctuary sits on North Head Scenic Drive at Manly, on the dramatic headland at the entrance to Sydney Harbour. A beautiful historic-and-natural reserve within Sydney Harbour National Park, it combines stunning coastal scenery and bushland with fascinating heritage — former military and quarantine sites — and some of the most spectacular harbour, ocean and city views in Sydney.

The appeal is that combination of breathtaking views, lovely bushland and walking tracks, and genuine history: the clifftop lookouts offer jaw-dropping panoramas over the harbour, the ocean and the city skyline, while the walking trails wind through native bushland and past the area's heritage sites, with the chance to spot wildlife and, in season, migrating whales. It's a spectacular, fascinating natural escape.

With a 4.6 rating from nearly 400 reviews, it's a much-loved spot. The reserve and trails are free and open, but conditions vary with the weather, the clifftops are exposed, and some heritage sites have their own access arrangements, so it's worth checking before you go — and taking sun protection, water and care near the cliffs — while enjoying the views, bushland and history at North Head Sanctuary.