Northern Beaches Tours
Sightseeing & Day Tours
Private Northern Beaches Day Tours by Coach and Minibus
Sydney’s Northern Beaches run along the coast from Manly in the south to Palm Beach and Barrenjoey Headland in the north, with Pittwater and Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park on the western side. Sydney Charter Bus Australia runs private sightseeing tours of the peninsula by coach and minibus, collecting your group from your hotel, office, school, club or cruise terminal and planning the day around the beaches, lookouts and villages you want to see.
A tour can stay close to Manly for a relaxed half day or continue north to Palm Beach and West Head for a full day of headland walks and harbour and ocean views. Every tour is private to your group and operated under NSW Bus Operator Accreditation No. 39461.
Main Attractions
Travel Time
Allow about 1 hour to West Head and 1 hour 15 minutes or more to Palm Beach.
Allow extra in peak traffic and on summer weekends.
Safety & Comfort
Half & Full Day Tours
Full day: adds the beaches north to Palm Beach and West Head.
What to Wear
Our Touring Buses
Northern Beaches
- Manly & The Corso
- Shelly Beach
- North Head Lookouts
- Long Reef & Dee Why
- Avalon & Palm Beach
- Barrenjoey Lighthouse
- West Head Lookout
- Aboriginal Heritage Walk
- Whale Watching (May to November)
- Lunch **
- Professional Tour Guide **
- National Park Entry Fees **
Aboriginal Heritage
Planning Tips
Many Pittwater side streets are unsuitable for coaches, so we use safe standing points on the main roads.
Lunch is taken off the coach, as food is not permitted on board.
Highlights of a Northern Beaches Tour
Manly and Shelly Beach: the Corso, the ocean beach and the walk along Marine Parade to Shelly Beach in Cabbage Tree Bay. Governor Arthur Phillip named Manly Cove in 1788 after the confident bearing of the Aboriginal men he met there. Coach parking in Manly is limited, so the driver sets your group down and collects you at an agreed time.
North Head: clifftop lookouts above the harbour entrance with views back to the city, and one of the recognised land based whale watching spots from May to November.
Long Reef, Dee Why and Narrabeen: a string of surf beaches, rock platforms and lagoons heading north, ideal for a short walk or a photo stop.
Avalon and Palm Beach: village cafes, Pittwater on one side and the ocean on the other. At Palm Beach we use coach accessible standing points such as the Pittwater Park car parks, as set out in our Northern Beaches coach access guide.
Barrenjoey Lighthouse: built in 1881 on the headland above Palm Beach. The track from the car park is about 1 km with some very steep sections, so it suits active groups. NSW National Parks runs guided lighthouse tours on some Sundays, so check times before you go.
West Head lookout: in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, with views over Broken Bay, Pittwater, Barrenjoey and Lion Island to the Central Coast. Park entry fees apply per person in vehicles over 8 seats, and organised groups of 40 or more need prior written approval from the park office. See the NSW National Parks West Head lookout visitor information for gate times and current fees.
Who These Tours Suit
- International and cruise visitors: collected from hotels or the cruise terminals for a day of beaches and lookouts.
- Seniors and Probus groups: gentle itineraries built around short walks, lookouts close to parking and a long lunch.
- Corporate teams: client hosting, team days and off site lunches by the water.
- Schools: geography, coastal environment and Aboriginal heritage excursions. See school excursion bus hire.
- Social clubs and families: reunions, club days and visiting relatives.
Groups based on the peninsula can also see our Northern Beaches bus hire page, and lower north shore groups our North Sydney bus hire page.
What the Coach and Driver Provide
Your NSW Driver Authority holder works to your agreed itinerary, sets down at each stop and returns at the agreed time. Bags, jackets and towels can stay in the luggage hold. Bottled water is fine, but food, hot drinks and alcohol are not permitted on board.
Our drivers focus on the road and do not give commentary. For stories, local history and help managing the group at each stop, add a professional tour guide, or nominate your own host. A guide can also take your group on the Manly ferry from Circular Quay while the coach meets you at Manly. Our vehicles have no wheelchair lift or ramp, but folded wheelchairs and walkers travel in the hold.
Suggested Itineraries (Approximate Times)
Manly half day (about 4 to 5 hours): 9:00am pickup in the city, North Head lookouts around 9:45am, set down in Manly at about 10:45am for the Corso and the walk to Shelly Beach, lunch in Manly, then return to the city by about 2:00pm.
Full day to Palm Beach and West Head (about 8 to 9 hours): 8:30am pickup, North Head and Manly in the morning, a photo stop at Long Reef, lunch at Palm Beach around 12:30pm with time for the Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk for active groups, then West Head lookout in the afternoon before returning to the city around 5:00pm.
Whale season option (May to November): add extra time at North Head or Barrenjoey, or pair the tour with a harbour cruise from our dolphin and whale watching tours.
All times are approximate. Allow extra in peak traffic, on summer weekends and during school holidays.
Vehicle Sizes
- 12-seat minibus (Toyota Hiace or Mercedes Sprinter)
- 20-seat Toyota Coaster
- 24-seat Mitsubishi Rosa
- 28 and 33-seat midi-coaches
- 39, 48, 53 and 57-seat coaches and a 62-seat HI-CAP coach
Smaller vehicles reach more of the peninsula’s narrow streets, which helps on Pittwater itineraries. See the full fleet.
How to Book
- Choose a half or full day and the stops your group would like.
- Send your date, passenger numbers and pickup address through our online quote form.
- We quote per vehicle, depot to depot, with tolls charged at cost at Class B heavy vehicle rates. See how pricing works.
- Confirm your booking and read our pre-booking information.
Office: Macquarie Park. Depots: Botany, Moorebank and Marrickville.
Northern Beaches Tour FAQs
Can we swim during a Northern Beaches tour?
Yes, if swimming is in your itinerary. Swim at patrolled beaches between the flags, bring a towel and change before boarding so seats stay dry.
Where do groups usually have lunch?
Manly, Avalon and Palm Beach all have cafes and restaurants, and fish and chips on the beach is a popular choice. Food is not permitted on the coach, so we plan a proper lunch stop.
Is the tour suitable for seniors or less mobile guests?
Yes. We plan itineraries around lookouts close to parking and short, easy walks, and skip steep tracks such as Barrenjoey. Our vehicles have no wheelchair lift or ramp, but folded wheelchairs and walkers travel in the hold.
Do we pay national park fees at West Head?
Yes. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park charges entry fees per person in vehicles over 8 seats, and groups of 40 or more need prior written approval from the park office. We include West Head in your plan and let you know what is needed.
Can the coach drive to every Northern Beaches address?
Not always. Many streets around Palm Beach, Whale Beach, Avalon and Bilgola are too narrow or steep for a coach, so we use safe standing points on the main roads. See our Northern Beaches coach access guide.
Book Your Northern Beaches Tour
Tell us your date, group size and the stops you have in mind. Office hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am to 4:30pm, weekends 12:00pm to 2:00pm.
Request a quote | Contact us | More day tours | Ph: 1300 468 199
Additional Services
- Restaurant Bookings
- Professional Tour Guides
- Itinerary Planning
Sydney Charter Bus
All our coaches and minibuses are NSW Government accredited (NSW Bus Operator Accreditation No. 39461), and as buses they can use Sydney’s bus lanes, which helps keep your group moving in peak traffic.
Additional Services
- Restaurant Bookings
- Professional Tour Guides
- Itinerary Planning