Well, your beach + transport criteria narrows down your options. You probably have three main options, from north to south.
Manly.
The Manly area is replete with wonderful ocean beaches. Manly beach, Curl Curl, Queenscliffe and Dee Why (from south to north) are some of the most spectacular ocean beaches Sydney has to offer without the wall to wall flesh press that is Bondi in Summer. The Northern Beaches are a little bit more laid back than some of the other parts of Sydney, and there is a hint of the holiday beach lifestyle. There is also a critical mass of decent (but not jaw droppingly awesome) restaraunts, bars and so on.
Transport to and from the city is via one of three methods, in order of preference. The Manly Ferry is probably the best. It has a half hour services throughout the week and takes 30 minutes to get to Circular Quay. If you are working in the northern half of the CBD, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you are down in the southern end, you will likely have to add a bus or train trip to the journey. The ferry is a wonderfully refreshing start and finish to the end of the day. The ferry is generally reliable except during really bad weather, in which case buses replace ferries.
Otherwise its car or bus along Spit Road, Military Road and then across the bridge or tunnel into the city. The commute along these roads is a killer and not advisable. Using a car means finding a rather expensive car spot in the city, and spending a lot of time bumper-to-bumper. The bus benefits from you being able to read or similar, but there will be stop/start and it can take as long as an hour and a half in bad traffic.
Lower North Shore
The lower north shore does not enjoy ocean beaches, but has several exquisite harbour beaches including Balmoral and Chinaman's beach. As these beaches are on Middle Harbour they tend to be very clean unless there have been recent rains. If you are in any of the suburbs east of the Warringah freeway, and learn the back streets, you can get to one of these beaches in about 20 minutes. But you'll also spend another 20 minutes looking for a car park on a busy day (hint, catch a cab, it doens't work out all that more expensive once you figure in parking fees and the hassle of finding a park)
In terms of culture and amenity, the lower north shore incorporates suburbs such as Mosman, which about as monocultural and toffy as you can get in Sydney. To use a stereotype, its full of conservative white anglo saxon protestants with old money. The high streets are full of top end boutique shops, the restaraunts and bars are high quality, but not exactly cutting edge (can't have too much wild experimentation in such a conservative setting).
Other parts of the lower north shore a little more bohemian. Well, relatively Bohemian when put up against Mosman. But compared to places like the anachic Newtown, the lower north feels like a reasonably well run Hitler youth camp.
Neutral bay is accessible, pleasant and surrounded by some decent amenities. It is home to many young professionals and sports its fair share of trendy drinking destinations, with one in particular at the moment the destination for Sydney's cool club glitterati.
Transport presents many options. The ferries are again in play if you are within walking distance of a terminal. Depending on your route, you can have very regular and quick services (e.g. Milson's point, McMahon's Point, Kirribilli) or less regular (North Sydney/Neutral Bay/Cremorne Point). Ferries also run from Mosman, a 20 minute ferry trip.
The train is probably your next best option if you are at North Sydney, Kirribilli or Neutral Bay. The service is very very regular, and very fast. But you won't get a seat in the mornings.
Then bus, there are very regular (every minute) bus services along military road into the city, and a variety of feeder routes that filter through the various suburbs. The buses only detriment is that they tend not to be as reliable when traffic over the bridge gets hectic.
Car has the same draw backs as the Manly example, except the commute length is significantly less. But I have spent as much as 45 mintues stuck in traffic to make a 4km trip on really bad days.
Another option, if you are in Kirribilli, North Sydney or Neutral Bay, (or slightly further afield if you are keen) is walking/running across the bridge. If your workplace has end of trip facilities including a shower, you can do the run in about 30 minutes and also get in your daily exercise.
Generally speaking through, you're never more than an average of 25 minutes door-to-door from the lower north suburbs adjacent to the bridge.
Eastern Suburbs
For Ocean Beaches, you have Bondi, Tamarama or Coogee. For harbour beaches, Rose Bay or Watson's Bay. However these two are on the main harbour, and while the authorities tell us the water quality is good, I personally have issues with the main harbour beaches. It's only been three decades since they started cleaning up the Parramatta river (which feeds the main harbour) but to my unscientific mind, you don't just get rid of almost a hundred years of industrial pollutants in a handful of years.
Be warned, the Eastern Suburbs include the most expensive real estate in Sydney. Vaucluse (north of Bondi) and Rose Bay (to the west of Bondi) regularly turn up in the most expensive suburbs to live in in Australia (admittedly with Mosman and Northbridge on the lower north shore not far down the list).
To fall back on sterotypes again, if the northern beaches are a little bit holiday/beachy/laid back, and the lower north shore is conservative/waspville, then the Eastern Suburbs are pretentious and take themselves far too seriously. Male hipsters are ubiquitious, sipping their decafe soy lattes and chewing on their chia seeds, and no female seems to leave the house without having spent 2 hours immaculately making themselves up and ensuring every accessory is perfectly matched to their newest designer attire.
On the upside though, the east is full of cool and serious eateries and drinking establishments. And the Westfield at Bondi Junction is one of the best shopping centres in Sydney. You'll also find the best (arguably) butcher in Sydney at Woollahara.
In terms of transport though, its a bit of a mess. The rail line only goes to Bondi Junction, which means unless you living in the Junction (which is about 2km from Bondi Beach), you'll be on a bus, then a train.
Alternatively you can just catch the 333 or similar bus into the city. In peak times, its a bit over 30 minutes on the bus, but this can grind to a halt if traffic gets bad. I do know some colleagues who mix up the train with walking, and that can be useful as well.
Non-Beach Inner City Alternatives
If you don't wish to live right on the beach, and are prepared to travel a bit for your beach explorations, then other areas in and around the city are as follows:
Surry Hills is the epicentre of Sydney's culinary culture. Many prominent chefs have their restaurants here and there is a great collection of night spots throughout Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Paddington. This area is also the home of much of Sydney's gay male population and their influence really does add a whole new level of sophistication to many establishments. Kings Cross is also a stone's throw and is renowned as Sydney's nite life centre, although recent alcohol reforms have somewhat diminished the chaotic alcohol fueled nastiness in the Cross. If you were in Surry Hills, your closest beaches would be those in the Eastern Suburbs. Travel to the city is pretty simple as you're only ever a kilometre and a half south of the CBD. But driving anywhere is problematic and car spaces come at a premium.
Balmain/Lilyfield. A now gentrified former working class area. Home to most of Sydney's more "reasonable" progressive elements (as opposed to Newtown, which is full of the "unreasonable" progressive elements). You'll find every other person is some form of academic, public servant, social activist or whatever. If I wanted to be cheeky, Balmain is the left-wing's answer to the right-wing North Shore. It's also full of interesting restaraunts and bars and home to some wonderful art deco architecture. As for beaches, well, your pretty much stuck. You're at least a 45 minute drive from any number of beaches (traffic is the problem rather than distance). Transport can also be problematic. There are ferry services which are great if you are relatively close to a terminal, but otherwise the bus or car is along one of the most congested arterial roads in Sydney and you'll be competing with every bugger commuting in or out from the Western suburbs. There is light rail, but of all those people I know who live in the inner west, not one uses the light rail option (that may just be because I work in the northern end of the CBD, and the light rail terminates at the southern end).
Newtown is about as grungy, eclectic and bohemian as Sydney gets. You'll see everything from old school unwashed hippies through to body modification extremists, anarchists, socialists, everyone who doesn't quite fit the standard societal mold anywhere else in Sydney. It's a maze of alleys and grungy high street shopping and a wonderful mirror into everything that is beautiful and ugly in the human condition. You'll meet brilliant and exceptionally fascinating individuals and at the same time, see junkies looking for their latest fix walk on past. For Transport, you're right on the main western rail line, which has very very regular services. Buses are also ubiquitous. Driving is problematic, the streets are all highly congested and car spaces come at a premium.
If you want beaches and easy access to the city, then the Eastern suburbs are the obvious choice. There is a whole cluster of them:
Maroubra, a surfing beach, the least developed. Excellent transport to the city -- can be in the city in ~25-30 minutes. A real mix of different cultures.
Bondi, world famous beach. Full of backpackers. Touristy, expensive. Closer to city, but traffic is heavier.
Coogee is in between these two extremes in almost every way: geographically, development, ease of transport.
There are smaller beaches between these (Clovelly, Bronte, Tamarama) that vary along the continuum.
Here are the more "out there" options:
Brighton-le-sands/Sans Souci: for a more Mediterranean feel, and much more cost-effective. Transport is not all that great, and your beach looks out on to the airport.
You could live on the other side of the harbor, in, say Manly, but that would mean a ferry to the city.
If you want to live in a more Anglo-dominated area, Cronulla is an option. But transport to the city is hard.
2 Answers
SADSDASD
Upvotes from:
Manly.
The Manly area is replete with wonderful ocean beaches. Manly beach, Curl Curl, Queenscliffe and Dee Why (from south to north) are some of the most spectacular ocean beaches Sydney has to offer without the wall to wall flesh press that is Bondi in Summer. The Northern Beaches are a little bit more laid back than some of the other parts of Sydney, and there is a hint of the holiday beach lifestyle. There is also a critical mass of decent (but not jaw droppingly awesome) restaraunts, bars and so on.
Transport to and from the city is via one of three methods, in order of preference. The Manly Ferry is probably the best. It has a half hour services throughout the week and takes 30 minutes to get to Circular Quay. If you are working in the northern half of the CBD, this shouldn't be a problem, but if you are down in the southern end, you will likely have to add a bus or train trip to the journey. The ferry is a wonderfully refreshing start and finish to the end of the day. The ferry is generally reliable except during really bad weather, in which case buses replace ferries.
Otherwise its car or bus along Spit Road, Military Road and then across the bridge or tunnel into the city. The commute along these roads is a killer and not advisable. Using a car means finding a rather expensive car spot in the city, and spending a lot of time bumper-to-bumper. The bus benefits from you being able to read or similar, but there will be stop/start and it can take as long as an hour and a half in bad traffic.
Lower North Shore
The lower north shore does not enjoy ocean beaches, but has several exquisite harbour beaches including Balmoral and Chinaman's beach. As these beaches are on Middle Harbour they tend to be very clean unless there have been recent rains. If you are in any of the suburbs east of the Warringah freeway, and learn the back streets, you can get to one of these beaches in about 20 minutes. But you'll also spend another 20 minutes looking for a car park on a busy day (hint, catch a cab, it doens't work out all that more expensive once you figure in parking fees and the hassle of finding a park)
In terms of culture and amenity, the lower north shore incorporates suburbs such as Mosman, which about as monocultural and toffy as you can get in Sydney. To use a stereotype, its full of conservative white anglo saxon protestants with old money. The high streets are full of top end boutique shops, the restaraunts and bars are high quality, but not exactly cutting edge (can't have too much wild experimentation in such a conservative setting).
Other parts of the lower north shore a little more bohemian. Well, relatively Bohemian when put up against Mosman. But compared to places like the anachic Newtown, the lower north feels like a reasonably well run Hitler youth camp.
Neutral bay is accessible, pleasant and surrounded by some decent amenities. It is home to many young professionals and sports its fair share of trendy drinking destinations, with one in particular at the moment the destination for Sydney's cool club glitterati.
Transport presents many options. The ferries are again in play if you are within walking distance of a terminal. Depending on your route, you can have very regular and quick services (e.g. Milson's point, McMahon's Point, Kirribilli) or less regular (North Sydney/Neutral Bay/Cremorne Point). Ferries also run from Mosman, a 20 minute ferry trip.
The train is probably your next best option if you are at North Sydney, Kirribilli or Neutral Bay. The service is very very regular, and very fast. But you won't get a seat in the mornings.
Then bus, there are very regular (every minute) bus services along military road into the city, and a variety of feeder routes that filter through the various suburbs. The buses only detriment is that they tend not to be as reliable when traffic over the bridge gets hectic.
Car has the same draw backs as the Manly example, except the commute length is significantly less. But I have spent as much as 45 mintues stuck in traffic to make a 4km trip on really bad days.
Another option, if you are in Kirribilli, North Sydney or Neutral Bay, (or slightly further afield if you are keen) is walking/running across the bridge. If your workplace has end of trip facilities including a shower, you can do the run in about 30 minutes and also get in your daily exercise.
Generally speaking through, you're never more than an average of 25 minutes door-to-door from the lower north suburbs adjacent to the bridge.
Eastern Suburbs
For Ocean Beaches, you have Bondi, Tamarama or Coogee. For harbour beaches, Rose Bay or Watson's Bay. However these two are on the main harbour, and while the authorities tell us the water quality is good, I personally have issues with the main harbour beaches. It's only been three decades since they started cleaning up the Parramatta river (which feeds the main harbour) but to my unscientific mind, you don't just get rid of almost a hundred years of industrial pollutants in a handful of years.
Be warned, the Eastern Suburbs include the most expensive real estate in Sydney. Vaucluse (north of Bondi) and Rose Bay (to the west of Bondi) regularly turn up in the most expensive suburbs to live in in Australia (admittedly with Mosman and Northbridge on the lower north shore not far down the list).
To fall back on sterotypes again, if the northern beaches are a little bit holiday/beachy/laid back, and the lower north shore is conservative/waspville, then the Eastern Suburbs are pretentious and take themselves far too seriously. Male hipsters are ubiquitious, sipping their decafe soy lattes and chewing on their chia seeds, and no female seems to leave the house without having spent 2 hours immaculately making themselves up and ensuring every accessory is perfectly matched to their newest designer attire.
On the upside though, the east is full of cool and serious eateries and drinking establishments. And the Westfield at Bondi Junction is one of the best shopping centres in Sydney. You'll also find the best (arguably) butcher in Sydney at Woollahara.
In terms of transport though, its a bit of a mess. The rail line only goes to Bondi Junction, which means unless you living in the Junction (which is about 2km from Bondi Beach), you'll be on a bus, then a train.
Alternatively you can just catch the 333 or similar bus into the city. In peak times, its a bit over 30 minutes on the bus, but this can grind to a halt if traffic gets bad. I do know some colleagues who mix up the train with walking, and that can be useful as well.
Non-Beach Inner City Alternatives
If you don't wish to live right on the beach, and are prepared to travel a bit for your beach explorations, then other areas in and around the city are as follows:
Surry Hills is the epicentre of Sydney's culinary culture. Many prominent chefs have their restaurants here and there is a great collection of night spots throughout Surry Hills, Darlinghurst and Paddington. This area is also the home of much of Sydney's gay male population and their influence really does add a whole new level of sophistication to many establishments. Kings Cross is also a stone's throw and is renowned as Sydney's nite life centre, although recent alcohol reforms have somewhat diminished the chaotic alcohol fueled nastiness in the Cross. If you were in Surry Hills, your closest beaches would be those in the Eastern Suburbs. Travel to the city is pretty simple as you're only ever a kilometre and a half south of the CBD. But driving anywhere is problematic and car spaces come at a premium.
Balmain/Lilyfield. A now gentrified former working class area. Home to most of Sydney's more "reasonable" progressive elements (as opposed to Newtown, which is full of the "unreasonable" progressive elements). You'll find every other person is some form of academic, public servant, social activist or whatever. If I wanted to be cheeky, Balmain is the left-wing's answer to the right-wing North Shore. It's also full of interesting restaraunts and bars and home to some wonderful art deco architecture. As for beaches, well, your pretty much stuck. You're at least a 45 minute drive from any number of beaches (traffic is the problem rather than distance). Transport can also be problematic. There are ferry services which are great if you are relatively close to a terminal, but otherwise the bus or car is along one of the most congested arterial roads in Sydney and you'll be competing with every bugger commuting in or out from the Western suburbs. There is light rail, but of all those people I know who live in the inner west, not one uses the light rail option (that may just be because I work in the northern end of the CBD, and the light rail terminates at the southern end).
Newtown is about as grungy, eclectic and bohemian as Sydney gets. You'll see everything from old school unwashed hippies through to body modification extremists, anarchists, socialists, everyone who doesn't quite fit the standard societal mold anywhere else in Sydney. It's a maze of alleys and grungy high street shopping and a wonderful mirror into everything that is beautiful and ugly in the human condition. You'll meet brilliant and exceptionally fascinating individuals and at the same time, see junkies looking for their latest fix walk on past. For Transport, you're right on the main western rail line, which has very very regular services. Buses are also ubiquitous. Driving is problematic, the streets are all highly congested and car spaces come at a premium.
dora
Upvotes from:
Maroubra, a surfing beach, the least developed. Excellent transport to the city -- can be in the city in ~25-30 minutes. A real mix of different cultures.
Bondi, world famous beach. Full of backpackers. Touristy, expensive. Closer to city, but traffic is heavier.
Coogee is in between these two extremes in almost every way: geographically, development, ease of transport.
There are smaller beaches between these (Clovelly, Bronte, Tamarama) that vary along the continuum.
Here are the more "out there" options:
Brighton-le-sands/Sans Souci: for a more Mediterranean feel, and much more cost-effective. Transport is not all that great, and your beach looks out on to the airport.
You could live on the other side of the harbor, in, say Manly, but that would mean a ferry to the city.
If you want to live in a more Anglo-dominated area, Cronulla is an option. But transport to the city is hard.