Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint

Lace up your walking shoes, because the best spot to ogle the area from is the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, a 40-minute walk uphill from Governor Phillip Park at Palm Beach. Once you reach the top, you can see Pittwater in its entirety and right down the coast.

Arts and culture

Catch the ferry from Palm Beach, across Pittwater, to The Basin in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and follow The Basin Track that takes in an Aboriginal rock art and engraving site. Here you’ll see figures of people, fish and kangaroos. The whole track runs for a total of 4.5 kilometres and ends at Mackerel Beach, where you can catch a ferry back over to Palm Beach.

Something for nothing

Lots of locals up this way surf and when you see the pumping swell you’ll know why. You don’t, however, need a board to get your kicks. Body surfing (or body bashing as it’s sometimes known) requires some good timing – start swimming before the waves arrive – and a head for fun. Watch what others do, then try it yourself.

Shopping

For a cluster of individual stores, head to Palm Beach. Super-stylish Bow Wow (1093 Barrenjoey Road; + 61 (0)2 9974 1762) stocks fashion by Australian designers Easton Pearson and Ginger & Smart, swimwear, fabric and prints by Mambo designer Bruce Goold and beachy homewares. Take some Aussie beach style home from Les Interieurs (1111 Barrenjoey Road; +61 (0)408 500 400) where you can buy driftwood sculptures and shell lamps. Stock up on the finer things in life at Palm Beach Wine Co (1109 Barrenjoey Road; +61 (0)2 9979 4304), including delicatessen treats and global wines.

Daytripper

As well harbouring historical Aboriginal art sites, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park's 15,000 hectares boast much more to explore. At the park's northern end is West Head, with great views back to the Barrenjoey Lighthouse. From May to July, during their mating season, you’ll probably also spot the beautiful lyrebird in the area. There are gorgeous walks here too, including the seven-kilometre Resolute Track through rainforest, eucalypt forests and heathland.

Best beach

They’re all beautiful up here, but for sheer ‘haven’t I seen that somewhere before?’ value you can’t beat Palm Beach, the setting for the television programme Home and Away (otherwise known worldwide as Summer Bay). Surfing takes place at the north end of the beach, while the southern end is more protected. There’s also an ocean pool here that’s good for swimming a few laps or playing with little kids who can't cope with the open ocean. Locals call the beach Palmie, just so you know.

Perfect picnic

Stock the basket at The Cooks Larder (Shop 1, 21–23 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon; +61 (0)2 9973 4370; www.thecookslarder.com.au), where you can buy cheese, bread and meats, as well as homemade mayonnaise, sauces, jams and sweet things. Plus, if you’re planning a barbecue, the store can supply ready-to-go meals, such as kebabs and marinated steaks. There are picnic tables, a barbecue area, rock pool and playground at the south end of Avalon Beach.

Walks

It’s a rugged, steep climb but worth the effort. Bangalley Headland is the highest point on the Northern Beaches and a reserve for birds and wild animals. Walk slowly and quietly and you might see bandicoots, snakes and lizards sunning themselves on the path, and birds, including finches and wrens, flitting through the shrubs. The walk only takes about 45 minutes – start at either the Marine Parade or Whale Beach Road entrances – at a leisurely pace but it is quite hard.

Children

Get them to burn off some energy on Narrabeen Lake. At ProKayaks (+61 (0)2 9970 7081; www.prokayaks.com.au), you can hire kayaks – from singles to a three-man canoe – as well as pedal boats. The experienced guides can also provide lessons, and if you have a gang of kids holidaying together, ask about the organised (and fully supervised) kids’ parties.

Activities

There’s no better way to see this spectacular area than from the deck of a yacht. You can either charter one with a skipper or take the bareboat option at Smart Boating Group (+61 (0)2 9997 5344; www.smartboating.com.au) to explore Pittwater and the network of bays and waterways around Broken Bay. The water is mostly calm too, making for an extremely relaxing day.

And

There are just two short seasons each year, but from June to July and then from the end of September to early October, humpback whales come quite close to the shore. Fantasea (+61 (0)2 9974 2411; www.palmbeachferry.com.au) has half-day whale-watching boat tours that depart each morning from Palm Beach at 8.30am.