An insider’s guide to 25 of the best things to do in and around Cronulla in Sydney’s south.

The best things to do in Cronulla revolve around the ocean. Every day, before dawn, you will find Cronulla Esplanade busy with a mix of power walkers, joggers, amateur photographers and besuited surfers gathering as if at a shambolic convention. And while Cronulla’s beaches have been shortlisted for  Tourism Australia’s Top 10 list of Best Australian Beaches, there’s a lot more to do besides swim and surf, from eating at stunning restaurants to Indigenous tours.

Here are 25 of the best things to do in Cronulla.

Get a spa treatment

I call the lovely Eliska Graves my skin whisperer and go to her when I need to fill my cup. Eliska is the founder of Beauty & Balance, just minutes from South Cronulla Beach. Whenever I see Eliska I ask her to tailor my treatment to what she thinks I need. I also like the stillness of her studio space for a body scrub and massage. The whisper-quiet studio is like a hidden sanctuary, tucked away upstairs from the Best Little Bookshop in Town.  Endota Spa, Bath Haus and RCVRI are also dedicated spaces for wellness.

Check out the new kids on the block

The best things to do in Cronulla include going out for a cocktail at Papa J’s or dining out at one of the Shire’s best restaurants, such as Queen Margherita of Savoy. Also worth checking out is Fred’s Providore, which flicks the switch to Fred’s After Hours to conjure up the ambience of a Parisian bistro. The intimate wine bar serves cocktails, caviar crumpets and dry-aged bistecca with stories about its suppliers on the side. Oh, and the whole Euro summer thing is so 2024. Head to Homer Rogue Taverna instead, my go-to gastrokafenio and the coolest new restaurant in Cronulla.

Sign up for sunrise yoga

I first came across the Sunrise yoga regular yogis on Facebook and followed them to see where I can do the downward dog at dawn. The 6am classes are held in the southernmost corner of South Cronulla Beach and hosted by trained teachers such as the marvellous Margie McCall. Although it seems early, this is peak hour on the Esplanade and the place to be for sunrise snaps. Top off your morning with a swim in one of the best rock pools that Sydney has to offer. If the weather is inclement, I like to book a class at True Woo led by my friend Bec Cornock who also leads retreats in Bali.

Enjoy some pub grub

There remains an ever-present queue outside Parc Pavilion long after the curiosity about Cronulla’s first new pub in decades died down. The multi-faceted venue includes Mr Monro’s, Parc Bistro, Call me Mamma’s Italian restaurant and The Terrace, which looks out onto a big old grandaddy of a fig tree that my kids used to love to climb. Check what’s on – from trivia on Tuesdays to drag bingo on Thursdays – and download the Feros Group app to become a member and receive discount vouchers. Let’s not forget Northie’s, a local institution.

Kayak into Cabbage Tree Basin

My leisure time in the Shire started to take a more reflective turn when I bought a kayak. Being on the water is one of the best things to do in Cronulla. You can also book a tour with marine biologist Marnie Sigal from Bundeena Kayaks who will help you negotiate the narrow mouth of Cabbage Tree Basin, working with the ebb and flow of the tide. Scan the banks of Bundeena for water birds and sluice past the thick tangle of mangroves that mark the entrance to the waterway. Paddle all the way to the end of the creek to experience the serenity.  

Do a sunrise photography workshop

Join local photographer Michael Sutton for a Smartphone Photography Workshop to learn how to capture the many moods of the sea and sky. Head down to South Cronulla Beach as the slightest crack of golden light begins to break over the horizon to find Michael (of @sutto007 and @humansofcronulla) guiding budding photographers on how to use light and composition to capture the colour and characters of the beachside suburb.  Meet at Cronulla Surf Club 30 minutes before sunrise.

Hop on your bike

Chain Reaction Bicycle Company has been catering to the changing needs of cyclists for three decades. The shop is run by hardcore bike geeks, everyone from recreational riders to international and Olympic-level athletes. Talk to one of the beardy blokes about the best bike to hire and where to ride it. I bought my e-bike here and love zipping along the Woolooware Shared Pathway to Shorebird Reserve, an important habitat for migratory birds.  The path now loops behind Shark Park and Bay Central Woollooware.

Take a self-guided walk

Cronulla is derived from the Aboriginal word ‘kurranulla’ meaning ‘place of pink seashells’ in the language of the Dharawal-speaking people, the Traditional Owners of the Land. You can learn about First Nations people at plaques placed along the Esplanade, where the waves have crashed along the coast for millennia. Walk the Walls provides another incentive to get your steps up. The annual event sees the walls become an ever-evolving exhibition of street art. The Hungry Point Cliff Top Walk is also worth a wander.

Browse for books

The Best Little Bookshop in Town is a must on any Cronulla itinerary. Talk to the erudite staff who always have great recommendations. Those new to the area should also join the BLB Book Club, which tends towards literary gems. As well as books that focus on everything from fiction to cookbooks, the store is perfect for those looking for a unique gift. The Best Little Bookshop in Town also has an extensive range of rare and collectable books. Check out the schedule for the Lotus Rooms out back where you can sign up for an energy reading.

Check out the Cronulla Surf Museum

Wanda. Elouera. The Alley. Cronulla Point. Windy Point. These are just a few of the surf breaks dotted between Greenhills and Oak Park in Cronulla. The seaside suburb of Cronulla has a long association with surfing. And it has created a terrific training ground for boundary-breaking surfers such as Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo, Richard ‘Dog’ Marsh, Jarvis Earle and Connor O’Leary. Head to the Cronulla Surf Museum tucked away in Cronulla Central to read about the history of the sport in the suburb.

Enjoy a Sydney staycation

My husband and I recently had a staycation at the revitalised Rydges Cronulla where we were right in position to check out some of the best bars and restaurants in the Shire. Rydges Cronulla has a cool, coastal vibe. The Alley, the hotel’s bar, has live music and DJs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday arvos and evenings. It’s a top spot to hang when the terrace becomes an open-air dance floor. The hotel has a pool and priceless views over North Cronulla Beach. It’s where you will find some of the suburb’s best cafes and bars. Quest Cronulla has also had a fab facelift.

Enjoy a round of golf

Despite the pain of your performance, there’s a lot of pleasure to be had while wandering the comic-book green grounds of Cronulla Golf Course. To play, you need to be accompanied by your mate who is a member. And don’t forget the deal is you need to make him look good when squaring up at the Blue Tee, which requires a precise shot over a narrow tree-lined fairway. Nearby Woolooware Golf Club is a public course. Follow up your tee time with dinner at JD’s for a chicken parmi bigger than your head.

Bunker down in Bundeena

Make  Bundeena your base for the monthly art trail or take the ferry from Cronulla onboard the heritage-listed Curranulla. The ferry ride to Bundeena is also the most scenic way to get to Simpson’s Cottage. Book a chic-nic with Bundeena Picnics. And make a beeline for Blooms & Beans for coffee and the Salty Pearl for craft beers, cocktails and burgers. Check the Pearl’s Instagram page for pop-up events like Paint & Sip.

Have a bevvy at a vibey bar

Brass Monkey is an intimate subterranean venue that has played host to some top-tier talent since it opened in 1999. The grungy speakeasy-style bar has established a legacy as a place for live music with acts including Ash Grunwald, Mental as Anything, Matt Corby, Alex Lloyd, Sarah McLeod and Josh Pyke on its hit list. Book dinner and a show as the Middle Eastern fare being served up here is led by chef Edoardo Scepi of nearby Yalla Sawa, one of the best restaurants in the Sutherland Shire. The Blind Bear is also a great bar for a bevvie.

Swim at Salmon Haul

A lot of the tourist traffic along the Esplanade stops at Shelly Park. Keep heading south to Salmon Haul which is surrounded by a natural rock shelf at the base of a cliff.  Sure, the beaches in Cronulla are some of the best in Sydney and the waves will always beckon. But don a mask and snorkel here and you will find a starting point for that annual conversation you have about making a sea change. For a change of pace, you can pull up here in your party boat over the summer months.

Go on a whale watching  tour

The humpback highway loops around the Royal National Park and hugs the coastline all the way to Cape Solander – one of the best places to see whales in Sydney. The season for cruising with Cronulla Whale Watching runs from June to October when the most common whales to see cruising around Cronulla are humpbacks. But the local boat charter company has also seen southern right whales, minkes and pilot whales while cruising around Cronulla. The boats leave from Cronulla Public Wharf and bookings are a must.

Take your fur baby for a beach walk

Greenhills Beach is one of the best places in Sydney to take your dog for a walk. It’s an off-leash zone between 3pm and 10am during non-daylight savings hours and between 4pm and 10am during daylight savings. You’ll find four-legged furry friends of all shapes and sizes on the beach, which sums up the spirit of the local community. The walkability is pretty good on the hard-packed sand and there’s plenty of parking too. The dog-friendly trail is like a meet-and-greet for both dogs and their owners.

Take a picnic to Darook Park Beach

Let’s Graze Co. is run by Wiradjuri woman Kay who curates gorgeous grazing boxes to go. Kay also sets up and styles picnics and grazing tables for any occasion, be it a date night, Christmas party or proposal. From a sweet and simple picnic package to a complete picnic package, the company makes dining al fresco at dreamy Darook Park Beach a breeze. Shire Picnic Co. will also set up your picnic and style it with everything from garlands to themed backdrops for a boujee backyard picnic.

Order a seafood platter by the sea

The focus at Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare is, as the name suggests, ‘of the sea’ and the restaurant is considered one of the best in the Shire for seafood. The signature dish prepared by executive chef Cristiano Patacca (ex-Otto, est.) is a raw seafood platter with a bounty that includes Abrolhos scallops, East33 oysters, ama-ebi prawns, caviar and yellowfin tuna tartare toasts. Head to Summer Salt, The Pines Cronulla and Sealevel if you want a side of sea views with your seafood platter. 

Take a dip in the sea

Rising with the sun is a long-held ritual in Cronulla with a rotating cast of characters that huff and puff along the path that snakes for some five kilometres from Greenhills Beach to Hungry Point Reserve. Regardless of the outside temperature, swimming is a year-round thrill. Shelly Park Ocean Pool is one of the more accessible pools, with a ramp leading down to the water. You can also meet up with the Shark Island Psycho Swimmers (SIPS) at Cronulla SLSC at 6.30am each day to swim around the island.

Sundowner by the sea

In the early evening, the cacophony of squawking seagulls is replaced by the sounds of people laughing and clinking glasses. It’s likely they’re toasting their good fortune to live so near to the sea. There are many great bars to enjoy a sundowner in Cronulla. Visit The Alley to watch the waves thudding onto the sand. Bob on down to Bobbys for a boogie. Head to Hurricane’s Bar & Grill to watch the mixologists muddle up a cocktail or three. And watch the sun go down at Pippis Cronulla and Benny’s Cronulla.

Book an Indigenous tour on Dharawal Country

Don’t forget to top up your annual NSW National Parks pass before heading into Kamay Botany Bay National Park. After watching out for whales and wildflowers at Cape Solander, book at tour with Uncle Shayne Williams of the Burraga Foundation who will guide you on a 1.5-hour walk on Dharawal Country. Along the way, learn about ancestral stories and cultural practices and the land that has shaped Aboriginal stories and traditions for thousands of years.

For coffee catch-ups

Cronulla locals tend to swap the sand and sea for coffee and a gossip at one of the many cafes dotted around the beachside suburb. Regardless of the season, going out for coffee is a great way to start the day. Choose between cult cafes such as Grind Espresso, The Press, Fred’s Providore, HAM, Rushi, Next Door, Blackwood Pantry, all of which attract their devotees. Shelly Park Shop will also win you over with its friendly service and good coffee. Want to book a special breakfast? The Pines Cronulla is my pick.

See the Cronulla Sharks play

Cronulla has a thriving NRL fan base. Get a feel for the pulse of the suburb by venturing into Cronulla Sharks territory during the season. Catch the train from Cronulla to Woolooware and then follow the crowds cheering on the boys in the black, white and blue. My husband likes to get tickets for family hill so we can kick off our shoes and lounge on a blanket on the grass. Head to Bay Central Woolooware to pick up some Sharkies merch.

Cruise the Port Hacking

Royal National Park is Australia’s first national park. And seeing it from the water, bathed in a buttery light, is spectacular. Port Hacking Scenic River Cruises ploughs up the river in the dinky MV Tom Thumb III, which was commissioned in 1946. The three-hour cruise loops around historic landmarks, multimillion-dollar mansions and sites of significance. Want to throw a line in? Check out Sydney Premium Charters, which offers adventures for keen anglers.