Curl Curl beach is a locals’ favourite for a reason. On any given day, you’ll find families playing on long stretches of golden sand, couples taking romantic walks on the beach, and groups of friends catching some sun rays.
Curl Curl beach is a surfers’ paradise located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches district, and offers breathtaking ocean views, secluded picnic areas, and plenty of waves for surfing enthusiasts. It stretches for approximately 1.2km and is divided to North Curl Curl and South Curl Curl. Both ends have surf life saving clubs and also rock pools. There’s plenty of parking space available near the beach area. You also have access to two picnic areas that offer ample seating space, barbecues for cooking your own lunch, clean restrooms and more. Keep in mind that these picnic areas are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re looking for a peaceful place to relax, find a secluded spot and take in nature’s beauty, Curl Curl beach is definitely worth checking out!
Don’t be surprised if you see some dolphins playing in the surf at Curl Curl beach. It is believed that they are attracted to the waves, so keep your camera close by if you want to catch a glimpse of them!
Curl Curl Beach at a Glance
| Park / Reserve: | Yes |
| BBQs: | Yes |
| Picnic Tables: | Yes |
| Shade: | No |
| Swimming: | Yes |
| Beach patrolled: | Yes |
| Playground: | Yes |
| Cafes / Restaurants: | Yes |
| Toilets / Showers: | Yes |
| Parking: | Paid parking in several car parks next to the beach and some unlimited parking in side streets |
| Water Sports: | Swimming Surfing Body Boarding |
Things to Do at Curl Curl Beach
If you have young children, they will enjoy:
- Blowing bubbles
- Make sand angels
- Look for sea critters at rock pools
- Look for seashells
- Collect pebbles
More things to do at the beach for kids.
Older kids can:
- Make a sandman
- Build a channel to the sea
- Fly a kite
- Play hopscotch
- Build sculptures by the sea
More things to do at the beach with family.
Teenagers will have a lot of fun:
- Having a sand race
- Kicking the ball
- Surfing
- Playing beach cricket
- Playing spike ball
More things to do at the beach for teenagers.
Adults / parents / couples will enjoy:
- Playing beach volleyball
- Having iced coffee at the southern end café
- Metal detecting
- Bury a time capsule for friends to find
Photo Gallery
Can You Surf at Curl Curl Beach?
Swimming in Curl Curl Lagoon is not recommended. There is a small part of the lagoon at the northern end that connects to the sea during high tide, which is shallow and ok for children to play at.
Can You Swim in Curl Curl Lagoon?
Narrabeen Lagoon also referred to as Narrabeen Lake has several areas which are suitable for swimming, stand up paddle boarding or kayaking. A great family friendly area is on either side of the Narrabeen Lagoon Bridge on Ocean Street.
Is Curl Curl Beach Busy?
The northern end and southern end of Curl Curl Beach tend to get busy during summer months, mainly because both ends have rock pools, cafes and are patrolled.
However, if you are looking for a quiet place on the beach, head to the middle, where you can find a spot far away from other beach goers. If you plan to go swimming, it is recommended you swim between the flags.
Curl Curl Beach Coastal Walk
Curl Curl Beach to Freshwater is a perfect way for anyone who wants an easy, scenic coastal walk. It provides some great views of the coastline, with various lookouts along the way. If you’re interested in history, there are also Aboriginal sites that you can stop to see on your walk.
Curl Curl Beach Cafes
Gusto On The Beach
Overlooking Curl Curl beach, this casual café is located in the South Curl Curl Surf Club and is perfect for breakfast or lunch. The café serves great coffee and has an all day menu, which includes croissants, bacon & egg rolls, Acai bowls, salads, wraps and burgers.
The café is dog friendly and is open from 6.30am every day.
Check out Gusto on the Beach website.
There are other cafes in the area, but are a bit further from the beach. These include:
Curl Curl Beach Rock Pool
There’s a rock pool located at both North Curl Curl and South Curl Curl ends of the beach. Both pools are regularly cleaned, especially during summer, making them a great spot to swim if you are wanting to do laps or have young children who are not confident in the surf.
The North Curl Curl rockpool is a local secret as it can only be accessed during low tide by walking along the beach. I had lived on the northern beaches for over 20 years and have only just discovered it about 2 summers ago.
The pool has an intriguing, unique profile that makes your visit worth while – its rough edges are made from rocky formations of Dee Why headland.
Curl Curl Beach Dog Park
The Curl Curl Lagoon, located at the northern end of Carrington beach is a great place for dogs to enjoy swimming. You can also take your pup on an off leash stroll through Adam Street Reserve which has plenty more space and amenities.
Curl Curl Beach Fishing
Whilst Curl Curl Lagoon is closed for fishing, you can fish at Curl Curl Beach. For best time to go fishing check Fishing Reminder website , which provides up to date information about wind speed and direction, fishing barometer, tides, humidity, cloud cover, UV index and so much more.
If you’re looking for some fresh Australian salmon to spice up your dinner table, look no further than Curl Curl Beach. The most popular species caught here are Dusky flathead and Swallowtail dart- both of which can be found in abundance during the summer months.
Curl Curl Beach Lookout
Recently I decided to climb up the stairs near the North Curl Curl rock pool and I was amazed at what I found.
An incredible lookout over Curl Curl Beach.
The lookout has a flat rock and a bench, so if you are looking for a place to have a special picnic this is it.
If you follow the path, you will come to the beach car park, so you can also access it without going onto the beach.
Curl Curl Beach Playground
There is only one small playground near Curl Curl Beach and that is located at Surf Reserve, near North Curl Curl car park. The playground is not fenced, so make sure you keep an eye on the kids, as there are several roads nearby.
Curl Curl Beach Water Temperature
Summer water temperature is around 24 degrees and in winter it gets down to around 18 degrees C. If you want to find the water temperature and surf conditions on any given day, check out Surf forecast website.
Curl Curl Beach Weather
Weather in Sydney is warm to hot during summer and cool in winter. The average temperature in summer is 27 degrees C and in winter 15 degrees C. Occasionally the temperature will rise to 35+ degrees C and in winter it can dip as low as 5 degrees C.
For daily weather forecast at Curl Curl, check out the Bureau of Meteorology Website.
Curl Curl Beach Parking
There are three car parks at Curl Curl Beach. One at the northern end, one in the middle and a small car park at the southern end.
You will also find some street parking, but it is advisable to get to the beach early, especially during summer months, as parking can be difficult, especially on the weekends and during summer holidays.
How to Get to Curl Curl Beach
The best way to get to Narrabeen Beach is by car, however you can catch public transport.
To plan your trip, check out Transport NSW website – https://transportnsw.info/trip#/trip
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Ivana Katz is a Sydney based website designer and travel blogger. Having her own business has given her the freedom to explore the world. She believes travel is the best teacher and her passion for adventure, writing and photography has taken her and her son to some amazing places, including Hawaii, Canada, Fiji, Greece and Czech Republic. Ivana’s favourite thing about travelling is learning, discovering hidden gems and creating memories. She loves nothing more than inspiring other women to chase their dreams and explore the world with their families and friends.
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