The Home & Away
Summer Bay Tour
A guided Palm Beach day trip from Sydney — returning by the famous Manly Ferry
Walk the real Summer Bay. See the Surf Club, the bait shop and diner, the character-house streets and Barrenjoey Headland, with a local guide who knows every story — then sail back to the city past the Opera House. Rated 4.9★ from 412+ reviews.
(Circular Quay)
to Circular Quay
(filming days)
Step Into Summer Bay for a Day
For nearly four decades, Home and Away has been filmed at Palm Beach, 41 km north of Sydney. This is your chance to walk it for yourself.
This is a half-day escape from the city to the real Summer Bay. After a scenic coastal drive up Sydney's Northern Beaches, you'll spend your time at Palm Beach with a guide who can point out exactly where the show's most memorable outdoor scenes were filmed — the Summer Bay Surf Club (the North Palm Beach SLSC), the bait shop and the Pier Diner, the streets used for character-house exteriors, and the sweeping Barrenjoey Headland.
Because filming usually happens on Mondays and Tuesdays, tours are timed to give you the best possible chance of seeing a scene being shot — and, if the day's schedule allows, glimpsing some of the cast at work. Then comes one of the best parts of the day: instead of driving back, you return to Sydney aboard the Manly Ferry, gliding across the harbour past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
New to the show or planning your day? Read the complete Summer Bay filming-locations guide and our ultimate Home and Away fan guide, or see the full Palm Beach & Summer Bay things-to-do overview.
The Itinerary, Stop by Stop
A relaxed, well-paced day — here's roughly how it unfolds.
Depart Circular Quay
Meet your guide in the city and settle in for the drive north. Exact pick-up point and time are confirmed when you book.
The Northern Beaches coastal drive
Cross the Spit Bridge and follow the coast past Manly, Dee Why, Collaroy and Narrabeen — some of Sydney's best surf beaches — with commentary along the way.
Bilgola, Avalon & Whale Beach
Pause at Bilgola Lookout for your first big Pacific panorama, roll through the village of Avalon, and glimpse the secluded arc of Whale Beach before the final descent to Palmy.
The Summer Bay filming locations
Your guided walk takes in the Surf Club exterior, the bait shop and diner, the character-house streets, the rockpool and the beach itself — positioned at the angles you've seen on screen.
Lunch & the Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk
Grab lunch at a Palm Beach cafe or the Boathouse, swim if you've brought your togs, and (optionally) walk up to the 1881 Barrenjoey Lighthouse for the finest coastal view in greater Sydney.
Return by the Manly Ferry
The day finishes at Manly, where you board the ferry back to Circular Quay — a 30-minute harbour cruise past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. (Ferry fare not included.)
What's Included
✅ Included
- Air-conditioned coach transport from Sydney CBD
- Expert local guide with deep Home and Away knowledge
- Guided visits to all the accessible Palm Beach filming locations
- Scenic Northern Beaches drive with commentary
- Photo stops at Bilgola, Avalon and Whale Beach
- Free time for lunch and the Barrenjoey Lighthouse walk
- Drop-off at Manly for the ferry back to the city
ℹ️ Not Included
- Manly Ferry fare to Circular Quay (low-cost Opal fare)
- Lunch and personal refreshments
- Summer Bay Kiosk merchandise and souvenirs
- Travel insurance (we recommend arranging your own)
- Hotel pick-up outside the Sydney CBD meeting point
- Gratuities (always appreciated, never expected)
🤝 Delivered with trusted local operators
Cooee Tours is a proudly Australian, family-owned touring company based in Queensland. For our Sydney and Northern Beaches departures we partner with experienced local Palm Beach tour operators who specialise in Home and Away and know the area inside out. You get genuine on-the-ground local knowledge, paired with Cooee Tours' booking, support and customer care. Group sizes, exact departure points and live availability are confirmed at the time of booking — just get in touch or call +61 409 661 342 if you'd like to check details first.
Will You See Filming?
A realistic picture, so your expectations match the day.
📅 Filming days
Outdoor filming at Palm Beach most often happens on Mondays and Tuesdays, which is why those are the best days to book. Wednesdays sometimes see filming too. Schedules are set by the production and never published in advance.
🎬 Cast & production breaks
The production pauses for around two weeks in July and over the Christmas–New Year period. Cast sightings are a lovely bonus when they happen, but they can't be guaranteed — please be respectful of cast and crew at work.
📸 No filming? Still worth it
All the outdoor sets stay in place year-round — the Surf Club, the bait shop and diner, the headland and the beach. Palm Beach is one of Sydney's most beautiful spots in any season.
👪 Who it suits
Lifelong fans, curious first-timers, families, photographers, and interstate or international visitors. The walking is gentle; the optional lighthouse climb is the only steeper section.
Cooee Tours acknowledges the Garigal people of the Guringai nation, the Traditional Custodians of Palm Beach, Pittwater and the wider Northern Beaches, and pays respect to their Elders past and present.
Tour Questions, Answered
Tours depart from Sydney's CBD around the Circular Quay area in the morning. The exact meeting point and time are confirmed when you book. You'll return to the city by the Manly Ferry to Circular Quay.
Allow approximately five hours. That covers the scenic drive to Palm Beach, your guided time at the Summer Bay filming locations, free time for lunch, and the return ferry from Manly.
We can't guarantee it. Filming most often happens on Mondays and Tuesdays, so those days give the best chance, but the production sets its own schedule and takes breaks (around two weeks in July and over Christmas). Even without filming, every outdoor set is there to see.
Cooee Tours is a Queensland-based, family-owned company. Our Sydney departures are delivered in partnership with trusted local Northern Beaches operators who specialise in Home and Away tours, so you get local expertise with Cooee Tours' booking and care.
Neither is included — this keeps the tour price down. Palm Beach has great cafes and the Boathouse for lunch, and the Manly Ferry on the return leg is a low-cost Opal fare you pay yourself.
Book online via the Cooee Tours bookings page, call +61 409 661 342, or email contact@cooeetours.com.au with your preferred date and group size for live availability and pricing.
More Summer Bay & Sydney
Ready to Walk the Real Summer Bay?
Join thousands of Home and Away fans who've stood on the sands of Palm Beach with Cooee Tours. Check 2026 dates and reserve your spot today.
By booking you agree to our Terms & Conditions, Cancellation Policy and Privacy Policy.