Best Workout Areas In Sydney

If you want to exercise but don’t like gyms, then the wonderful thing about Sydney is that it’s blessed with some of the most beautiful and picturesque places to do your workout. Here are my favourite spots to walk, run and ride.

Located behind Greenhills Beach (which is the northern end of the Cronulla Beach stretch) this is an exercise Mecca for elite athletes and everyday Joe’s. No matter what your level of fitness the Cronulla Sand Dunes will test you. Nothing gets your heart pumping more than running uphill in soft sand.

But the cool thing is, after you’ve finished your hot and sweaty workout you can take a refreshing swim in the ocean immediately after as the beach is only a minute’s walk away.

Getting to the sand dunes is easy as long as you have a car. Park in the Don Lucas Reserve car park, Wanda Beach, and then walk out to the dunes along the well worn path.

Located midway between Sydney’s city centre and the eastern suburbs beaches is Centennial Parklands. The parklands were set aside by Governor Macquarie in 1811 with Centennial Park being the largest of the three parks. Covering 2.2 square kilometres Centennial Park is the perfect place to run, walk or cycle.

In the centre of the park are open spaces and sporting fields. These are ideal for doing your cardio and body weight exercise sessions.

Around the perimeter of the park is a sealed road that you can cycle or run on. But be aware, on weekends Centennial Park is the City’s exercise hot spot so it can get very busy.

Amazing scenery and fresh ocean air make this one of my favourite Sydney walks. And it’s hard to believe it’s only a stone’s throw from the city centre.

Over the last few years the walk has been made more accessible with concrete pathways most of the way now. So no matter what your level of ability or disability you should be able to enjoy this walk.

But if you like to work a bit harder than walking you can of course run the path too.

And once you get to the end, regardless of which direction you take, you can cool off with a refreshing dip in the ocean.

If you like to strut your stuff you can also hit the open air gym area at North Bondi where there is a variety of equipment to do an intense body weight exercise session.

The things that makes Sydney such a beautiful city is its coastline and harbour. And the Spit Bridge to Manly Walk combines both of these.

The Spit Bridge is located in Sydney’s north shore area at Mosman which itself is situated on Middle Harbour. And Manly is part of Sydney’s northern beaches.

If you start at the Spit Bridge the walk will take you along the tree lined edge of Middle and then Sydney Harbour until you come to the ocean at Manly Wharf.

This walk provides you with spectacular views across to Double Bay, Watson’s Bay and South Head and tranquillity of your surroundings makes it easy to forget that you’re in suburbia.

The 11km walk is moderately challenging and is not concrete pathed the whole way so you do need to be mobile. And if you’re fit enough you can run it too.

This walk at the edge southern Sydney is one for the experienced walker. It’s a 26km coastal trail through the Royal National Park from Bundeena to Otford and usually requires you to camp overnight at the North era camping grounds.

This physically challenging walk takes you along pristine coastline with incredible highlights that makes all the effort you put in worthwhile.

An hour into the walk you’ll come across Wedding Cake Rock which is an unusual outcrop of cracked and layered pure white sandstone that juts out from the darker sandstone surrounding it.

Further along the way you can rest, refuel and refresh when you reach Wattamolla Beach picnic area. From there you’ll push onto the North era camping grounds to stop over at before embarking on the final 8km to Otford the next morning.

If the weather is good the next day you can stop off for a refreshing dip at the Figure Of Eight Pools. But be careful the path to the pools is difficult and is notorious for causing sprained ankles. The pools themselves are amazing but they sit on a rock shelf and are only safely accessible at low tide.

Once you’ve refreshed it’s then only a couple of kilometres to your final destination, Otford.

After the Sydney Olympic Games finished the games precinct was redeveloped into one of western Sydney’s best outdoor exercise areas. Particularly if you like cycling.

Sydney Olympic Park has three great cycling circuits you can choose from…

Olympic Circuit. This is 7.6km long and takes you past Olympic venues like ANZ Stadium. Along the way you can also view the Olympic Cauldron in the Cathy Freeman Park. Plus check out the Games Memories Poles installation that’s a tribute to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

River Heritage Circuit. This is an 11km circuit that takes you along the Parramatta River and past the old naval precinct, Newington Armory. As you ride further along you’ll pass through wetland habitats that are home to many frog and bird species. The ride finishes with a gentle climb and gives you panoramic views of the harbour and city.

Parklands Circuit. This is an easy 5.5km ride around the picturesque lake Belvedere and continues out to the Badu Mangroves boardwalk. Here you can experience the amazing marine ecosystem that’s been brought back to life after nearly being killed by industrial pollution up to the 1990’s. As you ride along Homebush Bay you’ll also be astounded to see shipwrecks jutting up out the water in the bay.

Running alongside the M7 Motorway for an incredible 40km is a 4m wide, purpose built, asphalt path for walkers, runners and cyclists. This pathway would have to be one of the best places in western Sydney to get a cardio workout because it’s easy to access, you won’t have to compete with motor vehicles and it’s long, very long.

The path runs from Prestons to Baulkham Hills and you can get on and off at multiple points along the way.