A guide to the Sutherland Shire's best wellness offerings

Known for its proximity to nature, the Sutherland Shire is packed with activities and dining options for the perfect wellness weekend away.

Conjure up a wellness lover’s weekend itinerary and it’s bound to include activities such as yoga, hiking, biking, surfing, kayaking and swimming, at least it certainly does in this Sutherland Shire wellness guide.

Home to a wealth of glorious nature spots, the area also offers easy access to a diverse number of producers and growers on the NSW South Coast, which means farm-to-table cuisine is on the menu at many of its bars and restaurants. Factor in a facial, massage or even some cryotherapy and you have the formula for a fab wellness weekend while exploring the Shire’s sun-kissed shores and waterways.

By ferry, car or foot, there are a lot of ways to explore and relax in Sutherland Shire. (Image: Good Thanks Media)

Best indoor activities

Opportunities for activity are core to the criteria when you’re on a quest to work wellness into your weekend. Recoverie is a day club of a different kind. Forget cocktails; think cryotherapy, hot and cold plunge pools, and float tanks with trippy soundtracks. Beauty and Balance also offers day treatments that will help you detox. Opt for a conditioning facial, which includes a hydro cleanse, LED light and cooling mask.

A hot stone massage at La Cure will also help you regenerate; the Caringbah studio has inventive treatment options such as cryo-facials and infrared therapy. Tapping into your creativity with a hands-on pottery class at Hazelhurst Arts Centre can also be akin to art therapy. Follow it up with a nourishing lunch at Hazelhurst Cafe.

Relax and rejuvenate at Beauty and Balance. (Image: Good Thanks Media)

Best outdoor activities

Escape the demands of your daily digital duties along sections of The Coast track, a stunning walk that snakes 26 kilometres from Otford to Bundeena. Or download a guided walking meditation and enjoy a wander along Cronulla Esplanade.

Greet the day with Beach Yoga Cronulla. (Image: Good Thanks Media)

The value of contemplation can also be felt during a yoga class with the Beach Yoga Cronulla group, who meet at Shelly Beach when the sun is shining. A lesson with Cronulla Surfing Academy always includes a focus on wellbeing.

The guiding principles of transformative travel also underpin off-grid excursions into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Make the day even more memorable with a bespoke chic-nic from Bundeena Picnics. A day spent sailing on Port Hacking River with Mintaka Charters is another option that offers respite from the daily grind.

Paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. (Image: Good Thanks Media)

Where to eat

If you were to judge a restaurant by the happiness of its employees, Hurricane’s Grill & Bar Cronulla would be a shoo-in. The coastal eatery, with friendly staff, also has a focus on sustainably sourced meat, seafood and vegetables. Bobby’s Cronulla also showcases premium local produce at its waterfront restaurant nearby.

Try the Barra Burger at Bobby’s.

The Shire Farmers Market is another treasured weekly destination, where locals stream in to buy artisanal goods and seasonal produce. Hanging out at Pilgrims Vegetarian Cafe is a good look: choose the Bliss burger, which is stuffed with a mixed-grain patty, sprouts, tabouli, peanut sauce and leafy greens. It’s iconic. Sydney’s hottest new bakery, Flour, is also located in the Sutherland Shire in the leafy suburb of Caringbah South.

Check out Sydney’s hottest new bakery, Flour.

Where to stay

Hire a bike from Chain Reaction Bicycle Company and follow the shared pathway all the way to Quest Woolooware Bay, which is only minutes away from Wanda and Elouera beaches. The new one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced apartments are near the dining precinct overlooking Woolooware Bay.

Stay at Rydges Cronulla Beachside if you’ve got your sights set on an early-morning surf or yoga session. The renovated hotel is near the main strip of bars and restaurants and also has its own onsite bar and eatery named in honour of The Alley surf break.

Stay the night at Rydges Beachside Cronulla.

Start planning your wellness escape at visitsutherlandshire.com.au