This northern Sydney suburb is full of tree lined streets, cute cafes, and the proximity to the northern beaches makes it an ideal base of operations that’s way less stressful than being stuck in the middle of town.
Floating Relaxation
You’ve probably heard about the benefits of floating- lying down in a body-temperature bath of heavily salted water allows you to enjoy all the deep relaxation of sensory deprivation while your muscles take a well needed break from gravity. Brookvale’s float centre is a modern facility that can take care of all your needs – you might find yourself reaching a deep meditative state that leaves you refreshed and invigorated.
Leap into fun
Brookvale is the home of JUMPd, a trampolining centre second to none. There’s a special kids area with smaller, safer trampolines, so they can explore with confidence, and for older visitors there’s an array of more than a dozen trampolines at a variety of angles so you can try out all your wildest jumping stunts. In addition to the bouncy fun, they also have a “Ninja Xtreme” obstacle course, where you can really test your agility and strength against an array of challenges – from the warped wall to the ropewalk there’s lots to explore here.
Get your stomp on
The Stomping Ground play centre has a vast array of kid-pleasing entertainments on offer. There’s a whole area of inflatables, with the obligatory bouncy castle, along with a fun challenge arena and a climbing wall for confidence building fun. They have PlayStations with virtual reality rigs for some immersive gaming fun, and if something more old school is appealing, they have Foosball and Air Hockey tables too. Have a cuppa and relax knowing your kids are having the time of their life here.
Stony Vistas
Stony Range Regional Botanic Garden has borders that bump up against Brookvale, and is a local’s favourite for being one of the best parks in the area. Once an old quarry, it has been entirely rejuvenated and now boasts a number of attractions for nature enthusiasts. It has a “Sensory Walk” that guides you along a path were you can touch, taste, smell and see various plants along the trail – a truly unique way to explore your natural environment. One of the more scenic areas is the Federation Cascades, built entirely by volunteers as part of the hundred year Federation celebrations in 2001; they are a beloved feature of the park.
Peace Yoga Love
There’s nothing like a good stretch to relieve muscle aches after a long day behind the wheel, and the Peace Yoga Love studio is a very welcoming to casual visitors. Housed within the Freshwater Lifesaving Club, they offer a number of classes to suit everyone, from rank beginners to pretzel perfect professional yogis. They’ll be happy to help you choose the right session for you so you can get your stretch on with ease. They have classes right on Freshwater Beach for the ultimate in yoga with a view.