Manly Beach is big and beautiful even in the rain. And even if you're not crazy about the beach, the ferry ride to get there is worth it for the scenery.
It’s a short walk through town from the ferry terminal in Manly to the beach. We appreciated the shops because we could walk under their overhangs to avoid the rain. It’s too bad the weather was bad because it looked like a nice place to spend more time.
Manly
On our second trip to Sydney we stayed in Manly, right across the street from the beach. And we had great weather. If you want to see Manly Beach when it's nice, or read more about the area, check out this post.