About us
Howdy. MJ here. I'm a Chicago fella now +22yrs in Sydneytown living in the CBD (Central Business District)... NOBODY knows Sydney better than I do, cause she's my girl / my lover... Cool bars. Amazing hikes. Great places to eat. Yup. I know it and love it all. We don't "just hike", and we don't "just get drinks" - we curate cool, fun, and memorable days. If you hear yourself saying...
"I fancy time in Mother Nature exploring beautiful hikes / walks in Sydney while meeting unique people. I want to check out some new bars and hydrate myself with a wine, beer or cocktail at the finale."
Welcome to the group. Let's have some fun. See you soon! MJ
We’re a super fun hiking group, but there are a few ways to get nudged out of the group or an event:
a) “No shows” on the day. Honour your RSVP! It’s about manners;
b) Excessive cancelling your RSVP. Commit, then show up – people want to hike with you;
c) Misrepresenting your health & fitness. It’s a safety issue that affects me, you, and all other hikers;
d) Attending social events when you’re not a hiker. We connect in Mother Nature, and sometimes we do cheeky / fun events. Get to know us while hiking; and
e) Unkindness to fellow hikers. You won’t gel with everybody (which is fine), but if I keep hearing about “Person X”, well… they will be shown the door.
(The leader of "We Hike... to the Bar" is an experienced walker / hiker but he is not a professional hiker [less "Bear Grylls" and more "Beer Grills"], and he does not hold himself to be a professional. Whilst it is his intention to run each event at the highest possible safety standards ultimately the responsibility for your safety and well being will at all times be up to you. Pack wisely - sunscreen, water, First-Aid supplies, etc... When you RSVP for an event, you declare you are fit, healthy, and able to hike that event. When you RSVP for an event with "We Hike... to the Bar" you are automatically agreeing to indemnify the organiser from any liability for yourself and/or your possessions. Hiking is an inherently risky activity and you participate at your own risk.)
Upcoming events
11
Nite Hike with Mike. Stunning 7kms Taronga Zoo to Balmoral Beach Hike! Beer too!
The Paragon Hotel, 1 Loftus St, Circular Quay, AUA few weeks ago we hiked Coogee to Bondi at nite - it was really, really cool. Beer before... and (meal) after. We'll keep up with the Nite-Hikes that finish at the pub! Love it - it's a different kind of energy when you hike in the evening.
Let's hike post-sunset Taronga Zoo towards Balmoral Beach while talking shit and licking our beautiful city then head up to the lovely Buena Hotel in Mosman (one of my favourite Lower North Shore pubs) for a great pub meal.
Taronga to Balmoral. It’s an Aussie fahkin' beauty of a due to its diversity… Of course the ferry ride from CQuay to Taronga (ferry leaves at 545pm - be early is amazing, and the first stint of the walk transports you to another part of Australia – it’s a rainforest start to Bradley’s Head with perfect views of Sydney Opera House / Harbour Bridge. Turning the corner we’ll stop at a secluded beach then carry on to Taylor’s Bay – the greenery / plant life there will amaze all.
NOTE: YOU MUST JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR THIS EVENT HERE.
From there the walk heads to Chowder Bay, one of the coolest little beaches that not many Sydneysiders know of. There’s a café / bathroom stop there, then up the only real incline to George’s Head: a historic military spot with the most picture perfect view from Manly to the CBD. We head back into the bush for a 15min walk to the Balmoral Stairs that will guide us down to Balmoral Beach.
(SAFETY NOTE: I'm recommending a head lamp if you don't have one, as "I'll just use my mobile phone's light" may not be sufficient. Get to KMart... they are $10)
Post-food / drinks you have many transport options from Balmoral Beach / The Buena to get back home or to Wynyard. I'll guide you.
Oh, stay tuned for location to meet at 530pm. I'll be at a pub from 5pm around Circular Quay warming up... join from 5pm-530pm then we'll walk to the ferry wharf as a team.
See you for a fun Friday session! MJ
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THE DETAILS.
WHATSAPP. You’re not 100% confirmed until you’re in the whatsapp group. Join it 'cause we love it, and we use it! Click on the link (above) – if not, sadly you’ll be removed from the event on MeetUP.
Cancels / No shows. Treat your RSVP like a restaurant reservation. No show / cancel on the day? That restaurant is my hiking group – you won’t be welcomed in the future. Respect and manners matter as I put my credit card down for your reservation. Double booked with another group? Come on… be kind.
Gratuity. $10 PayID or Cash.
Safety. Let’s chat, let’s have some laughs… but let’s be safe.
Fitness. Yup. Fitness matters for all of our hikes – especially if we are going into National Park.
Guests. Bring mates, dates, co-workers.
Good energy, smiles, and laughs… Bring ‘em all! You’re joining the most fun hiking group in Sydney.In pressing the “Attend” button for this hike, you acknowledge that:
a) You are healthy and fit to complete the hike describe;
b) You have read and will follow NSW National Parks Bushwalking Safety Guidelines for this hike;
c) You have no chronic / underlying health issues that deter you from completing this hike;
d) You understand your host is just that – your host, not a professional hiker – and that you and you alone are responsible for your hiking health, safety, and wellness;
e) You’ve been advised to download the “Emergency Plus App” and
f) You’ve been advised to obtain individual hiking insurance from 1Cover.
g) Over 60yrs old, and new to the group? Send me a note first please.8 attendees
3 Hikes. Ghosties Cave / Tomaree Headland!!! Overniter. Huge discount on hotel.
Catho Pub ("Catherine Hill Bay Hotel"), 24 Clarke St, Catherine Hill Bay, NS, AU3 Epic Hikes. 2 very cool pubs. And $145+ in savings on your hotel room. I can’t arrange a better Saturday-Sunday session away. Let’s do this! 30 Max Hikers. Whales could be running too!
THE HIKES.
Hike 1, Saturday Lunch. Team, you’ve gotta see this (Tik Tok is better) Tik Tok or YouTube of the Ghosties Beach Caves. It’s a 5kms hike. We’ve gotta hike this. It starts from our pub lunch with easy parking. Perfect.
Hike 2. Saturday Sunset, Tomaree. After hotel check in, let’s hike a shorty, but one of the prettiest views on the NSW Coast – Tomaree Headland. Let’s watch the sunset (Tik Tok). It’s a climb sure – but no different than hiking Palm Beach Lighthouse – yet the view is even better!
Hike 3. Sunday. Tomaree Headland to Anna Bay. This Coastal Hike is 10/10 beautiful (it's a 2 day hike - we'll only hike Day 1)… last time we hiked it we were looking for Noah’s Fahkin’ Ark, so this will be a treat to see with clearer skies.THE PUBS.
Catherine Hill Bay Hotel (The Catho) is something out of the movies… see it to believe it. It’s our starting point for lunch on Saturday before we get hiking – so cars can arrive at different times. Low tide is 118pm, so we’ll start hiking from 1pm. Arrive at the pub at 11am, 11:30am, whenever. Grab a beer, burger, enjoy this rustic, classic gem built in 1875 to serve the local mining community – this joint hasn’t changed.
Shoal Bay Country Club… this is our nite spot in Shoal Bay. Great food with water views. Live music. Get as loose as you fancy – it’s part of our hotel property, and it’s a definite hotspot for the Central Coastie Locals.THE HOTEL.
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Shoal Bay is a really nice property right on the water. Many in the group stayed there last year… from the morning coffee / croissant to the drinks to the start of the hike – this is the spot. Quick search on Wotif is $495 for a De Luxe 2 bedroom Beachfront Saturday nite stay. I’ve negotiated group rates for $350 – that’s $175 per person. We’ll get ya matched up – everybody has their own bedroom (if you do want your own room, we can make it happen - all discussed in whatsapp group). Weekends has a "2nite minimum stay" - I have negotiated a "Just Saturday stay" at a great price. It doesn't get better than this. There's a "no cancel policy" so keep that in mind, but if another hiker wants to come, you could transfer the room to them.3 great hikes. 2 super cool bars. Do we finish with a Central Coast Sunday Roast on the way back? Could be the go…
If you hit “Attend”, please join WHATSAPP HERE, and we’ll discuss the plan or send me an SMS on 0439 635 699 if you can't get into that group. Drivers, payment etc… We’ve got 2 weeks to get this locked in!
39 attendees
3 Hikes. Ghosties Cave / Tomaree Headland!!! Overniter. Huge discount on hotel.
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens, Sydney, AUThe 2026 SYDNEY WHALE TRAIL HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN!!! 14 hikes... 200kms of the most beautiful coastline in the world, chasing 40,000 whales as they migrate north! Our first official hike is the beautiful Tomaree Headland to Samurai Beach... one of the seven New South Wales Great Walks! Here's the lowdown on the whole weekend...
3 Epic Hikes. 2 very cool pubs. And $145+ in savings on your hotel room. I can’t arrange a better Saturday-Sunday session away. Let’s do this! 30 Max Hikers. Whales could be running too!
THE HIKES.
Hike 1, Saturday Lunch. Team, you’ve gotta see this (Tik Tok is better) Tik Tok or YouTube of the Ghosties Beach Caves. It’s a 5kms hike. We’ve gotta hike this. It starts from our pub lunch with easy parking. Perfect.
Hike 2. Saturday Sunset, Tomaree. After hotel check in, let’s hike a shorty, but one of the prettiest views on the NSW Coast – Tomaree Headland. Let’s watch the sunset (Tik Tok). It’s a climb sure – but no different than hiking Palm Beach Lighthouse – yet the view is even better!
Hike 3. Sunday. Tomaree Headland to Anna Bay. This Coastal Hike is 10/10 beautiful (it's a 2 day hike - we'll only hike Day 1)… last time we hiked it we were looking for Noah’s Fahkin’ Ark, so this will be a treat to see with clearer skies.THE PUBS.
Catherine Hill Bay Hotel (The Catho) is something out of the movies… see it to believe it. It’s our starting point for lunch on Saturday before we get hiking – so cars can arrive at different times. Low tide is 118pm, so we’ll start hiking from 1pm. Arrive at the pub at 11am, 11:30am, whenever. Grab a beer, burger, enjoy this rustic, classic gem built in 1875 to serve the local mining community – this joint hasn’t changed.
Shoal Bay Country Club… this is our nite spot in Shoal Bay. Great food with water views. Live music. Get as loose as you fancy – it’s part of our hotel property, and it’s a definite hotspot for the Central Coastie Locals.THE HOTEL.
Ramada Resort by Wyndham Shoal Bay is a really nice property right on the water. Many in the group stayed there last year… from the morning coffee / croissant to the drinks to the start of the hike – this is the spot. Quick search on Wotif is $495 for a De Luxe 2 bedroom Beachfront Saturday nite stay. I’ve negotiated group rates for $350 – that’s $175 per person. We’ll get ya matched up – everybody has their own bedroom (if you do want your own room, we can make it happen - all discussed in whatsapp group). Weekends has a "2nite minimum stay" - I have negotiated a "Just Saturday stay" at a great price. It doesn't get better than this. There's a "no cancel policy" so keep that in mind, but if another hiker wants to come, you could transfer the room to them.3 great hikes. 2 super cool bars. Do we finish with a Central Coast Sunday Roast on the way back? Could be the go…
If you hit “Attend”, please join WHATSAPP HERE, and we’ll discuss the plan or send me an SMS on 0439 635 699 if you can't get into that group. Drivers, payment etc… We’ve got 2 weeks to get this locked in!
23 attendees
2026 WHALE TRAIL: La Perouse Headland! 11kms Coastal Hike. With Drinks!
Cann Park, La Perouse, Anzac Parade, La Perouse, Sydney, AUOkay. Here we go... 14 hikes totalling 200kms. All on the coast. Looking for whales, and celebrating with ales. Sure, we'll mix it up with Blue Mountains, a Christmas in July Pub Crawl, and more... but with 40,000 whales coming north, The 2026 SYDNEY WHALE TRAIL continues!
La Perouse (check the pics down below for hiking map)... the French history. The stunning beaches. The nude beach. The bush walk. The cliff face views... This one is a stunner with perfect cliff views to spot some whales. Cruwee Beach my goodness - it's one of the nicest of the unknown beaches that I've seen in Sydney.
After you hit "Attend" join our WHATSAPP group HERE (not before). We use WHATSAPP for last minute changes, chat, and more. It's a must to join our hikes, or you'll be moved into the "Not Going" column.
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
a) Congwong Beach… beautiful.
b) Little Congwong Beach… clothing optional. We’ll stop for a quick perve(?) then carry on.
c) Henry’s Head Lookout. Gorgeous views overlooking Captain Cook’s Landing Point in 1770.
d) Cape Banks. Boardwalk. Natural rocks. Lovely sea views.
e) Cruwee Beach. Stunning. A National Park with a beach this beautiful must be seen.
f) At Jolong Rocks we’ll loop back and enjoy the views heading in the opposite direction.There's numerous ways to get there, so please use your travel app wisely - I'll be on the 390x bus. If you're driving, the hike is a loop back to your car(s). Our hike starts at 950am sharp at Cann Park. You’ll see me in my white Nike hat, and off we go.
THE PUB:
Post-hike we'll head to the pub towards Bondi Junction... The DOG in Randwick? Robin Hood Hotel? Somewhere to "Cheers" on a Saturday.See you soon! MJ
| THE 2026 WHALE TRAIL | KMs |
| La Perouse Headland | 11.0 |
| Figure 8 Pool | 14.0 |
| Wattamolla, Eagle Rock | 14.0 |
| Bundeena to Wedding Cake Rock | 17.0 |
| North Head Manly | 12.6 |
| Malabar to Coogee | 11.2 |
| Coogee Watson's Bay | 16.6 |
| Long Reef to Newport | 15.2 |
| Cronulla to Kurnell | 14.9 |
| Dee Why to Manly | 10.9 |
| Macmaster's to Killcare | 13.5 |
| Patonga to Pearl Beach, Palm Beach | 14.0 |
| 12 HIKES THAT TOTAL | 165KMs |
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THE DETAILS.
WHATSAPP. You’re not 100% confirmed until you’re in the whatsapp group. Join it 'cause we love it, and we use it! Click on the link (above) – if not, sadly you’ll be removed from the event on MeetUP.
Cancels / No shows. Treat your RSVP like a restaurant reservation. No show / cancel on the day? That restaurant is my hiking group – you won’t be welcomed in the future. Respect and manners matter as I put my credit card down for your reservation. Double booked with another group? Come on… be kind.
Gratuity. $10 PayID or Cash.
Safety. Let’s chat, let’s have some laughs… but let’s be safe.
Fitness. Yup. Fitness matters for all of our hikes – especially if we are going into National Park.
Guests. Bring mates, dates, co-workers.
Good energy, smiles, and laughs… Bring ‘em all! You’re joining the most fun hiking group in Sydney.In pressing the “Attend” button for this hike, you acknowledge that:
a) You are healthy and fit to complete the hike describe;
b) You have read and will follow NSW National Parks Bushwalking Safety Guidelines for this hike;
c) You have no chronic / underlying health issues that deter you from completing this hike;
d) You understand your host is just that – your host, not a professional hiker – and that you and you alone are responsible for your hiking health, safety, and wellness;
e) You’ve been advised to download the “Emergency Plus App” and
f) You’ve been advised to obtain individual hiking insurance from 1Cover.
g) Over 60yrs old, and new to the group? Send me a note first please.9 attendees
Past events
171
