Eating, beaching, and shopping in Manly is one of the best ways to spend an afternoon in Sydney, but you have to get away from the main tourist drag. That’s where you’ll find design boutique and gallery Bow + Arrow, #PNW-inspired cafe Showbox Coffee Brewers, and the fantastic Desire Books & Records. The shop is stacked with smart titles from myriad genres: literary fiction, art, photography, philosophy, critical theory, beat poetry, vintage crime novellas, and comic books. A few years ago, the store joined forces with Pigeon Ground Records to add a selection of punk, new wave, ’60s garage, and other vinyl to the mix. Staffers in cat-eye glasses are thrilled to make recommendations, so ask away.

3/3 Whistler St., Manly, Sydney, NSW, Australia; +61-2-9977-0888.