Caroline Clements

A beautiful hidden rock pool with the right amount of seclusion to keep the crowds away.

A legendary cliff-jump down into surreal blue water.

A bottomless blue lagoon in the middle of a paddock.

When beaches get crowded in summer, sometimes it pays to know a spot to escape to. Here are three lesser-known swimming spots to explore where the crowds are smaller (and you may even feel inclined to shed all of your clothes).

Go on a summer road trip to visit a few of our favourite swimming spots.

The authors of a book on Sydney swimming spots reveal this magical destination – but with some reluctance. Made up of two micro beaches, it’s perfect for swimming, snorkelling or unfurling a towel to catch rays.

Places We Swim share their ideal itinerary for a leisurely drive from Santa Barbara to Monterey, including rock pool dips, wine tastings, sleepy village stops, waterfalls and forest cabins.

It’s tough to find quiet respite from people on beaches around Byron Bay in northern NSW, but this may be the closest you’ll get.

With a cliff-jump and fun rope swings into the deep, cool water.

Pack supplies and get here early to claim the prized (but ambitiously named) rock this harbour beach gets its name from.

The way we see it, a good family holiday is mostly spent outdoors, where the kids can run wild with minimal supervision and you can relax – really relax. Here are our top picks within Australia, including a campground teeming with wildlife and a mid-sized beach town with a humming food scene and an unbeatable ocean pool.

Every summer, our swimming correspondent asks well-known Sydneysiders where they like to take a dip. This year we hear from musician Montaigne, Deputy Lord Mayor Jess Scully and comedian Matt Okine, among others.