| |
A question I often get asked is “where is the closest beach?” or “where can I go for a swim?” and people seem rather surprised when I say that the closest beach, at Mission Bay, is just a 10 minute drive away. This in fact is one of the many joys of living in Auckland, you are never too far from a beach. You don’t need to drive for more than half an hour most of the time to get to the water.
Mission Bay is a beautiful seaside village, around a 5km stretch of beach and waterfront located not far at all from centre of Auckland. It is the perfect place to go for a run, rollerblading, kayaking, cycling or fly a kite. Or eat some fish and chips or ice creams in the sun and see some beautiful views.
Food in Mission Bay
There are some really awesome restaurants and bars around the waterfront which are perfect for winding down. Or you could take advantage of the BBQ’s provided near the beach. A very popular place for ice cream is Kiwi-Yo, you can choose any ice cream and toppings and you pay by how much the tub weighs, great on a hot summers day in Auckland.
Things to do in Mission Bay
On the way to Mission Bay from Auckland, you’ll find Kelly Tarlton’s Sea Life Aquarium. You can see all kinds of marine life including sharks, turtles, sting rays and the ever popular penguins! This is also a good place to go and do a shark dive at a reasonable price. You can get to Kelly Tarltons on their bus. You can’t miss it!
Parks and Reserves
There are lots of reserves dotted around Mission Bay, perfect for capturing that pretty Auckland sunset amongst beautiful Pohutakawa trees. M J Savage Memorial Park is just around the bay and a short walk up the hill can bring you to some amazing look out points with views out to volcanos such as Rangitoto Island, the Waitemata harbour and the Orakei wharf.
Bastion Point is also a very popular place to get some great photos. For those that are looking for something to do indoors there is also a cinema screening recent movies and some great spots to grab ice creams.
Right around by the Mission Bay shops there is the famous fountain that plays an amazing light show at night time and during the day it’s a great spot to set up a game of cricket or volley ball.
Mission Bay is also famous for its festivals and events throughout the year. Some of these being the jazz and blues fest, Mission Bay triathlon, art and crafts markets etc.
Mission Bay is the perfect place to spend the day on a sunny day.