Mission Bay

A city beach just 7 km from the CBD, facing the Rangitoto volcanic island. Its ice cream shops, restaurants, and the Tāmaki Drive waterfront path are weekend staples for Aucklanders.

Mission Bay lies 7 km east of Auckland's CBD along Tāmaki Drive. It takes its name from the Melanesian Mission school founded here in 1859 by Bishop Selwyn, whose stone buildings still stand. It's Auckland's most popular city beach: a golden sandy beach about 500 meters long, with calm water good for swimming and paddleboarding, and the classic outline of Rangitoto volcanic island across the water. Behind the beach are a lawn (Selwyn Reserve) and the Trevor Moss Davis fountain from the 1950s. Along the lawn are restaurants, cafés, and ice cream shops, including Mövenpick and Kohu Road, a local handmade ice cream maker. In the evening, locals sit on the lawn or the seawall to watch the sunset.

Things to do:

1) Cycle or walk from the CBD along Tāmaki Drive to Mission Bay, about 7 km. The route passes Ōkahu Bay and Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life, where you can see penguins and a shark tunnel (about NZ$45). The route is flat.

2) Continue 2 km east to Kohimarama and St Heliers beaches, or climb to the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial Reserve at Bastion Point for a panoramic view of the bay.

3) In summer, rent a paddleboard or kayak (about NZ$25 per hour), or join a sunset kayak tour to Rangitoto.

Getting there: Take the Tāmaki Link bus from Britomart, about 20 minutes, direct. In the city, rent a bike or e-scooter to ride along the coast. Parking is tight on weekends.

Notes: New Zealand's UV is very strong, so wear sunscreen before and after swimming. Don't venture far when there are no lifeguards. Gulls will snatch food. Restaurants have waits on summer weekends. Temperatures drop quickly after sunset by the sea.

Mission Bay

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby