Takapuna Beach

Beautiful place to be :) especially when the weather is nice and you can just sit down and enjoy the sunset with close ones.
The long beach allows for great training as sand is awesome for resistance running ! Try getting there super early with a coffee In hand and you’ll understand why we’re so blessed to have beaches like this still :)
It’s close to a lot of shops so when you get hungry after a swim, countries as awaiting your tastebuds: D or a second dose of coffee too
The mall is approx a 5−10mins walk, depending your step speed :)
Note: awesome to bring dogs here too as long as they do not poop in water
DO NOT LET THEM POOP IN WATER !

It’s officially winter, but with the sun out today I’m sure everyone made a beeline for Takapuna Beach (even a couple of hardy sunbathers were soaking up the rays). Nice walk from one end of the beach to the other and back again. Parking’s generally free on a Sunday and if you fancy icecream, there’s Takapuna Beach Café down one end by the boat ramp or Movenpick up on Hurstmere Road. Plus plenty of other cafés and restaurants to choose from for brunch and lunch.

A lovely beach near the bustling Takapuna shopping and café scene. Have come many times at various hours and seasons– and it’s a goodie.
A long stretch of white-​y sand with a good view straight to Rangitoto. There’s the great Takapuna Beach café at one end– near the concrete boat ramp and where the SUP and kayaks and jet skis tend to take off from. At the other end– there is the cliffs jutting out from the land. A cheeky hidden rope swing somewhere in between outside someone’s beach front property. Lovely water to dip your feet into or go for a swim. One Sunday morning– absolutely teeming with loose and collared dogs. Usually they aren’t allowed on the beach.
A large grassy area down the road with the local library and heaps of parking spots– pay as long as you stay– with picnic tables, benches and lots of shady trees. And several access points along the beach depending which way you’re coming.
A good place to get your shopping in, have snacks or a meal before– or after. Excellent for soaking some Vit D or in the ocean. Great beach in a good spot.

Even in winter I can not resist the feeling of ocean water swirling about my feet. With only a 15 minute drive from the CBD, this beach offers an amazing view of Rangitoto Island, a nice place to have lunch on the waterfront as well as a park as an added bonus. Aside from the stunning scenery and crystal clear water, it is also very dog friendly. Titus and I met plenty of furry-​friends swimming, playing fetch and just having a grand ‘ol time. Don’t leave Fido at home.
While the beach itself is not a bay, it does have a crescent shape to it, which means there are hardly any waves. No surfs up dude! Good for the kiddies, pups and lap swimmers.
Another reason I enjoyed this beach is that the sandbar is long and wide. So there’s plenty of space for everyone to spread out and lounge. If you’re not a fan of sand just behind the beach is a small sloped park where you can chill out on the grass and enjoy the view.

This beach is a flurry of activity in summer. In the early morning it’s invaded by salty dogs chasing sticks and SUP’s heading out for a morning paddle. Come 10am the dogs are replaced with people enjoying the picturesque views of Rangitoto or working on their tan and at night it’s BBQ and picnics galore on the grassy embankment.
During summer there is also the State Beach Series every Tuesday night. Entrants of all ages run, swim and paddle a myriad of distances from 5pm until sundown. I must admit I have never competed (I leave that up to my much sportier cousins) but just being a spectator is rather fun.

Takapuna is my summer home. It’s not the nearest to me, but it’s convenient for a good bunch of my friends and it’s got the best selection of eateries around it as far as North Shore beaches go. It’s probably one of the longer beaches on the Shore and one of the most popular, so don’t come expecting the splendid isolation you can get at some of the smaller beaches. No, this is an urban beach used by all sorts of people doing all sorts of things — kids making sand castles, kite surfers, paddle boarders, swimmers, sunbathers, runners, sailors, guys playing footy/​cricket, people walking dogs — it’s a hive of activity, but it’s super chillaxed. Taka Beach is one of my favourite things about Auckland — there aren’t many more perfect horseshoes of golden sand anywhere.
Just an apology to anyone that’s tried to sunbathe and been walloped by a rugby ball or any other sports equipment over the years — that’d likely be me and my mates. Sorry!

My first memory of Auckland City was when I came down here for a school trip, a bus ride from Hamilton when I was 8 years old. While time has certainly taken its cruel toll on me, Takapuna beach has not changed one bit, they even still have the concrete wall which I hurt my knee on — oh memories! The value of Takapuna beach is entirely subject to the will of the weather. I would not go out of my way on an overcast day, but when the sun is beating down, you might not even believe you were in Auckland. This place is a picnic goers dream, especially with the great selection of restaurants in Takapuna which are just walking distance. Only problem can be finding a car park.

I haven’t spent a lot of time at Takapuna Beach, and while not being much of a swimmer could be a disadvantage, I’m still quite good at enjoying the views! Its lovely at night and just after sunset, before it gets too cold to step foot near it.
It could just be certain times of the day that I’ve been here, but the beach seems to be filled with exercise fiends (thanks to the flat sand) morning and night. For me that’s a great thing as its good to see locals utilising the area and hopefully encouraging others to do the same.
The location means you could lay the day away at the beach or go for a walk after a meal on The Strand, or even do a bit of shopping after a tanning session. With everything in Takapuna being so close, there’s no reason to visit and enjoy another stunning view of Auckland.

It’s my local, so OK, perhaps I’m biased, but I think Takapuna Beach is wonderful. If I want to go for a power walk, I head to Takapuna Beach. If I want a gentle stroll after lunch or dinner, Takapuna Beach, sunbathing or swimming? Ditto. While it is a bit crowded and doesn’t have the rugged beauty of some of the more remote NZ beaches, it is still spectacularly pretty, especially with the new park area that leads up to The Strand. And you get a real sense of community with all the sports events going on and the range of people from all walks of life enjoying the great outdoors together. An Auckland experience not to be missed.

Takapuna has gone through a bit of a makeover these past couple of years and Takapuna Beach is now even more appealing. When you head over the bridge to the North Shore you immediately go into holiday mode, head to the beach and you may as well be in Fiji. Takapuna beach is great all year round. In the summer, spend the day soaking up some rays, swimming in the teal water and gazing over to the stunning Rangitoto Island. Then as twilight falls, pop up the road to get some fish and chips and eat them while looking out to the stunning Rangitoto Island. If it’s a little stormy, never fear! Rug up, grab a coffee from the Takapuna Beach Café and head down to watch the daring kite surfers fly above the waves. A great destination and a must-​do if you visit the shore.

This beautiful flat East Coast beach with a stunning view of Rangitoto Island, is over two and a half kilometres long and is popular with all ages. On any given day one will share the sand and surf with toddlers, serious windsurfers, tanning teenagers and strolling grannies.
The sand is flat and hard so is perfect for games of beach cricket, Frisbee and skim-​boarding, while the equally calm water attracts paddle-​boarders. Likewise, it is a popular beach for those lucky enough to own Jet skis and kayaks. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people. However, with a good book or friends to gossip with, and the nearby amenities — Takapuna is a favourite summer destination.