Wellington has two coasts and they rarely behave the same way on the same day. The harbour beaches, from Oriental Bay round to Scorching Bay, are sheltered, calm and mostly sandy. The south coast faces straight out into Cook Strait: rockier, colder, wilder and full of character. Picking between Wellington beaches is mostly a question of which way the wind is blowing.
This covers eleven of them, from the city beach at Oriental Bay to the seal coast at Owhiro Bay, with what each one is like, whether you can swim, what is nearby, the dog rules and the honest hazards. There is also Mākara on the wild west coast for anyone who wants to leave the city behind.
Picking a beach by the wind
The rule of thumb is simple once you know the geography. In a southerly, the south coast takes the wind and swell head-on, and the harbour beaches, especially the northern-facing ones like Oriental Bay and Evans Bay, are the better bet. In a northerly, the harbour gets choppy and gusty, while the south coast and the peninsula beaches that face away from the north, Scorching Bay above all, are in the lee of the hills and often much calmer.
On the rare still, sunny day, everywhere is good, and half the city heads for Oriental Bay and Scorching Bay at the same time. Go early or go south.
The sea is cooler than many visitors expect. It peaks at around 17 to 18 degrees in late summer, February and early March, and drops to about 12 degrees in winter. Most locals swim from December to April.
Best beach for...
A swim close to the city: Oriental Bay. A proper beach day with the family: Scorching Bay, in the morning. Surfing: Lyall Bay, or Houghton Bay for the experienced. Snorkelling: Island Bay and the Taputeranga Marine Reserve. Dogs: Lyall Bay's off-leash end, or Island Bay's exercise area. Watching ships: Breaker Bay. Seals: the walk from Owhiro Bay to Red Rocks between May and October. Getting away from everyone: Mākara, or a still evening at Worser Bay.
The eleven beaches
1. Oriental Bay
Best for: a swim without leaving the city, sunbathing, people-watching. Dogs: allowed from late April to early October, not in summer. Food: Beach Babylon across the road and gelato at Freyberg. In late summer, look for starfish in the shallows near the rocks.
2. Freyberg Beach
Freyberg Beach is the western end of Oriental Bay, beside Freyberg Pool, with a playground with a rope climbing frame, a small pier and a wave platform. It is the family end of the bay, busiest on warm weekends. Gelissimo is right beside the sand.Best for: families, a swim before a pool session. Parking: very limited on Oriental Parade in summer.
3. Evans Bay
Evans Bay is the long, curving bay on the other side of Point Jerningham, with small beaches tucked into it, including Balaena Bay, Hataitai Beach and Shelly Bay. Balaena Bay, the closest to the city, is a local favourite: quieter than Oriental Bay, with a sheltered corner and the city skyline across the water. Little blue penguins nest along this shoreline, so keep dogs under control.Best for: a quieter harbour swim, a stop on a ride round the bays. Food: Uncle Leo's French bakery on Evans Bay Parade.
4. Scorching Bay
Best for: swimming, families, a long lazy morning. Food: Scorch-O-Rama across the road, where staff use a pedestrian crossing to bring coffee to the tables beside the sand. Parking: roadside, limited on fine weekends.
5. Worser Bay
Worser Bay, just round the point towards Seatoun, is smaller and quieter than Scorching, with the Worser Bay Boating Club at one end and small sailing boats pulled up on the sand. It is a good swimming beach in settled weather and a lovely place to watch the evening light on the harbour entrance.
Best for: a quiet swim, sailing. Parking: roadside on Karaka Bay Road.
6. Breaker Bay
Best for: ship-watching, a walk, the view. Nearby: the Eastern Walkway above it.
7. Lyall Bay
Best for: surfing, dog walks, watching planes. Food: the cafe in the surf club upstairs, and Parrotdog a block back for a beer.
Queen Sally's on Queens Drive is nearby.
8. Princess Bay
Princess Bay is a small, sheltered sandy cove on the south coast, between Houghton Bay and Island Bay, with clear water on calm days. It is small enough to feel like a find, with rocky points either side, and a full-moon drumming gathering has been known to happen on the sand.Best for: a sheltered south coast swim in settled weather, rock pools.
9. Houghton Bay
Houghton Bay is exposed to the full force of southerly swells, which makes it a surf spot and a dramatic place to walk, but a hazardous one to swim. There is an off-road car park, toilets and changing facilities.Best for: experienced surfers, storm-watching. Swimming: not recommended.
10. Island Bay
Best for: snorkelling, rock pools, families. Nearby: Shorland Park has a long slide, a toddlers' playground and barbecues. Food: Betsy on The Parade.
Dogs: there is an off-leash dog exercise area at Island Bay.
11. Owhiro Bay and Red Rocks
Owhiro Bay is a wide, sandy beach between rocky outcrops at the western end of the south coast, with a shallow gradient and some shelter. It is the start of the walk to Pariwhero, or Red Rocks, and to the fur seal colony at Sinclair Head between about May and October.Best for: coastal walks, seals in season, dramatic weather. Swimming: calm days only.
West coast: Mākara Beach
Mākara Beach on the west coast is a stony beach in a small seaside village at the end of Makara Road, reached through farmland beyond Karori. It is for walking, fishing and diving rather than swimming or sunbathing, and it is the start of the Makara Beach Walkway, which climbs to historic gun emplacements on the headland. On a clear day you can see the South Island.Surfing in Wellington
Wellington is not a famous surf city, but it has more waves than visitors expect, most of them on the south coast. Lyall Bay is the main surf beach and the easiest place to learn, with a range of breaks across the bay and surf schools operating in summer. Houghton Bay picks up bigger southerly swells and suits experienced surfers.
The south coast works best when a southerly swell arrives without a strong southerly wind, which happens often enough to keep a loyal local crowd. A wetsuit is needed year round: the water rarely gets above 18 degrees.
Snorkelling and diving
The Taputeranga Marine Reserve off Island Bay is the best place in the city to put your face in the water. A marked snorkel trail runs from the beach, and on calm, clear days the kelp forest and reef fish are close to shore. The reserve covers 855 hectares, established in 2008, and fishing and collecting are banned inside it.
Mākara Beach is popular with divers, and Owhiro Bay and Breaker Bay have rocky reefs worth exploring in settled conditions. Visibility drops after rain and in swell, so pick a calm spell.
Wellington beaches with children
The best beaches for young children are the sheltered harbour ones. Oriental Bay has shallow water, changing rooms and ice cream. Freyberg has the playground right on the sand. Scorching Bay has a big grassy bank, a kids' menu at the cafe across the road and calm water.
On the south coast, Island Bay is the family pick, with rock pools, the Marine Education Centre at weekends and the Shorland Park playground by the beach. Lyall Bay is good for older children, with surf lessons in summer and planes coming in low overhead.
Beaches by season
Summer, from December to March, is swimming season, and February is usually the warmest month for the sea. It is also when the harbour beaches are busiest, especially on fine weekends. Autumn, March to May, often has calm, clear days and warm water early on, with far fewer people.
Winter is for walking and watching: storms on the south coast, seals at Red Rocks, and empty beaches on a still, cold, sunny day. Spring is the windiest season on average, which suits surfers and kitesurfers more than swimmers.
Is the water clean?
Wellington's beaches are generally clean, but water quality drops after heavy rain, when stormwater runs into the harbour and onto the coast. The standard New Zealand advice is to avoid swimming for a couple of days after heavy rain.
Greater Wellington Regional Council monitors water quality at popular swimming spots over summer, and results are published online. Check before you swim if there has been a big downpour.
Swimming safely
Wellington's water is cold, and the south coast can be rough. Swim between the flags at patrolled beaches in summer, stay out of the water in a big southerly swell, and be careful of currents near the harbour entrance at Breaker Bay. Children should be supervised at all times, even in calm harbour water.
Rock pools and rock platforms on the south coast are slippery. Watch for waves washing over them, especially at high tide in a swell.
Dogs on the beaches
Dog rules on Wellington's beaches change with the season and the beach. At Oriental Bay, dogs are allowed from late April to early October but not in the summer season. Lyall Bay has a popular off-leash area at the airport end, and Island Bay has its own off-leash area. Other beaches allow dogs on a lead or have restricted times.
Wellington City Council publishes maps of off-leash, on-leash and prohibited areas, and signs at each beach show the current rules. Keep dogs away from penguins and seals, both of which live along this coast.
Parking and getting there
Oriental Bay and Freyberg are walking distance from the city. Buses run along the bays to the Miramar Peninsula, and to Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Houghton Bay and Owhiro Bay on the south coast.
Parking at the popular beaches fills fast on fine weekends. Arrive before 10am in summer, or take the bus.
When it is too cold
On a cold or wild day, the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre in Kilbirnie has indoor pools year round, including a leisure pool for children. Freyberg Pool at Oriental Bay is another indoor option, right beside the beach.
Days Bay by ferry
Across the harbour, Days Bay is reached by the ferry from Queens Wharf, with a sheltered beach, a park and cafes at the landing. It makes an easy half-day trip on a calm day, and the crossing itself is part of the fun. Day trips from the city also include Matiu/Somes Island on the same ferry route.
Making a day of it
The harbour beaches link up well with the waterfront walk to Oriental Bay, and the south coast beaches with the coastal walks to Red Rocks and along the Southern Walkway.
For cafes by the sea, Wellington's seaside cafes at Lyall Bay, Scorching Bay and Island Bay are some of the best in the city.
Before you go, the wind forecast is the thing to check, and the city's other sights cover the rest of the day.
Frequently asked questions
Published July 19, 2026
