The Waterfront Haven Welcomes You to have a Variety of Experiences by Land and by Sea.
Mission Bay, separated from the central city by a scenic drive (Tamaki Drive), is a celebrated destination for Aucklanders and Tourists alike. The promenade is built around a pohutukawa-lined beach delivering the visitors with the bliss of nature, eateries, beer, and activities.
A single day would not be enough to explore all of Mission Bay. However, you anyway don’t even need to visit every corner of it. The aim of the destination is just to make people escape the city’s hustle.
Tourists enjoy the most fabulous food sighting the magnificent ocean and Rangitoto Island, stroll around the promenade, do water activities, and forget about life apart from Mission Bay.
Things to Do at Mission Bay
1. Enjoy the Exceptional Dishes & Reward Your Taste Buds
Mission Bay houses a lot many restaurants and cafes, elegant in their own ways. There are a lot many options, such as authentic Indian food, Mediterranean street food, and spicy Mexican.
Along with great food, you get a fantastic sea view and the best of beers. Mission Bay Café, Good George Craft House, Lupino are some of the renowned eateries that you must try.
2. Visit the Iconic Fountain of Mission Bay
The Fountain is the memorial of Trevor Moss Davis, who was Hancock and Company’s Director, the Auckland Liquor Firm. The fountain is beautifully constructed of Sicilian marble.
In the day time, it continuously showers water jets at the height of 12 meters. At night it becomes the centre of attraction due to its amazing light show.
3. Take a Walk Beside the Beach
Walking along the beachside, when you sight at the horizon’s direction, you will find small kayaks to big container ships moving on their way. The walk is about 4 km long and can be best enjoyed with a nice frosty beer.
You can even choose to drive rollerblades and cycle on the promenade. Options to hire cycles and rollerblades are available on the beach itself.
4. Be Close to Sea Life at Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium
Kell Tarlton is an attraction that you can’t afford to miss while visiting Mission Bay. The aquarium exhibits thirty-live animal species in the fabulous human-made habitat. The aquarium has underwater tunnels for viewing multiple sea species.
5. Movie Night at Berkeley Cinema
Berkeley Cinema is a historical beachside cinema, and that’s what it makes it different. Berkeley’s architecture owns Art Deco style, has comfortable seats, and impressive screens.
In addition to the latest movies, it even displays several independent films which don’t make it Auckland’s big cinemas.
6. Head Towards Bastion Point
Bastion Point holds a significant position in the history of New Zealand. It is the site where the Maori tribe, which is the native tribe of New Zealand, protested against forced land alienation by European settlers.
Here, you can explore the Auckland through the most magnificent picturesque views and walk around in the stunning Savage Memorial Park housing the Savage Statue in the centre. You can reach the place by taking the walkway from Tamaki Drive.
7. Don’t Miss Auckland’s Best Sunrises and Sunsets
Mission bay’s location gives the perk of viewing sunset and sunrise both. The place has Fitness Park, which is strategically designed, where people can do various exercises. For mental well-being, one can experience sighting sunrise and sunset from here.
8. Water Activities for Adventurers
The most significant advantage of having still water around the coast is the opportunity to enjoy water sports at best. The Mission Bay’s coast is the perfect fit for kayaking and paddle boating. While kayaking or paddling, you can enjoy being amidst the water and have beautiful views of nearby islands.
9. Historical Mission House
New Zealand’s first flying school was established at Mission Bay in the year 1915, where pilots were trained before they were sent to fight World War I. The historic Mission House or Melanesian Mission building stands at this site. The building was constructed in 1859 using basalt extracted from Rangitoto Island.
How to Reach Mission Bay
- One needs to drive downtown to Quay Street. After that, take a right turn and just follow the Tamaki Drive.
- You can also take a cab from any part of Auckland to reach here. Just sit and gaze the scenic sight while the taxi moves along the coast.
- You can take bus number 774 or 775 from the Britomart Transport Centre, which is located at lower Queen Street. The other options are to take a bus to TMK route or travelling via Auckland Explorer Bus.
Best Time to Visit Mission Bay
- Auckland has four seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. If you like to be surrounded by people, summer (December-February) would be the best as that time, Auckland experiences a peak number of tourists. However, due to this, flights and accommodation are comparatively expensive.
- During autumn (March-May) and spring (September-November), the city is less crowded with tourists and cheap deals are available. Also, the temperature is favourable to explore Mission Bay.
- Avoid visiting the place in the winter season as the temperature is usually low, and precipitation is also high.
Nearby Places
- Okahu Bay Beach: You can visit this beach while you are driving to Mission Bay via Tamaki Drive. This white sandy beach gives alluring views of Devenport and the Hauraki Gulf.
- Kohimarama Beach: It is a less crowded beach in comparison to Mission Bay Beach. This makes it a tranquil and calmer option, where you can have a walk on the pathway towards St Heliers.
