Being a city surrounded by water, Auckland has hundreds of amazing beaches to choose from. East Auckland in particular has some of the best family friendly beaches around.
Being a beach lover growing up in East Auckland, I have spent plenty of time at all the different beaches in the area. Some are great for relaxing and others perfect for a more adventurous day out.
I have picked out the top 5 beaches in East Auckland each with something unique about them. Get ready for summer and check them out below.
Best East Auckland Beaches
Everyone knows about the surf beaches out west and the white sand beaches up north. But East Auckland has its own fair share of amazing beaches to choose from as well.
These beaches all have quite calm water and are perfect for anyone wanting to enjoy a sunny day at the beach.
Maraetai Beach
Possibly the most well known beach in East Auckland is Maraetai Beach. It is a bit further out than some of the other beaches but this place is certainly worth the extra 30 minute drive.
Maraetai is pretty close to being a perfect beach. A long sandy beach, large grassy areas, and of course, its main feature, the ‘wharf’.
Everyone who is a frequent visitor to this spot knows to always be here for high tide. Jumping off the wharf at Maraetai Beach is a favourite with the East Auckland locals. There are always a few kids and adults attempting to do the best manu.
But Maraetai Beach isn’t just great because of the wharf, there are many other things that make it awesome.
Maraetai Beach is extremely family friendly. There are plenty of large open grassy areas so groups to set up for the day as well as a fun playground at the western end of the beach.
There is beach front parking and a big car park with pubic bathrooms. Being so well known this spot can get quite busy on hot summer days so make sure to arrive early to get a park.
You will also find a dairy and a cafe right on the beach. Plus only a few minutes drive up the road, there is a bakery and petrol station.
Looking for more to do in the area? Check out some of the awesome local walks. Duder Regional Park is a favourite of mine and Camp Sladdin is one of the most well known in the area.
Maraetai is one of the most popular beaches in East Auckland and it is easy to see why. Make sure to visit on your next trip out east.
Eastern Beach
Eastern Beach is another one of the popular beaches in East Auckland. It is located on the eastern side of the peninsular in the Howick area.
Being very family friendly this beach does get very popular on a hot summers day. However, Eastern Beach is very long so there will always be space to set up for the day.
The large grassy area at the far end of the beach is great for large group gatherings. There are plenty of trees for shade and areas to play games and relax.
Eastern Beach is best visited at high tide. At low tide the water goes so far out that it is almost impossible to swim. Low tide does expose some pretty cool rockpools, which can be interesting to explore.
Being a busy residential area, Eastern Beach has plenty of spots to grab some food. There is a dairy with a fish and chip shop and restaurant called Gorkha, on the corner of the road leading to the beach, as well as a restaurant/cafe called Barracuda half way down the beach.
Eastern Beach is a cool spot so make sure to check out when looking for some awesome beaches to visit in East Auckland.
Bucklands Beach
Bucklands Beach is very similar to Eastern Beach in more ways than one. Located on the other side of the peninsular, Bucklands Beach is less than a few minutes drive away.
One great thing about Bucklands Beach is its tides. Unlike many of the other beaches in East Auckland, it is still easy to swim here at low tide. The sand drops down pretty quick so the water doesn’t go very far out.
Bucklands Beach is split into two sections. Us locals call them Little Bucks and Big Bucks. Little Bucks is the smaller section at the southern end and Big Bucks the larger at the northern end.
There isn’t much of a difference between each end. Big Bucks tends to be more popular as it it is much longer and there is a lot more space. It is also closer to bathrooms as well as a block of shops with a dairy, fish and chip shop, restaurant and cafe.
Little Bucks does have a much bigger grassy area though, which I think is much better for larger groups or families.
Bucklands Beach is the entrance to an estuary and the marina is located close by. This means there is a lot of boat traffic, leaving the water not the best quality. It can also get some strong currents, so keep an eye out while in the water.
Tawhitokino Beach – the secret East Auckland Beach
Tawhitokino Beach is the ultimate hidden gem in Auckland. This beach is the hardest to get to and would be classed more as a South-East Auckland beach. However, it is one of my favourite spots to visit to escape the summer crowds.
The soft, sandy beach lined with large Pohutukawa trees make this place a great spot to spend the day. There is plenty of space to set up in the shade of the trees or out in the sun.
Being not so close to the city, the water here is also significantly clearer. It is nice and calm as well making it fairly safe.
The track out to this beach is one of my favourite walks in Auckland. It does take about 30 minutes of walking to get here, but the track is not difficult, with only a little bit of uphill walking.
Being a little bit of a walk to get to, Tawhitokino beach is the least busy of all the beaches in East Auckland.
The beach is also very long, so you are also guaranteed to have a large area all to yourself.
To get to Tawhitokino Beach you will need to drive out to Kawakawa Bay. From here continue along the coastline until you arrive at Waiti Bay. Park up and continue by foot along the beach, around the rocks to find a walking track.
This track then leads you all the way to Tawhitokino Beach. The walk must be done close to low tide to safely get around the rocks.
Cockle Bay
Cockle Bay is quite well known in East Auckland but it never gets too busy like some of the other beaches. It is slightly small than the other beaches mentioned above but there are plenty of reasons Cockle Bay is a great beach to visit.
Being a bit more tucked away at the start of the estuary, Cockle Bay is very calm. Not only is this great for children, but it also makes it the perfect spot for water activities such as kayaking and paddle boarding.
The tide here does go out very far, so I definitely recommend to come here at high tide.
If you do find yourself here at low tide, you can walk around the rocks at the right side of the beach and check out all the rock pools. Continue all the way around the rocks to Shelly Park Beach and the Mangemangeroa Walkway.
Auckland has many great walks and the Mangemangeroa walk is one of my favourite in East Auckland. The native bush is stunning and there are some cool sections of the walk along the estuary. If you want to begin the walk from the other end, the entrance is at the old farmhouse at the end of Somerville Road.
Cockle Bay has plenty of facilities to use while you are there. There are bathrooms, picnic tables as well as an epic playground for the kids to enjoy.
There is also plenty of parking making it a great spot visit for the day or just a few hours.
Wrap up: The best Beaches in East Auckland
East Auckland has some great options for beaches to visit on a hot summers day. Most if not all the beaches in this area are safe and family friendly.
I have been to all of these beaches many times and I absolutely love them and I know you will too.
Make sure to check out some of these epic beaches on you next beach day out east.
