Waitārere Beach is a wide, sandy beach on the Horowhenua coast, on the North Island's west coast, about 10 minutes' drive from Levin. The beach is backed by wind-sculpted dunes and pine forest, and the village has a Four Square store, takeaways, a café and a restaurant. The Waitārere Domain is a favourite park for families.
The beach has plenty of room for land yachts, four-wheel motorbikes, surfing and fishing. Its gentle slope into deep water makes it a safe place for children to paddle, and the surf club sets up patrols in the summer months. Common catches include kahawai, snapper, groper, gurnard, flounder and sole. The village is also within commuting distance of Wellington and Palmerston North. Our pick on the Horowhenua coast for a family beach day with a sandy shore.