If you want proof that a good day out doesn’t need much planning, Hurstmere Road is it. A short drive from Auckland’s CBD, you’ve got a cafe strip, a proper playground, a swimming beach, and Rangitoto sitting right there on the horizon, all within a five-minute stroll of each other.
Best things on Hurstmere Road
Eat Street
Fortieth & Hurstmere is the easiest pick when everyone wants something different.
Beach Playground
Slides, climbing gear, trampolines, and water play a short walk from the cafes.
Takapuna Beach
Quick swims, sand play, and Rangitoto views without needing a full-day mission.
Sweet Stops
Ice cream or frozen yoghurt after the beach, also known as excellent car-ride diplomacy.
Takapuna Sunday Market
The biggest weekend reason to come early: food stalls, produce, crafts, vintage finds, and a much busier town-centre buzz. If you are visiting on a Sunday morning, make this the anchor of the trip and add beach/playground time around it.
Where is Hurstmere Road?
Hurstmere Road is Takapuna’s main street, on Auckland’s North Shore, running parallel to Takapuna Beach. It’s about 10-15 minutes’ drive from the Auckland CBD over the Harbour Bridge when traffic is kind, making it one of the easiest “escape the city” spots for a half-day or full-day family outing without an early start. View Hurstmere Road on Google Maps.
It’s not just a dining strip either. Hurstmere Road doubles as Takapuna’s everyday high street, with banks, gyms, beauty services, shops, and other errands-and-appointments businesses mixed in among the cafes and restaurants, all walkable from one end to the other.
Best places to eat on Hurstmere Road
The central stretch of Hurstmere Road is one of the North Shore’s easiest dining areas, and it’s easy to see why once you’re there: casual cafes, dessert spots, sushi, Korean BBQ, laid-back bars, and smarter restaurants all sitting close together.
For families wanting more choice in one spot, head to Fortieth & Hurstmere, the Eat Street laneway at 40 Hurstmere Road. It has courtyards, murals, and a good spread of cuisines to pick from, handy when you’ve got a fussy eater and a not-fussy eater in the same group and nobody wants to compromise.
Some venues along the strip lean more toward the adult/bar crowd in the evenings, so if you’re coming with kids, daytime and early evening are your best windows.
The beach and playground, three minutes away
This is what makes Hurstmere Road genuinely great for families rather than just a nice-looking street: Takapuna Beach Reserve Playground is a short walk from the cafe strip, and it’s a proper one. Expect a tall slide tower, climbing ropes, in-ground trampolines, a merry-go-round, swings, and a water play area that is especially popular in warm weather.
Takapuna Beach itself stretches along the shoreline with gently sloping sand that’s easy for younger kids to paddle in, and the view across to Rangitoto Island is the kind of backdrop that makes every family photo look better than it has any right to. There are toilets and outdoor showers nearby too, which helps when everyone returns from the beach looking lightly crumbed in sand.
Ice cream, obviously
No beach day is complete without it, and central Takapuna usually has plenty of sweet options within a few minutes’ walk of the playground, from ice cream and frozen yoghurt to beachside cafe treats. The exact shop mix changes over time, but you won’t have to hunt hard.
Markets and events
Sunday mornings bring the Takapuna Sunday Market to the Anzac Street/Waiwharariki Anzac Square area, with produce, food stalls, vintage finds, and crafts. It is one of Auckland’s long-running local markets and is worth checking before you go, because timing a visit around a market turns a good day out into a great one.
Waiwharariki Anzac Square, Takapuna’s town square at 38 Hurstmere Road, connects the strip toward the beach side of town and regularly hosts community events and festivals. Check current local event listings before making firm plans.
Parking on Hurstmere Road
There’s on-street parking along and around Hurstmere Road, plus parking near Takapuna Beach and Anzac Square if the street is full, which it often is on weekends and market days. If you’re coming for a market or a sunny Saturday beach trip, arrive early or expect to park a short walk away.
Family-friendly picks on Hurstmere Road
If you’re narrowing down where to actually stop with kids in tow, the daytime-friendly, low-fuss options are your best bet: Eat Street for variety when everyone wants something different, a relaxed cafe for a sit-down, and an ice cream or frozen yoghurt stop as the natural finishing point. Save the later-evening bar energy for a night out without the kids.
Tips for visiting with kids
Go in the morning if you want the playground before it gets busy, and bring a change of clothes. Between the water play area and the beach, someone’s getting wet. If you’re doing food and beach in the same trip, eat first or grab ice cream last; sand and restaurant floors don’t mix well. And if you’re catching the Sunday market, arrive early for parking, since it’s popular with locals too.
FAQs
How far is Hurstmere Road from Auckland CBD?
Usually about 10-15 minutes’ drive over the Auckland Harbour Bridge in light traffic, though peak traffic can stretch that out.
Is Takapuna Beach good for young kids?
Yes. It is a long, gently sloping beach that’s easy to paddle in, right next to a well-equipped playground and bathroom facilities.
Is there parking near Hurstmere Road and Takapuna Beach?
Yes, parking is available near the beach and along the surrounding streets, but weekends and market mornings can get busy.
What is Eat Street in Takapuna?
Eat Street is the dining laneway at Fortieth & Hurstmere, 40 Hurstmere Road, with a cluster of restaurants, courtyards, and murals. It is a good option when everyone in your group wants something different.
What kind of businesses are on Hurstmere Road?
Mostly cafes, restaurants, and bars, but also everyday shops and services such as banks, gyms, beauty salons, and boutique retail, since it doubles as Takapuna’s main high street.
Is Hurstmere Road good for a family day out?
Yes. It is one of the few Auckland spots where a proper playground, a swimming beach, and a full cafe strip all sit within a five-minute walk of each other.
Between the beach, the playground, and everything on offer along the strip, Hurstmere Road is one of those rare spots where everyone in the family gets what they came for.