Coming up on our 4 month anniversary living in Lyall Bay, I wanted to share some of the reasons why I love living in this tiny beachside suburb of Wellington.

1. The Beach – I love living directly across from the beach! I am merely steps away from the sandy shores of Lyall Bay beach and can relax on the sand or go for a quick dip any time I want. I love the smell of the sea in the air (except I know it’s eroding my car and scooter) and the sound of the waves puts me to sleep most nights.

Enjoying a sunny day on Lyall Bay Beach

2. Mauranui Cafe – One of the best café’s in Wellington just happens to be outside my doorstep. Mauranui Cafe is well known for it’s amazing brunch and it’s thick North American style milkshakes. It’s so popular on weekends the line-up for a table can often run down the stairs and onto the street! Every time we go I haven’t been able to resist a milkshake, but at least now we’re learning there’s enough to share one between the both of us!

Enjoying a thick milkshake at Mauranui Cafe

3. Close to Shops – nearly everything I need is within a 10min walk of my apartment. The Warehouse, Kathmandu, Pak n’Sav, Briscoes, Rebel Sport (see NZ Brand Translator) and so much more are just around the corner making it difficult to find a reason to go anywhere else!

The Airport retail park has everything I need in just a 10 min walk

4. The Surf – one of the stipulations when searching for a place to live in New Zealand was it HAD to have surf. Jordan has been surfing on the Great Lakes in Canada for nearly 10 years, so coming to a place like New Zealand meant we had to take advantage of the coastal landscape. Lyall Bay is one of the better known surf spots in the lower North Island and with the local surf shop Real Surf offering surf and paddle board rentals it’s a busy spot when the swell is good.

Heading out to catch some waves of my new board

5. Best Burger in Town – The Ekim burger has to be the best burger in the city! The unassuming burger bus has an extensive burger menu that dresses up a beef, chicken or veggie patty with all the trimmings! And their chips with Ekim sauce are not to be missed! Yum!! (UPDATE: Currently moved to Cuba St but plans in place to bring back to Lyall Bay!)

Jordan enjoying a ‘Big John’ burger with Ekim chips

6. Proximity to the Airport – Luckily Wellington’s airport is still quite small with few international flights so the convenience of it’s proximity totally outweighs the minor noise pollution it generates. Only when a large aircraft comes in do I even remember there is an airport less than a km away! The walking tunnel underneath the runway also means we can even walk there in less than 15mins when catching a flight with Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand flight taking off next to the popular surf break (Source)

7. Downtown in a Flash – Few places in the world can you live directly on the beach and be just a 10min drive to a city centre. I can hop on my scooter and be downtown Wellington in no time, or if it’s raining, the bus picks us up DIRECTLY outside our door and drops us right in front of our work on Willis St in the city centre.

Love cruising downtown on my little scooter

8. The Sunsets – Some of the most beautiful sunsets can be seen right outside my window. Many nights it’s like the sky is on fire with a rainbow of colors – spectacular!

Lyall Bay sunset from our bedroom window
View from our living room window

9. Walking/Biking Trails – there are a number of walking and biking paths in the area. Whether they trace the shoreline into neighbouring areas like Breaker Bay or Tarakena Bay or take you up the mountain to spectacular views of Lyall Bay below, there are lots of ways to get out for some fresh air.

Riding to this natural archway on a beach by the airport

10. The People – I love the hustle and bustle of the beach goers every weekend that flock to the beach. Whether walking their dog, playing in the sand with their kids, or watching the local Surf Club competitions, the area has such a great vibe and I love being right in the middle of it all!

Local surf clubs take to the water for training

Have any more reasons why Lyall Bay is so great? Would love to hear from you!