After the Wellington Marathon: The Kāpiti Coast
The Route: Wellington → Paraparaumu → Waikanae → Paraparaumu → Wellington Airport Logistics: The Kāpiti Line train runs from Wellington Railway Station to Paraparaumu in about an hour and on to Waikanae a little later. Check the timetable, because weekend and evening services are less frequent. By road it is about an hour up State Highway 1. A car is useful for the coast, but the train is easier on a marathoner. Marathon Month: July Duration: 2 nights
Wellington Railway Station ──(about 1 hr by train)──> Paraparaumu ──(short drive)──> Waikanae
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Wellington Airport (WLG) <──(train and taxi, about 1 hr 15 mins)───────────────────────┘
The Wellington Marathon is run on a Sunday in July, and the Kāpiti Coast is close enough to reach on Monday with rested legs and a seat on the train. The coast is a long, low strip between the Tararua Range and the Tasman Sea, and it is flat enough that walking is a pleasure and the only hills are the ones you look at.
July on the Kāpiti Coast: winter. Days are cool, generally low double figures Celsius, with frequent wind off the sea and periods of rain. Storm surf can close beach access for a day. Kāpiti Island, offshore, is a nature reserve with restricted visitor numbers and boat crossings that depend on the weather, so do not plan the trip around it.
Night One: Paraparaumu and the Beach
Paraparaumu Beach is a wide, flat stretch of sand with a promenade, a small row of cafés and a view across to Kāpiti Island, a long, low shape that dominates the horizon. A walk of a kilometre or two along the firm sand at low tide is easy and kind to tired legs. Check the tide times before you set out, and keep clear of the waterline in rough seas.
The Southward Car Museum, a few minutes' drive from the town centre, is a large indoor collection of vintage and classic vehicles and is a sound choice on a wet day. Check the current opening hours and admission price before you go. The building is level and the walk round it is slow.
For a bed, Paraparaumu has a range of motels, beachfront apartments and a few larger hotels. Book early for weekends. For a meal, the cafés and restaurants around the beach and the town centre serve hot food, but winter hours are shorter, so check that your choice is open.
Night Two: Waikanae and the Estuary
Waikanae sits about 15 minutes north by road, a small town with a flat main street and a river estuary that draws wading birds. The Waikanae Estuary walkway is a level path near the mouth of the river, and a slow walk takes about 30 minutes. Bring binoculars if you have them, and a warm layer, because the wind off the water is sharp.
Waikanae has a compact centre with cafés and small shops, and a farmers' market on some weekends. Check the market days and hours before planning a morning around it.
If the weather is clear and the sea is calm, Kāpiti Island boat trips run from Paraparaumu Beach, but they are limited to a fixed number of visitors and need advance booking through the operator. The island walks include steep tracks, so the trip is best saved for a later visit unless your legs are fully recovered.
Bad-Weather Backup
Wellington and Kāpiti winters can be wet and windy. If the beaches are closed off by surf or rain, the town centres have enough to fill a slow day. Paraparaumu's Coastlands shopping centre has cafés and cinemas, and the Southward Car Museum is close by. Waikanae's Mahara Gallery shows local art and has a level, easy interior. Check the opening hours of each before you go.
A short drive inland is Waikanae's Nga Manu Nature Reserve, with level paths through wetland and bush and a native bird aviary. Check the opening hours and the condition of the paths, and take waterproofs.
Getting Home
Take the train back to Wellington, about an hour, and change for the airport. Wellington Airport (WLG) is a taxi or bus ride from the railway station of roughly 20 minutes. Check the timetable and build in a generous buffer, particularly on a weekend when engineering works can replace trains with buses.