20 Best Things to Do, See & Eat in Mount Maunganui

In the North Island’s sunny Bay of Plenty region, you’ll find one of the best beach towns in New Zealand: Mount Maunganui.

Mount Maunganui is home to a beautiful golden-sand surf beach and bustling town centre filled with great local eateries and boutique shops. It’s a relaxed kind of place where life is all about the sun, surf & sand.

And at the helm of it all lies the volcanic mountain that gives this place its name—Mount Maunganui itself, also known by locals as “the Mount” or “Mauao”—which is laced with walking trails offering gorgeous coastal views.

I love Mount Maunganui so much that if I didn’t live in Queenstown, this is where I’d live! I regularly visit this town (which is technically a suburb of Tauranga) on my North Island road trips and never get tired of it. 

In this guide, I’ll share the top things to do in Mount Maunganui, plus the best places to get food and drinks.

Whether you’re looking for a weekend trip from Auckland or a beachy stop along a larger North Island itinerary, I hope you visit and love Mount Maunganui as much as I do.

So without further ado, here’s your guide to Mount Maunganui!

Things to do in Mount Maunganui

1. Hike up to the Mount Maunganui Summit

For the best views around, hike up the Summit Track to the top of the Mount. 

It’s a steep 40-minute climb to the top, but the effort is well worth it: from the summit, you’ll get sweeping views over the island-dotted Pacific Ocean, the city of Tauranga, and the Kaimai Ranges.

This walk is super popular and you’ll likely share it with lots of locals and visitors getting their daily exercise in.

And if you can get yourself up for a sunrise hike, do it—the sunrise views from the top are simply stunning.

Further reading: your guide to Mount Maunganui’s walks

2. Walk the Mount Maunganui Base Track

If the hike to the top of the Mount sounds too strenuous—or if you just want another lovely walk to do—head to the Mount Base Track.

This mellow 45-minute walk circles the base of the Mount, with beautiful coastal views pretty much the entire way.

I like to start the walk at Pilot Bay and follow the track clockwise. Towards the end of the walk, you’ll come across beach coves that are absolutely covered in shells and are fun to explore at low tide.

3. Have a beach day

You could easily spend an afternoon (or many afternoons) sunbathing and swimming at Mount Maunganui’s beaches (but please wear sunscreen, ok?!).

In summer, I love nothing more than heading down to the beach here with my beach chair, umbrella and a good book—and sometimes a picnic—and spending hours in the sand and sea. 

If you’re an experienced ocean swimmer, Mount Maunganui’s main beach is a gorgeous place for a swim. 

And if you’d prefer calmer swimming—or have kids with you—head to the sheltered waters of Pilot Bay for a riptide-free ocean dip.

4. Go for a long beach walk

Mount Maunganui’s main beach is an incredible place for a long, leisurely beach walk.

The beach stretches for ages—eventually merging with Papamoa Beach—and at low tide, I always find the sand to be hard-packed and just perfect to walk along.

5. Kayak or paddle board at Pilot Bay

The sheltered sea at Pilot Bay is a great spot for kayaking or paddle boarding.

You can hire a kayak or paddle board from Mt Cats & Yaks; you’ll usually find them right on the shores of Pilot Bay. Mauao Adventures also hires out paddle boards and offers lessons, too.

6. Go surfing

When the conditions are right, Mount Maunganui is a great spot to go surfing (especially on a hot summer day when you often don’t even need a wetsuit!).

There are surf spots up and down Ocean Beach, with the Mount Main Beach and Tay Street being a couple of the most popular spots.

And if you’re keen to learn how to surf, Mount Maunganui is a good place to do it. 

There are several surf schools in the area, including the Hibiscus Surf School, Mount Surf School, & Mount Surf Academy.

7. Soak in the Mount Hot Pools

Located at the base of the Mount, the Mount Hot Pools are such a treat after hiking up the Mount or swimming in the cool ocean.

The hot pools here are filled with thermally heated saltwater and are truly relaxing.

8. Go shopping around Mount Maunganui

Have a wander around Mount Maunganui’s main street and pop into some of the local boutique shops.

Paper Plane is my absolute favourite shop in the Mount. This lovely, bright shop is full of curated housewares and gifts from NZ and beyond. Everything in the store is beautiful, and I love their selection of coffee table books, too.

And if you like op shopping like I do, there are some good little op shops down Maunganui road.

9. Walk out to Leisure Island (Moturiki)

Leisure Island has a unique history in Mount Maunganui. It was once a Māori pā and then in the last quarter of the 1900s, it became home to an aquarium and swimming pools. 

It’s now been restored back to its natural state and is a nice place for a short walk with beautiful views of the coastline. Walk to the end if you can—the northern tip of the island has a blowhole when the tide is high.

You can access the island via a walkway from the Mount’s Main Beach.

10. Catch a sunrise

If you can pry yourself away from your bed to watch the sunrise in Mount Maunganui, you won’t regret it.

It’s super special watching a sunrise over New Zealand’s east coast—seeing the sky light up over the ocean in pinks and oranges is such a neat way to start the day.

Either wake up super early to catch a sunrise from the top of the Mount, or just wander over to the beach—either way, I bet it’ll be magic (and you can treat yourself to a coffee after, right?!).

Where to Eat & Drink in Mount Maunganui

11. The General

The General is my go-to brunch spot whenever I’m in the Mount.

They have some healthy options and some more indulgent (and some a mixture of both). 

I almost always order their Turkish eggs, but they also do a great eggs benny (amongst many other good things).

12. Tay Street Beach Kitchen

Enjoy brunch right by the beach at the bustling Tay Street Beach Kitchen.

The food here is so good. They make their own bacon and it’s some of the best you’ll ever have! I also love their mince on toast. There are lots of good veggie options here, too.

13. Rice Rice Baby

If you go to one spot for dinner in the Mount, make it Rice Rice Baby!

This colourful Vietnamese restaurant churns out delicious food in a fun and vibrant setting. 

My favourite dishes here include their pork ribs, crispy nest rolls, ginger rice, and bahn mi.

Make sure to grab one of their excellent cocktails or mocktails to go with your meal, too!

14. The Rising Tide

Fancy a craft beer from a mind-bogglingly large menu? Want something carby and bite-sized to go with that beer? 

Then head on over to the Rising Tide—they serve up a fantastic range of house and other NZ-brewed beers and yummy dumplings to go with: it’s a match made in doughy, hoppy heaven.

15. Little Guy Bagels

Enjoy a handmade bagel and coffee in their lovely garden area.

16. Hello Bahn Mi

I love grabbing a quick lunch from this casual little Vietnamese spot. 

The bahn mi here are some of the best I’ve had in NZ (I always get the pork belly one, but they have lots of options—including a vegan one). Their bun (vermicelli noodle salad) is also super good.

17. Eddie’s Brunch Parlour

This lovely cafe & bakery is located a bit down from the main strip, but it’s worth venturing to. 

They make beautiful brunches, but I almost always visit this spot for one reason alone: the ham and cheese croissants from the bakery. They’re excellent.

18. Blondie Diner

Head to Blondie for a modern American-style diner experience. They have bottomless filter coffee and hearty breakfast and lunch items—their bagel sandwiches and breakfast burritos are delicious.

19. Soul Boul

If you’re after a healthy breakfast to fuel your day, go to Soul Boul.

You’ll find colourful smoothies, acai bowls, and decadent avocado toast at this great little cafe. They also do a good matcha latte.

20. Get an ice cream

Ice cream and sunny days at the beach just go hand in hand, and there are a few excellent ice cream spots in the Mount.

Copenhagen Cones is always the busiest spot—they serve generous ice creams in freshly-made waffle cones, and are just a quick walk from the beach.

My favourite spot, though, is Mount Made, where they hand make their ice cream—it’s just so good.

And for fantastic plant-based ice cream, head to Sea People.

Where to stay in Mount Maunganui

Mission Belle Motel

When in Mount Maunganui, I always stay at the Mission Belle Motel. It’s in an excellent location (within walking distance to pretty much everything) and the rooms are clean and modern.

Camping

Camp right at the base of the Mount at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park. You can pitch a tent, park your campervan, or stay in one of the on-site cabins or caravans.

Thanks for reading my guide to the best things to do in Mount Maunganui!

I truly hope this travel guide has given you some ideas to help you plan your own trip to Mount Maunganui.

As always, please leave me a comment if you have any questions or feedback about this guide—I always love hearing from you!

Where to Go Next?

Looking for more beach towns in the North Island? Check out my travel guides to the Coromandel Peninsula—including the best campgrounds in the Coromandel and my Coromandel road trip guide.

If you’re heading to Rotorua before or after the Mount, you should check out these awesome hot springs in Rotorua and Taupo.

For a magical day trip close to Mount Maunganui, you’ll want to check out my guide outlining a visit to Hobbiton and the Putaruru Blue Springs!