Things to do

At The Beach Retreat and Te Horo Beach

There is no shortage of things to do at the Beach Retreat. The large garage doubles as a games room with table tennis table and pool table. There are plenty of books and magazines, DVDs and CDs to enjoy. There are toys and games in the "pirate ship" themed playroom/ sleepout.

The beach provides a safe and sandy playground and enough waves for kids of all ages to enjoy. At low tide, there is a wide expanse of sand and shallow water which can provide good conditions for young families to play. Great conditions for kite flying in breezy weather!

A well equipped children’s playground is located in Dixie Street, about 5 minutes walk from the house.

Bring your fishing equipment if you’re keen. In season, you can watch the whitebait fishers at the Te Horo stream, about 5 minutes walk from the house.

At mid to low tides there are wonderful beach walks – south all the way to Waikanae, if you’re keen; or north to the Otaki River mouth.

In Kapiti and Horowhenua

Authentic New Zealand at your doorstep

Whether you’re a local coming up for the weekend from Wellington or down from Palmerston North, or from further afield, you’ll find a great slice of “authentic New Zealand” in the Kapiti/ Horowhenua area.

Within a range of 10-15km from Te Horo Beach, you’ll find memorable scenery and walks, nature tours, cafes, shops and more. The area is all too often overlooked in the rush to get to (or from) Wellington. Instead, stop and smell the roses (and lavender, and sea breezes). Watch out for the garden and craft festivals for unique local experiences. Don’t miss local highlights, such as the Otaki book fair, Waikane garden tour, and local markets.

Here’s just a sample of some of our favourites – you’ll find more ideas in the information pack at The Beach Retreat.

Eating out/ cafes and restaurants:

· The Red House, Te Horo (SH1): licenced café/ restaurant with a pleasant outdoor area - lunches and dinners, be sure to book if you want a later dinner

· Hyde Park café, corner of Te Horo Beach Road and SH1: café and ice cream parlour and in summer offers dinners on Friday and Saturday nights

· The Front Room, Waikanae Beach: café/ restaurant for brunch, lunch and dinner

· The Exchange Café in Otaki main road (near the railway station): good coffee

· SK Bakery – in both Otaki township and main road –authentic Kiwi pies, cakes etc

· Real fruit icecream shop: on SH1 just south of Otaki: your choice of fruit and icecream blended on the spot into a great “soft serve” combination. Unique and delicious!

And many other cafes too numerous to list here........

Local flavours:

The Kapiti/ Horowhenua area is renowned for the fresh, delicious produce ranging from wine and olive oil to fruit and vegetables.

Ruth Pretty cooking school and kitchen shop: The Beach Retreat is perfectly located for visits to the Ruth Pretty cooking school and kitchen shop at Te Horo http://www.ruthpretty.co.nz/

Lavender Farm: Te Horo - small shop, garden, and lavender beds which are stunning over the flowering season. A local lavender festival is held in January

Farmers markets: These change from time to time; as at January 2012, a Saturday market from 9am to midday is advertised at Waikanae Park; there may also be a Saturday morning market at Lindale, and during summer/ autumn you'll find a great vegetable stall just down Te Horo Beach Rd close to Hyde Park corner.

Otaki market: A great mix of produce, crafts, antiques and collectables…..every second Sunday in winter, most Sundays in summer for bargains galore

Kapiti olive oil: See http://www.kapitiolives.co.nz/ for this gold medal winning oil, available locally; you'll find some to sample in the kitchen supplies at the Beach Retreat. The "good oil" is produced by our beachfront neighbours in Te Horo Beach, contact us if you would like to access supplies of this award winning oil and we can give you their contacts.

Local attractions:

· Cinema: Great offerings at the new boutique cinema at Waikanae

· Garden tours: watch out for the Waikanae Lions garden safari in January each year, and occasional Te Horo tours of country homes and gardens

· Nga Manu bird sanctuary, Waikanae: An attractive bird/ wildlife park, eel feeding and more

· Otaki historical sites, including historic churches and museum (the old council chambers) in Otaki township

· Otaki Golf Club: Old Coach Road, Otaki, welcomes visitors

· Reikorangi: animal farm, cafe and Pottery on the Reikorangi valley road

· Tenpin bowling: The recently opened complex at Lindale provides a great bowling experience.

· Trinity Farm rose centre: on Waiotahu valley road just north east of Otaki; a lovely garden and a “mini café”

· Southwards car and transport museum: world class display of old cars, motorcycles and more; cafe

· Day trips to Kapiti Island - book through DOC, or Kapiti Island tours

• • Summer outdoor swimming pool at Waikanae with flume slide

Shopping:

· Hyde Park shopping corner: at the corner of Te Horo Beach Road and SH1: a café, small museum, garden centre and craft shops; hair salon; small scale market on some Saturday mornings

· Lindale tourist complex: just north of Paraparaumu: home of the famed Kapiti icecream and cheeses, a sweet shop, honey shop, olive shop, and woodcraft shop. Farm shows and farm tours.

· Otaki crafts: Zambarta in Otaki township local arts and crafts; also see the Otaki craft maps and watch out for the Otaki/ Waikanae arts trail usually held in late November

· Supermarkets: Well stocked supermarkets at Waikanae and Otaki are about 10km from The Beach Retreat

· Otaki outlet shops: A shopaholic’s dream at SH1 Otaki, outlet shops including Pumpkin Patch, Bendon, Katmandhu and many others.

· Otaki township: an “old world” shopping village with butchers, pharmacy, hairdressers, bookshops, collectables and Edhouses emporium

Weddings and family events

The Beach Retreat is ideally located if you are looking for accommodation to attend a wedding or family event at nearly venues including Ruth Pretty's Springfield, The WineMakers Daughter on SH1, or Sudbury Fields on Te Hapua Road - all within a 5-10 minute drive pr taxi ride.