Date Day or Night: Why Porirua is the Perfect Place for Romance, Dawn to Dusk

What’s that saying about Rome and when you’re there? The best way to get a date day started in Plimmerton is by beginning where locals do: at Backyard Café for brunch. You can then make the short stroll to Plimmerton Beach to bury your toes and draw your names in the sand. Although if your romance thrives on adrenaline (and you remembered to pack the boogie board), the beach’s wave-magnet south end awaits.

Although there’s much else to do in the area, it’s worth noting that the uninterrupted views toward Mana Island and the Marlborough Sounds transform into pure magic at sunset. Those who prefer the terra firma can tackle the nearby Taua Tapu Track, which offers an easy coastal walk with equally stunning vistas.

A good date day at the beach deserves some proper fish and chips, and any beach worth its salt should surely have a decent shop nearby. Enter Plimmerton Fish Supply; deep-sea cod is their staple, and with seasonal specials such as tarakihi, blue cod, or even Bluff oysters if your timing's right. Plus, everything comes with gluten-free options, ensuring no one misses out. Pro tip: order the deep-fried cheesecake brownie bites with berry sauce, you and your date won’t regret it.

Next, walk off all that kaimoana at Karehana Bay Beach. Tucked away in a small nook at the north-western end of Plimmerton, this is the often-overlooked (by tourists) cousin of Plimmerton Beach. And that's exactly why it's perfect for a romantic afternoon stroll.

By evening, you’ve probably worked up your appetite again, along with, importantly, your thirst.

Try something different from the standard and take your date to a Polish bistro found in the heart of Porirua suburbia. Steven and Valerie Askew have transformed Topor Bistro into one of the Wellington region's culinary gems, pioneering vodka pairings over your standard wine affair. Whether you're sharing Polish classics matched with Topor's Own vodka or embarking on the full tasting paddle adventure, just remember to toast properly: Na zdrowie!

Porirua's most beloved beach, Tītahi Bay Beach, draws surfers, swimmers, and wanderers alike. Historic boatsheds line the shore while Mana and Kāpiti Islands anchor the horizon. On calm days, it's paddleboard paradise; when the swell's up, you’ve got a second chance to prove that packing the boogie was a good idea. If you were forced to leave it at home, the bay's stunning waters are lifeguard-patrolled and offer primo snorkelling.

Steps from the water’s edge, Aloha Friday beckons. If you and your date are caffeine fiends and can bond over a good brew, then you might be delighted to find their bean of choice is North Island legend Raglan Roast. The Brown Lightning brew pairs nicely with any of Aloha's lovely pastries, tarts, or scones. But don't rush away, the space also serves as a gallery for co-owner and former Tall Fern Tania Tupu, renowned for her jewellery design and making prowess. Her Māori and Pacific-inspired pieces transformed the space into an impromptu gallery, perfect for finding that special something for that special someone.

Up until now, these date ideas have been about leisure, sitting seaside and soaking it all in. If you’re interested in the creative side of this vibrant town, the Tītahi Bay Murals Walking Tour should be next on your radar. It’s a one-to-two-hour loop through community art murals created by local artists, from Raanga Tuhi's Southern Right Whale breaching on the surf club building to Antz June's street art depicting iconic Tītahi Bay landscapes and Matariki.

Highlights include Ian Taylor's 2012 centennial tribute to 100 years of surf lifesaving, group-decorated toilet blocks by Ian Taylor, Ruth Robertson, Tracy Waters and others, and Xoe Hall's four-panel monarch butterfly mural celebrating community planting efforts. The loop offers wonderful views, helping tell the area’s story, and also features opportunities to grab an ice cream or, if needed, a second caffeine fix along the way.

For dinner and a drink, and perhaps even a good evening out, pop down to the revitalised Tītahi Bay mall, which now enjoys a new era as a lively social hub. The Beer Engine is helping power this renaissance. Its turquoise shopfront and "loosely steampunk" interior set the scene for date night done right. A place where the classic sense of Porirua community is literally built into the premise (details like tables and bar crafted from recycled Kenepuru Hospital floor timber), their brew menu features top drops from the best Aotearoa breweries, wines from smaller producers, and locally crafted spirits alongside tempting food like classic hot dogs or hearty curry. With the beach moments away, it's the perfect finale to your Tītahi Bay day of bliss.

Gallery dates are a classic daytime date option, but in Porirua, nothing is ever that two-dimensional. And fittingly, Pātaka Art + Museum is anything but ordinary.

Nearly three decades old and just 20 minutes from Wellington's CBD, this creative community hub is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in contemporary Māori, Pacific, and Aotearoa New Zealand art and culture. Boasting over 800 exhibitions and an intricate collection of more than 22,000 objects, if this sounds like an ideal date to you, then you'll want to set aside the entire morning. Four flexible gallery spaces offer plenty of variety, and cool, clean, quiet areas make for a pleasurable viewing experience.

If you want a physical reminder of your Porirua romance, then be sure to check out Toi Store. More museum than shop, this adjacent retail space features unique art books, cards, ceramics, jewellery, and taonga from contemporary Māori and Pasifika artists.

More culture, you say? Stretch your legs along the Harbourside Path on the Writers Walk, where sculptures and installations honour literary figures like Elizabeth Knox (who spent 12 years in Porirua), Michael King, Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, and Te Rangihaeata in a gentle waterside tribute to words and place.

It won't be long, however, until a turquoise shipping container catches your eye. That’s the Blue Bell Club, a vibrant splash of Pasifika right on the water's edge. Step inside and you'll find Pip and Ramona's vision: handcrafted cushions, bed covers, jewellery, bags, lampshades, and clothing from local creators like The Colour Closet, all embodying their philosophy that retail should showcase "different, colourful, one-off and handmade" treasures.

Now, if you're going to take someone out to dinner in Porirua, it should be somewhere that captures the community's iconic character. And if that's what you're after, a microbrewery with a never-say-die attitude is exactly the ticket.

Abandoned Brewery literally rose from the ashes of an abandoned brewery in Lower Hutt to become a beacon of happy chaos. With its upcycled décor, graffiti-covered walls, and ever-evolving collaborative murals, it's a space designed for everyone to enjoy. Pull up a chair and choose from taps pouring everything from old-school favourites to fresh discoveries, with local heroes alongside far-flung finds. Thanks to neighbours The Karaage Kid, you can discuss the intricacies of each pint over some seriously good Japanese-style fried chicken.

The first half of a good date day out in Kenepuru should start with some proper fuel for your adventures. Begin at Elemental Eats, where you’ll feel like you’ve come across a street food scene frozen in time. Bacon-laden toastie goodness wafts daily from their warehouse food truck setup, with their signature gluten-free Kumara Pies are another excellent choice of morning sustenance.

Before departing the precinct, grab a bottle from Little City Kombucha next door (or fill your own with their self-serve tap that rotates flavours of the month). Their naturally fermented brews in recycled glass make perfect trail companions for what’s next. Alternatively, Elemental brews their very own, locally roasted Elemental Coffee beans. Either way, you’re ready to hit Rangituhi.

Set your sights on a big old stroll up Rangituhi Colonial Knob, where the summit sits at 468m with clear-day views stretching from the Inland Kaikoura Range to Mt Taranaki. The loop walk takes three to five hours, with three routes to choose from and specialty mountain bike tracks for the descent. Grab your backpack, water bottle, that Little City Kombucha, lace up your kicks, and head on up for some exercise, nature style. Sometimes the best dates are the most wholesome, and this one’s a proper achievement worth celebrating, which brings us nicely to dinner.

At the bottom of Rangituhi, perched on the edge of an industrial estate on Broken Hill Road, Pepe's Café is your best possible option for post-victory feed. Transforming Pacific nostalgia into modern deliciousness, the heartier side of their menu celebrates heritage without hesitation: boil-up pizza, buttermilk chicken with paua-loaded fries, and Le Samoana pizza topped with lu'au, povi masima, and taro, amongst other creative takes on local favourites. Something sweeter? Try their Raro donut burger.

Pepe's feels like stumbling into a family kitchen that's quietly become the neighbourhood's heart, and it’s a fitting place to cap off a day, or three, of dating in mighty Porirua.