Sun and smoothies at Days Bay
Besties Jess and Lilia went to celebrate a day in the sun which meant a girls trip out to the beach
Hey! My name’s Jess and I’m your local Hutt girl through and through. It was finally a gorgeous day, after having had weeks of rain, so Lilia and I knew that we had to make the most of it! Lilia, growing up mostly a Wellingtonion girl hadn’t experienced Days Bay since she was a small bub, so we thought it was time to experience our local Hutt beach.
Taking the ferry let us experience the Hutt Valley from a whole new perspective.
Lilia
Starting the day, we took the East by West ferry over from the Wellington waterfront.
The ride was quite literally ‘a breath of fresh air’ as we looked over at the gorgeous scenic view of the Wellington region topside. Our hopes were high as we had heard dolphins were around Wellington’s bays! We tried our hardest to keep our eyes peeled but unfortunately with the wind whipping our locks to our faces and a clear coast line, there was no sighting - fingers crossed for next time! It’ll happen.
With an easy going approx 50 minute trip we arrived at Day’s Bay, with the kayakers, sunbathers and paddle boarders in full go. Full inspiration at the doorstep.
Not confident enough to brave out the water just yet, we made our way to a gorgeous seaside cafe called The Chocolate Dayz cafe. It immediately caught our attention with an awesome outdoor setting and delicious cabinet food, although we now had a good list to tick off, trying all the seaside cafes on upcoming trips.
I went for a good ol cheese scone and banana smoothie with Lilia opting for the fancier choice - a mushroom filo and go-to cuppa. The food was delish and the view was even better.
With full tummies we made our way over to Eastbourne and explored some neat art galleries and gift shops along the way. We were surprised by how many talented local artists there are in the valley and what unique nik naks we could pick up. By chance we stumbled across a gorgeous hidden French cafe called Tartines.
You wouldn’t believe the space we walked into! We found ourselves in a countryside-like courtyard filled with cute outdoor furniture and creeping green vines. We decided to share a cheeky fruit tarte. It was like taking a quick jaunt to France. Top tip, it's the perfect gram opportunity.
Heading back towards Days Bay, we decided to check out some of the chiller bushwalks and stopped off to feed the ducks located by the back of the Pavilion. The bush walk led us up into the shaded hill tree tops, that rewarded us with the most stunning view over the sea side.
With a well deserved rest and tired soles we lay out on the beach and soaked in the sun at the Pavilion, until we were ready to board our way back to Welly. Nothing beats the feeling of free toes being dipped in the sand.
I loved seeing Lilia relive childhood memories and make new ones.
Jess
We can’t wait to get in the water next time, maybe even hire a kayak and of course try the renownedly famous wood fired pizza from the Days Bay Pavilion
A day out in Eastbourne
With so much on offer, it can be hard to decide what to do first! To make building your own adventure easy, you can follow in Jess's and Lilia's steps.