From stay-cations to beach vacations and everything in between. We love to travel & share our experiences and travel tips & tricks. When we are not traveling we are dreaming about our next adventure!
Jordan from the blog Tiki Touring Kiwi shares A Big Day Out in Waikanae Beach New Zealand, and his hometown favorites.
A Big Day Out in Waikanae Beach
Waikanae Beach New Zealand is the town where I grew up. A vivid memory of my hometown is doing flips on the beach with friends; then running into the ocean just before the the clock clicked over to the new millennium in the year 2000.
As I got older, Waikanae garnered the reputation as a glorified retirement village. It’s true, there are plenty of retirement complexes, however there are lots of things to do for all ages here. Here is my ‘perfect day’ in Waikanae Beach, a place I appreciate a lot more now.
A Morning Stroll At The Estuary
The estuary is a peaceful little area and a good spot to start your day. The afternoon sea breeze won’t have arrived and you can spend an hour walking around the lagoons and riverfront catching views of Kapiti Island and seeing various birds waking up for the day.
Breakfast At Olde Beach Bakery
Waikanae Beach is definitely getting a hipster vibe to it (in a good way). It’s a bustling spot and has a selection of outdoor seating where you can choose some of their freshly baked treats; and coffee, of course.
Golf or Fishing? The Choice Is Yours
The Waikanae Golf Course is located minutes away from the beach and is a course suitable for all abilities. You normally won’t need to book in advance, just give them a call to book your tee time.
Alternatively, you can head out fishing for a few hours, (if you have access to a boat). Between the mainland and Kapiti Island, you will be targeting snapper and gurnard and blue cod near the Island Tarakihi. You’ll inadvertently catch a variety of other bits and pieces too.
Relax At The Beach
Regardless of whether you choose fishing or golf, you deserved some beach time. Choose any spot along Waikanae Beach, throw down a towel, work on the tan, take a dip, build sandcastles, go for a stroll, play some beach cricket, or throw around a Frisbee. The beach will keep everyone happy for a couple hours.
Make sure you grab some fish ’n’ chips from a local vendor for a quick bite to eat when you arrive.
Dinner Time!
Given you’re spending the day in Waikanae Beach, dinner at Waimea Restaurant along the beachfront only makes sense. If you let the big one get away earlier in the day, order some fresh seafood to go. Otherwise, the pizzas are always a winner and hopefully you have enough room left over for dessert. Remember to order a bottle of New Zealand wine.
Take In The Sunset
Kapiti Island makes for the perfect backdrop as the sun sets for the day. 20 minutes before the sunset is due pay your bill and take a stroll along the beach. Don’t forget to look up as the sky changes colour. The sunsets at Waikanae Beach are always spectacular. Bring your camera!
Time To Head Back To Base
After your day at the beach, it’s time to head back to your kiwi bach (your holiday beach house). Beach houses and holiday rentals are located just a couple minutes away from the beach. Enjoy the sunset as you talk about your awesome day in New Zealand’s 2015 winner of the Best Large Town Award.
Vacationer Beware: This is assuming it’s a sunny day in Waikanae Beach!
About Jordan: Since finishing University in 2010, Jub has spent the large majority of his time living and traveling overseas. His passion for travel is massive, yet it’s the lessons learned you can’t put a monetary value on. Such as his appreciation for his home town, Waikanae and learning about self awareness and trying to be a nice person around the clock.
Planning a beach vacation is always fun for our family. We enjoy all of the activities the beach has to offer, and the excitement of the unknown. Looking back at our first fun family vacation, we had to take turns snorkeling because our kids were not yet comfortable in the ocean. After that trip, we were determined to enjoy snorkeling outings as a family and show our boys the joys of snorkeling.
From an early age our boys have been interested in swimming, but like many kids were unsure of their abilities in the water. Breaking through that barrier can be difficult especially if there was a traumatic introduction to water for your kids. Teaching Kids to Snorkel is more than just throwing on a mask and fins and jumping in the water; they need to know how to comfortably wear the equipment and learn proper snorkel safety. Having the proper equipment, understanding water safety, and picking the right location for their ability, has been the bases for our kids great snorkeling experiences.
Picking the Proper Snorkel Equipment
Becoming comfortable with the equipment is probably the single most important tool in minimizing the “freak-out factor” while teaching your kids to snorkel. From the inhalation of a big gulp of sea water to blisters from your flippers, understanding how to use your equipment is key.
Basic Snorkeling equipment for kids includes a mask, snorkel, and fins that can be purchased individually or in a snorkeling equipment package. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on your gear, (after all they will grow out of it quickly), but you also don’t want to purchase the cheapest gear. Tip: Most junior snorkel gear sets are sized by shoe size.
Masks are unique in that everyone has a different size and shape of their head, nose, and face. You want to find a mask that seals firmly and is comfortable for your child to wear. When you place the mask on your child’s face, the silicone seal should touch all around their face at the same time with no gaps. Some mask features include:
Tempered glass lenses, with good front and side visibility
Soft, double, 100% silicone seal that covers their face
Low profile to minimize clearing ability
Head strap with easy to use adjustments
Snorkel – should be sized appropriately to your child’s size and include:
Purge valve – a one way valve or flap that lets the user purge excess water out of the snorkel effortlessly during normal use.
Swivel strap/clip is a great comfort addition for small kids as it prevents the snorkel from binding up and allows for easy adjustments and removal.
Removable 100% silicone mouthpiece, makes fitting a snorkel to even our youngest child and jaw fatigue non issues.
Dry snorkel or splash guard helps prevent water from entering the top of the snorkel
Ultra flexible bend at the bottom for comfort, and stay with a standard size for easy clearing.
Flippers – Look for flexibility and comfort.
Quick release straps with easy to use adjustment
Ability to use with water socks/booties
Bright color easy to spot
Make sure the fins are flexible – rigid fins are difficult for kids to swim in
We started off with a US Divers Junior Sets sized SM 9-13 for our youngest and a MED 1-4 for our oldest. When we purchased the sets, they were at the smallest shoe size of the fins, so they are still using their original fins. However, we have since purchased new masks and snorkels as they have grown out of their original gear.
TIP: Our family always brings our own snorkeling equipment on our vacations, and typically has a spare of each piece. Equipment that is available to borrow or rent is either of average quality, has been used so many times that it’s cracked or leaking, and does not fit to your specific body features. As an experienced snorkeler and scuba diver, poor fitting or lower quality equipment can hamper and ruin a snorkeling trip.
PREPARING KIDS TO SNORKEL
Wearing and using your snorkeling equipment in a relatively safe environment like a pool is a great way to become familiar with all the ins and outs.
Let them try the gear on at home and practice putting it on and taking it off.
Help them with their mask and check the seal. Make sure all of their hair is pulled back before tightening the mask as hair stuck under the mask’s seal can create a leak.
Take your equipment to a local pool and let your kids practice using it. Our kids played with their masks, looking down in the water, for quite some time before adding the snorkel. We threw toys and fun items in the pool for them to “find” in a hide and seek snorkel game.
Let them practice breathing through the snorkel out of the water before they try to use it in the water.
Let them practice at their own pace and stop if they get frustrated.
When you introduce them to snorkeling in the ocean for the first time, make sure you are in relatively calm water.
Give them an underwater camera and let them take pictures! This was one of the best ways we kept our kids faces in the water. They were focused on taking pictures of the sea life below (and each other), and forgot all about being nervous!
Our 8 year old giving us the “thumbs up!”
TEACHING SAFETY
Our family follows a simple list of safety rules when snorkeling:
Never take off equipment while out in the ocean.
One adult per child.
Know how to use a whistle and understand basic hand signals. The snorkels we purchased have a whistle on the mouthpiece. Our kids have trouble making the “ok” symbol with hands so we use the “thumbs up” to signal everyone is ok. When they are tired we use an “I’m done” signal, sliding the hand across the neck.
Stopping when tired. Whenever one person gives the “I’m done” signal, we all leave the water.
Always wear bright colored life vests or snorkeling vests.
Take only pictures. Never take any objects out of the ocean or touch the endangered reef. Leave them for the next snorkeler to enjoy!
Additional Snorkeling Items
Wet Suit – or shorty suit can be a great addition to your kids snorkeling gear and can add a level of comfort to any snorkeling trip. Both of our sons have low body fat and are very fit and active in sports. At a young age we noticed that they would get cold quickly and their lips would turn blue (even at the pool). Although we typically travel to warm destinations, with water temps in the 80 deg range, we found that extended time in the water left them shivering cold. The wet suit has been a great comfort item for them for several reasons. Their wet suit helps them snorkel for extended periods of time in the water. A wet suit also provides a layer of protection from reefs, coral, and pests like the occasional jelly fish sting. Gone are the days when our boys would get sun burned from swimming all day, because the suit protects those otherwise exposed areas from the sun. Their wet suits have provided a certain level of coolness, security, and comfort to our snorkeling trips. When they are not wearing their wet suits, they typically have a long sleeve swim shirt that can provide some of the same results.
Swim Vests – or life vests are a must have for young snorkelers. Although a vest limits the snorkeler from diving under the water, they are perfect for a new or inexperienced snorkeler. They provide security and flotation to a snorkeler so that they can work on their snorkeling technique. The next step up is the snorkeling safety vest; it allows the snorkeler to purge the air out of the vest for diving down. The transition from a swim vest to a diving vest is best practiced in the pool or area where you can touch the bottom. Although my kids enjoy diving down, most of their time is spent with a vest on. A great addition to these vests is a tether that allows our family to stay together as a group during snorkeling trips
Tropical Fish Guide – We purchased a tropical fish guide to help the kids learn about the fish they see in the ocean. This has been a great way to keep them interested in snorkeling and learning about the ocean and the environment. Fishwatchers Field Guide: Fishes of Tropical Atlantic & Caribbean ID Card
Neoprene Strap tamer – aids in taking mask on/off. Tangled hair is something that periodically ends in a “snorkeling melt down” so we often use a Neoprene strap. This makes putting on and taking off the mask easier, and it floats in the water if the mask happens to come off.
Dive Flag or dive buoy (Many destinations require divers and snorkelers to use buoys and flags to alert boats of divers/snorkelers nearby).
Dive bag – Great for organizing your snorkeling equipment and hauling to the beach.
Since our kids have become more comfortable snorkeling we have been able to experience some amazing snorkels together. One of the best was our family dive/snorkel with Animal Encounters inside of the Curacao Sea Aquarium. Had our kids not been comfortable swimming and snorkeling, we would have never been able to enjoy such an amazing day together.
Do your kids snorkel? Do you have additional tips or suggestions or questions about teaching kids to snorkel? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
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They are looking for TV and Movie fans with a talent for taking pictures. Netflix will handle all your travel arrangements AND pay YOU $2000 per week!
The chosen Grammasters will travel for two weeks getting to visit the sets of popular shows, films, and Netflix originals.
Think you have what it takes? To Apply you’ll need to:
Follow @Netflix on Instagram
Tag 3 of your best photos with #grammasters3 by March 6th!
What are you waiting for?We have already tagged our 3 favorite pictures on our Instagram Page!
Daniella from Vienista blog shares tips on What to do in her “boring” hometown of Eisenberg, Austria. Doesn’t sound so boring to us!
8 Things to do in Eisenberg Austria
Eisenberg, translated into Iron mountain, is one of those towns you always see in old movies. It’s the kind of place where everybody knows everybody. The town has only 400 inhabitants and was not a part of Austria until 1920/1921. Before that time it was considered the German-Hungarian part of Hungary.
Growing up in “Iron mountain” was one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. I felt like I have a huge family and I always have someone I can go too. When I got older I wanted to see and discover more. I enjoy showing my friends how beautiful my town is, so I came up with this list of things to do in Eisenberg Austria.
How we do Yoga in Eisenberg
Go for a hike
Eisenberg has a small 400 meter hill and the surrounding area is hilly as well. The perfect venue for hikes. It doesn´t matter if short or long, our hiking trails have everything to offer. Hiking maps and tips are easy to get at the local town hall. Enjoy the view! One of those many hiking trails leads you to the “wine view.” This view includes an observation deck on the top of the hill.
Help harvest the grapes
In the fall many of the local wineries offer tourists a chance to enjoy this experience while sampling some of their recent vintages.
Go to a wine tasting
Many of the wineries sell local wines and offer wine samples before purchasing.
Visit a real castle
Within a 30 min driving radius of Eisenberg. you can find many old castles which are open to the public.
Burg Schlaining img sourceburgenland.info
Some of the castles you can see are Burg Bernstein, Burg Schlaining, or Burg Guessing.
Go for a swim
During the summer in Eisenberg, there are public pools and lakes. For year round swimming, Eisenberg has thermal spring pools that are indoors and open to the public. I like to go their once in a while to have some fun and relax. Some of them are made for pure relaxation and some are built to entertain families. In the summer, head to lake Burg or pool Großpetersdorf, All year round enjoy the thermal spring pools Therme Stegersbach or Therme Bad Tatzmannsdorf.
Enjoy A round of golf
Eisenberg is also famous for big and beautiful golf courses. They are spread throughout the county and well maintained.
Take a canoe tour
A couple years ago someone discovered that our river is perfect for canoe tours. I have not yet done this, but it is on my bucket list.
Visit a chocolate factory
Around Eisenberg there are 2 chocolatiers, Speigel and Zotter. One is more of a family business that makes high quality pralines, and the other one is much bigger and produces a larger selection of confections. They are both very good and I love to visit them often.
Image via Zotter Chocolate
Throughout the year the town offers some special events, like a vintage tractor meetup, and Special Children’s Olympic games, where every child is treated equally and will get a trophy at the end.
I hope have convinced you that every town has something to offer, no matter how small it is.
Daniella is from Austria and writes the blog Vienista. When she is not blogging or traveling the world she is busy enjoying the outside, working out, and spending time with family and friends.
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The estuary is a peaceful little area and a good spot to start your day. The afternoon sea breeze won’t have arrived and you can spend an hour walking around the lagoons and riverfront catching views of Kapiti Island and seeing various birds waking up for the day.
Relax At The Beach
