Best Beginner Surf Spots in Wellington (2026 Guide)
Lyall Bay Beach had beginner-friendly surf 110 days last year, with surf lessons right on the sand. Here's where to learn in the capital.
Are you a beginner surfer looking for waves in Wellington? Wellington’s south coast faces into Cook Strait and can often offer mellow conditions for beginners, while still getting consistent surf throughout the year. Lyall Bay is a large beach spanning over a kilometer, and today we'll be talking about the best places for you to get in the water and when to get the best surf!
Using last year’s surf conditions, this 2026 guide shows beginners like you when Wellington is most likely to deliver learnable waves using Swellify’s beginner-specific surf ratings that combine wave size, wind strength and direction.
If you're just starting out, Swellify’s Lyall Bay beginner forecast can help you time sessions with lighter winds and smaller waves.
So! As a beginner surfer, mellow, small to medium size waves are best for practicing and improving. Today we'll be looking at:
- How many days had 3+ hours of "good" surf for beginners in 2025
- How many days had 3+ hours of perfect surf (perfect wave size and perfect winds for ideal conditions) for beginners in 2025
Lyall Bay Surfing Overview
Before we dive in, Lyall Bay is offers two areas for surfing known as the "beach" and the "corner":
Lyall Bay Beach is the most beginner-friendly surf area in Wellington, while the Corner suits experienced surfers.
If you're a beginner, Lyall Bay Corner is generally to be avoided because that's where most expert surfers like to hang out. On smaller days at the corner, if it's relatively uncrowded it can be okay to surf there but if you're just getting the hang of things, best to just stick to beach!
Don't worry, there are plenty of waves for you to learn on, and according to the data, Lyall Bay Beach is actually slightly more consistent! Now, onto the rankings 🏅
If You Need Lessons or Rentals
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Lyall Bay Beach 🥇 110 good days, 50 perfect days
Hands down the best beginner spot in Wellington with lessons on site. Wellington Surf Lessons operates right there, and Real Surf is just a 2 minute drive away and has lessons too.
Wellington Surf Lessons has a ★4.9 rating (57 reviews) and offers lessons plus rentals. Give them a call at 📞 021 176 4073 and tell them Swellify sent you!
Real Surf has a ★4.8 rating (81 reviews) and also does lessons and rentals. Reach them at 📞 04 387 8798. Mention Swellify when you book!
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Lyall Bay Corner 🥈 104 good days, 39 perfect days
Again, this can be okay on the smaller days when crowds are mellow, but as a beginner, it's best to stick to Lyall Bay Beach.
Best Season for a Beginner Wellington Surfer
If you're a beginner, and you're trying to get the most practice in, what time of year offers the most opportunities to get better?
Autumn, apparently! Leading the pack (but not by a whole lot), Autumn at Lyall Bay beach last year had 11 days you could get out there and practice your skills. If you're a warm(er) water surfer, the good news is that summer comes in second at 9 days.
Number of Good Surf Days for Beginners
Number of days with 3+ hours of practice opportunities at Lyall Bay
Okay, so you've got the right wetsuit, and you're prepared to take on the colder water in Autumn?
I was curious to see if there was a particular time of day that conditions were better (because winds can be less of a factor early in the morning, or later in the day), but apparently not!
Best Time of Day to Surf in Autumn
"Good" rating by time for beginners at Lyall Bay Beach
Pretty consistent across the board with regard to time of day, with lunchtime sessions taking home the win. I'm actually kind of surprised by that, but them's the numbers! 🤷🏻♂️
The Bottom Line
Autumn last year delivered the most beginner-friendly days, with summer following closely. If you're a seasonal surfer, that means when you get an opportunity to get out there, you don't want to miss it! As always, Swellify has your back with push notifications and an email whenever Lyall Bay has surf suitable for you, so you never miss a session.
Need lessons? Head to Lyall Bay Beach. Wellington Surf Lessons is right on the sand, Real Surf is 2 minutes away, and you'll have 110 good days to work with.
Need rentals? Same deal. Lyall Bay Beach is the way to go.
Remember, different surf spots suit different levels. If you want to stop guessing and start surfing more, that's literally what we built Swellify for. Thanks for reading! 🤙
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Tobias is the Founder of Swellify, a surf forecasting app built in Wellington that helps surfers like you catch more waves with way less hassle. After "accidentally" moving to New Zealand in 2019 and falling in love with Aotearoa, he's spent years obsessively studying every beach, point break, and island to make sure Swellify's 420+ spots are dialed in. Got any feedback or a killer session to share? Flick him an email at tobias@swellify.app.