The Petone foreshore stretches along Wellington Harbour from the mouth of the Hutt River, offering a long walking and cycling path with views across the harbour to Wellington. The beach is not the most beautiful in New Zealand — it is urban and stony in places — but it has a good local atmosphere, especially on weekends when families gather and the café and restaurant strip on Jackson Street is busy.
The Te Puna Wai Ora freshwater spring at the southern end of the foreshore is a taonga (treasure) for local Māori and has been used as a freshwater source for centuries. The stone marking the 1840 landing site of the first European settlers stands near the start of the foreshore path. On a clear day, the views south across the harbour to Wellington and the Cook Strait hills are excellent.