St Clair / St Kilda Beach, Dunedin

Last Updated on March 23, 2023 by Jon Algie

This beach, split into three sections (St Clair Beach, Middle Beach and St Kilda Beach) is one of the best inner-city beaches in New Zealand. Dunedin, and its surrounds, is home to so many great beaches and this one is the easiest to access, making it ideal for people who are short on time (and their own transport).

St Clair Beach

The St Clair end of the beach (St Clair and St Kilda are suburbs of Dunedin) is one of the best places in Dunedin to hangout on a sunny day. There are cafes, bars and restaurants as well as seats and a lawn area at the Esplanade. There’s also a playground to keep the kids busy.

READ MORE: 10 of the Best Things to Do in St Clair, Dunedin

St Clair / St Kilda Beach is over 3 km long and is a popular spot for walkers and runners. Make sure to climb up the dunes behind the beach and walk along some of the trails up there — the beach looks awesome from above. 

St Kilda Beach

The St Kilda end of the beach is a little wilder than the St Clair end. You’re more likely to encounter sea lions and there aren’t any cafes or restaurants by the beach. John Wilson Ocean Drive runs above St Kilda Beach — walk to Lawyers Head for one of our favourite views of Dunedin!

READ MORE: 26 of the Best Beaches in Dunedin

Second Beach

As well as the three sections of beach I mentioned earlier, there’s also a small, stony bay around the corner from the St Clair Salt Water Pool. It’s worth doing the short walk to Second Beach as it’s quite different to the rest of what you’ll see while visiting St Clair / St Kilda Beach.

READ MORE: 30 of the Best Things to Do in Dunedin

Second Beach, Dunedin -- right next door to St Clair beach

Getting There

You can take bus number 8 from the city to the St Clair end, or bus 55 to the St Kilda end (get off at the end of Prince Albert Rd). If you’re visiting by bus it makes sense to catch the bus to St Clair then walk along the beach to Lawyers Head then walk back along John Wilson Drive to Prince Albert Rd and catch the bus from there back to town. Dunedin isn’t the easiest place to get around by bus but it is possible, and this is one of the more accessible natural sights in Dunedin. Check out the bus timetables / route maps here.

Are you planning a trip to Dunedin? Check out our Dunedin Travel Guide for all the information you’ll need!

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Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.

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