I love Tauranga!!! We've been here for 5 months now and I'm really enjoying the area. As Duncan said, it is a bit slower paced and there are a lot of retirees, but there is still plenty do and it is growing. I enjoy the slightly smaller feel, but it is still big enough to find what you need. The weather is lovely here and the beaches are nice. Avenues is nice in some areas. Otumoetai and Welcome Bay are quite nice, Mt Maunganui is nice but expensive. We are in Papamoa and I LOVE it! We are in Papamoa East, which is bit further out of town (20 minutes to downtown Tauranga, but the main part of Papamoa isn't too far. There are lots of nice areas, but it can be hit or miss, so you just have to check out the area. Feel free to PM if you have any other questions.