Raglan

[Heynekamp]

What is everyone's experience with Raglan? Seems like a fun and happening little town? Schools? Weather?

Love to hear peoples first hand experience. I searched the forum and found a few experiences but nothing directly about Raglan.

Thanks,
Mic

[Sam B]

Well I love going there for long weekends. It is a great little town with lots to do if you are on holiday. It has a very surfy feel to it, and also has a slightly bohemian feel to it, as there are quite a lot of artists and crafters living round there. The population seems quite bicultural, with a higher than average number of Maori people living in and around Raglan. The School starts at 5 and goes to 18, and serves a wide rural location, I think it is fairly low decile if that matters to you. There is a small supermarket, but for big food shops you would probably need to travel to Hamilton - 40 minutes on a rather stomach churning, windy road, with nice views.

The school has a surf school attached which seems pretty cool! In summer, most of the local kids spend time at the town beach (which is on the estuary mouth) and the local sport is jumping off the footbridge into the water. There are bigger, surfing beaches just around the coast. The waves are generally big.

There are loads of cool, crafty, arty shops. Great if you are a tourist, probably less so if you live there. There is a good mix of bars and cafes. The scenery is great. I love it.

[Dell]

American/California friends visited Raglan a few years ago. When we were discussing their trip the other day. He says, "if you're looking for California it looks like a California surf town. If you're a surfer - it has great point break (Encinitas, "Swami's"). But other than that, they didn't care for the town.

[JandM]

The only time I've been there, there was a - I don't know whether to call it heavy sea-mist or very low rainstorm. Wetness leaching out of the vapour, driven by a strong wind off the sea. I know, not the thing to judge a place by. However, given that all outdoor pursuits were off the menu, there wasn't a great deal else to tempt the visitor. I do want to go back one day and see it at its best, though.

[Hagabel]

Just went there yesterday to the beach with friends. I think the beach is great, great drive out there(if a little stomach churning as Sam pointed out), would not want to live there but fun for day/afternoon and will going back there plenty during summer.

[Kanga]

Quite a few ppl who live there commute into Hamilton and the two my husband knows absolutely love the lifestyle there and think it's easily worth the commute. One is using the local school and rates it.