This area is one of the fastest-growing in New Zealand, and is also one of the most expensive places to live. It doesn't have the most consistent surf, but when it works the waves are decent and can be quite long. It is suitable for all levels of experience.
The beach here is all sand, nice and big and clean too. It's big enough so that it doesn't get crowded even when there are a lot of surfers here, so you can pretty much pick your own spot. In the summertime the air temperatures here will be in the low to mid 20s, and in winter dropping to about 17° C.
This is best when the wind is coming from the south-west and the swell is working from the north-east. You need to catch it on a rising tide and at either mid or high tide positions, when it will start working at about 1 m and build to around 2 m or so. It's a fairly typical beach break, both right and left, and although the ride is often short and doesn't get much beyond 50 m on the days when it really goes you will see something approaching 300 m.
Parking is available at a lot just behind the beach. The town of Orewa is expanding rapidly and has all the facilities you could want, including surf shops, although as it is a pretty exclusive area at the moment nothing comes cheap here.
There are no hazards here at all so just get out on the waves and enjoy it.