Takapuna Beach

Takapuna is located on the north shore, 15 minutes North of Auckland City (unless its rush hour, then crossing the bridge can add another 30 minutes).
Its great for North through to Southeasterly winds and can provide some fun swell conditions and small waves to pop off.
Its not the easiest beach to launch from and it can get very busy in the summer with tourists and sunbathers alike.  I tend not to kite here at peak times, just because the beach is very busy and there is not that much space to get out of the way.
There is a grassy area for pumping up kites, nice toilet and changing facilities and an outdoor shower to rinse off yourself and your gear.

In the winter the beach is pretty much deserted and the kiters can take over the beach with a great view of Rangitoto island behind them.
This is not the ideal spot for beginners due to the space constraints and it can get quite choppy. 

I would suggest beginners head down the shore a little bit more to Cheltenham beach.
You can check the wind conditions on the live webcam here.
For skunked conditions Takapuna is great, there are lots of shops and cafes to spend your time in while waiting for the wind :)