The Kapiti Coast (formerly known as The Golden Coast) is the name commonly given to that section of the coast of the southwestern North Island of New Zealand opposite the long form of Kapiti Island. Much of it falls under the jurisdiction of the Kapiti Coast District, but the two areas are not entirely congruous.

Whereas the district stretches from Paekakariki in the south to Otaki in the north, along the thin coastal plains at the foot of the Tararua Ranges, the Kapiti Coast in common parlance also includes the neighbouring areas south to Plimmerton to the north of Porirua Harbour, and in the north includes some of the coastalmareas of Horowhenua such as Waikawa Beach and even Hokio Beach, close to Lake Horowhenua. The Kapiti Coast District also extends inland to the top of the Tararua Ranges, whereas the inland hill country is rarely considered as part of the coast in the public perception.

Kapiti means "joining" or "boundary" - the island was at one time the boundary between the rohe (territories) of two Maori iwi.