Music and surf on Jack Johnson's New Zealand itinerary

Jack Johnson will use his New Zealand show as an excuse to holiday in New Zealand with his family - and catch a few waves while he's here. Photo/Getty

Jack Johnson is set to play his first New Zealand show in four years - but he'll have more than music on his mind while he's here.

The Hawaii-based singer-songwriter will play one show here, at Auckland's Villa Maria Estate on December 10, as part of his 2017 Summer Tour.

He'll be playing on the back of his new single, My Mind is For Sale, from his new album, All The Light Above It Too, released next Friday.

But Johnson says he's using his single New Zealand tour date - his first here since 2013 - as an excuse to head away on holiday with his family.

"I love playing music there, I love just being there. The family always comes along ...

"You guys know - it's one of the most magical places in the world. It's really nice to be there with my family," Johnson told the Herald from his Hawaii home.

He admitted he'd be catching up with old friends, heading to his favourite restaurants, and catching some waves while he's here.

"I've a few friends that take us out to the coast, we'll go surfing in different spots. We'll wait and see where the waves are going to be good."

Johnson, 42, said his favourite memory from his many years of touring in New Zealand was a show at New Plymouth's Bowl of Brooklands.

"There's a duck pond between the crowd and the stage and people kept getting in the duck pond," he says.

"It kept happening over and over. Every time we tried to get them out, people kept getting in. It was funny."

Johnson's new album will be his seventh, not counting the soundtrack for his 2006 soundtrack for the film Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George. His many singles include Flake, Sitting, Waiting, Wishing and You and Your Heart.

Tickets for Johnson's show, which includes performances by The Black Seeds and Bahamas, go on sale on September 11. Pre-sales begin on September 6.