Kailua Beach Park

Eastern O'ahu is known for great beaches, and Kailua is arguably the crown jewel. A wide beach offers soft white sand and a gentle shore break for the kids to play in. There are also several islands off the coast along with nearby hikes and many food and recreation options. Kailua has gotten very popular over the last two decades, but a place like this wasn't going to stay under the radar forever. The windward weather gives beachgoers a respite from the hot sun with periodical tropical showers. Trees in the park and along the upper beach help provide some shade. It is sandy all the way out to the deep water, so there is no need to worry about reefs or rocks that can cut your feet. The only thing you need to worry about is the occasional Portuguese man o' war that washes to shore.

The beach park is quite large and has bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, plenty of shade, and large grassy fields. It has a second section toward Lanikai that has a boat ramp along with more showers, parking, and bathrooms. This parking lot is smaller and sits just at the bottom of the hill that takes you to Lanikai Beach. Flat Island sits just out from the southern end of the beach park near the boat ramp. Launching from here gives you the shortest distance to the island. There are some tide pools located even farther southeast of the boat ramp. You will never need a wetsuit with the Hawaiian temperatures, but long-sleeved sun shirts have gotten more popular as a way to reduce sun exposure.

Along with the 2.5 miles each way of walkable white sand beach, there are several nearby adventures just minutes away. They include kayaking out to Flat Island or surfing the break to its southeast, kayaking around the bend to the Mokulua Islands, or heading to hike the Pillboxes. You can take in some culture at the Ulupo Heiau 10 minutes away as well. There are kayak rentals, shave ice, and the Kalapawai Market within walking distance from the park, not to mention Buzz's Steakhouse, one of the first businesses in the area and a local favorite. The offshore winds at Kailua Bay were instrumental in making this one of the earliest places for kite surfing to catch on, and you can see dozens of people in the water at any time. North of the beach park is where you find the highest concentration, and you can avoid them by staying south if you like. There is a lifeguard on duty near the canal and main parking lot.