Beaches

Plan a trip

Check-In

Check-Out

Adults

Children

Rooms

Promo Code

Special Rates

Check Availability

AAA/CAA Rate

Kamaaina Rate

Senior 50+ Rate

Airline Employee Rate

Government Rate

Travel Industry Rate

Travel Club Rate

Special rates require proof of eligibility at check-in

You're one step closer to paradise...

Beaches

Trip Ideas Home
Total Number of Articles - 59

|< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > >|

Polihale State Park

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

The longest stretch of beach in Hawaii starts in Kekaha and ends about 15 mi away at the start of Napali Coast. At the Napali end of the beach is the 5-mi-long, 140-acre Polihale State Park. In addition to being long, this beach is 300 feet wide in places and backed by sand dunes 50 to 100 feet tall. Polihale is a remote beach accessed via a rough, 5-mi haul-cane road (four-wheel drive preferred but not required) at the end of Route 50 in Kekaha. Be sure to start the day with a full tank of gas and a cooler filled with food and drink. Many locals wheel their four-wheel-drive vehicles up and over the sand dunes right onto the beach, but don't try this in a rental car. You're sure to get stuck and found in violation of your rental car agreement.
Read More
Poipu Beach Park

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

The most popular beach on the South Shore, and perhaps on all of Kauai, is Poipu Beach Park. The snorkeling's good, the bodyboarding's good, the surfing's good, the swimming's good, and the fact that the sun is almost always shining is good, too. The beach can be crowded at times, especially on weekends and holidays, but that just makes people-watching that much more fun. You'll see keiki (children) experiencing the ocean for the first time, snorkelers trying to walk with their flippers on, ukulele players, birthday party revelers, young and old, visitors and locals. Even the endangered Hawaiian monk seal often makes an appearance. Amenities: lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; food and drink. Best For: swimming, snorkeling, partiers, walking.
Read More
Pali Ke Kua Beach

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

This is actually two very small pocket beaches separated by a narrow rocky point. The beach area itself is narrow and can all but disappear in wintertime. However, in summer, the steep, rocky trail (don't trust the rusty handrails and rotting ropes) that provides access reduces the number of beachgoers, at times creating a deserted beach feel. With patches of reef and a combination sandy/rocky bottom, the swimming and snorkeling can be good, although winter's high surf creates dangerous conditions. Don't attempt the trail after a heavy rain—it turns into a mudslide. Amenities: parking. Best For: surfing; snorkeling; sunset.
Read More
Mahaulepu Beach

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

This 2-mi stretch of coast with its sand dunes, limestone hills, sinkholes, and caves is unlike any other on Kauai. Remains of a large, ancient settlement, evidence of great battles, and the discovery of a now-underwater petroglyph field indicate that Hawaiians lived in this area as early as 700 AD. Mahaulepu's coastline is unprotected and rocky, which makes venturing into the ocean hazardous. There are three beach areas with bits of sandy-bottom swimming; however, the best way to experience Mahaulepu is simply to roam, especially at sunrise. Access to this beach is via private property. The owner allows access during daylight hours, but be sure to depart before sunset or risk getting locked in for the night.Amenities: parking. Best For: walking; solitude; sunrise.
Read More
Lucy Wright Beach Park

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

Named in honor of the first native Hawaiian schoolteacher, this beach is on the western banks of the Waimea River. It is also where Captain James Cook first came ashore in the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. If that's not interesting enough, the sand here is not the white, powdery kind you see along the South Shore. It's a combination of pulverized, black lava rock and lighter-colored reef. In a way, it looks a bit like a mix of salt and pepper. Unfortunately, the intrigue of the beach doesn't extend to the waters, which are reddish and murky (thanks to river runoff) and choppy (thanks to an onshore break). Instead, check out the Waimea Landing State Recreation Pier, from which fishers drop their lines. It's located about 100 yards west of the river mouth. Amenities: showers; toilets; parking; Best For: walking; sunset; surfing.
Read More
Lydgate State Park

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

This is by far the best family beach park on Kauai. The waters off the beach are protected by a hand-built breakwater creating two boulder-enclosed saltwater pools for safe swimming and snorkeling year-round. A recent dredging finds the pools in a recovery stage as sand had to be removed, leaving mud offshore. But the numerous schools of fish are slowly returning. The smaller of the two pools is perfect for keiki (children). Behind the beach is Kamalani Playground; children of all ages—that includes you—enjoy the swings, lava-tube slides, tree house, and more. Picnic tables abound in the park, and a large covered pavilion is available by permit for celebrations. The Kamalani Kai Bridge is a second playground, south of the original. (The two are united by a bike and pedestrian path that is part of the Nawiliwili-to-Anahola multi-use path project currently under construction.) This park system is perennially popular; the quietest times to visit are early mornings and weekdays. If you want to witness a "baby luau," Lydgate State Park attracts them year-round, especially in summers.Amenities: lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best For: partiers; walking; swimming; sunrise.
Read More
Lumahai Beach

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

Famous because it's the beach where Nurse Nellie washes that man out of her hair in South Pacific, Lumahai Beach's setting is all you've ever dreamed Hawaii to be. That's the drawing card, and if you're adventurous and safety-conscious, a visit here is definitely worth it. The challenges are that it's hard to find, there's little parking, and there's a steep hike in; also, too many people misjudge the waves, even those never intending to set foot in the water. There's a year-round surge of onshore waves, massive sand movements (especially around the river mouth), and a steep foreshore assaulted by strong currents. Like the mythical creature from the deep, rogue waves have actually washed up on lava-rock outcroppings and pulled sightseers out to sea. Our advice: Look from the safety of the scenic overlook or walk on dry sand only. Or, take advange of Lumahai's length and find adequate parking 1/2 mi. further where the river comes in. Amenities: none. Best For: solitude; walking; sunset.
Read More
Lawai Kai

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

One of the most spectacular beaches on the South Shore is inaccessible by land unless you tour the National Tropical Botanical Garden's Allerton Garden, which we highly recommend, or trespass behind locked fences, which we don't recommend. On the tour, you'll see the beach, but you won't lounge on it or frolic in the calm water behind the promontory on the eastern point of the beach. One way to legally access the beach on your own is by paddling a kayak 1 mi from Kukuiula Harbor. However, you have to rent the kayaks elsewhere and haul them on top of your car to the harbor. Also, the wind and waves usually run westward, making the in-trip a breeze but the return trip a workout against Mother Nature. Another way is to boulder-hop along the coast from Spouting Horn—a long trek over sharp lava rock that we do not recommend. Do not attempt this beach in any manner during a south swell. Amenities: none. Best For: solitude; sunrise.
Read More
Larsen's Beach

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

The long, wide fringing reef here is this beach's trademark. The waters near shore are often too shallow for swimming; if you go in, wear a rash guard to protect against prickly sea urchins and sharp coral on the bottom. High surf during the winter of 2009 blew out a section of reef, creating some tricky currents for the novice oceangoer. And there have been a number of drownings and near-drownings here. A recent land disagreement cut off the traditional trail down to the beach. Now, like many other North Shore beaches, this one requires a hike along a steep, rocky trail.Slippery when wet. Amenities: parking. Best For: solitude; sunrise; nudists.
Read More
Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor

Destination: Kauai
Article Source: Copyright © 2012 by Fodor’s Travel, a division of Random House Inc. All rights reserved.

This is a great beach to sit and people-watch as diving and fishing boats, kayakers, and canoe paddlers head out to sea. Shore and throw-net fishermen frequent this harbor as well. It's not a particularly large harbor, so it retains a quaint sense of charm, unlike Nawiliwili Harbor or Port Allen. The bay is a nice, protected area for limited swimming, but with all the boat traffic kicking up sand and clouding the water, it's probably not good for snorkeling. Outside the breakwater, there is a decent surf spot. Amenities: showers; toilets; parking. Best For: solitude; swimming; sunrise.
Read More