pronounced kai-LOO-ah
The Windward family standard — wide white sand, mostly shallow bay water, trade-wind cooling, full park facilities.
NWS forecast for this exact lat/lon — forecasts can change, re-check before you go.
We hand-author beach details from on-the-ground sources. The city dataset (Kailua District Park) is an official inventory that can lag reality. Worth a cross-check on arrival.
Outdoor showers vary in working order. Don't count on them for a real rinse.
We list lifeguards here. City inventory may be stale — verify with posted tower hours on arrival.
Drinking-water flags vary across datasets and the fountains themselves can be out of service. Refill bottles before you leave home if it matters.
The city dataset may be picking up a non-traditional play feature — outdoor fitness equipment, a volleyball court, or a community play area — rather than a fenced kids' playground. Eyeball it on arrival.
526 Kawailoa Rd, Kailua, HI 96734
Kailua Beach is the highest-volume family pick on the windward side. Two miles of white sand, water that stays shoulder-deep for a long way out, steady trade winds keep it cooler than south-shore. The park end (Kailua Beach Park proper) has the bathrooms, picnic tables, and easy walk-in. Kayak and SUP rentals nearby.
Park at Kailua Beach Park (south end) for the easiest family setup — toilets, picnic tables, lifeguard tower, gentle entry, big grass strip. The middle of the beach (residential access) is quieter but has no facilities. Buzz's Steak House across the street is the post-beach institution.
Lifeguarded at the park end. Box jellyfish are the real recurring hazard — they wash in 9-11 days after every full moon and signs go up. Check before you go in.
This beach sits in the Extreme Tsunami Evacuation Zone per Hawai‘i Statewide GIS. If sirens sound or shaking is felt, move inland and uphill immediately. Hawai‘i Emergency Management →
Free parking at Kailua Beach Park fills by 10 AM on weekends. Overflow along Kalāheo Ave and side streets. Lanikai parking has been progressively restricted — Kailua Beach Park is the legal family option.
Public restrooms and outdoor showers at the park.
Ironwood trees behind the beach offer real shade — set up under them. Bring an umbrella for the sand itself.
Weekday mid-morning. Trade winds usually pick up around 10-11 AM, which keeps it cool but also adds chop after lunchtime. Avoid box-jellyfish windows (check the Honolulu Ocean Safety calendar).
Accessibility: Paved parking to grass; sand access has a short slope. No beach wheelchair on site.
Calm shallow reef water with the iconic Mokulua islets view — beautiful but no facilities and strict parking restrictions.
Long stretch of fine white sand on the windward coast — quieter than Kailua, with mostly gentle entry.
Three miles of ironwood-backed beach inside the Bellows AFS — public access on weekends + federal holidays only.