Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
Waimea, HI
Hapuna Beach stretches nearly a half mile along the Big Island's Kohala Coast, the widest, longest white sand beach on the island and a longtime favorite for both locals and the resorts built around it. The sand slopes gently enough for easy wading most of the year, though a real shorebreak can show up with the right swell.
Consistently ranked among the best beaches in the country for the sand alone, though the single lot fills fast enough that a late start can mean no beach day at all.
How we score beachesGet there before 9am on weekends. The single public lot is the only way in without a resort key card, and once it's full, rangers turn cars away rather than letting people park on the shoulder.
One paved public lot off Hapuna Beach Road charges non-resident vehicles $10 and is open 7am to 8pm. It's large but fills reliably on weekends and holidays.
A paved path connects the lot to the sand, with restrooms, showers, and pavilions right at the beach, an easy walk for most visitors.
Dogs are not permitted on the beach at Hapuna, since it falls under state park rules that ban pets on the sand statewide except for service animals.
Summer brings the calmest, most swimmable water, while winter's bigger north and west swells can build a shorebreak strong enough to knock people off their feet. The Kohala Coast stays dry and sunny nearly year round either way.
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