Kualoa Regional Park
Kaaawa, HI
Kualoa Regional Park spreads across 150 acres of windward coastline with Mokoliʻi, the small peak locals call Chinaman's Hat, sitting just offshore. The park's south end, known as Sugar Mill Beach, has a protected pocket that's calmer and better for swimming than the narrower, rockier sand up toward the main lawn.
The view of Mokoliʻi alone makes this worth the stop, plus real history in the old fishponds, though the beach itself is narrow and rocky outside the sheltered south end.
How we score beachesHead to the south end near the old sugar mill ruins for the calmest swimming. The water gets rockier and more exposed toward the middle of the park.
A large free lot serves the park off Kamehameha Highway, and it fills for weekend picnics and camping.
Flat, paved paths run through the park from the lot to the shoreline, easy for strollers, though the beach itself narrows and gets rocky in spots.
Calmest and best for swimming in summer, while winter can bring more wind and choppier water near the point.
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