Best Hawaiian Beaches for Kids

All the different Hawaiian islands have hundreds of beaches between them. Many are rocky volcanic stretches, with lots of coral out in the bay but not much sand; others are gentle lagoons, with few waves and long shallow stretches of water. Still others are beautiful, but have waves much too rough for young children.

Unless you can walk to your chosen beach, be certain to arrive there early. Parking at most of the best Hawaiian beaches is limited at best, and many have small parking lots that fill up quickly.

Toddler Beaches

Ideal beaches for toddlers will be lagoons in areas near your hotel, offering shower facilities and places you can rent beach umbrellas or buy extra sunscreen. Your best bets on Oahu are the quiet beaches of Waikiki and Ala Moana Park, just west of Waikiki. Both these beaches have protected lagoons, lifeguards, and all the necessary amenities, including reasonably-priced snack bars. You will most likely find yourself very close to these beaches, so it will be easy to walk to them and back from your hotel. The main drawbacks: there are a number of homeless people who congregate in these parks, primarily in the treed areas. They are not dangerous, but you do need to be aware of this.

The Big Island, also popular with families, has fewer beaches than Oahu, but they're still good beaches. The Hilo area doesn't have many toddler-friendly beaches, but the abundant waterfalls here make for great walking alternatives. To find the better beaches, you'll need to go to the other side of the island, to Kona, where the Old Kona Airport State Park has several lagoons perfect for keiki (little children). In Kohala just north of Kona, Spencer Beach Park is a hidden gem, frequented mostly by locals, with excellent gentle white beaches. Hapuna and Kauna'oa, next door to Spencer, both claim to be the most beautiful beaches on the Big Island, but can have dangerous surf in the winter.

Preteen Beaches

Your preteen probably still needs reasonably gentle waters, but may want a few more thrills, perhaps with some bodyboarding or beginning surfing lessons. The beach isn't just water, though; a little fishing or sandcastle-building may also be in order. On Oahu, your best beaches are the ones on the East Shore, just east and north of the Halona Blowhole. You can get surfing lessons right on Waikiki if you're staying in Honolulu, or children who already swim well can go to the beaches on the North Shore. Anything near Hale'iwa, a beautiful nostalgic surfing community, is probably good provided there is a lifeguard present. I especially recommend the Hale'iwa Ali'i State Park, but at the height of surfing season you may have to search for parking.

For kids who are interested in snorkeling as well as building sandcastles, check out Hanauma Bay. This majestic area was once the playground of the Hawaiian royal family, and today is a marine wildlife preserve, with shallow coral reefs well out into the ocean. There's also a very nice beach that leads down to sandy shallows with hardly any waves.

Teen Beaches

Teens are likely to be more active than younger children, and better swimmers. Their best beaches are the ones that offer a variety of water sports, from swimming to windsurfing, and that other teens tend to frequent. Oahu North Shore beaches are the best, especially the beaches centered around Waimea, where the Banzai Pipeline is located. You should also try Hanauma Bay while you're on Oahu; here you'll find the very best scuba diving available in Hawaii without taking a boat to the offshore reefs well to the north of the archipelago.

Kailua Beach Park is probably the best windsurfing spot on the island, and Waimea Bay is ideal for beginning and experienced surfers alike. In the winter, the North Shore waves are probably too large and dangerous for all but the most experienced surfers, so most early surfers move down to the Waikiki area instead for that time of year. To catch winter waves that are appropriate for your teen's skill level, ask your hotel concierge for the right weather channel to tune to; winter surfing is somewhat unpredictable throughout Hawaii.

Teens are the most likely age group to be impressed by the other islands of Maui and Kauai, both of which tend to cater to adults rather than children. Few Maui beaches are suitable for surfing, most offering good bodyboarding waves or just good swimming and snorkeling. Makena Beach is infamous because those who frequent this area are a little more free-spirited; you may see nude sunbathing here, though it is illegal; you have been warned! On Kauai, Brennecke's Beach is probably the best bodyboarding beach on the island. Otherwise, most Kauai beaches are either more sedate or have ripcurrents that make swimming dangerous - read all the signs before venturing into the water.