I love coming to this beach throughout the year. You can always find parking even in the summer. Sometimes there might be a military get together, but that's far and few. My husband brought me to this beach back in the day when our girls were young. Its kid friendly for sure, lots of families come with their youngsters and stay for a couple hours and go. Lots of retired couples come here as well. We used to be able to rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. I don't know when they stopped doing it, but that was fun. Sometimes there's a lifeguard on duty, but not all the time. What I love watching are the planes taking off. It gets really busy watching them line up and take off, sometimes the military cargo planes and jets take off too. I usually know when its time to leave without looking at a watch because the mainland flights start leaving around 1p or so. There are 2 showers in the bathroom and its usually clean and never have to wait for them. Vending machines are outside the bathrooms or you can barbecue and picnic. Sometimes when the rest of the island is experiencing rain showers and clouds, this is the only beach where I can count on to be sunny read more

Good family beach. As long as you have military access, you can enjoy a nice peaceful beach. Plus there is a restaurant/bar on the beach. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - My kids loved it there. - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Nice and quite and no big waves...it's a little hidden gem There is even a restaurant right there, in case you didn't bring food or if you wanted to enjoy an amazing Mai Tai read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

No access for locals. It's on the air force base. You can't get on this beach w/o a military ID

My favorite beach in Honolulu... been here a few times it's so peaceful and stunning also extremely clean... I hope to return one day read more

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The beach will be open to military and civilian personnel. The ocean water looks cleaner than other beaches. The runway is just a stone's throw away, so you can watch airplanes take off very closely. In addition to regular airplanes, you can also see military planes up close, so you feel like you're in a special seat. You can also rent playground equipment here. Parking and changing rooms are also very close by, making it very convenient. After swimming in the ocean, you might want to have a drink at the adjacent restaurant. read more

I have been to this beach a few times and I am always happy with the atmosphere. It's very family friendly and I really think you have to be affiliated with the military to use this beach. The drive to hickam from where I live in Kaneohe is super easy. One of the reasons I like this beach is that you can watch planes take off! it's basically a part of the airport. That to me is pretty cool. The water is just as pretty as any other beach and there are plenty of pic nic tables for your snacks. You can rent water stuff as well, for that I am almost positive you need an ID card. Finally, there is always plenty of parking!!! read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Watching the planes take off at Hickam beach - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

You will need military access to get on base!! Once you get on it is located in the back by airport and the Lanai restaurant. It's a small beach but nice to just hang with the family. My family and I enjoy coming out here! There is a beach area where the lifeguard is at, my girls love to swim there since it's deeper and more friends to play with. There is a pathway that has no lifeguard but the water is so low that you can walk through it for some awesome pics!! I love coming here with just my hubby and I to walk in the water and enjoy the view! read more

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Parking is close, you don't have to walk a mile to enjoy the clean sand and clear blue water. Totally safe, lifeguard stand is peace of mind too. Sturdy cabanas that you can reserve (on base) and grill at. There's even a rental stand if you want to paddle board or long board. Lucky we live Hawaii! read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Pano view - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

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We flew space-available (Space-A) on a US Air Force aircraft to and from Honolulu, Hawaii this past February on a C-17 and KC-135 tanker. Because I am retired military, my wife and I can fly for free and have access to US military installations around the world ... HOOAH! Adjacent to the popular Lanai at Mamala Bay on the Hickam Air Force Base side of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, with its' spectacular views, this sandy beach is long and semi-narrow with a southern exposure looking out over the blue Pacific. The two times we were at Hickam Beach this past February, the water was clear and calm with hardly a wave. The beach faces open sea, but is protected by a peninsula created by the runways at Honolulu International Airport and Hickam AFB, a similar exposure as Waikiki which is almost always very calm. There seems to be a very gentle slope once in the water, so I think it would be a great place for families to enjoy themselves. A great place to spend the day or evening, unfortunately, you must have a military ID to access the base and beach, so civilians will need to buddy-up with an ID holder to visit the beach and Lanai at Mamala Bay. CombatCritic Gives Hickam Beach 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better! read more

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This beach is one of the best kept secrets on Hickam AFB Located on the back side of the base along the coast, it has great ocean views and you can see planes from the airport landing and taking off. At times it can get noisey but its a cool view regardless. The beach is white sand and a bit small and gets crowded with military families on the weekend so parking can be a challenge. Its not so bad during the week. Because the beach is sheltered, the waves are never really big so it is a great place for swimming and just enjoying the water. Kayak and SUP rentals available at the little beach rental office which is really cool and a great option for enjoying the beach and views. read more

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This is a military beach. Don't come This way if u don't have military access. You can thank me later. read more

Love this place however it can get super busy on the weekends and holidays as to be expected - it's a beach on a military installation. You must be a DOD card holder to enter the base. I live that you can rent kayaks and SUPs. My family has been coming here for years. I prefer a weekday visit as its less busy. It's a beautiful view and it's cool to watch the fighter jets take off while being in the water. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Beautiful day at Hickam beach - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

I was driving aimlessly around Hickam one day and voila, I stumbled upon this beach which I love because you can watch planes take off from the reef runway. This beach is tucked near the end of Hickam Air Force Base and has really nice cabanas that you can rent and nice clean (well, clean for a beach) restrooms. They also have a lifeguard on duty, vending machines and a restaurant that's in walking distance. Though the facilities are clean, the beach itself is not the cleanest, largest or the nicest on the island. In fact, the beach itself is pretty small, there are a lot of rocks in the sand and the water isn't as crystal clear as some beaches but I like going to this beach simply to watch the planes take off. I've had a thing for airplanes since I was a kid so I'm just drawn to this beach and find it relaxing to see the planes coming down the runway next to the beach and taking off. If you enjoy peaceful and quiet beaches or can't tune sounds out, this is probably not the beach for you as the planes literally pass right next to the beach so you will constantly hear and airplane's engines every so often. The beach gets crowded but there are many parking stalls available and it also makes for a nice jogging spot because there are paved walkways before and after the beach and you can eventually jog to the golf course further down the road. You can access this beach if you're in the military, a DOD employee or if someone with clearance can bring you on base as their guest. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Reef runway - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Spent a day on base and I gotta say this beach has so much to offer. First off there's a lot of parking, there's two lots from what I saw and there's also 5 or 6 little pavilions you can cook out at each with their own grill right on the beach! If grilling isn't your style there's also a restaurant adjacent to the beach, literally just minutes away, called the Lanai. Still not enough to pack your beach bag? Get this--you can rent a f***ing mini sail boat! I think you have to do a class before setting sail, but it's still cool to have that option. From the same place you can also rent kayaks and stand up paddle boards for less than $10?! What?! The beach area is a little small, I will say, but it's still a gorgeous beach. The view is amazing! You have a rockless area to swim in and the water is literally turquoise . What's even cooler is that you have a view of planes taking off from the airport runway (it's not noisy at all). If I could get on base easily I would come here every weekend. I am giving this place 4 stars though because the beach area is super small and confined. It was also a bit crowded, but I did go during Father's day so I'm not sure how it is on a regular weekend. I'm really hoping I can go to this beach again soon so I can kayak out there. Overall an amazing beach! read more

Great beach, well taken care of, and well equipped (meaning shade, a life guard, cabanas, nearby beach front food and bar, rental items, and bathrooms/showers nearby). The only negative (or positive, depending on who you are) is that you can see and hear planes taking off constantly, so it may be more of an activity beach than a relaxing beach. The water here was super calm and an easy beach for novice swimmers or sport loving people (paddle board, kayak). Also, I felt super safe leaving my items on the sand and heading into the water since it's an air force base. read more

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Enjoyed this beach a lot. Been on island for a while and never came here. Pretty far from the main gate, through winding turns and you finally come along this beautiful place. There was plenty of parking and plenty of beach space also. The sand was great with very minimal rocks on the sand and in the water. I had a great time just laying there. Hope to see some of you guys there someday. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Hidden deep in Joint base Pearl Harbor Hickam on the air force side. This small beach is perfect for my kids and wife. Clean facilities with toilet paper and nice showers and everything expected of a military run area. The picnic area is currently under construction but its normally beautiful. The beach has a little area that is currently being upgraded but otherwise it still untouched. Life guards watch for people who get in trouble. Fish and crabs swimming around in the white wash which is cool for my kids. The sand is nice for kids to play with. The ocean is pretty clean and not super strong waves. Kids can play with ocean toys such as boogie boards, floats, and tubes but surfboards and paddle boards need to be ridden on the other side of the beach so swimmers are now in danger from the boards. Overall a great place to take the kids as long as you have base access. read more

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This is a great little beach to bring the family to. The shore goes out pretty far so you don't have to worry about the kiddos getting caught in a rogue tide or anything. There are a ton of tiny little crabs that scurry along the shore and the kids love trying to catch them so they'll be entertained for hours while parents are relaxing nearby. It's located on base so you can see all the ships coming and leaving port, which is exciting for everyone. I guess if you live here, or come often then it's not that big of a deal to you, but honestly don't think I could ever get tired of it. The sunsets here are beautiful and it's not far from base housing so it's really convenient to drop by for the view or to take the family for the day to get out of the house. I came in the evening on a Monday so that might be the best time to come and avoid any crowds. But with a beach as nice as this I can see why it would fill up quickly, along with the fact that it's not very big. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

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First of all, this is on base. If you don't have base access, you can stop reading. After getting sponsored on by my friend, this beach and recreation spot is waaaaaaaaaaaay in the far end of Hickam AFB. Made a few wrong turns along the way, but I finally got there. It's a small beach and recreation area. Nice because it's not crowded. And across the water is Honolulu International Airport. Relaxing place to watch the planes come and go. It looked like small sail boats can be rented. And I saw some people fishing. Really nice spot! If I had military privileges, I think I'd spend time here. read more

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It's one of the islands best kept secrets as far as beaches go, and unfortunately it's only accessible by those with base privileges. It's not that crowded, there is no shortage of parking, and best part of all - alcohol is not prohibited! Yup, no need to bring the red cups to this beach - just pack up your cooler, set up your beach chair and open a cold one, right on the sand. There are covered cabanas with BBQ grills (bring your own charcoal) available by reservation only. What a cool place to get together with friends and family for some fun in the sun and a BBQ right on the beach. read more

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This is a wonderful beach to come to but it does get busy Parking can get difficult but a spot does come along. It's doesn't seem to be close to where I want to be but can't be particular at this point. If you have base access you can get here. It's a great place to come to for family outings and get to gathers. You can rent out the cabanas scattered through out the beach park. Towards the far east end of the beach you can rent paddle boards and kayaks. This is a great spot to learn either one because the water here is very calm. There are bbq grills around the cabanas. I prefer to bring my own because I know where it's been and it's clean. Trash cans are around too but are filled quickly with soda boxes and the usual. Life guards are present to help watch the kids around the water. When the jelly fish appear they will close the beach down if it gets serious. If you go past the rentals there is one picnic bench out there under a tree. Most of the time it is occupied. If you are lucky enough you can sit here. I've taken naps there. Anyway this is a fantastic spot to watch the planes taxi for take off. Nice to watch them approach for landing to. I've taken some good pics here like Alaska Airlines with the big salmon mural on their planes. It is also on this end food trucks will come by for those who came by on a whim. I think most of the time it's an ice cream truck for the kids. After they've been playing in the water and sun, they need that's extra sugar. Roy's is there. They are busy. In the back is the beer patio in case if you didn't bring any. With the proper ID you can get some. Nice to sit here when the sun is going down catching twilight rays for wonderful photo shots. Can you move to the left. (click) read more

Been to this beach numerous times. It's close to the NEX area and easy to go to especially if you just arrived and are staying near the airport. The beach itself is a bit rocky, the waves can get kinda rough and the beach area itself is small. The water is murky but it'll do. If you have time to travel to another beach, you should but if your pressed for time, it'll do. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Hickam beach - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

My family is military (I mention this as you have to have an ID or be with someone who has one to get here) and this is the beach that they prefer to come to. Not crowded by tourist however it does get crowded on the weekends & holidays and makes parking tricky. The kids aren't great swimmers so this beach works in our favor where they can play with other kids, lots of supervision (not to say that we are not watching them) and when we go it's not packed. There is a place for them to change clothes so they aren't wet & sandy getting into the car. read more

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Great little gem. It might just have been today, but the beach wasnt overly crowded and there was lots of room. We decided to go to hickam beach for our first go at stand up paddle boarding. Stand up paddle boarding rentals were $9 and hour per board or $25 for the whole day. There are plenty of other rental options on site and I dont know of another place on island that gets close in pricing. With limited access to this beach due to it being on post, it limits the amount of would be beach goers significantly. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Price list - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

Don't try to go to Hickam beach unless you have a military I.D. to get through the security checkpoint. They will turn you away.

This is designated specifically for the military folk (or those who know someone with military base privileges). Great oceanic view! For plane watchers a perfect viewing of the variety of planes out there. Slightly small, which is a plus and a minus. Good to keep the crowding down, bad because if you are a late comer good luck getting a decent spot on the beach. There are some cabanas on the beach, signs state you should call to reserve them. Don't know much about that process. There are a couple of water spigots nearby to rinse off the feet and what not, near the cabanas, but to shower off you have to leave the beach. Waves are minimized with the reef far out. You still get affected with the tide so do not be fooled. Sand is nice and soft - mixed in with small shell bits. As with any sand - too much sun, and yer tootsies do get charred so make sure you have some good sand slippers! ;) read more

I'm sure it is a very nice beach! However if you are a civilian, don't try and go. You will not be allowed on the base! Just a helpful heads up for those that might be confused about it being open to the public! read more

This is the perfect beach for my family. It's close, never crowded, lots of parking and calm waters. We normally come here pretty early, before lunch, to avoid the hot sun. The beach is small, but it's never crowded enough to be an issue. There are always lots of kids, and the calm waters is perfect for them. We try to come out here as often as possible. My son loves swimming out here. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - My family :) - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

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I like to come here during the week when it's less busy, as it gets pretty crowded during the weekend. The rentals are decently priced. The water is usually pretty calm but it can get noisy with the taxiway for the airfield right there. read more

Hickam Beach and Picnic Area - Beaches Near Me - Hickam AFB, Hawaii

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Cute little beach on Hickam. The have small little cabanas for you to set up with a small grill. Those are on a first come basis though, I believe. Bathrooms are clean and there are vending machines there too. This beach is great for families with smaller children as there really aren't too many waves. The beach sand here is nice and smooth. The only thing I didn't like about this beach was the ocean bottom. There were a lot of rocks under the water, but it's an easy enough fix to bring some water shoes. The kiddo liked it because he could watch all the planes land and take off. I would definitely come back here if we were just looking for an easy going beach day. read more

I came here as a guest to a unit family picnic. So of course, we brought our two well behaved dogs ... because they are family. But before we could even enjoy the BBQ a rude employee of MWR approached us with attitude saying there are signs everywhere saying that no animal are allowed. And we must leave immediately or they would kick the whole unit out of the picnic area. How are you going to not allow animal to a base family picnic area?? I am active duty and no other base doesn't invite animals to come along. This place is ridiculous. And their employees are rude. If you planned to bring your family pet ... don't. read more

Lots of loud children and aircraft runway noise, wasn't as relaxing as I hoped for. Pretty crowded, I would give this 5 stars if this white sandy beach was located elsewhere and not as popular read more

Great Beach! Enjoyed watching the airplanes come and go. Cabanas available. Small beach that was never overly crowded!

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BEACHES!!! I grew up coming to this beach with my family. My parents love the fact that it's on a base... and since my daddy is military, this is the beach they would most frequent. To this day... this is mom and daddy's "go to beach"... Located on Hickam Air Force Base alllllll the waaaaaaaaaaay in the back of the base... but once you arrive, it's SO worth it! There are different sections to the beach... the main section has the BBQ huts, cabanas, kayak rental, stand up paddle boards, and beach chairs. They also have indoor and outdoor showers, restrooms, and the Seabreeze Restaurant. Off to the right (if you're facing the ocean) is where people picnic and just watch the ocean (no swimming on this side) and off to the left (if you're facing the ocean) is where people again picnic but also fish. There's a lifeguard on duty but there aren't very big waves here... it's great for kids. On holidays this beach gets PACKED... but during weekdays it's not too bad. I remember sitting on the retaining wall over the water and just enjoying the spritz from the ocean and it's beauty. The other thing that I absolutely LOVE about this beach... it's located next to the reef runway... so you get to see planes take off from Honolulu International Airport. There is something SO calming and serene for me to be sitting on that retaining wall... staring at the ocean... and then watching the planes take off. It's completely therapeutic for me and I LOVE IT!! I have so many memories here... definitely a special beach with a special place in my heart... :) read more

I love this place, but I wish I could access it easier now that I'm not living with military peeps. I used to go here just about every weekend with the roommate to go kayaking and paddleboarding for CHEAP! The waters are (mostly) calm and the shore is never crowded like public beaches. I went paddleboarding for the first time here so it will always be one of my favorites. read more

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This place is awesome! It's seriously my favorite beach on the island. The sand is nice and soft. The water is a beautiful blue and its deep enough where you can just chill in the water. The best part is that you can rent kayacks and paddle boards there for under 10 dollars I think. They also have lessons going on there but you'll have to contact MWR to find out exactly when. Theres also cabanas that you can rent for a reasonable fee and bathroom facilities. So for me it has everything I want in a beach. If your not a fan of the beach but your friends drag you along theres a grass area right by the beach that you can hang out right under a palm tree. If your not into chilling in the grass don't worry theres a bar right next to the beach. So you can enjoy a beverage while your friends go have fun. I love this place but just be warned it is a family beach. If you are looking for a beach thats more for adults I wouldn't go here. The reason why I go here is because its super easy to relax here :) read more

I'll be honest, I have a lot of love for this beach, but there is also quite a bit I don't love. First the love, because this beach is only accessible for DOD personnel, parking is a breeze. Sure beats waikiki and ala moana beach park, or north shore during the winter. Although the beach is technically public, the waters surrounding it aren't and you can't walk down the shoreline to reach it. I've heard that you can tell the gate guard that you just want to reach the beach and they can arrange it, but it sounds like way too much of a hassle considering there are so many other beaches on the island. The beach though is very very small. I like to go to the beach in the early morning to relax and get away from everything. You can't do that here since everyone just goes down the road from their house to take the kids out to play. I would compare it to ala moana beach in terms of crowds. It's also very loud being next to the airport. It didn't bother me too much, but definitely something to note. They have plenty of cabanas that always seem to be empty with barbecue grills. I'm sure you can reserve them, but I've never had a problem walking up and using one. If you don't want to cook your own food, Sam Choy's borders the beach with very yummy local seafood. You can't beat the prices for kayak and stand up board rentals. you can log onto greatlifehawaii.com to find the latest prices. If you are having a party or a big family beach day, this place has all the amenities to please everyone. Otherwise, there are plenty of other beaches on the island to enjoy without all the family crowds. read more

Usually here once a month during the week for sailing with the "Wet Hens" and SUP, watching 747's take off to distant places and fighter jets launching vertical on maneuvers. Nice facilities here as there are bathrooms, indoor/outdoor showers, cabanas for rent or day use, friendly lifeguards and SUP and kayak rentals. Nearby Seabreeze Restaurant and an adjoining bar is available for those wanting a bite to eat or to jump start their happy hour. Peaceful setting & a nice place to take a dip & momentarily escape the heat. I can imagine this small stretch of beach jam packed on the weekends. Come early or try during the week. #Yelp 365: 026/365 read more

We come here once a year. We are not a regular. Very nice beach with white sand, unclear blue water due to fine sands, loud airplane noise, lifeguard, picnic area, shower and bathroom. Not for snorkeling. It seems to be crowded often. We wanted to go try out Honeymoon Beach, a little to the east side. We learned you need a reservation (with fee) ahead of using the beach. read more