Great beach! It has shade and some good views. Definitely a good place to bring the family as it is…read moresomewhat protected. Parking is expensive kind of a bummer. The area itself didn't have much amenities, but definitely have palm trees and shade, which was nice in the afternoon. Happy to make it on our first day

We swim here regularly, year-round. IMHO this is the best all-around snorkeling beach on the…read moreisland, but as with any ocean activity the surf and tide will affect your experience, so ask the lifeguards or the volunteers for advice. This protected bay has over 120 species of resident fish, and usually has clear water. Other than urchins (7 species) there is no marine life to worry about. Turtle sitings are more likely at high tide when their salad bar (the algae on the rocks) is available. Typically from 9 to 3 daily the Reef Teach volunteers have photo guide books and other reference materials available, along with free advice, defog spray, and reef-safe sunscreen. Water access is the narrow and shallow rocky channel in front of the lifeguard station by the parking and pavilion. Swim fins or sand shoes are recommended. The locals value their feet and swim through it even at low tide when it is only a foot deep. Coming back in you can actually swim all the way back to the sandy channel. The water is usually noticeably warmer and clearer away from the entry. The bay is shallow with only a few places that are even 8' deep at high tide. Unless you really need to, don't stand on the bottom or coral - fins and feet damage it.

This was an amazing day trip to take, and we were extremely happy to stop here. We ended up getting…read morehere with only about 20 minutes before closing, so we didn't get to read everything we wanted, but I was very happy to see everything! The statues and the shelters are super interesting to see. I love the location; it's absolutely gorgeous and mesmerizing. We took so many pictures! Remember this is a sacred place, and above all, be respectful!

This park is beautiful and sacred. You can learn indigenous Hawaiian history & culture here and…read moreexperience serenity in this very special place. I especially enjoyed walking on the lava rocks to the protected areas where I saw fish everywhere! The water is clear and perfect. This park is large and I recommend that you have at least two hours here to soak it all in. There are hiking trails and picnic areas too. There are clean bathrooms, water fountain & a small gift shop as well. Note: For visitors concerned with accessibility, it may be a little tough to access the beach areas as the terrain is sandy, rocky & uneven. I did read that beach wheelchairs are available at the visitor center though. Mahalo.

I absolutely love this place! The walking trail is level and paved while the other side is the…read morebeach. It is so pretty with all of the plants and art. We came before sunset and walked the trail. As the sun was setting we crossed over to the beach side. It was beautiful. The coolest part were some friendly locals were playing their ukulele and singing. It felt magical honestly. There is so much parking and space. I always come to this park at least once on my visits. Highly recommended

As a lover of travel, this was great to visit although we didn't have time to stop at the beach or…read moreanything. The landing strip was remade to a regular road along the pretty long drive (felt maybe a mile?) out and back. There was plenty of parking and even a walking path if I recall. I don't know what it was used for other than the obvious, planes, but maybe the walking path had some history noted.

Don't let the drive in stop you unless you have a super low riding car. The road in is both paved…read morein spots and incredibly rough in others. Take your time and it will be worth it. We didn't stay at the beach at the parking lot, choosing to park and hike into the trees and the gorgeous beach at the end of the trail. We arrived early morning and were one of only 2-3 cars already here. By the time we left at 1:00 the parking lot was much fuller. Take snorkel gear, water, and anything that will allow you to stay and relax both the water and on the beach. There are some trees for shade but don't expect them to be unoccupied. Plan ahead. We spent lots of time snorkeling with turtles, which we left a,one as much as possible. One of them seemed interested in us and we had to repeatedly trying to to avoid him for his own safety. Our swim was really enjoyable and families can bring young children as this bay area seems safely out of strong water tides and pull. There are rough rocks in areas so watch where you enter, swim and exit.

Snorkeling here was so wonderful, lots of underwater beauty to gaze at, every color of the rainbow…read more Both days saw turtles and gave them their respective wide berth while looking lovingly at them.

My kids enjoyed this park very much. We were visiting Kona side and we try to visit at least one…read moreplayground on our trip. It's a drive to get here from where we are staying but so worth it for the kids. Must visit if you are looking for a kid friendly activity that is also free.

Amazing park! Multi-storey wooden castle with orb weaving spiders and feral kittens if you're…read morelucky. Fantastic view of the upper canoppy on a steep, terraced hill side. Can't believe someone left a one star??????????

We went by as the sunset thinking it might still be reasonable to play outside. The park was full…read moreof families playing soccer, softball, and the playground had tons of kids. To my pleasant surprise the playground was well lit despite it getting quite dark. There were kids of all ages playing so don't limit yourself if you don't have a toddler. Kids up to 12 were running and playing. Note the gates are simple latches and if your kid is a runner you might need to hop the fence to grab them real fast. Very clean despite other reviews stating there was lots of litter. We'll be coming back while we're here to tire our kiddo out past sunset.

Stopped by early in the morning at 7:30 or 8 with a jet lagged toddler. Lots of toys to climb on at…read morethe playground and both baby swings and normal swings. Has a chain link fence around it with a gate that latches. Toddler liked climbing on the bigger kid toys and playing on the little kids toys. The birds were out and we think we saw a parakeet. Minus one star for the trash (used condoms) and an unhoused person who was there.

A hidden gem. Beautiful gardens, view and happy little birds. Just a $12 entry fee. Give it an hour…read moreor two.

Very pretty spot in Captain Cook with lovely gardens and a number of display areas. Good views out…read moretoward the ocean with plenty of spots to sit and rest.