Managed to snag a parking reservation just a few days before (there was a cancellation), and got…read morethere just before noon for the 12:30PM ticket - was let in early (there were plenty of parking spots left). Did the hike first before coming to this beach to snorkel. Water was warm, smooth sand and very few rocks on the ocean floor, saw some fish closer to the rocks on the side. Nice spot, appreciated the showers! Definitely well worth it, would recommend! Reserve early otherwise you might not get a spot!

This is a great beach to go to. I just don't like the fact that you have to pay for park entrance…read more I remember the first time I came here in 2013, we could drive right up to the parking lot. Though, parking was not ideal back then, it was still free. But now you have to either reserve a parking spot or if you can't, reserve a shuttle seat. We were here on a Wednesday and it was nice and quiet. There weren't a bunch of people here and it was great. Was not crowded whatsoever and we pretty much had the run of the place. The beach is beautiful and there's a reef that protects you from any big waves. The water is, for the most part, calm. The water is clear and the sand is fine. There's no rocks or stones I have to watch out for when walking around. Unlike Anini Beach, where there are stones and rocks all over the place, this is a very nice calm beach to go to. If you can wake up early enough to reserve a parking spot, then do it. If not, make shuttle reservations.

As a long secluded shoreline on the north shore of Kauai, Anini Beach Park is accessible by car via…read morea paved and winding road from the Kuhio Hwy. Another beautiful, worth-visiting beach park on the north shore of Kauai. The central point is the park, that provides plenty of paved parking (parking is also available on the side of the road that hugs the coastline). This park has dedicated camping sites, and we saw many backpack tents set-up further in from the shoreline, usually underneath shade provided by the false kamani trees. The park contains a lot of green space and facilities. My wife and I ate our deli lunch at a nearby picnic table. Turtles often come on shore here, though there were none today (probably because we came in the afternoon). One thing we noticed were all the multi-million dollar homes right on the other side of Anini Road once you pass by Anini Beach Park traveling to the west (it's a dead end, so would need to circle back to get out). They are rentable via the typical companies, and would be great for beach loving families who want to spend some secluded time near the ocean. Also in the area are small pockets where one can park their car and go out into shoreline. From there, one can see and explore the large coral reef that rings this area.

Parking here is hit or miss. The beach is long, but narrow. So it could get crowded quickly. I…read moream not a fan of this beach because there are so many rocks/stones in the water. Unless you have water shoes, I would be super careful when getting in/out of the water here. These rocks are lava rocks and they will cut you open if you are not careful. Also, the waves can be choppy due to weather. One thing I do like is that it's also a park and there are a lot of trees at the beach if you want shade.

The lush mountains, gentle waves and bay breeze will just take your breath away. We loved coming…read morehere and felt a sense of peace and appreciation for the beauty of Hanalei Bay. It helps that the drive into the area already has you impressed and in aw struck wonder. It is absolutely gorgeous on the north side of the island! As far as the beach itself, it is super kid friendly. Shallow waters for yards and yards! If you're on the right side of the beach it is shallow even past the pier. With gentle yet large enough waves for you to boogie board or surf. The pier is a beautiful way to take in the scenery and if you're brave enough, jump off of. My kids loved it! There are bathrooms and outdoor shower. A taco truck on site. A great beach day!! The only downside. The time of year we came, there were a ton of gnats. It might have been because of the rain. Other than that this beach was perfect.

If you come to Kauai, you have to head up to North Shore and visit Hanalei beach. A beautiful beach…read morefull of white sand, clear waters, and an amazing backdrop scenery of lush, tropical jungles. The protected bay offers nice, calm waters for swimming and other water activities. And there are lifeguards stationed at designated areas throughout the beach. You can also walk down the pier where you'll find people diving into the deeper parts of the water, fishing, or just taking pictures of the beautiful scenery. There are the occasional bits of wood washed up onto shore. So be careful where you step when walking barefoot. A public lot is available for free parking, however it does fill up fast. You can also park along the curb in the residential areas.

One of the most famous/ not so secret place to park when going to both Hā'ena beach park and…read moretunnels beach. This area to park is the access you can use to get to tunnels beach! Once you get there it's super gorgeous! Definitely worth the 1 hour drive from lihue for a sunrise/sunset in Kauai!

By far our favorite beach! The colors of the water were…read moremagical and snorkeling wasn't bad. The waves were stronger in front of the lifeguard station but there is a little inlet that was pretty calm. The beach was true beauty in all directions. We wanted a family picture in front of the water but when we stood there we realized greenery on the backside was even prettier! There is a quick stop near by at a dry cave. Was a wonderful stop. Wished we had more time there Parking is limited so get there early. We went at 2pm and circled a couple times before parking on the road side

Beautiful large beach which will have barely anyone there! Beware of the waves, there is no…read morelifeguard and there is a current. There are some spots in the shade if you don't want full sun. 10 minute walk to the beach which can get slippery. We did it in flip flops and walked back to the car barefoot since we almost slipped on the way down. Not a flat walk but doable. Parking lot isn't super tiny, but it isn't big! We went in the afternoon on a weekday and didn't have any problem finding a spot.

Small hike to get here, but it was well worth it! It is a large beach, so you won't have any issues…read morefinding a space to relax without being annoyed by other people. The water was rougher than other beaches I visited on my trip, but not too rough where you can't enjoy it. There was a beautiful view of the Lighthouse, which was cool to see since I had just visited it before coming here. All around, a very pleasant beach to hangout at. I didn't walk far enough down for the Lava Pools, but that's just something to look forward to next time I visit.

(Visited 05/26/26 SU @ 10:00am): There were definitely "crashing waves" albeit small ones along…read morePoipu Beach Located on Kaua'i's "sunny southside", I spent a lazy Sunday at Poipu Beach people-watching, reading, sleeping, snorkeling, sunning, and swimming. Right along The Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas where I was staying, I haven't had a day-long beach day for awhile, and I really needed a day just to recharge, refresh, and regenerate my body, mind, and soul. Having been ranked as one of the top beaches in the U.S. over the years, was there anything to poo-poo about Poipu Beach!? EXPERIENCE The word "poipu" in the Hawaiian language meant "crashing waves" and was actually two beaches in one. A "tombola" (known as Nukumoi Point) separated the two bays, and in this case it was a narrow sand spit that extended from the shore to an island. This particular area was a favorite spot for endangered napping Hawaiian monk seals. The area on the western side of the beach was a favorite for beginner bodyboarders while small waves broke gently on the shallow sandbar created a fun area for children to play. The area on the eastern side of the beach was a lava rock-protected and shallow spot for swimmers and another play area for families with small children. On this comfortable sunny day, what was initially a quiet beach progressively got crowded and noisy as the day wore on. I swam for hours back and forth past the shorebreak along the coast, took breaks to drink water and eat a snack, napped, read, and then went back out with snorkel gear in hand. An exhausting exhilarating stress-free day - perfection! SERVICE Specifically on this section of the beach, there weren't any bathrooms nor lifeguard stations. Generally speaking, there weren't any facilities whatsoever except for what the adjacent Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas may offer. It was a completely open public beach - 'nuff said. PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance) I had no vehicle, so I simply walked from my room. However, there was a nightly $40.00 fee for guests who stayed at the Sheraton Kaua'i Resort Villas if they parked on the property, and there might've been some free parking along the many nearby roads and streets. Make sure to carefully read any posted signs. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE I made a spot directly out past the middle opening from the resort's pool and the sand, the beach was clean and smooth, somewhat spacious, and fairly empty early-on but no shady trees to deflect the sunlight. There was a lone monk seal https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=xDFNXkdOMhOO9W7Nv7YtuA which was a protected specie, so people must please stay away. Sizable waves were much further out, this beach was perfect for light water activity (no real surf breaks while snorkeling was better once you got considerably past the shore break). No benches, chairs, or tables, so bring your own chairs or towels to lay or sit on. Obviously, there was plenty of natural lighting with only the glowing stars left to guide you when nighttime came. There were no TVs nor any background music except for any electronic device you brought along with you such as your mobile phone. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=120&select=GN-CeJWbv9VNt_FU7MhmDg ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL Poipu Beach was another little piece of island heaven which I hoped would stay that way. Online research culled many articles and reviews of this beach that also alluded to what I experienced, so none of this was a secret. However, on this given weekend, I was thankful for the peacefulness and solitude. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $0.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, there was no need for funds of any kind which included my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

Probably the most famous beach on Kauai, Poipu was named 'Best Beach in America' in 2001 by "Dr…read more Beach", when such lists weren't so prevalent as they are now. My wife and I visited on Day 4 of our Kauai vacation in the early afternoon, and continued to understand why it is so popular with tourists. The area around the beach area is built up, with retail businesses within walking distance. There is usually plenty of free parking, but on this day, the past week's rains had flooded one of the parking lots, so there were not as many spots. My wife still found a good spot though, and we walked the short distance to the shoreline. There is a protected man-made wading area towards the east of the beach. It is easy to wade out to the lava rock retaining wall, with the water being maybe 3 feet there. There are facilities and lifeguards in the area. One of their jobs was to keep folks from getting too close to 4 sea turtles that were sunning on the sand near that area.

Secluded beach you turn off the road to find, it has a small parking area, you can't park along the…read moremain road. Locals posted signs saying locals only. They don't want tourists. Definitely unfriendly vibes. No facilities and no lifeguards. The river flowing into the ocean is colder compared to the ocean water. The river is nice and calm. The ocean is not, waves are large and strong. Do not turn your back to the ocean ever, especially here. Only okay for expert swimmers.

We always come to this beach and eat our lunch and relax among the shade of the trees.read more

My favorite beach on the north shore accessible by foot from most Princeville condos/rentals. Was…read morealways a rough path accessible by able-bodied in good weather (no recent rains). Currently closed for renovations which will include a small parking lot (yay) and improved path to the beach. Didn't get to go this summer (boo construction) but I'm excited to see what this beach will look like after renovations. Check if open before going since the renovations are supposed to continue until late August 2026.

This beach is tucked away down a mini steep hike by 1 Hanalei Bay Resort. It's right outside the…read moreproperty and the trail head is at the back of their valet parking, before the gate guard. There are rope handles to help guide you as you go down. The beach itself is gorgeous and has ample shade under a massive spread out tree. It's perfect for snorkeling with honu (sea turtles) and plenty of fish. The water is calm and great for kids if they make the trek down. It takes about 5-10 minutes depending on your speed. The only downfall is the parking. There are 10 spots in the public lot. You cannot park anywhere else in the surrounding lots, nor can you valet at the hotel for this particular beach. Your other option is the golf course lot about a mile down the road.

Initially coming here to kill a little time before a reserved tour, my wife and I really admired…read morethe planning and execution of the building/landscaping of this family park. Named after a pillar in the community who came to Kauai in the late 19th century, Lydgate Beach Park is 62 acres, with the Lydgate Park pathway encompassing 2.5 miles, a small part of the much larger Ke Ala Hele Makālae costal trail. There is plenty of parking, with both dedicated surface lots and street parking on the paved road. We immediately noticed surfers on electric surfboards out pretty far, even on this windy day. At the northern part of the park is where most people gather, close to modern facilities and a manned lifeguard station and a large covered event area with plenty of parking. Closer to the shore, we saw a seal just lying on the land, bathing in the sun, completely ignoring the people milling by. The very large safe man-made swimming/tide pools are great for the kekei and others, with constant refreshing of sea water over the lava rocks. There are picnic tables nearby as well with a lot of green space. My favorite feature are the man-made protected swimming pools, What I loved about it was how spread out everything was, with so many amenities. It just never felt crowded, even if a lot more people came. As we were leaving, my wife mentioned that Lydgate Beach is one of those rare parks where an ocean-loving family would intentionally live close by, just to be near this park.

This snorkeling spot has tons of parking. We found that the fish were mostly towards the back by…read morethe rocks, if that's what you're there for. We found a spot, setup towels on the sand and headed to the water. The bottom was mostly sand so very "feet friendly."