Looking for opinions: Is Lanikai beach worth it?

[J-Dog]

Let me preface this with a disclaimer - we live in a fully-landlocked area of the US, and can all swim but are in no way experts when it comes to ocean activities.

So, the basic question - is Lanikai beach worth it? I keep hearing that it is a must-do on Oahu, but I have read horror stories about parking issues and tickets being issued for parking in the wrong place. And it's in it's own separate area of the island compared to Waikiki, North Shore, Ko Olina, etc. My understanding is that it's beautiful there, but other beaches on Oahu seem plenty beautiful to an ocean rookie like me anyway. I guess the other draw of Lanikai is paddling to the little island offshore, but we probably wouldn't do that anyway, since we have a 5-year-old who probably wouldn't have patience for that (and a 5-year-old having a tantrum in a canoe in the middle of the ocean seems like a nightmare).

We plan to do Waikiki beach and multiple North Shore beaches - so with the potential PITA of it all, is Lanikai worth an extra trip? Will we be missing-out on something spectacular if we skip it?

I appreciate any opinions.

 

[Princess_K]

Coming from another landlocked state, Lanikai is my favorite spot on Oahu! We much preferred it over Waikiki Beach.

We park at Kailua Beach Park and walk to Avoid the ticketing issue.

 

[J-Dog]

Coming from another landlocked state, Lanikai is my favorite spot on Oahu! We much preferred it over Waikiki Beach.

We park at Kailua Beach Park and walk to Avoid the ticketing issue.

Thanks for the opinion! How far is that walk from Kailua parking?

 

[DonMacGregor]

Thanks for the opinion! How far is that walk from Kailua parking?

It's a little bit of a walk, but worth it. You can also just stay on the beach at Kailua as well. It will have more people on it, but the bottom runs out much more slowly and you can be out 50 yards or so and only be up to your waist.

Kailua at sunset:



And during the day:







The last one is looking south towards Lanikai Point.

 

[lilmc]

I would rather skip Waikiki than skip the windward side of Oahu. I like Lanikai, but Waimanalo is my favorite.

https://www.best-of-oahu.com/waimanalo-bay.html

 

[J-Dog]

It's a little bit of a walk, but worth it. You can also just stay on the beach at Kailua as well. It will have more people on it, but the bottom runs out much more slowly and you can be out 50 yards or so and only be up to your waist.

Kailua at sunset:

View attachment 813327

And during the day:

View attachment 813328

View attachment 813329

View attachment 813330

The last one is looking south towards Lanikai Point.

Don,

Thanks so much for the advice and the pictures. We will need to consider going, based on this thread so far.

 

[J-Dog]

So, I guess maybe I should be asking WHY those windward beaches are so much better than, for example, Sunset Beach or Laniakea Beach on the North Shore?

Thanks again for the info.

 

[J-Dog]

I would rather skip Waikiki than skip the windward side of Oahu. I like Lanikai, but Waimanalo is my favorite.

https://www.best-of-oahu.com/waimanalo-bay.html

Thanks for the advice. We are actually staying in Waikiki for 2 nights prior to moving to Aulani. Otherwise, I agree that I'm not sure that I would bother with the beach there.

 

[PetePanMan]

Lanikai is definitely one of my favourite beaches on Oahu (and anywhere for that matter). We have always found parking near beach access points but do recognize parking can be very difficult (and parking where you shouldn’t will likely get you towed as residents rightfully want to have proper access and control over craziness). We tend to go in morning. We also love North Shore with Waimea Bay our fav.

 

[DonMacGregor]

So, I guess maybe I should be asking WHY those windward beaches are so much better than, for example, Sunset Beach or Laniakea Beach on the North Shore?

Thanks again for the info.

They don't get hit with huge swells, so the floor runs out much more gradually (big swells scour the ocean floor and expose rocks, etc.). Much better for families with kids. There's a reason that stretch is popular with locals.

North Shore beaches are great in the summer, especially Chuns (Kawailoa) and Laniakea, when the swells are small, but the North Shore can get "busy" with tourists (nothing like Waikiki) the closer you are to Haleiwa. In the winter months, North Shore beaches can get hit hard with swells that make getting in the water difficult for anyone. Also, it's a lot easier to get to the North Shore by just heading up H1 to H2, which adds to tourist traffic. To get over to Waimanalo, Kailua, or Lanikai, you either have to take Kalaniana'ole Highway around Coco Head and up the windward side, or cut across the island on Pali Highway. Neither is difficult, but for most tourists, Oahu is two places: Honolulu/Waikiki, and the North Shore.

 

[J-Dog]

They don't get hit with huge swells, so the floor runs out much more gradually (big swells scour the ocean floor and expose rocks, etc.). Much better for families with kids. There's a reason that stretch is popular with locals.

North Shore beaches are great in the summer, especially Chuns (Kawailoa) and Laniakea, when the swells are small, but the North Shore can get "busy" with tourists (nothing like Waikiki) the closer you are to Haleiwa. In the winter months, North Shore beaches can get hit hard with swells that make getting in the water difficult for anyone. Also, it's a lot easier to get to the North Shore by just heading up H1 to H2, which adds to tourist traffic. To get over to Waimanalo, Kailua, or Lanikai, you either have to take Kalaniana'ole Highway around Coco Head and up the windward side, or cut across the island on Pali Highway. Neither is difficult, but for most tourists, Oahu is two places: Honolulu/Waikiki, and the North Shore.

Don,

Thanks again for the excellent explanation. That certainly makes sense. And less tourists is always a good thing,

 

[alohamom]

We LOVE Kailua beach and I strongly feel taking time to visit the East side of Oahu can really enhance your time on the island.
Lanikai is gorgeous and I do understand the hype but I don't like the parking stress.
I feel like Kailua beach park is almost as good from a beach and swimming perspective and it has never been as crowded (or dirty) as Waikiki for me. There are public change/rest rooms as well as two parking lots.
There is also the attraction of Kailua town itself, with a few boutique-y style stores, some great places to eat and a small town vibe. We like the Hawaiian chain of Teddy's Bigger Burgers and there is a location here.
https://kailuatownhi.com/
There is also the Manoa Chocolate factory tour, which we really enjoyed. Small but interesting - https://manoachocolate.com/pages/tours-tastings

We sometimes double up on the East side by snorkeling at Hanauma in the morning then heading over to Kailua for an early lunch and spend the afternoon at either Kailua or Lanikai beach.

 

[DonMacGregor]

We LOVE Kailua beach and I strongly feel taking time to visit the East side of Oahu can really enhance your time on the island.
Lanikai is gorgeous and I do understand the hype but I don't like the parking stress.
I feel like Kailua beach park is almost as good from a beach and swimming perspective and it has never been as crowded (or dirty) as Waikiki for me. There are public change/rest rooms as well as two parking lots.
There is also the attraction of Kailua town itself, with a few boutique-y style stress, some great places to eat and a small town vibe. We like the Hawaiian chain of Teddy's Bigger Burgers and there is a location here.
https://kailuatownhi.com/
There is also the Manoa Chocolate factory tour, which we really enjoyed. Small but interesting - https://manoachocolate.com/pages/tours-tastings

We sometimes double up on the East side by snorkeling at Hanauma in the morning then heading over to Kailua for an early lunch and spend the afternoon at either Kailua or Lanikai beach.

All of this.

 

[J-Dog]

We LOVE Kailua beach and I strongly feel taking time to visit the East side of Oahu can really enhance your time on the island.
Lanikai is gorgeous and I do understand the hype but I don't like the parking stress.
I feel like Kailua beach park is almost as good from a beach and swimming perspective and it has never been as crowded (or dirty) as Waikiki for me. There are public change/rest rooms as well as two parking lots.
There is also the attraction of Kailua town itself, with a few boutique-y style stress, some great places to eat and a small town vibe. We like the Hawaiian chain of Teddy's Bigger Burgers and there is a location here.
https://kailuatownhi.com/
There is also the Manoa Chocolate factory tour, which we really enjoyed. Small but interesting - https://manoachocolate.com/pages/tours-tastings

We sometimes double up on the East side by snorkeling at Hanauma in the morning then heading over to Kailua for an early lunch and spend the afternoon at either Kailua or Lanikai beach.

Thanks so much for the excellent advice. May need to work a trip to that area in, somehow.

 

[WillGan]

Let me preface this with a disclaimer - we live in a fully-landlocked area of the US, and can all swim but are in no way experts when it comes to ocean activities.

So, the basic question - is Lanikai beach worth it? I keep hearing that it is a must-do on Oahu, but I have read horror stories about parking issues and tickets being issued for parking in the wrong place. And it's in it's own separate area of the island compared to Waikiki, North Shore, Ko Olina, etc. My understanding is that it's beautiful there, but other beaches on Oahu seem plenty beautiful to an ocean rookie like me anyway. I guess the other draw of Lanikai is paddling to the little island offshore, but we probably wouldn't do that anyway, since we have a 5-year-old who probably wouldn't have patience for that (and a 5-year-old having a tantrum in a canoe in the middle of the ocean seems like a nightmare).

We plan to do Waikiki beach and multiple North Shore beaches - so with the potential PITA of it all, is Lanikai worth an extra trip? Will we be missing-out on something spectacular if we skip it?

I appreciate any opinions.

Aloha! I hope that I can provide some guidance to you being a resident of Hawai'i and a DVC Member who just enjoys Aulani and everything it has to offer my `Ohana. With that being said, here is my response.

Is Lanikai worth it? No. Why? Parking #1. Residents of Kailua town are very particular about everything and anything. Don't get me wrong, I love Kailua town, especially it's beaches, but it's a tough place to visit especially with little ones. #2, Lanikai has no bathrooms nor showers. So if you find parking, prepare to have a lot of sand in the car when you return but with Eastside sand being so fine, it's hard to keep it out of things. #3, shade is very limited since there are no trees unless you want to hunker down under a coconut tree on someone's backyard or...you wanna lug a beach umbrella, etc.
If I may offer some alternatives, Kailua Beach Park. Better parking whether it'd be in the parking lot, or the adjacent parking lot, or on the street. They have showers and bathrooms and shade! Make sure to pay attention to Jellyfish warnings as they do frequent both beaches (Lanikai, Kailua). Also, be prepared to encounter Pourtagese Man-o-war. Just in case, try to have your young one wear a long sleeve rash guard so the sting (if it happens) won't wrap around your arm because of the shirt. Another alternative where the water would be more calmer than Kailua BP, Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo. Parking they have along the fence line and have showers and bathrooms. Shade is not a problem as there are a number of coconut trees and other trees along the beach line. The water is shallow and clearer than the other 2 spots. Kaiona is actually a hidden gem. If you venture down the road to Waimanalo Beach Park, you run into the homeless population. They don't bother you but just the sight of their living situation can be a turn off.

My preference would be Kaiona.

Waikiki Beach, is nothing special because it's loaded with tourists! The coastline is marred by limited seating but I understand it's a must see being that's all you see in movies, shows, etc. But the water won't be as clean as the westside. Also, all depending when you're going, be wary of high surf. During winter, North and West facing is crazy and possibly life threatening. During the summer, the south is bigger but nothing like the West and North during winter.

Hope this helps!

 

[DonMacGregor]

If I may offer some alternatives, Kailua Beach Park. Better parking whether it'd be in the parking lot, or the adjacent parking lot, or on the street. They have showers and bathrooms and shade! Make sure to pay attention to Jellyfish warnings as they do frequent both beaches (Lanikai, Kailua). Also, be prepared to encounter Pourtagese Man-o-war. Just in case, try to have your young one wear a long sleeve rash guard so the sting (if it happens) won't wrap around your arm because of the shirt. Another alternative where the water would be more calmer than Kailua BP, Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo. Parking they have along the fence line and have showers and bathrooms. Shade is not a problem as there are a number of coconut trees and other trees along the beach line. The water is shallow and clearer than the other 2 spots. Kaiona is actually a hidden gem. If you venture down the road to Waimanalo Beach Park, you run into the homeless population. They don't bother you but just the sight of their living situation can be a turn off.

Hope this helps!

Kailua has always been our go-to on the east side (see my photos above). As for Waimanalo, you're 100% right about the homeless. We always wondered why you never saw them when Magnum was driving down Kalanianaole Highway LOL.

 

[WillGan]

Kailua has always been our go-to on the east side (see my photos above). As for Waimanalo, you're 100% right about the homeless. We always wondered why you never saw them when Magnum was driving down Kalanianaole Highway LOL.

Much like the Waianae coastline! The most beautiful water on the island but just full of homeless encampments! That's why at least Pokai Bay you get a safe place to swim, park, shower but and get the views! Lots of tourists seem to be there when we head out that was as that's our go to beach. Kaiona, just can't trust the weather during the winter season whereas Waianae side will always be sunny! The undertow is super scary on the Waianae side as well which is why I don't recommend that area for tourists (Makaha, Yokohama, Tracks, etc.).

 

[DonMacGregor]

The undertow is super scary on the Waianae side as well which is why I don't recommend that area for tourists (Makaha, Yokohama, Tracks, etc.).

Sorta like when we would hit up Makapuu in our younger days. Was never sure what posed a bigger danger, the undertow or the risk of someone breaking into your car...LOL There and Sandys. Grew up bodysurfing and Boogieboarding The Wedge in Newport, and even Sandy's is a tough break.

 

[J-Dog]

Aloha! I hope that I can provide some guidance to you being a resident of Hawai'i and a DVC Member who just enjoys Aulani and everything it has to offer my `Ohana. With that being said, here is my response.

Is Lanikai worth it? No. Why? Parking #1. Residents of Kailua town are very particular about everything and anything. Don't get me wrong, I love Kailua town, especially it's beaches, but it's a tough place to visit especially with little ones. #2, Lanikai has no bathrooms nor showers. So if you find parking, prepare to have a lot of sand in the car when you return but with Eastside sand being so fine, it's hard to keep it out of things. #3, shade is very limited since there are no trees unless you want to hunker down under a coconut tree on someone's backyard or...you wanna lug a beach umbrella, etc.
If I may offer some alternatives, Kailua Beach Park. Better parking whether it'd be in the parking lot, or the adjacent parking lot, or on the street. They have showers and bathrooms and shade! Make sure to pay attention to Jellyfish warnings as they do frequent both beaches (Lanikai, Kailua). Also, be prepared to encounter Pourtagese Man-o-war. Just in case, try to have your young one wear a long sleeve rash guard so the sting (if it happens) won't wrap around your arm because of the shirt. Another alternative where the water would be more calmer than Kailua BP, Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo. Parking they have along the fence line and have showers and bathrooms. Shade is not a problem as there are a number of coconut trees and other trees along the beach line. The water is shallow and clearer than the other 2 spots. Kaiona is actually a hidden gem. If you venture down the road to Waimanalo Beach Park, you run into the homeless population. They don't bother you but just the sight of their living situation can be a turn off.

My preference would be Kaiona.

Waikiki Beach, is nothing special because it's loaded with tourists! The coastline is marred by limited seating but I understand it's a must see being that's all you see in movies, shows, etc. But the water won't be as clean as the westside. Also, all depending when you're going, be wary of high surf. During winter, North and West facing is crazy and possibly life threatening. During the summer, the south is bigger but nothing like the West and North during winter.

Hope this helps!

Thanks so much for the opposing opinion. That makes a lot of sense and kind of what I had been thinking originally.

 

[MsChristy12]

Aloha! I hope that I can provide some guidance to you being a resident of Hawai'i and a DVC Member who just enjoys Aulani and everything it has to offer my `Ohana. With that being said, here is my response.

Is Lanikai worth it? No. Why? Parking #1. Residents of Kailua town are very particular about everything and anything. Don't get me wrong, I love Kailua town, especially it's beaches, but it's a tough place to visit especially with little ones. #2, Lanikai has no bathrooms nor showers. So if you find parking, prepare to have a lot of sand in the car when you return but with Eastside sand being so fine, it's hard to keep it out of things. #3, shade is very limited since there are no trees unless you want to hunker down under a coconut tree on someone's backyard or...you wanna lug a beach umbrella, etc.
If I may offer some alternatives, Kailua Beach Park. Better parking whether it'd be in the parking lot, or the adjacent parking lot, or on the street. They have showers and bathrooms and shade! Make sure to pay attention to Jellyfish warnings as they do frequent both beaches (Lanikai, Kailua). Also, be prepared to encounter Pourtagese Man-o-war. Just in case, try to have your young one wear a long sleeve rash guard so the sting (if it happens) won't wrap around your arm because of the shirt. Another alternative where the water would be more calmer than Kailua BP, Kaiona Beach Park in Waimanalo. Parking they have along the fence line and have showers and bathrooms. Shade is not a problem as there are a number of coconut trees and other trees along the beach line. The water is shallow and clearer than the other 2 spots. Kaiona is actually a hidden gem. If you venture down the road to Waimanalo Beach Park, you run into the homeless population. They don't bother you but just the sight of their living situation can be a turn off.

My preference would be Kaiona.

Waikiki Beach, is nothing special because it's loaded with tourists! The coastline is marred by limited seating but I understand it's a must see being that's all you see in movies, shows, etc. But the water won't be as clean as the westside. Also, all depending when you're going, be wary of high surf. During winter, North and West facing is crazy and possibly life threatening. During the summer, the south is bigger but nothing like the West and North during winter.

Hope this helps!

Love the perspective from a local, mahalo!! I have not heard of Kaiona beach, thanks for the rec! We'll be in Oahu very soon so I'm adding this to our list to check out if we have time.
I also read that the secret beach near Kualoa is worth a visit, because you can see Mokoli'i there. If I am only going to one beach on the windward side, would you choose secret beach or kaiona?