This little gem of a beach is located on NELHA property, which is right next to the airport. When…read morethe tide is high enough you'll see people hanging out in the tide pools. Its not a large beach but you'll find a lot of locals coming here to gather and bbq, or hang out to watch the gorgeous sunsets. Wawaloli is right next to the Kona airport so you'll see quite a few airplanes taking off and landing right over your head. Its pretty cool to watch but if you don't want to be bothered by the noise then this might not be the best beach park for you. There is plenty of free parking and public restrooms as well.

As visitors, we usually spend our final hours on island here. Its a lovely rustic beach area; a…read moresmall restroom with shower. There is a small salt-water pool here with some sand. The black lava shore is fun to explore peeking in tidepools. Not much shade here, if you're lucky you'll get to park under one of the few trees. Our last visit here the surf was up and punching some spectacular waves skyward. Ample parking, has never been very busy when we've been here. Aloha, Hawaii!

Tucked away and not too crowded even at peak season this is a little golden nugget of a beach. Some…read moresnorkeling opportunities just off the beach too, explored a few small coral reefs with schools of tropical fish and even a large sea turtle.

This little beach is a hidden gem. Ask for a parking pass at Mauna Kea resort or walk the 1/4 mile…read morecostal trail in from Spencer Beach Park. You won't find more than a handful of people here. Sandy crescent shaped beach where the waves gently crash against the shore, a few people take paddle boards out, and everyone generally relaxes and enjoys the Kohala Coast without the masses of people you will find at more popular beaches like Hapuna. Well worth checking out!

This place is magical! We parked near one of the public beach access points and last year, were…read moreable to walk out and see turtles. This time, the surf is high so no turtles to see. But, the sunset continues its beauty, especially with the partial cloud cover. Wear water shoes and be respectful of the land and sea. And, please keep your distance from the turtles.

This beach has lots of lava rock tide pools with plenty of sea life to discover. Turtle sightings…read moreare abundant. You may find a shady spot beneath a tree to hang out for the afternoon, but check tide pool charts for low tide times to enjoy an early outing. What a fun place for beachcombing!

Spencer beach has calm waters. We have camped here before they have showers and bathrooms…read more There are a lot of sticks and such things in the sand. We try to sift as much as we can when we come watch the sunset. Other than the debris in the sand it is a good place to bring younger kids. (As long as you watch what they pick up from the sand lol) If you are visiting it would be nice and kind of you to help sift the sand. Many hands make light work. You might see mongoose, stray cats, beach chickens, maybe a goat or two here, lots of geckos and spiders of course.

What a clean beautiful spot! Swim, picnic, walk, play ball, bbq with plenty of parking. A really…read morenice beach, nice grassy area! Mahalo

Great beach. Loads…read moreof parking and shade. No large waves! Great for the kiddos and family's.

SSBP is an ideal destination for beachgoers who loves to idle on a day. The park is also perfect…read morefor picnics with great family facilities available in the area: drinking water, restrooms, outdoor showers, large picnic pavilion with tables and electrical outlets for your crockpot. - keiki friendly - plenty of camping sites - routine security guard from 1900-0400 - great spot for snorkeling Definitely this beach park is a gem. And if I am residing in this island, this will be my kind of go-to beach mostly on weekdays where I can have the serene place for my peaceful idle afternoon microadventure. Unquestionably I highly recommend this beach park! Cons: parking here can be challenging though! Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps!

Very nice walk through this historic site which is well labeled with descriptions in the trail map…read more The park ranger was very friendly and informative. Good ocean watching half way around and several other trail walkers saw whales, but we did not manage to see any.

This was a strange outpost. Out of nowhere with no staff. The views were amazing however, so it was…read morenice to look out onto the ocean, hoping to see migrating whales. No luck today, but a nice vantage point anyway.

Mahalo palena 'ole (Gratitude beyond measure)…read more My first time visiting the Big Island. It is nearly twice as big as all of the other Hawaiian islands combined, peaceful, beautiful, and less chaotic than O'ahu. Don't discount visiting the Big Island... I know O'ahu is the party island attracting surfers and outdoor adventurers... then you have romantic Kauai for couples. Maui is for family and fun... and the Big Island... well, it's just... big ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I love the Big Island! Don't look for the stereotypical Hawaiian getaway -- luaus and romantic stuff. We spent time both in Kailua Kona and Hilo and everywhere else in between for a short 3-1/2 days. Both ends are so different from each other. All in all, we couldn't accomplish all I wanted to see in such a short time including going to all the national parks (3 total) and visit as many beaches as we could and eat traditional Hawaiian food and shop, eat and shop... shop and eat... ahhh! so little time but we did see some beautiful sites and places and got to enjoy some local eats. We loved the lush greenery and vegetation, the legends (some creepy) and the lava! We just missed the last glow at Kilauea volcano. The eruption in the Halema'uma'u has paused... also, you don't need to join a hiking tour to see lava, we went to an area near Pahoa and Puna where lava-covered portions of Highway 132 in lower Puna area was inundated by lava during the 2018 eruption of Kilauea volcano... this part is located in Lava Zone 2. If visiting the Big Island don't miss visiting the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and see Pele's home... the Kilauea Volcano. She has been growing the Big Island since 1983. The beaches are colors I've never seen before! Aloha Oe... Hana hou! Safe travels! Review #2306

I like Big Islands and I cannot lie! You other bruddahs…read morecan't deny! -- Sir Mix a Lot after eating loco moco with a cup of Kona coffee I really enjoyed my stay on the Big Island. We stayed on the Hilo side, mainly because I had never seen lava flow and wanted a glimpse. We planned out our visit before Kilauea's temper tantrum so due to the overzealous and insidious amount of lava flow, much was still closed off when we visited. It didn't stop us from having a good time though. We saw as much as we could from MacKenzie State Park, shopped, saw local attractions and ate our way through Hilo one loco moco at a time. Hilo is where loco moco was first invented so might as well indulge in a local favorite, right? The landscape is just beautiful. You will feel like you are living in paradise except for those pesky little mosquitoes. I was basically their blood bank for the whole trip so bring or buy that all important bug repellent. It's so green and vibrant on the island. The black sand beaches are unique and there's even a green sand beach that I want to visit next time I'm here. The water on the beach is crystal clear with so many shades of blue. Snorkeling is a popular activity for good reason! There's a reason why everything is so green. Hilo is #1 in rainfall out of all cities in the U.S., averaging 130 inches of rain a year. It rained pretty much every day we were here but it didn't deter us too much from going to places we had planned to visit. Just remember to have a hoodie or umbrella on hand when it gets really rainy. The locals are some of the friendliest and nicest that you'll meet. I was always greeted with kindness and a smile. I definitely want to make it back to the Big Island. I'd love to check out the Kona side as well as spend more time in Hilo.

Whoa, this is a pretty epic little park. Not well known. If you're making the drive up north on…read morethe Kohala Coast to Hawi, pick up some lunch in Kawihae at the popular poke shack or even some yummy fried chicken at the MinuteStop and have yourself a picnic here. At Māhukona Beach Park, the shoreline is rocky and lacks a sandy beach. There is a swimmers ladder in the old harbor. Fishing, snorkeling, picnic areas, and camping are available. At the south end of the park you'll find an unmarked trail that leads to a view of the old Mahukona Lighthouse. Next time we'll plan on snorkeling here. If you do snorkel/swim, remember to use reef-safe sunscreen.