TLDR: 5/5 - Two sections of parking lots both with restrooms, an incredible beach and not too…read morecrowded depending on where you are! Wow this place took my breath away! Parking: 5/5 - Personally did not have an issue parking here there were plenty of spots available at around 10:30/11. But there is another lot a further down the road. I prefer the one that i was at however I felt like the other lot going up to Lainkai was more for fisherman and kids. Location: 5/5 I had Lainkai Beach saved on my list so going to this one was a bit unexpected but they deliver the same views and even better that there's a restroom! Restroom was super clean too With that being said it was pretty windy which wasn't a problem but know that its blowin. The sand as well is that fine white sand which is super pretty but it sticks to you so if you're not a sand person...well...you're going to have to accept your textured fate. I wish I could've stayed here longer honestly. I love the fact that there's a foodland nearby to get some lunch and lounge here. There were families of course what are you going to do but there's enough space I feel like without too much crowding. The water was a postcard blue, warm and clear and tranquil. I'd come back here time and time again

We decided to spend the day at Kailua Beach Park soaking up some vitamin sea while enjoying a…read morecouple of plate lunches. We arrived around 11A, and both the parking lot and the beach were already slammed. We got lucky and snagged a parking stall just as someone was pulling out. Finding a spot on the sand took a little longer, but eventually we found a place to nestle. The water was beautiful. The waves were mostly soft rolling breaks with the occasional stronger set that could catch you off guard if you weren't paying attention. Overall, I think it's a great beach for inexperienced swimmers, but I probably wouldn't recommend it for families with toddlers who just want to wade near the shoreline. Those occasional waves have enough push to knock over the littles. One thing I appreciated was how well-maintained the restrooms were compared to some of the other beach parks around the island. They also have a foot rinse station just outside the bathrooms, which made it easy to rinse off the sand from our feet and slippahs before heading back to the car. Such a simple feature, but one I always appreciate. Would I come back? Absolutely. The soft white sand, beautiful warm water, and relaxed vibe make it easy to spend an entire afternoon here. Just come early if you want a fighting chance at parking.

Very rocky beaches due to the coral, and the waves were violent and thought I was going to be…read morewashed away. LOL! But I truly appreciate how there's no idiotic tourists around as much compared to Waikiki. Very peaceful. I recommend not venturing too deep because the waves got a bit scary LOL. I always feel like walking along the shoreline is healing. Grounding is real folks and you can do it here without the intrusion of tourists.

Lots and lots of stairs but the view is awesome…read more... Plenty of people too.... You need reservations before you go.... Small parking lot... bring water...

Beautiful beach with a pretty big stretch of sand. The surf was pretty rough in the morning, but…read moregreat spot to relax or take pictures. It's right under the Makapu lookout and lighthouse trail. The parking is kinda hard to find and there aren't a lot of spots, but there was noone else there when I went

Me enjoying sunrise at makapuu beach I have a few other good sunrise but this was a very tranquil…read moreday

Waimanalo Beach Park is a stretch of sandy shoreline on the southeastern side of Oahu along the…read moreKalaniana'ole Highway. There are free parking lots throughout as well as public restrooms and picnic tables. It has crystal clear water and white sand; best of all, it's not as busy as other beaches in Hawaii. The one thing that annoyed us was the vast amount of birds flying around. You can see their footprints everywhere and there were many close to us. If we had food we would've most likely been bothered by them because there were so many. Fun fact: Kazuo Sakamaki, the first prisoner of war taken by U.S. forces during World War II, was captured on December 8 1941 on Waimanalo Beach.

Ahhh home sweet home! As memories of me getting stung by jellyfish as a kid come up, we now know…read morewhen to not get in the water lol. But, nevertheless, this beach always makes me feel most grounded when I need it. I can sit here with my people or on my own, and reflect for hours at a time and leave feeling completely refreshed. It seems I can't stop myself from repeating how grateful I am to be back home.

Last day of our stay. We wanted to do another hike and get back to hotel to clean up before heading…read moreto the airport but everyone was too tired. Even though we have Waikīkī 2 blocks from hotel, but having traveled to Hawaii 50+ times, decided to try something new. As we didn't want to wonder off too far, decided to check this beach out. This is more local than touristy, which is a good thing. The water was a bit murky by the parking lot as the sediment from the flowing stream was being released. But if you go toward the left side, the water quickly is much better. We saw many small fish and crabs. The sand is mixed with pebbles, so it's not exactly easy to walk on, but it was perfectly fine. I didn't notice any homeless or any issues as some reviews. Overall, it was quite relaxing to spend about 90 min before we had to get back to our hotel to clean up and check out.

I love going to Waiʻalae Beach Park with my dog because it's spacious, but the beach is narrow…read moreenough that I feel safe walking her there. There's bathrooms and showers with security cameras on the outside of the building, as well as beach tables and benches throughout the park. Vibe: Honestly, I would not come to this park alone. There are quite a lot of homeless people living either at the park or in the bushes, and occasionally some strangers walking around that seem like they may not be safe. There are lots of families and people with dogs, especially on the weekends. The beach itself is also not the best, since there's lots of debris, glass, and trash along the shoreline. The ocean water isn't the clearest and the ocean floor is very rocky. Parking: They have free parking available in a lot by the bathrooms, but this lot fills up quickly and rarely has any stalls open. I usually try to find free street parking in the neighborhood.

I always pass by here on my run and it's definitely a smaller low-key spot although it does get a…read morebit crowded during the peak sunset hours. There is literally no parking around here so many people just walk here from the residential area around it. I usually just sit and admire the ocean waves before getting up to continue my route but it's definitely a more chill area to relax as opposed to the more commercialized Waikīkī Beach.

Makalei beach park is one of the more low key beaches in the Waikiki area. I love this end of…read moreWaikiki because it is a lot more chill and residential, so you are a little bit away from all the hustle and bustle of the tourism. With that, comes some drawbacks like there is no parking lot. I usually try to find metered parking along Kapiolani park and then walk around 5-10 minutes. This spot is popular with mopedist (if that's the word for them lol) but I have seen some neighbours get the police involved when there were a lot of mopeds parked out front. There also isn't a bathroom, but they do have an outdoor shower to rinse off all the sand. If you're not feeling getting sandy, you can hang out on the grassy area. Same amazing view and great vibe. The beach itself isn't very big and during certain times of the year during high tide, there really isn't any dry sand to set up on.

Very nice beach super private. We parked in the neighborhood and walked down. If you're visiting…read moreHawaii get away from the crowds in Waikiki and try a different beach. I did get stung by a Portuguese man o war here but that's not the beaches fault lol

A cute little beach not crowded seems more for the residences but it's sad to see that people do…read moreleave there trash behind there is joined to clean up so clean up after yourself and if possible pick a little extra up as well..

I love my running route because it always passes by this area and I can enjoy beautiful ocean views…read moreas I run. I definitely feel like I'm in Baywatch and the main character of my own story every single time I run this route. I always take a moment to reflect and watch the waves here from the park area. I come on off-hours so usually no one is here. When it's at a peak hour I recall almost the whole area had people setting up their blankets and watching the waves. That's fine but I like it when no one is there. I got lucky and ran during a rain shower and caught the end of it with a beautiful rainbow. Definitely one for the books.

Great beach / lookout to watch surfers. I think this spot is definitely geared more for paddling…read moreout because it is pretty shallow and if you're not careful you could get roughed up with all the coral. There is a paved walkway down to the beach. Obviously a lot easier getting down than it is to walk back up. Not the spot to really bring your whole beach set up. Since what you carry down you're gonna have to carry back up. So leave the tent and beach chairs at home, keep it simple with just some beach towels. I read some reviews that there is a beach shower here, but I didn't see it or use it. But the walk back up from the beach does get a lot of sand off naturally. I wouldn't say that this beach is super accessible and doesn't have a lot of amenities as other beaches in more central Waikiki.