We HAD A BLAST at this beach!!! Everyone is right, if you are a beginner snorkeler, not a strong swimmer OR have an irrational fear of sharks (...ahem!) this is the spot for you!!!!!!! We went here a couple of times during our visit and it was never really crowded. The first day we swam around in the water and enjoyed the small (okay tiny) waves coming through. we decided to get some cheap-o snorkel gear from the ABC market and come back again a couple of days later. AWESOME!!!!!!!! I don't know what the other reviewer was talking about ..."only two kinds of fish"....I saw AT LEAST 7 or 8 different kinds!!! The fish were soooo beautiful!!! I thoroughly enjoyed having a school of big beautiful blue fish swim right past my face. They didn't even seem scared of us...I saw some other folks feeding them so I just held my empty hand out and they came so close to me!! It was very exciting and we ended up snorkeling there for like 3 or more hours. I want to go back... RIGHT NOW!! read more

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This was a great spot today. My 2yr old kid is so city the ocean scares him right now. We played in the nice built out lagoon. Lots of families playing and picnicking aroud. Lots of locals too. Beach was extremely nice and sandy. Being over 6ft tall I could walk out pretty far before I had to start swimming. Perfect for my kid but we will have to try again before we leave. This was our first beach we hit up since it was close and recommended. read more

Lydgate Beach Park - My kids first experience at the beach. Very friendly for young kids - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Great beach for kids. Reef makes it safe. Plus there's a lifeguard and bathrooms and plenty of fish to see. Also liked that there were showers for after and soft sand good for pictures and sand play. But drawbacks are that it gets very busy. We came at 8am and got a great spot, left after a few hours and at that time it was packed. Come early and enjoy before the crowds. Also drawback was that there were jellyfish found there that morning. Lifeguards let us know when we asked. read more

This place is really cool, especially if you have kids. They have a mega playground that you won't find anywhere else in Hawaii. They have a cool enclosed area where it's safe to swim and snorkel. And then there are nice areas to go fishing. The only problem is that it can get really windy here sometimes. Tips: -bring a snorkel -watch out for the wind! -let the kids go nuts at the playground -don't let the kids go swimming outside the enclosed area! read more

This is a fantastic stop for kids. Sometimes on vacation you need to go back to the basics and do things like eat regular toast for breakfast and visit a playground. This is one of the coolest playgrounds I've seen with lots of nooks and crannies and challenging structures. Even tweens would like this one. There are also picnic grounds, clean bathrooms, and a beautiful beach. read more

As most other reviewers, this beach/park is very family-oriented. We came here on our first day of vacation, namely because it was recommended as a good snorkeling spot for beginners. We visited in the afternoon (but did not get in the water) just to see where it was located, and it was very crowded with families/kids. We returned sometime in the early evening (nearing sun down) and most of the crowd had already left. Since, I essentially do not know how to swim but wanted to snorkel while on our vacation, so we tried it out here. It's more of a lagoon since it is protected by the rock walls, and while we mainly stayed in the larger side, we saw a smaller body of water to the left. As for snorkeling, we did not see anything in the p.m., but when we came back early the next morning (around 8a - 9a), the beach was still pretty empty, and we got to snorkel without a big crowd yet, but were able to see some fish there as well. There isn't really any coral to see here, just some fish and driftwood toward the middle. It's shallow for the most part but the center is probably ~12 feet deep. read more

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I get that there are a bunch of chickens and roosters on the island, but it's especially noticeable at this beach. They're like the seagulls and squirrels of the island. The swimming area has a surrounding rock barrier so you know you won't encounter a shark. There's a shallow section for kids and a bigger and deeper section for snorkeling. This used to be my favorite beach to swim and play at when I was 4 years old. It's not anymore. So you can say this beach is kid friendly fersure. Idk if your phone is dying, but mine was dying 80% of the time on this island. If your phone is prone to dying, no worries. Find the huge shelter with picnic tables and a stage. You'll find an electric outlet to charge your phone on the stage if no one is using the stage of course. There are plenty of grassy areas and picnic tables around but this beach does get crowded. read more

What a great family friendly beach! Beaches in Kauai can have some pretty aggressive waves sometimes that aren't suited for babies. This beach was PERFECT for our 9 month old! Because it's closed of by the lava rocks the waves never got too high or too strong for her! And this place was an awsome spot for snorkeling! We saw lots of different fish along the rocks. So cool! Definitely coming back here again next time! read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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This was by far one of my favorite beaches we checked out. In the back away from the beach is a good sized playground for the kids with plenty of things to play on as well as plenty of chickens to feed if you're into that. The beach was by far the best part though as there are 3 different ways to experience it. There is an open ocean portion of the beach if you want to experience that and the waves, there is a small rock wall that makes a little pool for young children and those less adventurous with a few small fish, and my personal favorite a large pool like structure that is deep enough to actually swim in and snorkel. It had some amazing fish including a small barracuda when we went. I would highly recommend going to rent a mask and making a trek to this beach, especially as there weren't as many people as I would expect for a place like this. read more

Love this beach. It's beautiful and at the end of the road the water s protected by a rock wall and safe for all ages. BUT BEWARE. last time we were here I saw a man pretending to be on the phone waiting for someone while all the time walking around slowly looking at people's bags etc. I seriously think he was scouting for someone to come in and steal. Just be aware and don't leave anything valuable unattended. read more

#Beachlyfe. That's the tag line that many people want. For those of y'all love the beach, the waves, and everything else associated with the ocean, this place is for you. While sightseeing on the island of Kaua'I, I stumbled upon this lovely stretch of paradise called Lydgate Beach park. Many people always find the time to decompress and have fun with friends and family. Many people choose the beach and this beach on Kauai's eastern shore always has something fun and magical about it. The beach is always a fun and cheap option to those who just want to get away and really do nothing. Sure, you can do barbeques and lunch along the beach, but that cost a little bit for the food and stuff, but that's another topic for another day. I found myself discovering this place while playing Pokemon Go during my time spent on Kauai on Labor Day weekend 2017. I probably spent about 120 minutes here enjoying the beach itself, the waves, and the people who come here for a great time. Just looking at the waves gives me joy and hope for the days ahead. It's not some place I usually go to, but when I do, I really do enjoy and relax. Listening to the waves whisper to you makes me happy. It soothes the soul as well. Try it sometime, it will speak to you! I enjoyed myself at Lydgate Beach park on the island of Kaua'I, even if I was there for about 2 hours. The overall experience here was very nice and the atmosphere was good, even though it was hotter than hell, even at 89 degrees around 12:30pm. Ugh. Although the beach itself can get crowded, best bet is to get here early to make sure you can find the perfect spot to hang out. Best times would be sunrise or sunset for the best views ever. Lydgate Beach Park can be found off Highway 50 near Kapa'a. There are traffic signs that will lead you over to this stretch of paradise, so don't you worry. There are some spots where there are benches and places to sit down, but unfortunately for me, they were taken by some large groups of families already having a good time. One group looked like they were having a birthday party or something, which was nifty in itself. There is plenty of parking here for y'all who drive or rent cars (if you are a visitor to Kaua'i). I'm not sure if the Kauai Bus makes a stop here, although it would be difficult to get around especially when time is valuable while on vacation - at least it is for me. Lydgate beach park is maintained by the good folks of the County of Kaua'I, so it's a good thing. The beach itself was clean, more or less. I do enjoy the water and the waves, so it was a nice Saturday to come here and just relax before having to do the 26.2 miles stuff on foot the next morning. It's nice to get the head clear and free before focusing on other priorities in life and other stuff. For what it's worth though, Lydgate beach park tends to be one of the favorite beach parks for locals to come to, since I feel like it's in the Kapa'a area and its nearby to those who love the ocean. On this day at Lydgate beach park, I basically walked a couple of miles along the beach slowly, trying to play my Pokemon Go game and just enjoy the day. It was nice to soak in the sea air and hear the rumble of the ocean in my ears. This really does cleanse the soul and hope it will for you, if you come here to Lydgate beach park on the island of Kaua'I and stay awhile. Be sure to wear sunscreen and bring some water to drink. 5.0 stars for the overall experience. The beach is where it's at. Free admission for real. No wifi though. Good for individuals, couples, and families for a free option to spend the day. Support local! A+ read more

Another one of my favorite place to bring my 3 year old. I loved the playground area near the beach. It is huge with so many great areas for the kids to play in. It's the biggest one that I've ever been to. I wish there was one in my area. The beach is calm and great for my 3 year old. There is a natural barrier of rocks that makes it very safe for kids to enjoy the water. The water is shallow and just reaches under my waist closest to the rocks and that's it. We spent the day here on the beach playing in the sand and having lunch. It was not busy when we visited during MLK weekend. read more

To have a park and a beach next to each other was awesome. And the wood park endured my lil lady wouldn't get burned. She was obsessed. The little cut outs and tunnels of the park added for a fun hide and seek game as well as adventure around every turn. Honestly, I told my friend this park is like American ninja warrior meets classic playground. My mom and I sat for a bit in the shaded area and watched my daughter run back and forth. Was so much fun. Then we went to take a dip in the ocean just 100 feet away. Win/win. read more

Fun fun fun . You can always make new friends Just be kind and be respectful whit mother nature read more

Pretty good place to take the little one. They have a block off section so kids can practices snorkeling. Saw puffer fish and many other smaller fish there. Only bad things about this beach is there's a lot of small tree branches. They also have a kids playground. Playground can be really hot. read more

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We saw so many fish! Go to the bigger pool closet to the lifeguard station. Explore the rocks closest to the ocean. We saw exotic fish including a barracuda!! My girls LOVED IT. We spent 5 hrs there. read more

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We were having a nice time snorkeling here with the kids when a family showed up who decided it was OK for their child to run around catching and trying to net the fish we were trying to view, killing at least one in the process. The lifeguards refused to do anything and told us to ask them ourselves to stop. We asked and proceeded to be mocked and cussed at by the father in front of the children. There are " no fishing" signs everywhere. We had thought it was a peaceful, safe place for the kids to snorkel and view protected fish but it ended up being a horrible experience, read more

A really great park to bring the kids. Bathrooms and a shower spray nearby. The playscape seems to be getting old and is very well used, but it's still a great place to stop and play. And then head to the beach across the street! read more

I wish we had found this beach when we first arrived, instead it was on the last day on our way to the airport. I'd love to come back as it seemed quaint and untouched while we were there. read more

Heaven! It is heaven! Prepare to meet angel here :) so nice sand, rocks, water, waves, trees, and very good food too. This beach is different but not as big as kahana beach ; it is quieter and has special places to swim. You can't swim anywhere. read more

love love love this beach. tons of parking. awesome life guards. two pools one for babies and one thats huge for everyone. it's fantastic. spent about 4 hours in the big pool. bring snorkel to swim Leo's or to watch the fish. pack lunch and stay for hours read more

Lydgate Beach Park - lifeguards - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

My family and I just finished a week long vacation in Kauai, and this was my favorite beach of the whole week. It was well worth the 30 min drive from Poipu. Having a 20 month toddler, I really appreciated the cove area ... the water was calm enough for my little guy AND it provided an opportunity for me to snorkel. I saw the most amazing school of blue fish (Blue Tang)! I also saw Black Durgon, Trigger Fish, and various kinds of Parrot Fish. We met some local folks while at the beach, and they gave us the best tip -- bring frozen peas to feed the fish. They will come right to you! I also appreciated that the parking lot was ample and a very short walk to the beach. Again, when traveling with a toddler there is a lot to bring and with one adult managing the child, we had limited hands and needed to take frequent trips to and from the car. The nearby bathroom was also very convenient and clean. The only thing that made this not my wife's favorite beach of the week was the lack of vendors selling food within walking distance (so Poipu Beach, also great for children, is her personal favorite). I also discovered that the Foodland, within a short drive, has the best poke. Next time we are going there beforehand and taking our poke to the beach! read more

Kauai is a beautiful island and really secluded environment. We stayed at the Hilton garden inn and found this treasure of a place behind. I am an avid diver, and one thing on the bucket list visiting Hawaii was to snorkel and see bunch of fish. This place had it all. Water temp in january was chilly, I recommend bringing a thin wetsuit and rash guard. But the fact that this pond was protect by a wall of rocks from the surge of the ocean made it even more special. I literally enjoyed myself in this large pool of water and tried to interact with the many species of fish in here. I was even surprised to see trevalys and barracuda in there. Bring a snorkel/mask and some fins and enjoy the pond. For people scared of fish, bring some water gloves in case since fish like to nibble on human fingers. read more

Beautiful views of the grassy mountains and Pacific Ocean. There are public restrooms and plenty of benches and picnic tables. Great places for the entire family. read more

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Lovely park and Beach. Clean facilities with plenty of shade. Got a little crowded on a Saturday at noon, other than that there was plenty of parking before 11. Mello for beginning snorkeling. A Breakwater making calm water Safe for children. A nice relaxing day. No surprise, lots of chickens. read more

Lydgate Beach Park - On the north side. - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Lydgate is perfect for families and first time snorkeling. We brought our girls (7 and 9) here during a family vacation to try snorkeling. It was the perfect place for them to learn without the fear of waves or drifting off too far into the ocean. With the protective rock wall it allowed me to relax on the beach while my girls had fun. It is a clean beach with a ton of great attributes. Perfect for families. read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Most toddler friendly beach park. Lots of shade, enclosed beach area w no waves and shallow warm water. Bathrooms and playground nearby. Loved it. read more

Located across the street from the old Palms hotel this large stretch of beach offers sunbathers, fishermen and those enjoing the water a great respite from the stresses of isand life. ;) read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Morning sunrise - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Amazing beach for children and adults. The lava rock enclosed pools are great, and make this an infinitely better beach than any others on this part of the island. My 20 month old had a wonderful time in the small pool, so much so that we came just about every day of our visit. The larger pool was great too for the adults, as my wife and I enjoyed swimming there and holding our toddler. Seems like a great place for snorkeling too, as we could see tons of fish swimming around us. read more

After watching a few people get thrown around while trying to get out of the ocean and on the rocky shore near where we were staying, we decided to check out this beach. We heard that the water was much more manageable, and when we got there it was easy to see why. A swimming area has been blocked off by a low rocky wall, so it prevents the waves from reaching beyond it. There's a little bit of movement in the water, but not much. Perfect for swimming laps - like we saw a few people doing while we were there. As far as I could tell, the water was shallow all the way through. I didn't see any fish, but we weren't snorkeling. Bring your swim goggles! The lifeguards were pretty serious about warning people not to swim beyond the rocks. Watching the pretty big waves crash got me on the same page! I don't know if the water beyond the rock wall is any more placid at other times of the year, but during our trip in early September it was pretty rough. read more

Just wanted to chime in here. First off, NEVER take our ocean for granted and I suggest anyone who hasn't been in the ocean for a while come here and get some practice. VISITORS DROWN by the dozens on Kauai, so make sure you practice snorkeling etc before venturing into the open ocean. This is NOT Florida folks and just because you snorkeled in The Keys doesn't mean you understand rip tides, whitewater breaks, etc. Be careful and go to beaches with lifeguards, and if they say stay out of the water..DO IT! I suggest going to the main pool area in the morning with some fish food and your mask and fins and you'll have 200 big fish feeding around you in no time. Also mention that the large Kamalani Play Structure is probably the best place to take your under-10 kids to blow off steam on Kauai. And the place is SAFE...we don't really have creepy people hanging out too much on Kauai and mainland people should just relax a little and let their kids roam. You'll always see us local folks with our kids here so don't be shy...we don't bite - strike up a conversation or something. I know on the mainland folks don't do stuff like that too often (ie talk to strangers even if they too have little kids playing and look like you) but it can be fun. There's one cultural point to make here for visitors. Here at Lydgate and other places too, the large local families will have huge parties in the pavillion; these folks aren't looking for trouble, but they often will want to be left alone. This might be a very special occasion for them..wedding,etc..so give them them their space. Later at night you can have drunk uncles looking to fight, teenagers smoking weed, and little things like that. You're not in ANY danger so long as you show some respect. Going up to a truckload of local guys and asking them to turn the music down would NOT be a good idea however. read more

Great place to stay. Rooms are very spacious and comfortable. Front desk is friendly and helpful. Great snorkeling and boogie boarding a few minutes away and great for families. Strongly recommend this. read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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A kid's paradise! They have everything here for the family to enjoy. Read the review Mark S. wrote for all of the details, he sums it up. I would give it 5 stars because it made my daughter so happy to be here, but as a parent, the playground has some flaws. One big flaw is that when my daughter was playing on the beautifully constructed kid's play structure, I could not see her most of the time. The setup is made of thick dark brown wood making it difficult for me to keep an eye on her. That made me a little nervous ... but she was fine, and as expected, she did not want to leave her new found paradise. read more

Yet another family-friendly beach. & yes, I emphasize "family-friendly" because not every beach on Kauai is (in terms of its facilities). This beach is located on the East side, smack dab in the middle of Lihue & Kapaa. It's probably one of the safer beaches on the island simply because the swim area is blocked off by a rock wall. So if it's your first time to the island & you're unsure about the tides of the ocean, this might be the perfect beach for you to start with. Also, there are two different pools, a baby pool for the kids & a larger pool that's a lot deeper (PERFECT for snorkeling, as you are already swimming with the fish). It's also equipped with quite a few pavilions & picnic tables, bathrooms, & showers. Not to mention, there's always a lifeguard on duty (if needed). Oh, & the best part....Kamalani playground (across). As a kid, I used to love this playground (& sometimes I still do, even now as a 23 yr old). It's been around for quite some time now so it might be a little rundown. They've also added a few more things since the last time I've been there (which was quite a few years ago actually). There's also a big grassy area for kids (or adults too, if you'd like) to run around & play. Next to the playground, you may notice that there's a massive sized pavilion (w/ a decent sized stage). Yep, this is great for big get-togethers...perhaps a birthday party? or a grad party? or even a wedding reception? But, I think you'd have to reserve it. 31 Yelps Review Challenge: #23/31 read more

Small beach but there's a breakwater which is great because you can swim without worry that waves will pummel you. It's a perfect beach to bring your kids. If you snorkel, you'll see fish here. We saw a bunch by the rocks. Someone claimed they saw a tuna. Ha ha. Another person claimed they saw a puffer fish. I dunno about that one. But, hey, you get to see some fish for sure. Water clarity isn't GREAT but it's not too bad. We were there on a relatively overcast day too. Driftwood galore. I got kinda creeped out by it because it looked so scary without a mask on. Very easy parking. Clean bathrooms. Shower to rinse. Chickens and roosters. read more

great beach for the ohana. especially for young kids! there are two protected pools--a baby pool to the left (it's pretty shallow), and a larger pool that's good for snorkeling near the back. what's great about lydgate is that the swim area is protected, so you don't have to worry about getting too far out to sea. also, there is a lifeguard station right there to ensure your family's safety! another good reason to bring your family here is kamalani playground. the playground is located across the street. it's a community built playground that's been around for probably 15 years now. it's fun for the children to play hide-and-seek and explore! i think i was about 7 or 8 when this place was built. i remember my dad and many other parents volunteering to put this place together! even us kids did some of the painting. plus, it's not too far from kapaa or lihue. right in between! this is definitely a great family beach. read more

Nice low key beach to chill at on our last day in Kauai and Hawaii. There are man-made rock walls that create pools protected from the surf. Perfect for kids and wading. There is more debris in the sand so just watch for small rocks, wood chunks, and dead coral while walking around. Water shoes aren't necessary. There are bathrooms, rinse off stations and a short walk from parking to beach. read more

Great place to swim and snorkel for first timers as there is a protective wall that prevents waves from coming in. However there are breaks in the wall so that fish can swim in and out freely. There were a TON of fish the day we went and some of the fish are larger than my head. It was cool! The water however, is strikingly cold... It's not the prettiest beach by any means, but it seems to be a really good option for swimming when other beaches are closed due to high surf. read more

EXCELLENT beach for small children/families!!!! There are two separate lagoons. One for babies/toddlers and one for older kids and snorkeling. There are picnic tables, showers, bathrooms, a playground, plenty of shade and parking!!! My 2 yo got to swim with the fishies!! It was a great day. :) read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Panorama of both lagoons. - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Seriously...wtf? Kauai & Oahu are totally different. I grew up on oahu and my bf (grew up on Kauai) always talks about how country Kauai is....seriously it's a totally different world. First off...(on my visit) I didn't spot not ONE hobo at Lydgate like you see at Ala Moana Beach park or the other parks on oahu...and it's so frickin CLEAN!!! You can tell the locals take pride in the aina and keep their parks & beaches clean. When we went, there was some people setting up for a party/event, and I have to admit, I was a little jealous...I wish I had these amenities growing up, or even now to just chill and have bbqs with the homies...and it's GREAT for kids! Even though I'm mid-twenties, me & the bf was runnin around on the huge-ass jungle gym! To be honest, it isn't the safest for little kids, but if I was a little kid I'd be so excited because of that!! I'd definitely wanna come here again, especially if I had kids. It's nice to just relax and enjoy the outdoors...maybe even chase a few wild chickens read more

Lydgate Beach Park - Parks Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii