I absolutely love this place! The walking trail is level and paved while the other side is the…read morebeach. It is so pretty with all of the plants and art. We came before sunset and walked the trail. As the sun was setting we crossed over to the beach side. It was beautiful. The coolest part were some friendly locals were playing their ukulele and singing. It felt magical honestly. There is so much parking and space. I always come to this park at least once on my visits. Highly recommended

As a lover of travel, this was great to visit although we didn't have time to stop at the beach or…read moreanything. The landing strip was remade to a regular road along the pretty long drive (felt maybe a mile?) out and back. There was plenty of parking and even a walking path if I recall. I don't know what it was used for other than the obvious, planes, but maybe the walking path had some history noted.

This is a beautiful trail that snakes through both private and public lands along the ocean…read more According to the National Park Services website, this trail stretches for 175 miles, traversing hundreds of ancient Hawaiian settlement sites. I am reviewing the section of trail that is located between Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site and Anaeho'omalu Bay, south of Waikoloa Resorts. You can pickup the trail at the south end of Spencer State Beach Park. There is a wood pylon and signage that marks the trail. As you walk through, you will see additional signage intermittently indicating that you are still on the trail. The views are beautiful and by walking through you will see the most pristine coastline in the Puako area. You will hit every beach access point between Spencer State Beach Park and Anaeho'omalu Bay, so it's a great way to familiarize yourself with the best spots. It gets HOT, so make sure to bring plenty of water and apply sunscreen. The path can be rocky, and there are several steep inclines/declines, so I would not recommend this trail for very small children or adults with mobility issues. Otherwise, I highly recommend experiencing this trail.

I did two stretches of this coastal walk, both fantastic. My favorite was probably the area between…read moreHoloholkai Beach Park and Puako, which is just about a half mile (I think). It was very quiet the day I was there, a weekday in January. I would have gone further than Puako, but the surf was so high due to a storm that there wasn't much beach to walk on. It's very much a beach walk so.....you need some rocks to walk on! But it's gorgeous. The other area I enjoyed is the one between Hapuna Beach and the Mauna Kea Resort. Here you're traveling up on a bluff, so the views are spectacular and I saw a whale (I understand there is much more of a "whale show" near the Fairmont, they like that area). It's nice to be up high and the waves crashing on the cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop. The drama on the other side is the many mega mega mega million dollar mansions. Kind of fun to see how the other half lives, although they all look very lightly occupied. Anyway this is a nice walk of about a mile. P.S. I probably walked on a lot more of this trail....according to the Nat'l Park Service it's 175 miles long...but most of it isn't marked in any way, so I imagine that almost any coastal walk you do is technically included.

I love this beach. Especially, on a windy day. The first part of the beach is more for small…read morechildren. The rocks block the current so it's also a great spot for snorkeling. Once you drive into area, you go to security area and state you are there for the beach. They will let you know if parking lot/beach is full. If not, you are given a pass to enter. You make a u-turn and it will be the first right. You just press button for security and I'm sure they are watching and recognize you, they buzz you in. There will be signs to follow. This is a clean beach. Bathrooms are so very clean, showers are warm. White sands and beautiful water. You have a choice to walk down further. It's really nice. The water is just gorgeous and such a calm place. We come here often. It's easy to get to and like I said, very clean. Security is so very friendly and very welcoming!

A great beach area via access through the Four Seasons. Locals know. Lots of parking, bathrooms and…read moreshower. Aloha!

Beautiful waterfront location. Municipal park with other civic services, such as police substation…read moreand restrooms are available. Hale Halawai is an oceanfront park in downtown Kailua Kona. It sits on Ali'i Drive just South of the 3 way stop, between the Kona Inn and Waterfront Row shopping centers. The Hale Halawai Pavilion is used for community and cultural functions, and may also be rented for private functions. No swimming at the park, but great sunsets with a view of Kailua Bay. Great space to view Iron Man. Community interest activities that take place within the 3.2 acres that make up the park include a hula for health, Avocado Festival, photography class, local bands, writer's group, chess club, a senior citizens group, ukulele lessons, karate, and belly dancing. Stop by to watch children's karate practice or senior ladies practicing hula for a slice of Kona life.

This area is also known as Kekaha Kai State Park…read more This is one of the best beach parks in Kona, if not on the entire island or in the whole state. I have to disagree with another reviewer, who said that "locals (not kama'aina) haven't been to this beach". First, technically speaking, locals are kama'aina. Second, plenty kama'aina know where this place is, and in fact venture to it on the weekends. If you visit on the weekend, you will find local campers, local boogie boarders (depending on surf conditions) and local families setting up for bbq and family reunions and such. But even then, none of the beaches really get crowded. I would be willing to bet that the people who say that these beaches are pretty much deserted are the ones who usually venture to Oahu. If you are a tourist who has spent all your time on Oahu, then yes, the beaches will seem deserted. But understanding that the entire Big Island has less than 180,000 people living on it and it's larger than the rest of the islands combined, then you will have some understanding that this is a local beach, where locals frequent, and locals appreciate it. The water is superbly clear, the sand is soft but not too powdery like the beaches that tourist flock to on Oahu (Lanikai and Kailua beaches...you can't get that sand off for nothin!), and it is a popular spot for our local Honu, who bathe in the sun and use this as nesting grounds. Be respectful as you enter and exit this beach park, as there are cultural sights in the lava fields that surround it. Also, make sure that you take what you need (no water, no snacks, and a long drive for either), and don't leave anything on the beach. Be respectful at all times, and respect will be shown to you. Make a mess of the beach and you will probably get confronted kindly. Get confronted kindly and act like a jerk, and you will find yourself on the wrong end of a local-style education. Fair warning...be kind to the land and to the people and they will be kind to you. This is a popular fishing spot for locals, so be mindful of that as you enter the water. It is also an excellent snorkel spot, which you should also be mindful of. Usually, the water is fairly swimmable (at the first beach that is...the other 2 can get a little rough), even in heavy surf, because there is a bit of a natural breaker that the reef creates just about 20 or 30 yards from the shore. But always be cautious of rip currents, no matter how calm the water looks. It's a perfect place for families because of the abundant shade trees and picnic tables, lots of area to stretch out and throw a blanket down. The best way to enjoy this beach is to bring a cooler, a couple of blankets to throw down, and some snacks and spend the entire day. Also, be sure that you understand that the road into this beach park is just a shade under being categorized as a 4wd only path. It's very rough in places, and cars with low clearances will have a rough time traversing some of the hills, cracks, and crevices. That being said, if you drive slow, use your head, and take your time, you can navigate it just fine. My 4door, 2wd, 6cyl sedan has no trouble on the entire path. The first beach that you come to is probably the best for families with small children, since it is close to the bathrooms and the parking lot. You can walk another 10-15 minutes and get to the next beach up, which is incredibly beautiful, but out of the way. Then there's still one more beach to the north which is another 15 minute hike...it's a long and hot hike and probably not the best for children. The first beach is just fine for anything that visitors would want to accomplish there. I would recommend sticking to that one. I am from Hawaii, and I've been to almost all the major islands, and have lived on Oahu and currently live on Big Island, and I'm here to tell you that you won't find a better beach park anywhere! Enjoy!

Not easy to get to...which locals prize. Not many tourists. Aloha…read more If you do trek it over the semi-rough terrain, enjoy the surf breaks, warm water and soft sand. Bring your Ohana and have a picnic/bbq. There are plenty of Ohana that chill in tents and fish around this spot. I heart these Kama'aina beaches, far far far away from resort mainlanders. Mahalo

A pretty beach in the heart of Kona. Lots of trees and shade, but no bathrooms. The day we were…read morethere had a bit of shorebreak making entry and exit tough.

Cozy nook of a beach nestled amongst roosting apartments…read more One of many small sandy beaches hugging a coastline dominated be black lava. Just a hop-skip-and-a-jump from the coastal road. I saw some surgery, but no swimmers here. Several people lying on the sand. People reported seeing whales and dolphins here. Maybe I'll see them next time.

This beach is beautiful. It is pretty close to the Kona Airport and since my check in wasn't until…read more4pm I hung out here for a bit. There's lots of tidepools with lots of little fish swimming around, the water is super clear and you can see the waves splash onto the rocks. It's a pretty cool beach. I wanted to come back again before I left but had to leave early due to Hurricane Nolo. Can't wait to come back on my next visit.........

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.

We stumbled upon this spot around 9AM and there were plenty of spots left! You have to check in…read morewith the security and they give you a parking pass. There are nice restrooms and showers to use all for free! Such a good spot to wade in the water or snorkel around. We even got to see a sea turtle in the bay!

Awesome place. Small quiet area Parking is limited. If you can't swim good beach to go toread more