Nice to see the monk seals. At least they moved around a bit before the sunset. No rain so just…read morecool trade wind. Glad I found parking. Seals will be here a few weeks.

This is the spot where I do open water swims when I'm in Waikiki. One of my brothers is a resident…read morehere so he introduced this beach to me years ago. It's not really ever crowded and the water is just right to get a good swim in; the water is fairly calm so don't come here to surf. This makes it a popular beach for families with kids. You'll be with other open water swimmers and even people snorkeling, although I'm not sure there are a lot of fish to see.

Pro-tip: My family woke up at 4 am one day of our vacation to do a driving tour of O'ahu. Lanikai…read moreBeach was our first stop. No parking issues, and we had this stunning beach completely to ourselves for about 15-20 minutes as we waited for sunrise. When we left around 6:30 am, we also saw our first rainbow of the day! The early bird gets the worm. :)

It's always busy here any time of the day, doesn't matter if it's weekends or weekdays. Parking is…read moredifficult to find in this area. Do yourself a favor and park at Kailua Beach and walk over (please note that there are multiple access points). You have to maneuver around the hordes of visitors, but you won't regret it! The sand is powdery soft and the views of "The Mokes" are stunning!

With the famous blowhole behind, this is the famous cove used in many movies and TV shows. This is…read morea gorgeous spot to enjoy the scenery and think about the celebrities who have visited! Hey, you can join their ranks! I opted to not join the crowd, so my face is not in the photo.

Take a drive south past Waikiki along the shore and you will eventually see the signs for this…read morebeach. There is free parking at the blowhole lot and you will see this cove along the east side of the island. The view may look familiar as it was the site for filming in "From Here to Eternity" and it has also been used for a few other movies and TV shows since then. The view is beautiful and waters are usually a pale turquoise. It is a bit of a tortuous hike to climb down the cliff to get to the beach for this cove. Definitely wear water shoes or foot protection as there are sharp volcanic rocks that create the cove. The water can be rough. The depth of the water steps down quickly, so I wouldn't recommend it for weak swimmers or small children. Nevertheless, it is beautiful scene of another Oahu beach. If you walk to more to the southside of this area you will have the fun to see the natural blowhole as the tides come in and out. Once again, make sure to have decent shoes to get there. Makes for some great photos or videos so it is definitely worth the adventure. For those that are not physically able to make the hike or climb, the vista is beautiful by itself. There are definitely a fair share of tourists and locals who come here, but it is much less than the Waikiki crowd. You will need a car to get here from Waikiki. I recommend you experience this spot at least once on your visit to Oahu.

Magic Island is an easy, no-stress spot in Honolulu. The loop is a quick, scenic walk with nonstop…read moreocean views, and it's perfect for a chill picnic, people-watching, or just hanging out. The vibe is super local--families, couples, runners, and groups all posted up with snacks and music. Sunset here is the main event. If you go late afternoon, the views are unreal and it's such a good way to end the day. It can get busy on weekends, but there's usually still space to spread out if you walk a little farther. Pro tip: bring a towel or mat, some drinks/snacks, and go a little before sunset to grab a good spot. Definitely a must if you want a simple, beautiful outdoor hang in town.

I want to gate-keep this park, but alas it is publicly known and accessible, which it should be. I…read morewas introduced to this park through a picnic organized by a school club that I belong to. Magic Island is a nice place to gather, catch up, and chat. It is close to the ocean/beach, so you get to experience both a park as well as the beach. (This should be good in terms of fengshui.) My group of friends decided to reconvene here for a Thanksgiving potluck, and it was a truly wonderful time. Ala Moana really spoils you.

Here is my account of my kayaking trip to the sandbar. See accompanying pictures and videos. So,…read moreJohn at Go Bananas kayak rental strapped a long kayak with a skeg to my car. I drove off his parking lot, and arrived at the He'eia Kea Boat Harbor. On this windy and rainy day I launched off the Kaneohe Canoe Club towards where I thought the sandbar would be found. For my entire trip inching forward in that direction I was alone in the foreboding ocean, or rather they bay. But from my low vantage points, it looked as if I were in the middle of the deep ocean with breaking waves under me and dark clouds above me. John told me to aim for Kapapa Island, and he was right. Because as far as I could tell from my kayak it was just dark water all around me, except for that tiny speck of an island. All other boats I saw and thought to be tourist boats anchored at the sandbar all turned out to be decoys - they were docked so closed to shore in retrospect. Many a times I thought I'd reached the sandbar only to find empty boats in dark and deep water. Many more times I thought of turning back - it could be frightening being out there alone, even if I was prepared with all available safety devices. But I kept going. Then I sensed a change in water color. Shortly the sun poked its head out of the cloud. And magic happened. The sea all around me turned turquoise as soon as sunrays touched them, revealing that I was mere inches above sand now. I soon found a lone stand-up paddler lying supine on his board, drinking beer. I also ran into a birthday party dinning around a table half-submerged in water. Then Captain Bruce's boat showed up, dumping lots of merrymakers onto the sandbar. Now that I know the place, I would have no issues coming back again and finding it, next time. In some of the videos you will find dark clouds raining on entire towns, while I filmed the shore from the sandbar. That gives you a sense of how far the sandbar is from shore.

If you haven't made a visit yet to Kaneohe Bay Sandbar, do it asap because this is a once in a…read morelifetime experience. I had the hesitation to book it due to the fact my son is on the spectrum and wasn't sure how he was going to react during the experience. Took the chance and made a reservation through Hawaii Ocean Sports. They took us on a boat to access the beautiful Sandbar. It's nestled in the middle of the ocean 3 miles stretch of sand. Unfortunately, we ended up doing the afternoon tour where high tides took place water level up to our necks. During our ride there, we were served lunch consisting of a turkey sandwich, fruits, and a cookie. Very filling as we were on to our destination while we listened to live music entertaining us along the way. Snacks, towels, drinks, and a bar are available for additional cost. As we approached the Sandbar, we were required to do a brief safety class before heading into the beautiful water. My kids and I were surprised how magnificent the Sandbar was. Definitely a true paradise where our dreams came true. I didn't think I would ever experience this kind of beauty. My son and I were terrified at first as we entered the water, but our life jackets saved us as we were floating. Lots of activities offered which are part of the package including SUP, kayaking, volleyball, snorkeling, or relaxing at the dock while sipping on drinks. We mainly enjoyed ourselves floating in the ocean. The current did get a little rough as it started to pour rain right before heading back to the marina. One advice is to head out early onto the boat before everyone does because the changing and bathrooms can get wet with dirty grounds. Music was blasting with great hits as we ended the day. Made my son and I stand up desiring to dance. Truly this is an unforgettable magical experience. You bet I will make a reservation again when we return to Oahu next year!

I love this spot!…read more Pretty secluded, not crowded at all. It's pretty shallow and an OK spot for snorkeling. Went here for an underwater photography workshop and a couple of times for class. There's a ton of cool critters in this area, ya just gotta look closely. (; Also, it's beautiful, what more can you ask for?

A beautiful, secluded, and usually private beach. Great as a quiet beach, not much snorkeling as it…read morestays very shallow. The locals who were there as we arrived had just freshly caught multiple octopuses!

Such an amazing little sneaky spot that my friend took me too, to enjoy a Poké bowl and a quick tip…read morein the ocean. This place, definitely feels like a local hangouts, but during our visit, it was relatively busy. Depending on the time of day, the water could be all the way up to the seawall or out enough for ample beach lounging and tide pool exploring. There's a great little spot near the cove for swimming, but it is a little treacherous getting there. Watch your step on the slippery algae covered rocks. Beyond that, have fun, respect the ocean, and whatever you bring with you make sure it comes back with you. Mahalo!

Cromwell's is one of my favorite beaches that I wish I frequented more often! It's a little…read moreneighborhood spot that is nearby but separated from the bustle of Waikiki. It's a bit rocky and there isn't a ton of sand but lots of tidepools and the most beautiful views. Keep your eye out for little fish, sea anemones, and turtles. Pro tip: you do have to walk on the seawall to get to the sand patch where you can swim. It is a bit of a trek that you need to be careful on, but I do think just about anyone can do it. Parking is street parking that you can find in the neighborhood, but don't park on that main straight that the beach is on -- I saw someone that parked there get a ticket but there are also signs that you will be towed. I see lots of local fisherman here too, it looks like they walk along the rocks and there's a point that they all go fishing.

Waimanalo Beach is the name of both the town in eastern Honolulu as well as the stretch of…read moreshoreline along the island of Oahu. The beach itself has free parking lots throughout as well as public restrooms and picnic tables. The beach is a beautiful area with crystal clear water and white sand. It's a wonderful place to relax and spend a day at because there's a lot of beach and coastline. It's also a great place to see the sunrise as the sun rises from this side.

We did come in the middle of the week so I'm not sure how packed this beach can get...but we loved…read morethis beach! Very clean, not packed - I would say we would normally go to Lanikai or Kailua beach but I'm glad we made the switch to this beach this trip - I mean look how great the photos look! Can't go to the beach without bringing some foodland snacks!!

Peaceful and secluded. Definitely not the prettiest beach in the world, but in a place where the…read morecrowds seem to take over pretty much everything, it's nice to find some solace in the sand. And the reason why it's so peaceful?! It's tucked behind a residential neighborhood. Parking is on the street only and there's not much of it. So, it'll be a short journey to get there, but this is what also deters the big crowds. The sand isn't the softest and the views aren't amazing, but the sunsets are pretty and the water feels good. There are no facilities here either (except for one large garbage can near one of the entrances). You gotta pack it in, pack it out, and use the restroom before you go unless you're a local who lives in the area. Had a little picnic here and it was really enjoyable. The few people that I come in contact with were really friendly. Most of them were walking their dogs on the beach, so I feel like this is the local dog beach in town. There's a nice breeze on this side, so it's a great beach to come to when that hawt Hawaii heat attacks. It's also really clean. If you're looking to escape the crowds and don't mind a longer trek, Hunakai Beach will do you right.

Hunakai beach was our third destination to go to a couple of weekends ago. My daughter wanted to go…read moreto the beach. First we went to Ala Moana beach park but there was some paddling competition so there was no parking. Then we drove to Waikiki and there was a craft fair at the park so there was no parking there either. So we just yelped a place closer to home and found Hunakai beach. You just park on the side of the road and walk down a beach access road. It was surprising because there were quite a few people there. People were all spaced out so that was good. The beach itself is very beautiful. There was just a lot of coral and rocks. Not really the best place to go swimming. That didn't stop my daughter though, she just took her floatie and pulled it in the water and kicked her legs so she floated down the ocean. She had a great time. Great for parking and sunbathing but if you want to swim, you should probably try to find a new place.

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.