Pretty wonderful park. It even has an area for 2-5 year old kids. My daughter loved it…read more Weather was nice and there is plenty of seating for parents. Clean, but it does have some graffiti.

Awesome clean and very well made park for the kids. Also has bathrooms nearby but they close at…read more2pm, there are more bathrooms nearby the tennis courts that stay open but it a bit of a walk. So much to climb and run through and explore, kept them busy for a couple hours and tired them out for an easy car ride home. Fully fenced with one entrance so you don't have to worry about kids running off. Will bring the kids back again.

This is a very pretty park with nice picnic grounds and an ~ 2 mile walking path along the river…read morewhere there are nice, small waterfalls. We ate a picnic lunch then took a walk along the full trail. There do not seem to be bathrooms or trash receptacles, so pack your waste out.

Also known as Ulu La'au, this is a nice and beautiful 10-acre gem and peaceful nature park in the…read morecenter of Waimea Town (Kamuela). It's operated and maintained by the local volunteer group, Waimea Outdoor Circle. There is a nice stream coming through along with a walking trail nearby. The park also has covered picnic areas, and many of the benches are located beneath shade trees or along the stream. You'll also find a native plant garden and various memorials dedicated to past gardeners. There is on-site parking but it is very limited. Great nature park overall!

Beautiful, wide-open park with play fields, gymnasium and yes, an awesome playground. When Anuenue…read morePlayground gets too crowded, we head to this park to get away from the crowd. There's a decent sized playground and lots of room for kids to run around and get out some energy. We usually bring baseballs and gloves, a frisbee and a Nerf football. Plan on staying awhile. Pick up lunch at nearby Parker Ranch Center and have lunch and let the kids play. It can get chilly in Kamuela, so bring a sweatshirt or a jacket for the kiddies. If your kid(s) get tired of this playground, head back to Anuenue Playground and hope that the crowds have left, and your kid(s) can burn off even more energy running around that expansive playground. And hopefully, they will either take a nap when you get back to your hotel room or go to bed early that evening :)

Wow. This view was breathtaking!…read more I visited in April and we definitely got lucky. I hear that all the tour busses come by and parking is often difficult to find. There is a slight hike so if you aren't physically able, this might be inaccessible for you. Tourists used to be able to access the property below the valley but that has changed since the pandemic (unfortunately). Still, nonetheless it doesn't cost a penny and it's a stunning view.

This was such an epic view. The lookout is a short but steep walk from the parking lot and had…read morebathroom facilities. This is definitely worth a stop if on the big island. The day we went, was right after rain and there was a waterfall falling onto a black sand beach. Where else in the world can you see that?

At the top you have the lookout which offers beautiful views. Now for the fun. Down THE steepest…read moreroad in North America (officially), there is an entire valley. At one point in time over 10,000 people lived down there. Now something like only 50 or 100 do, and doing things like taro farming. I think a tsunami hit decades ago and convinced most people to leave. Some stayed though which makes it interesting. Of course the main attraction is the black sand beach here, which is a good mile or 2 long. To get down there, you must go down that road and then take a right on a dirt road at the bottom. You can't go down there without a four wheel drive. The road is a bit torn up in places so even if you have 4WD, I don't recommend doing it unless you know what you are doing. You can then either hike down it or pay a local to drive you down and up. The beach itself is great. There are nice waves here but the currents are decent, so don't go in unless you are a decently strong swimmer. Some good waves for body surfing which I loved. Water isn't too cold but still on the cool side. The sand itself is very fine grain, unlike the black sand beach along Road to Hana on Maui. I enjoy this a lot more. There is a river that flows between the sections and you have to cross it on foot to get to the rest of the beach and also the hiking paths that go up the other side of the valley. There are some interesting foot paths with tropical trees level with the beach too. Anyway, do NOT try and cross this river where the mouth is and a bunch of rocks. You will fall and get hurt probably. Instead, go up some 50 or 100 feet (if memory serves me) and cross. The bottom is mostly sand and gets about waist deep for a person who is about 5'10". There are some rocks so be careful but this is much, much better than trying to cross at the mouth. Now getting back up is the uhh fun part. You could try and find a local to pay for this or do it on foot. I mentioned this is THE steepest road in North America. That's not a joke. It legitimately is. It averages 25% grade and is as high as 40% in some areas. Pictures won't do it justice. If you attempt this in foot like we did, have plenty of water and make sure you stretch before. It will take awhile and your legs will burn. Don't even try this if you don't have plenty of water and you aren't in decent physical shape at the time.

Free view of one of the most sacred valleys in Hawaii. Free! Not to be missed! Park and look…read more That's it.

Who knew there was so much history and tradition in this one spot? I had driven past this heiau…read moremany times and finally decided to explore. What a fascinating, educational experience! You'll find so many exhibits, a video, a large terrain map, artifacts, and you can even try lifting a stone as heavy as those that are part of the heiau (temple). Incredibly, there are THREE heiau here: one is now underwater, one is very old and its purpose and secrets died with those who used it, and the most recent one is a wonder to behold. There is also a half-mile pathway (only the upper part is accessible with a mobility chair though; the lower part is quite steep), which takes you past two of the heiau and gives you a nice view of the shoreline. I recommend a hat and SPF for the trail because the sun is pretty intense here! The rangers are happy to answer any questions. You can also follow the heiau on social media. This month (August 2026), the annual Establishment Day festival was cancelled due to Hurricane Lala. But barring another such event, mark your calendar to be here in August for that!

Impressive historical site and good interpretive signed. The pathway is paved and some of it is…read moresuitable for wheelchairs.

Great space in safe Waikoloa Village...large green field next to park for kids to run free and…read morechase birds! Great cabana for shade and picnic if needed

Not a bad park. A little hard to find: Drive to the end of Ho'oko St and turn left to park behind…read morethe school. Play structure is old but in good repair. Unfortunately it's set into rocks and there is no shade - not even from the MonkeyPod tree they planted - except inside the picnic cupola. There are swings and slides, jungle gym, a tire swing, a wooden fire truck, and other fun things to play on. Overall it's adequate.

This was our favorite beach while visiting the Waikōloa area on the Big Island. The sand is like…read morepowder, the water is warm and shallow (check tide conditions), it's clean, and the kids loved it. Besides the beach area, there is a large grassy area with canopies, picnic tables, and a large lawn area. The lawn area gave us shelter from the sun, and was a great place to take breaks and have snacks. There were a few chickens wandering around the grassy area, so watch your food. The bathrooms are decent, and there are several water spray areas to wash off. The kiddos just loved wading in the water and letting the waves wash over their legs. It's a great place for the whole family.

Love Hapuna. Our fav while visiting the Big Island. Although it is a bit expensive at $10/car…read moreplus $5/pp. Get there early especially during summer. Soft white sand and crystal blue waters! Plus they have several shaded picnic areas and restrooms.

Beaches are my thing... all day, every day. You can't go wrong here. Pack a lunch and plan to spend…read morethe day sun basking or snorkeling.

Fabulous snorkeling! Parking is $10 and it's $5 per visitor, but worth every penny. The shore is…read moresmall and rocky in some parts, sandy in others and there's shade among some trees. There are bathrooms and outdoor showers. The same parking permit allows you access to Hapuna Beach as well. Highly recommended! Bonus: Lava Lava Beach Club is right down the road for a perfect lunch!

Arrived around 10:15am on a Monday. Parking lot small and 10 minutes only, for those viewing…read morelookout only. There was a welcome tent with volunteer "auntie and uncle", to provide more in depth information, and realistic warnings. You are using trail at your own risk. No cell towers so if you hurt yourself, someone needs to go to tent... they have a satellite phone to call in emergency services. Definitely no flip flops, as trail is very slippery and muddy. So, is it worth it? Yes! Please know your limitations, but if hiking down slowly and have good cardio going back up, it's a good accomplishment. The views going down are beautiful, you get a good sense of nature, and feel the serenity of the beach below. The area is sacred and be respectful.

Great hike to do on the big island! Stunning ocean and valley views. I'd recommend coming early. We…read morecame at 8:30am and there wasn't many people, but by the time we were done at 9:45 the parking lot was full. Another great thing about coming early is it will be less hot.