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The most popular beach park in urban Honolulu offers 76 acres of activities, though most folks simply swim, wade and sunbathe on the man-made sandy beach. If you do swim here, you must take care, as the channel is deep and, at low tide, you don’t have to venture far to be caught in strong currents. Facilities onshore include food concessions, tennis courts, lifeguard towers, and softball fields.

Possibly the most famous beach in the world, Waikīkī has had a facelift, with the installation of lush, grassy berms to block street noise, and an eye-catching waterfall feature. The beach remains prime people-watching territory, as well as being a gentle and safe place for swimming and learning to surf.

Waikīkī

Grown up around a small resort where Robert Louis Stevenson stayed in the 1880s, Sans Souci is good for swimming, bodysurfing, and boogie boarding. Safe, calm, and shallow, it’s popular with families and also with the gay community.

Reached from a public right of way at the end of Kulamanu Place off Kāhala Avenue and Diamond Head Road, this narrow, white sand beach is protected by a reef and is safe for swimming and snorkeling. It’s also used for diving, pole fishing and throw-netting, while surfers make spectacular use of breaks in the reef.

More popular for picnicking than swimming, this Kāhala beach is hemmed in by coral but offers access to coveted windsurfing areas and fishing holes. Watch out for – and keep small children away from – the deep, sometimes fast-flowing channel cut by Wai’alae Stream as it enters the sea.

Open to the public on weekends and national holidays, this beach park within a military reservation is prized for its broad shelf of powder-fine white sand, turquoise waters and ironwood-shaded campgrounds. Perfect for novice surfers, but watch out for stinging Portuguese man o’war jellyfish.

Frequently voted one of the world’s best beaches, Lanikai is reached through beach access trails in the ritzy Lanikai neighborhood along Mokulua Drive. It’s flat and sandy, quite narrow in spots, and popular for swimming, boating, diving, and snorkeling.

Two miles of golden sand fringe Kailua Bay, which is divided into three sections. The northern-most beaches, Oneawa and Kalama, are accessed through Kailua neighborhoods and offer only roadside parking, while Kailua Beach Park offers parking lots, food concessions, a volleyball court, picnic tables, and lifeguard towers. You can surf, windsurf, swim, boat, kayak, canoe, snorkel, and dive here, and the view of Nā Mokulua (“the mokes,” as locals call these tiny islets) is the icing on the cake.

A popular beach park for family picnics, swimming, and surfing offshore at Pua’ena Point. The site has restrooms, a shady pavilion, plenty of food concessions, lifeguards, and sports fields too.

This beautiful beach is the calmest and safest place for swimming in Wai’anae, so it’s no surprise to find it frequently thronged. It also has an unfortunate but deserved reputation as a place where car break-ins and beach burglaries occur, so take extra care with your belongings.