Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
4.5
About
One of the nicest sand beaches on the Kohala coast.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travellers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.

Top ways to experience Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area and nearby attractions

See what travellers are saying
  • Southwest_Gaucho
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona1,264 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice white sand beach
    Stopped in at the recommendation of a friend. Very nice state park with good amenities and some shade. Ample parking (arrived early) and shade. No drinking water but water to rinse sand off. Beach was nice and there are life guards. Needed clarification on boogey boards as signs say no surf boards etc. Found out we were allowed to have them. Very nice drive up the coast from Kona and not overly crowded.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written October 3, 2023
  • Wayne W
    Victoria, Canada29 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Biggest white sand beach in Hawaii
    Wide, long white sand beach with shallow sand bottom blue ocean waves a hundred meters out from shore, the beach at Hapuna state park is what visitors envision for Hawaii. Plenty of pay parking ($20 for the day), an easy stroll to the beach, a very large covered picnic and barbecue area but no shade, so bring your beach umbrella and sunscreen! It is magnificent!
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written October 20, 2023
  • VncrCanada
    Vancouver, Canada241 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nature and recrestion perfectly combined!
    Gorgeous place, we got there atound 8:00 AM for some excellent bird-watching before hitting the beach! There are a lot of trees edging the parking lot, plus large trees and bushes by the washrooms, plus water pooling on the ground by the outdoor taps/showers where birds also came to get a drink. Saw our first Hawaian Nene goose at this park! - plus many beatiful saffron finches, cardinals, francolins, even a couple of parrots along with the usuall common doves, mynas, and house sparrows. Very quiet there in the early morning with an almost empty parking lot. It got busier later but there is planty of parking and beach space for all and it never felt crowded. The water is so warm and clear and inviting and the waves so much fun to play in. There are shade trees along the edges of the beach as well as shaded picnic tables by the washrooms. Have lots of sun screen, hat, sunglasses, umbrella, and drinking wayer when on the beach proper. What a fabulous park and beach, nicest one we saw on the Big island :)
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written November 2, 2023
  • Lori
    Tacoma, Washington49 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely and big beach
    We enjoyed our visit to Hāpuna beach. We went there as my husband remembered going when he was stationed there. Nice big sandy beach with on beach places to hang as well as picnic table areas. Nice facilities
    Visited December 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written December 21, 2023
  • Naomi P
    Broken Arrow, Oklahoma19 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hapuna Beach State Park
    I believe the waves are higher and rougher in the winter. It was so during this trip and there are life guards on the beach. They made several announcements concerning the rough waves breaking in shallow and rocky water as a danger to swimmers. I stayed in the surf the entire time and did not venture out despite knowing how to swim. The guards also warned of rip tides. The water was cool and refreshing and the beach is long. Parking was plentiful even though we went to Hapuna for three hours on New Year's Day. There is a shower spigot to rid oneself of sand on the way to the car. There are bathrooms available. I did not see food trucks so I suggest bringing your own snack and water. On the way, there was a malasada ( fried bread- very delicious) truck on the side of the road. I drove right past it, but would definitely have stopped.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written January 8, 2024
  • Jodi M
    Lethbridge, Canada493 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Busy on a Sunday
    It was a little overwhelming when we pulled into the massive parking lot. Thankfully it only took 5 minutes to find a parking spot. Parking was $15. There was a restroom and at least two lifeguards stands. Beach was beautiful and the waves were great.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written February 18, 2024
  • Crystal Hefner
    West Hollywood, California116 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Please check out Hapuna, the sunsets from here are surreal
    This beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with water like blue Gatorade. I highly recommend visiting this beach at least once in your lifetime. I believe it’s listed as one of the best beaches in the United States. Dogs are not allowed unless they are service animals. I had my little dog with me for a bit but felt uncomfortable having her there because they aren’t really allowed.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written March 4, 2024
  • Caitlin M
    New York City, New York65 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great beach!
    Amazing beach—do not miss! It’s just as beautiful as everyone says. Gentle waves means you can stay in the water through sunset. One of my favorite beaches on the island. Also, we came in the afternoon and were able to find parking.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written March 22, 2024
  • Troy H
    West Jordan, Utah44 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great beach
    This beach is very picturesque. We went 3 times during our stay. The body boarding is great and the sand is soft. There is no food close by so bring your own. You do have to pay $10 per vehicle and an additional $5 per person. That seems outrageous given that the bathroom facilities are poor.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written March 29, 2024
  • Sara L
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful family friendly beach
    Most beautiful beach we’ve ever seen. The water was so clear and we even saw a giant sea turtle swim by. Sandy beach with optimal space to set up. Family friendly and a great day trip
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written March 31, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles2,776 reviews
Excellent
2,035
Very good
621
Average
90
Poor
24
Terrible
6

angeliteomm
28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
If you like to boogie board this is the beach for you. There are life guards for safety for the currants can be harsh. The best time to arrive is early morning and you may find you have the beach to yourself. What is early in Hawaii? 8am...easy.
Bring water, food/munchies, hat and suntan lotion . If you are sun-sensitive you may want to wear a white shirt so you won't burn along with a beach umbrella.
Written February 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

subzi
12 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Couples
It was a nice beach. Clean soft sand and water. We went on a Thursday at around 8 AM and it was pretty empty. We didnt go in the water so I cant say much about that. Parking is $10 and entrance is $5 per person. I preferred Kua Bay but thats just me!
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fred L
San Jose, CA1,430 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
My family and I were on vacation in the Waikoloa Beach Resort area in July and we fell in love with Hapuna beach. So much so that we went there twice during our week stay. It's a long stretch of beach where the sand was powder soft and white. The water was unbelievably warm and clear. It was almost like being in a heated pool. The beach was not overly crowded. The waves oscillated between gentle and strong. Our girls (6 & 8) enjoyed playing in the water and going boogie boarding for the first time. This is the most beautiful beach that I have ever seen. There were showers, picnic tables, BBQ areas, lifeguards and an ample amount of parking. Though we read that there was a parking fee, we could not find anyone or any way to pay. If there is one beach that you go to while in Kona I would highly recommend this beach.
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jennlk
Roanoke, VA123 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
The water is on!!

If you read the other reviews you’ll see the biggest complaint was the water being off, but it is now on so don’t let that deter you from going.

We got there early, about 8:30am, and it was pretty empty. There is a lot of parking available though. We did pay the fees, not sure if anyone really checks to make sure you do, it’s a self pay system, but we did pay for parking and entry. It was $10 to park and $5 a person.

There were only about half a dozen people on the beach when we got there so we did get a nice shaded spot under a tree. I had never snorkeled, and my husband only had once, so we picked this beach because of how calm it is. We had a great time, saw lots of fish right off the beach, and enjoyed the smooth sand. There were a few families that came later, and it seemed a good place for the little ones to play in the water safely. If you are a more advanced snorkeler you can easily go further out and see more fish. There were plenty of people who went out past the rocks and said it was great.

I highly recommend this beach for families with small kids or people who are not advanced snorkelers. If you like smooth sandy beaches with less lava and rocks this is the beach to go to!
Written September 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jared Mitchell
Tigard, OR229 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Couples
If you are looking for the best beach on the Big Island, this might be the beach for you!

It has those perfect white sand beaches and the bright blue ocean colors that are so transparent that you can see fish and sometimes a turtle. It’s a large enough beach where you can spread out and have space between other people, but it is a very crowded beach.

I recommend coming early so you can enjoy the beach a little bit more before everyone shows up. I would make sure to have an umbrella or some type of shade while you are there or only stay for an hour or two. It gets hot there and you can burn easily if it’s your first day or two on the island.
Written May 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff C
Sandy, UT259 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Couples
Hapuna Beach is another beach in my Top 3 beaches on the island (Mauna Kea & Kua). The price I refer to in my title has nothing to do with the $5 entrance fee- that’s really a pittance. Because of it’s size, white sand beaches, and appealing water to all people, Hapuna can get quite crowded, especially on weekends. There’s plenty of parking, don’t miss the overflow lot up above. Rentals for the necessities you may have forgotten or need to enjoy the beach, and even a small food concession there. The day we went the winds were quite strong and many were seeking shelter up against the rocks or at the top of the beach. So many people were at the beach despite the winds that it was difficult to find a spot where you didn’t get sand blasted. The water at times seemed to be crowded with people standing and playing nearly elbow to elbow. That may be a slight exaggeration but you get the picture. Hapuna is a great beach but the price you pay is to share it with others.
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kyzrdg
Millville, Ca150 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
Hapuna Beach will get its 5th star back when they fix the water situation. As of August of 2023 the bathrooms are still closed, the showers are off, and the snack bar is closed.Don't think they will be repaired until Spring of 2024 from what I've heard. Having said that, it's still a premier white sand beach in the South Kohala coast on the Big Island.
It is a very large white sand Beach that has calm shore break most of the time. Make sure to always pay attention to conditions as they can change. Hapuna can get large surf occaisionally so always be careful. There is an entry fee for the park as it is a State of Hawaii Park. When you arrive you will drive by the old pay shack that is torn down and find a parking spot. Walk over to the parking pay station fronting the old sack shack and buy your parking pass. It's $10.00 per vehicle and $5.00 per person on top of that. (Residents with Hawaii ID are free). Take the receipt and place it on the dash of your car. Then go and enjoy this pristine beach. Oh, please, don't complain about that, most other states charge a vehicle fee of some sort for entry to state parks so Hawaii is just catching up. If you need to, you can walk over to the Hapuna Beach hotel and resort and get a cocktail or a bite, otherwise, pack it in and pack it out.
Snorkeling is limited to the area near the point at the Hotel, otherwise you're just looking at sand and maybe the occasional turtle cruising by. Don't harass the turtles and stay away from them. Don't touch coral and stack rocks. Leave it as it was when you arrived.
During the day the sand can get hot so be advised. Little to no shade so bring the sunscreen and shade with you. Don't put umbrellas and tents up in front of people already there, that's just rude.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Angela C
Heber City, UT210 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
The beach is very nice with lots of sandy areas to build sandcastles. Snorkeling and/or boogie boarding is hit and miss depending on the weather that particular day. You need to bring your own equipment as there are no rentals so unless you can snag a picnic table you will be in the sand in the sun. For me the biggest downside is that there is a charge for using the beach. $10.00 parking and $5.00 per person. There are plenty of gorgeous, free beaches in Hawaii so if you want to save a little money, go elsewhere.
Written September 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Xenos1
124 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Couples
Hapuna Beach state park is a beautiful white sand beach on the Kohala Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii. It’s very popular, but it is large enough to handle a crowd well. It is ideal for families and visitors of all ages. On the right day, the surf is ideal for beginner to intermediate body surfing. Sand castles abound. Make sure to check the flag conditions — green, yellow, or red — and act accordingly. On yellow, and on red especially, there is quite a north-to-south rip current about 40-50 yards out or so. The other caution I’d offer is regarding wind conditions. On very windy days, the sand blows steadily along the ground level, making laying on a towel uncomfortable. A sturdy umbrella laid in the sand or a simple beach chaise lounge will solve that inconvenience easily.

If you really want a cool though somewhat $$$ experience, stay at the Westin Hapuna Beach, which features the north end of the beach immediately on the ocean side of the property, complete with private chaise and umbrella setup.
Written January 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

antonette b
Appleton, WI134 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2021
Spent one of our first days on the island here.

Loved: Weather, sand, warm water you could walk right in. Don't have to worry about rocks, sharp objects, etc.

Eh Annoying: Long walk from parking lot up and down lots of steps with all the gear, Large rough waves, not sure if it's like this all the time or if it was the season (March) or maybe just the day? Not sure but it was rough all day and fighting waves, recovering, then fighting the next wave wasn't all that enjoyable after the first half hour of this repeated fighting the waves. Lost 1 pair of sunglasses and 1 pair of Rx eye glasses in the waves/recovery/waves/recovery cycle. This was our own fault for not leaving them at the chairs!!

Not sure if it's always this rough? It was nice to get some sun, beautiful views not complaining but we found a better beach at Beach 69 that I'd go back to over this one anyday.

I believe it was $5 to park and I felt bad no one was there to take $$ and the park meter was not working at all. There wasn't even a secure box to put cash into - I know Hawaii has hurt with COVID and tourists not visiting the past year, so we really wanted to do our part, but no luck...Just an FYI: we did leave extra at other beaches we attended to make up for this.
Written April 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 2,455
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

HAPUNA BEACH STATE RECREATION AREA - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2024)

All things to do in Puako
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars