Kailua Beach
Your beach day beyond Waikīkī, planned.
Windward Oʻahu
Beach park & visitor guide
Photo: Daniel Ramirez · CC BY 2.0 · resized and cropped for display
Overview
A beach day on the windward coast
Trade the Waikīkī skyline for a long sweep of sand, an open bay and a beach park where you can settle in for the day.
Kailua Beach curves around Oʻahu’s windward coast. This guide uses Kailua Beach Park at the southern end as your arrival point, with facilities and nearby food stops. It is not a guide to Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island.
Beach walks and a picnic make a simple visit. Swimming and paddling depend on the day’s conditions: the bay is an ocean environment, not a sheltered swimming pool. Trade winds make this a well-known windsurfing and kitesurfing destination. [1]
Our planning suggestion: start at the park, locate the restrooms and lifeguard station, then choose where to spend your time. Keep the return bus journey or parking closing time in mind.
Getting there
Getting here from Waikīkī
Choose your transport before leaving the hotel. Use the journey planner for your departure time and change its starting point to your own address.
By bus
- Waikīkī → Ala Moana CenterTake route 42, E or W.
- Ala Moana → Kailua / HahaniTransfer to route 67.
- Kailua → Beach ParkTransfer to route 671.
TheBus visitor guide, revised August 23, 2026, lists this connection. Check service alerts and your return connections. [5]
By car
Set the destination to Kailua Beach Park, rather than a generic Kailua address. The route planner will account for your starting point, traffic and road conditions.
Check the parking section before you go. A spot near your chosen entrance is not guaranteed; allow room in your schedule to change plans.
Taxi or rideshare
Book to the beach park and agree on a legal pickup point for the return. Prices and availability depend on the provider and demand.
If you spend time in Kailua town first, use route 671 or plan the final walk to the park. Pack only what you can comfortably carry.
Bus fares to know
As of July 1, 2026, adult cash fare is $3.25 per boarding, with no transfer. HOLO lists a $3 two-hour pass and a $7.50 24-hour pass; the initial card costs $2. Check the fare rules before this multi-bus journey. [6]
Waikīkī directions links start at the Duke Kahanamoku Statue. Journey times are provided by the planner; this guide does not publish a fixed travel-time estimate.
Facilities
The practical beach-day details
Restrooms
Listed at the beach park.
Showers
Rinse-off facilities are listed.
Parking
Use designated park lots.
Picnics
Picnic facilities are listed.
Restrooms, showers and picnic amenities are listed by the beach-safety service. [1] City parking-lot and comfort-station closure hours are 10 p.m.–5 a.m.; the park itself has a separate midnight–4 a.m. closure. Follow on-site signs and temporary restrictions. [3]
Accessibility: confirm before travelling
The beach-safety listing shows an accessibility mat, but the City’s accessibility page carries a notice dated August 20, 2025 that the beach wheelchair and mat near the bathhouse are unavailable. Do not assume either is in service. Contact (808) 768-8980 and check the City page for your visit. [7]
Ocean safety
Check conditions before you swim
Speak to an on-duty lifeguard before entering the water, follow posted warnings, swim with a buddy and supervise children near the shoreline. A listed lifeguard schedule is not a guarantee of coverage at every point along the bay. [8]
Stay out of brown water and water affected by storm runoff. Check Department of Health advisories after heavy rain. [9] In an emergency, call 911.
These links open external condition reports. This page does not show a live safety status.
Parking & crowds
Plan your arrival, then slow down
PARKING & ACCESS
Use the park as your destination
Kailua Beach Park has designated parking lots, with City-listed overnight closure hours of 10 p.m.–5 a.m. [3] Read the signs at the lot you use; this guide does not confirm a current parking tariff or space count.
Lanikai’s residential streets have separate parking rules. The City announced a phased parking-management update in June 2026. Check the latest City information if you extend your visit there. [10]
POPULARITY & TIMING
A popular beach, not a hidden spot
The City describes Kailua Beach Park as heavily used by residents and visitors. Its page cites a Sea Grant study reporting more than 1,700 daily visitors; that is a historical study figure, not a live count. [2]
Our planning suggestion: try an earlier weekday arrival for more flexibility, and have an alternative plan if the lots are full. This is editorial advice, not Google Popular Times data or a promise of fewer people.
Help care for the shoreline. The City has been restoring dunes with planting and fencing. Use open access routes and avoid walking through protected vegetation. [2]
Food nearby
Lunch without a complicated detour
Two verified businesses close to the park, plus a town option if you want to break up the journey. Check the businesses’ own sites for today’s hours, menus and prices.
COFFEE & TAKEOUT
Kalapawai Market — Kailua Beach
Coffee, sandwiches, snacks and drinks at the park entrance. A practical stop for a picnic or a quick breakfast. Choose the Kailua Beach location when ordering. [11]
306 S. Kalaheo Avenue
Listed hours: daily, 6 a.m.–8 p.m.
SIT-DOWN LUNCH & DINNER
Buzz’s Original Steak House
A sit-down option on Kawailoa Road. Its own site lists lunch and dinner service; call ahead if a table is important to your plans. [12]
413 Kawailoa Road
Lunch: 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Dinner: 4:30–9 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas.
A STOP IN TOWN
Kalapawai Café — Kailua Town
A separate Kalapawai location in town. Consider it if you plan a meal before your final bus connection or after leaving the beach. Confirm which location you are booking. [13]
750 Kailua Road
These are editorial selections. No ratings, “open now” claims or affiliate bookings are displayed.
Explore the area
The park, food stops & your next move
●
Kailua Beach Park
Load an interactive Google Map.
You can switch to the nearby food stops.
Google receives a connection when you load the map.
Make a day of it
A simple visit, with room to explore
01
Arrive at the park
Find an open entrance, note your bus stop or parking location and check ocean conditions with a lifeguard. Start with a beach walk if you prefer to stay on land.
02
Take a lunch break
Pick up food at Kalapawai Market or plan a sit-down meal at Buzz’s. Keep enough time for your return connections, and take your litter away.
03
Choose one extra stop
Return through Kailua town, or plan a separate visit to Lanikai. Check access and parking rules before going into the residential neighborhood.
This is a suggested itinerary, not a scheduled tour. Offshore paddling needs its own conditions check and preparation; it is not included in this simple beach-day plan.
Frequently asked questions
Before you go
Can I get to Kailua Beach from Waikīkī without a car?
Yes. TheBus’s current visitor guide lists 42, E or W to Ala Moana Center, then 67 to Kailua/Hahani, then 671 to the beach park. Plan the trip for your departure time and check the return service. See the transport section.
Are restrooms and showers available?
Both are listed at Kailua Beach Park. The City lists the comfort station and parking lots as closed 10 p.m.–5 a.m. Temporary closures can change access; check posted notices.
Is Kailua Beach the same as Lanikai Beach?
No. This guide’s arrival point is Kailua Beach Park. Lanikai is a separate nearby beach reached through its residential neighborhood, with separate access and parking rules.
Is it safe for children to swim?
Conditions vary, so this guide does not give a blanket “safe” rating. Talk to an on-duty lifeguard, follow warnings and closely supervise children at the shoreline and in the water. If conditions are unsuitable, make it a walk and picnic day.
Is beach wheelchair access available?
The City page has a dated unavailability notice for the beach wheelchair and bathhouse mat. Confirm current arrangements with the City before travelling. See the accessibility note.
What should I bring?
Water, sun protection, a hat, a towel, dry clothes and a bag for your litter. If travelling by bus, keep luggage manageable and have your fare or loaded HOLO card ready. Plan for a day on land if the ocean is unsuitable.
Waikiki.info