Kualoa Regional Park

Description

Halfway up the coast toward Oahu's legendary North Shore, Kualoa Regional Park offers breathtaking views, campsites, and a variety of fun land and water activities.

AT A GLANCE:
HIGHLIGHTS: This park covers 153 acres and is a great destination for families (or anyone!) when visiting the Windward side of Oahu. Almost never busy, you're guaranteed to not have to worry about crowds or difficult parking here. Whether you're stopping by to take a photo by Chinaman's Hat or setting up camp for a few days, Kualoa park and the Kualoa Ranch across the road are definitely worth a visit.

ACTIVITIES: Camping, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, kite flying, ball games, picnics

LIFEGUARD: Only on weekends and during the summer months

WARNINGS!: The shoreline here is very rocky and not very conducive to swimming. Use caution if entering the water. Also, if attempting to swim to Chinaman's Hat, be extremely careful as it can go from low to high tide quickly. Rather than swimming, it is a better choice to kayak, canoe or paddleboard out, or at least paddle out on a surfboard.

AMENITIES: Restrooms, showers, fire pit, plenty of parking, camping

With several large parking lots spread throughout the park, there is bound to be plenty of parking on any day of the year. This park is unique because it allows camping (with permits only at designated campsites) but although the park runs along the coast, there's more rock than sand, and it's not a great area for swimming. It's an ideal place for kayaking and canoeing, however, especially if you want to get a close-up view of Chinaman's Hat. Fishing is also a popular activity here.

The grassy areas of the park are seemingly endless and offer plenty of space to spread out for ball games, kite flying, stringing up a hammock, or simply relaxing under a tree to enjoy the view.

The area in-between the coastline and the mountains is fairly narrow in this part of the island, meaning that you've got an amazing view of the mountains looming above without even leaving the beach.


Closest town:  Kaneohe

Directions: 49-479 Kamehameha Highway

  • From Honolulu: take the Likelike Hwy (HI-63N) toward Kaneohe. It will become Kahekili Hwy, and then Kamehameha Highway. Kualoa Regional Park will be on the right, across from the Kualoa Ranch.
  • From the north shore: take Kamehameha Hwy down the coast. Kualoa Regional Park will be on the left, about halfway between Laie and Kaneohe, across the street from the Kualoa Ranch. Chinaman's Hat makes a great landmark, as the park is directly across from it. 

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