This favorite local beach park is located just across the street from the huge Ala Moana Shopping Center and features a wide, sandy beach with calm, shallow water offshore.
Ala Moana Beach Park is fairly well protected from the open ocean and banyan and palm trees provide lots of shade while the large grassy areas of the 100-acre park provide plenty of room to relax. Offshore are some of the south shore’s best surf breaks including Big Lefts, Big Rights, Concessions, Bomboras, and Courts. This park was dedicated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1934, 25 years before the Ala Moana shopping center was built.
Great For
Sunbathing, swimming, picnics, walking, jogging, fishing, surfing, relaxing.
Highlights
The shallow, protected waters make this a great swimming beach. The east end of the beach has a sandier bottom while the west end has some reef bottom.
Another attraction that draws families to this beach is the large lawn. However, this beach can be crowded on some weekends because it is a popular gathering place for many local families who come to enjoy the beach.
Need to Know
Though the water is generally shallow for quite a ways offshore, it drops off suddenly in some places so use caution and stay away from the reef area outside of the channel unless you are a very experienced swimmer. Strong currents sometimes form due to tides and winds, and this can create potentially dangerous situations, usually due to panic at suddenly being swept along by a current. Parents should supervise children closely.
Lifeguard
Yes
Facilities
Restrooms, showers, tennis courts, phones, picnic tables, concession stands, music pavilion.
Access
From Waikiki take Ala Wai Boulevard west and turn left at Niu Street. After one-tenth of a mile go left at Kalakaua Avenue and then go about 170 feet and turn right on Ala Moana Boulevard. After you see the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor on your left and pass over the bridge, turn left on Ala Moana Park Drive where there is a parking lot.