When we decided to visit the Big Island again, I wondered if the beaches would be suitable for a toddler. Many of the beaches we had visited during our Hawaii honeymoon in 2014 were rocky and the waves were sometimes rough. We were pleasantly surprised by how family-friendly Kahaluu Beach Park, a popular snorkeling beach in Hawaii, turned out to be.
The park doesn’t have a huge chunk of sand, but it has food trucks, picnic tables, a snack shop and restrooms. We spent our last full day on the Big Island at this beach. I relaxed and snacked on nachos (about $6) while G and V swam with the fish and turtles. Tip: Bring water shoes! (You can also rent snorkel gear and get reef-safe sunscreen, though on the day we visited rentals were halted due to the water conditions.) V had a wonderful time in the water and then making sand castles with me. Tip: We purchased a sand castle toy set for about $9 at an ABC Store in Kailua-Kona and we brought it back home with us. A life jacket was also super helpful for us. You can save money by bringing your own beverages and snacks vs. buying from a food truck.
One part of the beach is for surfing and the other is for snorkeling, so be aware of where you are swimming. (Lifeguards were on duty when we were there.)
The Kahaluu Beach Park parking lot filled up quickly, but we found that if you drove around someone was always leaving.
Have you visited Kahaluu Beach Park or the Big Island? What was your favorite snorkeling spot?
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Related posts:
Big Island Fun: Rainbow Falls in Hilo, Hawaii
EXPLORING HILO, HAWAII
PU’UHONUA O HONAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK IN HAWAII

Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.