Bellows Beach Oahu | The Weekend Beach Worth the Effort

Bellows Beach is a 2-mile stretch of white sand on the windward coast in Waimanalo, part of Bellows Air Force Station. It’s open to the public on weekends only, from around noon on Friday to midnight on Sunday, and sometimes closed for military training. Check for signage at the guard shack on Kalanianaole Highway before you drive in. The beach is long, backed by ironwood trees, and less crowded than anywhere comparable on the island. The far northern end near the military boundary is the gentlest, with shallow water good for babies and toddlers at low tide.

Exploring the Windward Coast

A perfect day on Oahu includes a slow drive along the windward coast with the windows down and the scent of flowers on the breeze. Sunshine sculpted mountains rise abruptly to one side and impossibly turquoise ocean stretches out on the other. The only question is – where to stop? From rocky shores with crashing waves to curious tidepools and quiet stretches of sand. You’re spoiled for choice.

If you’re looking to relax on a weekend, however, you may have to battle the crowds at popular spots like Lanikai and Kailua Beaches. The good news is that solitude is only a short drive away.

Escape the Crowds at Bellows Beach

Bellows Beach is officially a military training area, but on weekends they open this 2-mile stretch of beach to the public. One end borders Sherwood Beach, but the opposite end near the military boundary offers the most baby-friendly conditions. Here, gentle swells replace the rough shorebreak that lines most of Waimanalo Beach. At low tide, the water recedes leaving a shallow splash pad that babies and toddlers love.

The beach accumulates driftwood, which means an abundance of beach toys built right in. Kids can make forts, have sword fights, collect treasure. On our last visit the kids decided the water was too cold but were perfectly happy with their driftwood haul. They built a working seesaw, a questionable fort, and set up a shop selling fancy cocktails and kukui nut poke. Which ultimately left us hungry for actual poke so we made a stop at Tamura’s on the way home.

A Perfect Beach for Babies

Babies and big waves don’t generally mix. Steep shorebreak rings the majority of Waimanalo Beach but at this far northern end, the slope is gentle. At low tide, a shallow sand shelf forms creating a natural splash pad with great views. If you’re looking for more baby friendly beaches, you can find a round-up here.

Getting There and What to Know

Bellows Beach is located on Kalanianaole Highway in Waimanalo on the windward coast, about 30 minutes from Waikiki. Enter through the guard shack and look for posted signage. If the beach is closed for military training there will be a sign (and you can head next door to Sherwoods). Public access runs roughly noon Friday through midnight Sunday, and on federal holidays. It can and does close occasionally for training exercises, so don’t make it the centerpiece of a vacation day without a backup plan.

Parking: Free, multiple lots right at the beach.

Facilities: Restrooms, showers, BBQ stations, pavilions, and picnic tables. Lifeguards on duty daily 10am to 5pm during public access hours.

Camping: Available with a permit. The sites are in the ironwood trees behind the beach, shaded and close to the water. It’s popular, which means it gets crowded and loud. Don’t expect much privacy or quiet. The ironwood leaf piles are prime centipede habitat, so shake out your shoes and gear in the morning. The views and the sound of the ocean make up for it, but light sleepers should know what they’re signing up for.

If you have military access: You’re lucky. The military side of Bellows is a proper recreation facility with warm water showers, cabins and apartments right on the beach, camping areas, a restaurant, a store, basketball courts, and biking trails. One of the better-kept secrets on the island. If you’re not military, it’s a good reason to make a friend ;)

Man-o-wars wash up regularly on this stretch of coast. Check with the lifeguard or scan the shoreline for bluish-purple blobs before letting little ones run in.

What to Bring

The non-negotiables. Water and sunscreen. Bellows is exposed and windy. Bring something to anchor your stuff or it’ll end up in the ironwoods.

For little kids. A bucket and shovel. The sand here is some of the finest on the island and kids will dig for hours. A bodyboard. The waves are more consistent toward the southern end and this is a good beginner bodyboarding beach (or skim boarding).

A hammock. The ironwood trees line the shore and it’s one of the better hammock beaches on the island.

On shade. Skip the traditional beach umbrella as it won’t survive the tradewinds. A beach tent or canopy that stakes into the sand is a much better option here.

On sunscreen. Use reef-safe sunscreen and skip the aerosol (your neighbors don’t need it in their lungs). Hawaii banned several common sunscreen chemicals in 2021 for good reason. They damage coral reef ecosystems and aren’t great for humans either.

Family Photos at Bellows Beach

Bellows is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island for family sessions — long white sand, Ko’olau Mountains behind you, almost no one else around. You can see what a morning adventure looks like here here, here, and here. And if it looks like something your family would be into, here’s where to start.

More to Do Nearby

Sherwood Beach is right next door at the southern end of the same stretch of sand if Bellows is closed. Five miles of beach total, backed by coastal forest with good hammock trees and boulders to climb at the junction where the two beaches meet. Waves are wilder here.

For a full day adventure from sunrise to sunset check out the best of windward Oahu. Ko’olau Mountains on one side, ocean on the other the whole way up.

For hikes nearby, the windward hike roundup has options at every level, including the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail just down the road which is easy, paved, and has whale watching in winter.

If You Get Hungry

The vendors at the entrance on weekends are worth stopping for on your way in or out. Rotisserie chicken is almost always there, and the lineup keeps growing.

Tamura’s Fine Wine and Liquors has a poke counter that’s worth the stop on the way home. One of the best on the windward side.

Waimanalo Poke Stop is a newer spot in the strip mall nearby with good reviews. Worth trying if Tamura’s has a line.

Kalapawai Market in Kailua is a favorite for sandwiches and deli items if you want to pack a lunch before heading down.

And if you’re doing a 7-Eleven run: ahi rolls, musubi, and inari are personal go-tos but they have surprisingly tasty options.

Bellows Beach FAQs