Explore the Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline | Honolulu family photographer

I love the Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline, so dramatic and beautiful. Plus there’s a lot of diversity in this nook of the island. There’s surf, swimming holes, family-friendly hikes, whale watching, and tide pools galore. All good stuff in my opinion.

We had a couple of hours to spare last weekend, but were stumped on what to do. Too cold for the beach, not really long enough for a hike … we found ourselves in the stark beauty of the Ka Iwi coast. The Makapuu lighthouse trail is also part of the Ka Iwi Shoreline, but you’ll want to pass it (if heading south) to get to this spot. Turn left just after the guard rail ends onto a rough, dirt parking area and start exploring from there. If you get to the stoplight, you’ve gone too far.  Check out the site on Google maps for a better idea of where to find it.

Our duo was in heaven. They loved racing up and down the sandy paths (check out Mila’s signature girly run), picking up giant lava rocks and chunks of coral (and hugging them), and smelling flowers. We found some Sonchus in seed, which is a pretty good dandelion substitute. A fierce dandelion blowing competition ensued. Afterwards, we headed down to investigate the tide pools full of gobies and hermit crabs. We delighted in the sooty terns and other seabirds flying overhead and geeked out over the native coastal plants. We were apparently so enthusiastic that we got the kids excited too. Look! I found more nama!! Such enthusiasm over an unassuming annual that’s only a few inches in size. Love these kids! Planning to come back again soon and hike over to Pele’s chair.

Check out the Keiki Monday archives for more fun family activities on Oahu and don’t forget to sign up for the Little Bird Post below to receive monthly updates on Oahu family fun!