Kalama Beach Park | Where Kailua Locals Actually Go

Tucked in the middle of Kailua Bay, Kalama Beach Park is a shady, family-friendly stretch of sand with clear turquoise water, gentle waves, and a laid-back local vibe. It’s where Kailua residents go for sunrise swims, bodyboarding sessions, and all the good parts of Kailua Beach with fewer people.

About Kalama Beach Park

Kalama Beach Park is a quieter, tree-lined stretch of Kailua Beach that most visitors drive right past on their way to the main park. As a longtime Kailua resident, I’ve spent a fair amount of time with my family walking, running, and playing along the full 2.5-mile length of Kailua Beach. Kalama Beach (locals just call it Kalamas) is my favorite section.

Where is Kalama Beach located and how to get there?

• Address: 248 N Kalaheo Ave, Kailua, HI 96734

Kalama Beach Park sits roughly in the middle of Kailua Bay along the windward (east) coast of Oahu. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Waikiki and Koolina. The best way to get there is by car. Although you can take a bus, it will take much longer and you’ll have to spend some time transferring and likely walking. Fair warning, you can get an Uber/Lyft/taxi ride to Kailua from Waikiki, but it’s much slower to find one to take you back.

What amenities does Kalama Beach Park have?

When you’re visiting the beach with family it’s nice to have some basic amenities to make you more comfortable. Kalama Beach Park has just enough to do the trick.

• Facilities: The park includes restrooms (locked between 6:00 pm and 7:00 am), an outdoor shower, and a grassy lawn surrounding an old, dilapidated house (under renovation as of 2026!). The house and land was purchased by the city of Honolulu in 1978 for a steal at $150,000 (worth tens of millions today) and is used for community classes like yoga and lei making.
• Parking: There’s a small parking lot available from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, though spaces fill up quickly. The gates close at 6:00 pm and even though the park attendant will try to round up all the drivers and get them out, a few occasionally get locked inside. I’ve almost gotten myself locked into the parking lot at Kaha Park so now, I set an alarm. If you plan to arrive earlier or stay later (or the tiny lot is full), you can usually find parking on Hauoli Street. If that fills up, you can park on Kainalu.
• Lifeguard: In 2024, a lifeguard tower was installed at Kalama Beach making it safer for swimmers and bodyboarders.

Best Times to Visit Kalama Beach

Kalama Beach never gets Waikiki-crowded but there are still great and less than ideal times to visit.

• Crowds. Early morning or weekdays are ideal for avoiding crowds. More locals visit the beach on weekends and over school holidays making them more crowded.
• Beasties. Several days of high wind can bring Portuguese man-o-wars to shore. These bluish-purple floating blobs pack a painful sting. If you see them scattered along the beach and/or signs posted, you may want to stay out.
• Brown water. If the water is brown and murky, you should reconsider. Heavy rains can cause canals at the north and south ends to dump sediments into the bay. Kailua also has issues with its sewage treatment plant overflowing after heavy rains. Fun. If the water looks funky, check for brown water advisories here.
• Bonus. If you’re visiting Kailua on the Fourth of July, you can watch the fireworks from the beach!

A Tour of Kailua Beach

Kailua Beach in general is known for its soft white sand and calm turquoise waters. A barrier reef that sits outside of Kailua Bay protects the coastline from big waves so it remains relatively gentle throughout. Its 2.5 mile length is divided into sections starting with Castles Beach at the northern end and gently curving to Kailua Beach Park in the south. If you skip around the corner it’s punctuated with Lanikai Beach. Although it’s a perfect family beach overall, there are key differences along the length of beach that make a particular section ideal for specific activities.

Kailua Beach Park

At Kailua Beach Park on the south end of the beach, you have more parking and facilities. The park is larger as well making it a popular spot for weekend gatherings and impromptu soccer games. There is the best place to have a picnic, go for a swim in the designated swimming area, or kayak out to Flat Island or the Mokulua Islands. The area behind Kalapawai market (featuring tasty eats) is a designated launch site for wind-based activities like kite-boarding, foil boarding and wind sailing.

Kalama Beach Park – How it stands out in Kailua Beach

Kalamas, in the middle of the bay shares some of the amenities of Kailua Beach Park but in smaller, quieter form. Here’s where it shines –

• Shorebreak: Kalamas often has fun shorebreak that’s perfect for bodyboarding or bodysurfing.
• Shade: Kalamas has more tall, shady trees than most areas of the beach so if you get there early, you can tuck under one.
• Fewer crowds: Kalama Beach Park is more popular with residents than tourists. It’s quieter than Kailua Beach Park – especially on weekdays.
• Clear water: Canals at the north and south end of Kailua Beach often muddy the waters of Kailua Bay after heavy rains. Kalamas, positioned in the middle of the bay tends to stay clearer.
• Water traffic: This part of the beach has almost no kayak, SUP and boat traffic. There are also fewer wind toys here.
• Amenities: You can have all the amenities of Kailua Beach Park (bathrooms, parking, showers, shade, lifeguards) with some fun waves and fewer people.
• Sunrise photos! This spot is wonderful for sunrise. Grab your camera and a coffee and take in the spectacle or better yet, book a family photo session with Little Bird and let me take beautiful images. You can see sunrise family photo sessions from Kalama Beach Park here, here, and here.

Family Photos at Kalama Beach Park

Kalamas at sunrise is one of those spots that makes the job feel almost unfair. The light comes in low and golden over the Ko’olau Mountains, the waves are doing their thing, and the kids are usually still in that half-awake, genuinely-themselves mode that makes for the best images. There’s real shade from the ironwoods if we need to dodge the direct sun, and almost no one else around.

It’s one of my favorite spots for family photo sessions on the windward side. You can see sessions from Kalama here, here, and here.

Packing List

The non-negotiables. Water, more than you think you need, reef-safe sunscreen and towels. Kalamas has an outdoor shower, which is wonderful, but you’ll still want something to dry off with before the walk back to the car.

For your valuables. Leave them at home or bring them with you and keep them dry. Car break-ins happen on Oahu, including in Kailua. The parking lot at Kalamas is small and visible, but it’s not immune. A dry bag or ziplock for your phone is worth it.

For little kids. Snacks, obviously. A dip net and a bucket if you have a kid who likes to investigate things. The shorebreak here is genuinely fun for small bodyboarders, so if you have one, bring the board. No toys needed beyond that. The beach handles the entertainment.

On sunscreen. Most sunscreen sold at drugstores and grocery stores contains chemicals that damage coral reef ecosystems. Hawaii banned several of them in 2021 for exactly this reason. They’re not great for humans either. Use reef-safe sunscreen, and skip the aerosol spray entirely. Applying it on a windy beach means everyone around you is inhaling it, which is not a gift.

On tents. Kalamas has more natural shade than most of Kailua Beach but if you want to sit close to the water and need cover search for a sandbag tent over a standard pop-up. The wind will eat it.

Castles Beach

Quieter Castles Beach sits at the northern end of Kailua Beach. There are no amenities and the walk from the nearest neighborhood parking is long enough to deter most beach-goers. Locals make the trek when the surf is up as it’s best in this section of the bay. If you’re a runner or love long beach walks, it’s worth a visit to take in the bay and mountain views. Local walkers/runners love to touch the rocks at the end before heading back.

Explore More – Nearby Attractions

After a fun day at the beach, you can stop in Kailua Town for tasty eats and local boutiques. Hekili Street and the area around Chad Lou’s (great local coffee) are where you will find most shops.

If you want to continue exploring the windward coast, you can find a choose-your-own-adventure style windward Oahu itinerary here. Or you can try one of these family-friendly windward hikes

Kalama Beach FAQs

Q: Is Kalama Beach Park good for families with young kids?

A: Yes. The shorebreak is gentle enough for small swimmers, there’s real shade from the ironwood trees, and the park has restrooms, showers, and a lifeguard tower installed in 2024. It’s quieter than Kailua Beach Park, especially on weekdays.

Q: Where exactly is Kalama Beach Park and how do I get there?

A: Kalama Beach Park is at 248 N Kalaheo Ave, Kailua, HI 96734, in the middle of Kailua Bay on Oahu’s windward side. It’s about 45 minutes from Waikiki. Drive; the bus connection is slow and requires transfers. Fair warning: rideshares are easy to get to Kailua but harder to find heading back.

Q: What’s the parking situation at Kalama Beach Park?

A: There’s a small lot open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. It fills up fast on weekends and holidays. The gates close at 6:00 pm, so don’t linger. Street parking on Hauoli or Kainalu is your backup.

Q: When should I avoid Kalama Beach Park?

A: After heavy rain, check for brown water advisories before you go. After several days of strong wind, watch for Portuguese man-o-wars along the shore. They’re not subtle: look for bluish-purple blobs on the sand or posted warning signs.

Q: Is Kalama Beach Park good for sunrise family photos?

A: It’s one of the best spots on the windward side. The Ko’olau Mountains catch the early light beautifully, the beach is nearly empty, and the waves are active enough to keep kids entertained. Little Bird Photography does sunrise sessions here regularly.