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Ala Moana Beach Park
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
34 reviews for Ala Moana Beach Park
Who doesn't love Ala Moana Beach Park? Well except for when the jellyfish come into town or when we had that giant sewer leak disaster. Bygones! Stinging & poo. We're tougher than that!
My kiddies and I are regulars at Ala Moana Beach Park because it's just 5 minutes from where we live and usually there is lots of parking. Mostly because we don't go there during holidays. Avoid Ala Moana on big holidays at all costs! Fourth of July and Labor Day are really ridiculous and all the extra people make the water really disgusting. That water is green because blue + yellow = green!
I like the beach area right by the Magic Island parking lot because the water is very shallow and I don't have to worry that my toddlers will get pummeled by gigantic waves. There are always lots of other kids playing as well so they usually make friends and steal sand toys.
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If you're ready to graduate from Waikiki beach, head to Ala Moana. It's less crowded, more spacious, and still not far from the center of town.
The beach is great for beginning surfers, swimmers, runners (long sidewalk), or just folks who want to chill on the grass or sand.
Ample free parking (go in the morning....otherwise afternoons fill up quick). Bathrooms nearby.
This is a great place for families. Lots of folks BBQing and just chilling under canopies.
I like it for what it's worth. It's across the street from the mall so you can head there after for a drink or some dinner.
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Such a family-oriented beach. I've swung by here many-a-times just to sit around with friends, play music, go for a quick dip, read, watch the sunset, etc etc etc. Such a low-key place to chill, so peaceful, so lovely!
Beach was ok. Bathrooms are grrrroooossss. Be sure to rinse off after swimming since the water doesn't circulate a ton. And be careful where you enter since some of it is pretty rocky. It's a nice place to sit on the beach and avoid the general madness of the beaches that seem to exist near this area.
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After numerous studies done with my Environmental Studies class (in 2008), I can say with the utmost certainty that this is the most unsanitary beach in Honolulu. We tested the waters for algae, bacteria and sea life, and these had the most troubling numbers. Though the sprawling grassy areas and trees look inviting and picturesque, it's not very safe at night. During the day, however, it's a popular enough tourist spot that you could sunbathe in relative safety. Still, I wouldn't venture out there past dark.
My Dad tells me it was THE picnic spot when he was growing up in Honolulu (back in the 60s. mind you) but a lot has changed since then. If you're looking for calm waters to dip your toes in and get some sun during the day, it's fine. Even convenient since it's located just a stones throw away from Ala Moana Center and some hotels, but be out by dark, keep the water away from your mouth and keep an eye on your belongings.
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Away from the bustle of Waikiki, you'll find more of the locals hang-out here.
Runners: You'll see plenty of runners and walkers during all hours of the day here. I personally loved running along the sea wall, just don't get splashed! Take the route as far as it goes. Another great place to run is along the canal behind the Convention Center.
Beach-Goers: Avoid the Waikiki madness. The beach inlet is protected so you'll see more paddle boarders on the calm waters. Good place to lay-out, has rinsing showers.
Park: Lots of families and kids running around. Ample space for plenty of activities, bring your own tables.
When I went, I didn't see any signs of "tent city". Only a couple of transients.
Spongebob Awesomeness: Great little place for a run and getting a tan
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Went to this beach since it was right next to our hotel (Hawaii Prince) and it was ok. It wasn't very crowded probably because of the threat of a tropical storm and the water was a tad cooler than the beaches near Kailua. The sand however was very rocky and coarse. The BF and I tried to play frisbee but running around on the sand wasn't pleasant as we had to watch our step. It was pretty much like any beach on waikiki except you had room to lay your towel out without people kicking up sand on your towel.
Considering all the other beachs on Oahu, this isn't one of them I would spend time at when I go back. It might be pretty to stop by to watch the sunset after shopping at Ala Moana shopping center, but other than that.. ehhh.
And btw, my bf almost drowned here. Granted, he isn't the best swimmer so maybe it wasn't the best idea for him to swim out to the rocks with me. I had to go under water and push him up by the butt 5 times. I almost drowned myself. What a day!
Low key park, not over populated.
Ala Moana Beach Park seems like a peaceful place where a lot of locals hang out and take a dip. I went for a walk a couple times in the morning and the mood was serene. I also ran though during a race, but don't remember much, except that there was a homeless couple pushing a cart full of wild chickens. That's something you don't see everyday.
Tips: Safe place to go swimming.
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Time and Time Ago
~This is where thoughts roam,
when sinking thoughts they think of home~
5 minutes: Ate some toast. Ran out of ketchup. (Unrelated.)
12 hours: Band practice.
36 hours: Bar-hopped. I think.
1 month: Began recording first studio album.
9 months: Went full-time at The Conversation Group. Became Contributing Writer for Performer Magazine.
1 year: Quit job at Federal Reserve Bank: http://keaneiscool.blo...
1.2 years: College roommate gets married. First wedding of many.
2 years: Ended 6-year relationship with ex. "No really, I'm fine."
2.3 years: First Yelp happy hour. Liver begins clocking overtime.
2.5 years: First gig ever at Kimo's. Went home smelling like pee and PBR and hell they are the same.
2.8 years: Moved to San Francisco. Instantly began hating SUVs and fossil fuels.
3 years: Got job at Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Lowered interest rates for America. Declared national hero. Ate some toast. Ran out of ketchup. (Unrelated.)
4 years: Voted for Kerry. Cried a lot. A lot.
4.5 years: Graduated from UC Davis. Moved to Bay Area. Did not miss smell of cow poop.
6 years: Bought a Les Paul, but could not find "talent" on eBay.
6.5 years: Discovered what I wouldn't do for a Klondike Bar.
7 years: Flight back to California canceled on September 11...
7.8 years: Met ex in Chemistry. Corniness of love combined with subject of class injures several surrounding students.
8 years: Flight to California. First day of college at UC Davis. Numerous breakdowns. Ate some toast. Ran out of ketchup. (Unrelated.)
8.5 years: Graduated from high school. Sat under a tree in Ala Moana Park. Watched sailboats. Wondered how much life would change after leaving home...
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I like this park because you can get all of the Waikiki scenery without having to put up with all of the congestion on the Kalakaua and Kuhio drag strips. During the daytime, it is very peaceful here.
Even though this place is located in paradise, this does not mean one can let their guard down. If parking here, valuables need to be secured or hidden and I probably would not go here after sunset. Also, there is a garbage issue here, particularly after windy days. Furthermore, I have read reports of high bacteria levels at this spot so actually entering the water around here runs the risk of infections.
This beach is still preferable to Waikiki and good area for walking.
I like to swim in the ocean with no waves, so this beach is great for that, but with no waves come large, sharp, coarse sand. not the best sand in hawaii. still better than waikiki beach, since the tourists mainly stay there, and there's room to lay a towel here. It looks like several high schools' athletes train here by swimming and running or floating their canoes.
Magic Island is close by for some mean bbq.
Lot parking is also convenient.
yay. see pics.
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I wasn't aware that Honolulu had a big tent population, but I guess it makes sense once you consider that the weather is never really bad, there's a lot of homeless people, and the city is apparently tolerable to them setting up camp in Ala Moana Park. They aren't that much of a distraction and this place is great to go jog in, lay out on the beach or just hang out with some family and friends. If you end up getting lost in there make sure to ask the guy with one leg for directions, you know he's going to tell you the fastest way to where you want to go, I can't imagine him offering a round about way.
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This could potentially be a dope spot to BBQ, max and relax, but I went surfing here and someone gaffled my Reefs on the beach. Ghetto.
I guess if you need a pair of sandals bad enough to STEAL them you need them more than I do. Nevertheless, I liked that pair and had them for almost 10 years; you bastard.
Well karma is a bitch - I used to play water polo and have significant funk growing between my toes, it's permanent, and now it's yours Prince Farquad.
Auf.
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If you're looking for a family beach where you can picnic or just hangout without having to worry about your kids, this is probably the best beach to go to. There are no waves due to coral reefs (unless you paddle out past that). So depending on what you're looking for, if you want a nice tame beach, this is the one for you.
I would avoid the middle portion of the beach though b/c there's a whole bunch of coral there right next to the shore and that's never fun to step on.
What's neat about this beach? If you go to the last life guard tower (the one closer to the Ward center) and swim out towards the last rock there's a nice little sandbar out there. Be advised, this swim is kind of far and if you dont think you can make it, dont try b/c Im sure the lifeguards' jobs are hard enough.
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This place used to be nicer when I was younger, but for the long stretches of beach, the sand has washed away to reveal the hard coral rock underneath. The beach is perfect for tanning, but you've to swim out about 15 feet out in the water to get past the suntan-lotion feeling in the water. Its good for people who don't want to fight the waves to get in the water, but lately it hasn't been as good as it used to be.
Gah I sound old.
Basically, nature's giant kiddie pool...but for adults, like me, with a terrible, unreasonable fear of jellyfish, drowning, piranha, snapping turtles, orca whales, sharks, electric eels, sharp coral reefs, falling rocks, dolphins with lasers on their heads, and waves larger than a bathtub fart.
Yup. That's me. Ms. Excitement.
WOO!
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Slightly crowded but not as bad as Waikiki... Yikes!
The location and all the parking make this a great default beach for us to visit to hang out and get our feet wet. To me, the view isn't very pretty but the fact that it's still a good, clean beach makes up for it. The park portion of this beach park is one of the better, larger ones I've seen so far. I would definitely have a get-together here, and I'm pretty sure my parents have hosted parties at this beach park when we lived here. *sigh!*
This beach park isn't 100% local, real Hawaii beach but a good alternative and is close to anything else you would need in a chill day -- movie theater, mall, hotels and spas, boat tours, etc.
Waikiki Beach's = Ying, Ala Moana Beach Park = Yang ?!?
Great locals beach, there actually is parking and other park features that you can't get/do at Waikiki. Is it commercialized, etc? No Is it overrun? Not during the week. Safe for the kids and not overcrowded like Waikiki. Adults can swim or have mellow surfing.
I love this beach and think of it as Exercise Beach. This is THE place to come and swim. I mean really swim. Like non-stop keep going for a half mile type swim. It is better than a pool because you don't have to turn around every 25 yards! Plus there are minimal waves. Yesterday a guy was swimming along and you could see his wave, it is that calm.
It is also good for jogging. Nice long path. Well, for someone like me it is long. I'm no super athlete, but making a complete loop of the park is about right for me. It is nice to be able to jog along and not have to deal with traffic and not going in a small circle.
This beach has plenty of bathrooms and water available. Lifeguards in some spots, although it is hard to see why. It even has a kiddie pool at the very southeastern end.
Lechers, this is not the best beach for girl watching. During the week you are likely to see more people washing their cars than Stop Your Breath mermaids.
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Having been born & raised in Hawai'i, here are a few highlights of things I've done at Ala Moana Beach Park, in order that they appear in my memory.
-Came with my grandpa to watch a building get demolished across the way in Waikiki. Yeah, my grandpa rules..i was like...5.
-Ran along the beach with slippers on.
-Realized that running along a beach with slippers on won't get you far.
-Swam & suffered consequential sunburn of assuming that, hey, I'm a dark kid, I can swim for 4 hours with no consequences...
-Attended birthday party.
-Experienced for the first time how much red ants hurt when you stand too long at a birthday party.
-Attempted swinging along banyan tree vine.
-Failed. Horribly.
-Attended various leadership/high school parties.
-Ditched various leadership/high school parties.
-Swam in between classes while attending UH.
-Swam during classes while attending UH.
-Used as subject & backgrounds for Photography, still life, & video production classes.
.....so did everyone else.
-Sat down & drew at empty picnic table during last week of living in Hawai'i.
-Got up, took a breath, ran my feet through the sand, and said goodbye.
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[HONOLULU HAWAII]
Chill local place to play on the beach. Lots of folk BBQing, playing spots, etc. Mostly locals it seems, lots of kids/families. Because it's in a cove, there are no waves whatsoever, so extremely keiki-friendly. I brought my 3 year old niece here, her first time ever at a beach. She loved it and took to the ocean immediately.
For her, I give Ala Moana Beach Park 5 stars.
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Pros: Convenient location, close to Honolulu, good relatively safe water for kids, good area to practice swimming in the ocean, swim laps, adult swims.
Cons: Water is relatively unclean, doesn't get great circulation in here, park can get crowdd on weekends.
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I had to up this place one star to the ultimate five because I've been here three times on this trip and each time it's been pure bliss. Probably because there aren't that many people here, parking was really easy to find and so close that I can see my car from the water, it has a nice path for running all the way to, and around, Magic Island, and then you can jump in the water right after. I prefer this over Waikiki anyway. And I swear it's almost always sunny here, where with Kailua/Lanikai and Haleiwa, you're never quite sure.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/12/2008
Friend MS comes here to surf. I guess if you're looking at the water, the breaks out towards the… Read more »
A cool place to go for the most part. While the beach tends to be less crowded than Waikiki, lots of local families understandably come here on weekends. It has easily accessible outdoor showers, some wide stretches of sand for sunbathing, volleyball, etc. and even a nearby snack bar (sorry; didn't try it).
Tennis courts (roughly a dozen of 'em across the street from the Borders Books on Ala Moana Blvd) are available but can get busy even on weekdays. Bikers, runners and walkers all use the paths winding through the large grassy area of the park. Like many urban parks in the U.S., you could stumble across the homeless here and there.
Lots of fun daytime activites overall (seniors playing golf croquet on the lawn, hobbyists racing remote controlled sailboats in the lagoon, people cruising around in outriggers in the adjacent boat harbor, etc.).
If you want to picnic and get further away from Ala Moana Blvd., get on over to Magic Island (aka Aina Moana) which has better views, lots of picnic tables, and even charcoal disposal bins. Just walk on the path parallel to the Ala Wai Boat Harbor channel and try to find some shade.
Forget Waikiki Beach!
If you want to go where the locals go (near Waikiki, that is) and stay away from the droves of tourists, Ala Moana Beach Park is your place.
Ala Moana Beach Park is about 2 miles north of Waikiki Beach, right across from Ala Moana Shopping Center. The beach itself stretchs for about a mile. There's a large parking area, although spots fill up early. Not too far to walk to though (about 2 miles from Waikiki Beach) or if yer lazy, take a shuttle to Ala Moana Shopping Center and walk from there.
White, silky sand, blue, warm water ... and not as much glare off pasty-white, midwesterner's guts and butts as there is at Waikiki Beach.
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Ala Moana beach park is filthy and full of hobos. There's trash and feces everywhere, and the canal behind it stinks like poo. The bathrooms are also slimy and disgusting.
The beach is nice and so is Magic Island, but there's very little parking along the stretch towards the tennis courts and concessions, making it very inconvenient, especially on weekends.
My opinion is that it's a great location with tons of potential - potential that is not being used. The City should really re-develop the entire park from scratch and bring some pride and enjoyment back to the area.
Crowded yes but definitely I still had my space. Only bad thing is my cousin and I swam out the the middle beach. That was always a goal of mine since I visited in 8th grade. Finally did 6 years later and it was just rock/coral. Mind you sharp rocks. We saw a crab and my cousin wants to pick up. He walks over and steps on a sharp rock cutting his toe pretty deep. EkkK tetanus shot anyone? Stinky crab why did you have to be so alluring? haha
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Not my favorite beach because it tends to be overcrowded, and there are parts that are good for kids to wade in (but lots of kids = lots of pee in the water) but not good to swim in. Ala Moana Beach Park is great for picnics, but grab your spot early, because the weekends mean crowds. I think this is one of the better beaches for laying out, though...and thus spent waaaaaay too much time here during college, when I should have been in class.
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We spent the last 30 minutes of our vacation at this beach, and I really regret that we didn't go there to begin with. It is a very nice beach, not overwhelmed by the tourists and constant 'events' at waikiki beach. It's very easy to get to, the parking is free, and inches away from the sand, and it's not crowded. Less crowded = fewer smokers = fresher air!
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This park is located right across Ala Moana Shopping Center. This is a great beach to bring the kids. It's protected from big waves, making it safe for the little ones. Lots of local families come to the grassy part, outfitted with portable shelters, bar-be-cues, and terrific grinds (food). There are showers up and down the beach, as well as restrooms in the grassy area. If you want your choice of spots on the weekend, get here early, because the parking fills up fast. The only reason is doesn't get five stars from me, is that I'm spoiled, having spent part of my childhood in Micronesia, where we would often be the only ones on the sparkling white sand beaches.
Fun place for swimming, baking in the sun, picnics and BBQ right on the beach or walk over to Magic Island to have your own secluded lagoon all to yourself.
This is another "locals" beach--manmade at that. Small rocks on the shore and when you start to walk into the water. Other than that, i's not too bad. It can get crowded with family picnics/bbqs, especially on weekends. The beach area closer to the marina seems to be a little less crowded than the main area. Definitely a good beach for families.
This is my beach- love it! It's close to my place and there are plenty of places to park. It's so peaceful & beautiful here! The parking lot does fill up on Sat & Sun because of picnics & bbqs, but the beach is never too crowded. You won't find hoards of tourists over here, like at Waikiki beach. This is also where I do my walking.
