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Ko'Olina
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
9 reviews for Ko'Olina
Beautiful beach even with a hotel right there.
Rocks break all the waves coming into the lagoons so it's not rough.
Great for kids to play and let loose.
No lifeguards so keep an eye on your keikis.
Really cool to watch the japanese tourist get married.
Clean water, especially early morning.
Can go running.
Beautiful sunsets and you can check out the sharks and stingrays at the hotel.
One of my favorite beach places to frequent....Ko'Olina (lagoon 4..I think is the one closest to the hotel) is always a stop when I come back home.
Parking is minimal, at best, so I recommend an early start to the day at the beach. If not, you'll find yourself sitting in the car, stalking beach goers who are "all pau" (finished) soaking up the sun and the water.
Lagoon 4 is not only closest to the hotel, but also the place right by the chapel. If you're lucky...and people almost always are, you will get to see someone's wedding there, with the bride and groom usually outside on the beach taking pictures. It's always kind of fun to watch them pose and check out the bride's dress.
But the real reason why I like it here is because it is almost always quiet, with just the right amount of people. Not too crowded, and not desolate at all.
It has the perfect mixture of sand as you walk into the water...but with nice soft grass closer to the showers and bathroom so when you do sun bathe, you aren't caught in a sand wiping fit as the sand creeps onto your towel and starts to stick to you.
Being a man-made lagoon and all, the waters aren't as clear as I would like...but hey, you dont have to worry about rocks or seaweed all up on your feet as you wade in the water.
I like it hear because it's clean, relaxing, and nice to just lay in the sun and get brown.
Five stars seems appropriate for my 100th review.
Ko Olina is my favorite spots in Hawaii where I can truly relax and reflect upon my life: present and future.
As you enter, you'll pass by a security station where you mention your destination. This is also the location of Paradise Cove Luau, JW Marriott Ihilani Hotel, Roy's Restaurant, a golf course, time shares, residential units, a marina, a wedding chapel and the future home of Disney Resorts.
There are a total of four man made lagoons which offers calm waves without the rough ocean currents. It's a wonderful place to get the beach setting for vacationers, families and locals.
With only four public parking lots (19 spaces plus 2 handicap spots), finding an open parking spot takes a combination of luck and timing. At times, employees have discouraged vehicles waiting by the lots for someone to exit. During major peak times, the the security stations provides a lagoon pass to display on the dashboard. There was also a time when I was denied access because of the maximum capacity but somehow I finagled my way in.
Lagoon one is usually is my favorite because it's close to the hotel. They have a few stationary umbrellas for the public and lounge chairs closer to the hotel for their guests. I've been to all the lagoons and they are all beautiful and they offer restrooms and outdoor showers to rinse off.
This property has many resort quality features. I've had the opportunity to golf there and saved some money during their twilight hours. During the early morning, you'll see plenty of walkers and runners enjoy the pedestrian paths throughout the community. This is also the location where I trained for my SD marathon. From the entrance to the last security station is 4.5 miles loop. (see profile pix)
The JW Marriott Ihilani Hotel hosts a beautiful hotel, spa and dining experience. My meals at Azul have been delightful and the service was above average. The hotel has many picturesque spots to capture the resort essence.
For those looking to get married in Hawaii, Ko Olina has a chapel where you can hire a wedding coordinator to provide you with your dream wedding. After the ceremony, the couple can take pictures on the beach and do like me: be a wedding crasher! (see profile pix)
One of my most memorable dining experiences was Roy's Restaurant where the golf course is located. The food was outstanding (I'll write my review for them one of these days) along with the pleasant company.
As for the perfect sunset, make your way towards the hotel and walk towards the beachfront. Try not to step on the rocks in the ocean because they are rough and sharp. You'll see a path leading directly to the water where you can watch the most stunning, breathtaking sunset ever.
Now you get a sense of how special this location is for me. As for all the wonderful friends I've made on Yelp and the great reviews from all the Yelpers, I'd like to say mahalo/thanks and hope to continue reading and writing with you folks.
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Fantastic beach. Man-made lagoons, but very beautiful. There are huge rocks that break the waves, so the lagoon is very calm. Great for kids. Definitely saw 3 Japanese couples get their wedding pictures taken. Very cute:)
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We stumbled upon the Ko'olina lagoons years ago and I was convinced that I had found my dream wedding location. Small intimate lagoons with calm wading waters--not to mention the phenomenal sunsets you can catch in any one of the lagoons. :)
I fell in the love with the community so much that when my cousin relocated to Hawai'i last year with her hubby, Ko'olina was the first place I recommended her to check out. And yes, that brat is now living in a fabulous condo in the community with the lagoons at her every disposal. :) And yes, I've already taken advantage of it by staying there twice in under 12 months :)
Ko'olina is definitely a lounging beach so don't expect to catch any surf or body boarding here. But if you're looking for some relaxation and beauty on this side of the island, c'mon over!
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Great swimming for toddlers and babies! We were at lagoon 4 which had quite a few people but was by no means crowded...this was on a Saturday afternoon so we expected it.
The girls (and myself) loved splashing around in the calm, protected water. The sand was quite hot by the time we got out there so watch out for little feet!
We got here kinda late so we sucked it up and paid $10 for parking. Not too bad.
Ko'olina beach is a very beautiful beach on the south west of Oahu. Rather than a beach, it's a set of mainly four man-made lagoons. I think Ko'olina beach is a public beach, but it's located within private properties, and you'd have to get through Ko'olina's main gates to reach there.
When you reach the main gate, you'll have to tell the person what you're doing there. It's best just to say you're going to go to a restaurant and maybe check out the beach. They give you a piece of paper where you can park at a gated parking lot. I heard that it gets pretty busy during certain times of the day, especially on the weekend, and the parking was very limited. Luckily, I was able to secure a spot as I went during the early evening.
The lagoons are very beautiful and kept very clean, probably because it is privately managed by the resorts. This is about as close of a feeling you can get to feeling like you're in paradise in Hawaii. Even though I've lived in Hawaii most of my life coming here still feels like paradise. Palm tree, wide ocean, calm winds, beautiful sands, green grass, sunset view.
I didn't go into the water, but it's shallow enough so it's good for the kids. Going before sunset is also very romantic and most recommended for a date. I was able to watch the sunset hoping to see the green flash, but the clouds that sat right above the horizon blocked the view.
Going from the lagoon of one end to the fourth at the other end is quite a walk. The beach closes when the sun sets and becomes dark. I think you can still stay around at the beach during that time, but the public restrooms will all be locked up.
Ko'olina beach is definitely worth the drive if you're coming in from Honolulu.
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Love this beach.
Ko'Olina is the beautiful beach resort / park type place. This is where husband proposed. His friends went out and set up a table with food, wine, roses, and candles. It was beautiful. And obviously he got the answer he was looking for.
