Ala Moana Beach Park

Ala Moana Beach Park is a large city park and beach at 1201 Ala Moana Boulevard in Honolulu, on Oahu, Hawaii, roughly 2 miles west of Waikiki and beside Ala Moana Center. The mile-long beach has soft, light sand, and a reef offshore holds the water calm and shallow, so the lagoon-like swimming area is clear and gentle for most of the year. Because the reef breaks the swell, the park is popular with families, lap swimmers, paddlers and locals rather than surfers, although a surf break exists beyond the reef. The park is mostly grass and shade trees, with picnic tables, walking and jogging paths, and wide lawns running back from the sand to the boulevard. It is among the most used local beaches on Oahu, with a strong residential character: weekends bring large family gatherings, barbecues and birthday parties, while weekday mornings are quieter. Amenities include lifeguards, restrooms and showers, picnic tables and shade, and free parking in the park lots that fills during weekends and holidays. Food is easy to find because the Ala Moana Center, one of the largest open-air shopping centres in the world, is a short walk across the boulevard, and its food court and restaurants serve the beach crowd. The park connects at its western end to Magic Island (Aina Moana), a peninsula with a lagoon and sunset views, and the two are frequently visited together. Access is simple: TheBus Routes 8 and 20 serve the area, and many visitors walk from the shopping centre or take a rideshare from Waikiki. The Friday night fireworks over the water from nearby resorts are sometimes visible at dusk, and sunsets from the park are a local favorite.