Is Waikiki Beach free?

Yes, Waikiki Beach is free and public. You don't need a hotel stay to use the sand in front of the hotels. Their loungers and umbrellas are separate rentals. Kuhio Beach Park closes from midnight to 5 a.m.; free access doesn't mean the park stays open overnight.

Are there lifeguards at Waikiki Beach?

Yes, Honolulu Ocean Safety has towers along Waikiki. Towers open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Near the central hotels, Tower 2A stands at 2367 Kalakaua Avenue and Tower 2B at 2401. Ask a lifeguard about conditions before you enter your chosen stretch.

Is Waikiki Beach good for swimming with children?

Yes, Kuhio's sheltered pools suit children when conditions allow. The walls shelter the water from waves. They aren't for jumping off. Your swim still depends on the day's warnings; ask a lifeguard about jellyfish and conditions before your children enter.

Where do you park at Waikiki Beach?

The zoo lot on Kapahulu Avenue costs $1.50 per hour with a 4-hour limit; display your paid receipt. Waikiki Shell parking at 2805 Monsarrat Avenue is free. Kalakaua's inland meters between Monsarrat and Paki charge $0.50 hourly from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. They allow 4 hours; Shell lot hours follow posted event restrictions.

Can you learn to surf at Waikiki Beach?

Yes, beachfront stands offer beginner lessons at Kuhio and Waikiki beaches. Lessons generally last 1 to 2 hours on longboards. Your instructor helps you choose a suitable break for the day's conditions. The booking page should give the minimum age and swimming requirements.

Is there a free hula show at Waikiki Beach?

Yes, the Kuhio Beach Hula Show is free. It runs Saturdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. HST near the Duke Kahanamoku statue. There's no show on October 31. Weather or street events can cancel performances; the show hotline is 808-843-8002.

Things to do in Oahu › Oahu beaches › Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach

Calm pools and surf lessons

Updated October 30, 2026 Ocean Safety tower list and city rules; official hula schedule

Waikiki Beach follows Honolulu's south shore on Oahu, from the Hilton lagoon toward Diamond Head. Kuhio's pools sit among these hotel-front beaches. You don't need a hotel room to use the public sand. Lifeguard towers cover several sections. Behind Kuhio's walls the water is calmer; gentle surf breaks lie offshore. The box jellyfish window on most days falls 9 to 10 days after a full moon.

Waikiki Beach, the hotels and Diamond Head

The Royal Hawaiian hotel from the beach at Waikiki

Map

Where Waikiki Beach is

21.2741° N, 157.8243° W Directions in Google Maps Apple Maps OpenStreetMap

How to get there

On foot You can walk here from any Waikiki hotel. Kuhio Beach opens directly off Kalakaua Avenue by the Duke Kahanamoku statue. Use the public path between The Cheesecake Factory and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Hotel to reach the central hotel stretch.
From the airport Waikiki Beach is 9.5 miles or 15.3 km by road from HNL, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. TheBus W Line reaches Waikiki via Ala Moana. Your final stop depends on your hotel or beach entrance.
By bus or trolley TheBus costs $3.25 per adult cash ride with no transfers. Your HOLO price is $3.00 for 2 hours of transfers; a new card costs $2.00. The Waikiki Trolley Pink Line links Waikiki with Ala Moana Center for $6.00 per adult day pass.
With a tour Surf lessons meet at stands on the beach. Catamarans offer sunset sails and Turtle Canyon snorkeling. Find your meeting point on the booking page; hotel check-in can come before the walk to the boat.

At a glance

Waikiki Beach at a glance

Water	calmer behind Kuhio Beach's concrete walls, with surf breaks beyond. Your surf lesson starts at a beachfront stand. Sand has been brought in to maintain parts of this shore, so its shape isn't fixed.
Lifeguards	towers open daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. HST. Tower 2C is at 2479 Kalakaua Avenue in Kuhio Beach Park. Tower 2H is at 2815 Kalakaua Avenue by Kaimana Beach.
Shade	limited on the sand, with trees around Kuhio Beach Park and Kapiolani Park. Hotel loungers aren't included in public beach access. Waikiki Beach Services offers umbrella sets for $20 per hour, bought in person when available.
Parking	no single beach lot; the zoo lot charges $1.50 per hour with a 4-hour limit. Waikiki Shell parking is free, with spaces taken in arrival order. Kalakaua Avenue's inland curb beside Kapiolani Park has $0.50 hourly meters from Monsarrat Avenue to the Paki Avenue intersection.
On the shore	showers and restrooms along the beachfront. Surf and canoe stands sit near the water. The free Saturday hula show has grass seating beside the Duke Kahanamoku statue; you can bring a mat.
Access	free and public, even in front of hotels. You don't need a room key to visit. Kuhio Beach Park and Kapiolani Regional Park close from midnight to 5 a.m.
Hazards	box jellyfish often arrive 9 to 10 days after a full moon. They can appear on other days too. Don't enter where jellyfish are present; the reef and seawalls can also be sharp.

Before you go

Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower. Use the Waikiki Aquarium's jellyfish calendar after a full moon; obey the warning signs where you swim. If you're staying in Waikiki, leave the car at your hotel and walk.

The beach

What Waikiki Beach is like

Kahanamoku Beach sits beside the Hilton lagoon at Waikiki's west end. Farther toward Diamond Head, Kuhio Beach has two walls enclosing the swimming pools. Queen's Surf runs from the Kapahulu Groin toward the aquarium, with restrooms along this quieter stretch toward Diamond Head. The shallow reef at Kahanamoku also shelters a family swimming area. Shelter from waves doesn't remove the sharp reef or replace advice from a lifeguard.

The Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider front the central beach. Their hotel chairs don't make the sand private. You can reach this stretch through public access paths and sit without renting a lounger. Umbrella rentals provide shade where the trees don't reach your patch of sand. Walk from your hotel with a towel if you don't need rental chairs, and leave the car where it is.

Canoes and Queens are surf breaks off central Waikiki. Longboard lessons start at beachfront stands, with your instructor choosing the break for the day's conditions. Some catamarans board from the sand for Turtle Canyon or sunset sails, and their loading spot can shift with the tide. You can watch sunset from shore, then head for the free Saturday hula show beside the Duke statue. Kuhio Beach Park closes from midnight to 5 a.m., so you can't plan an overnight stay on its grass.

Tours

Surf lessons and boat tours from Waikiki

Surf lessons 14 tours · from $51.54

The surf lessons list compares Waikiki options by group size and lesson format. Match your child's age to a class and find its meeting point before choosing.

Sunset cruises and boat tours 14 tours · from $46

The sunset cruises and catamaran sails list covers beach departures and harbor boats. Your boarding point matters: a Waikiki sail doesn't always start on the sand outside your hotel.

Snorkeling tours and Hanauma Bay 14 tours · from $39.99

The snorkeling list includes Turtle Canyon boat trips and outings to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Your departure details distinguish a beach boarding point from a ride to the preserve.

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