A 119-acre City park just west of Waikīkī with a mile-long, man-made beach built starting in 1954, protected by a fringing reef. The 1962 ʻĀina Moana (Magic Island) peninsula at its Diamond Head end shelters a shallow saltwater lagoon.
Why we love it
This is where Honolulu actually swims: calm water, family picnics on the lawn and sunset over the harbor, all a short walk from Waikīkī.
What to expect
The beach is long and straight, with calm water behind a fringing reef, and you’ll see lap swimmers working along it early in the day. Magic Island’s lagoon is shallow and enclosed, which makes it the safer pick for small kids. Grassy lawns, banyans and picnic tables run the full length, and weekends bring big family gatherings and parties. The park sees an estimated four million visits a year, so mornings and weekdays are quietest. Sunset from Magic Island’s seawall is a local ritual.
Know before you go
- Lifeguards
- Towers at Ala Moana Beach and Magic Island Lagoon are staffed daily 8 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
- Hours
- City park hours are 4 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. Picnic sites are first-come, first-served.
- Permits
- Groups of 50 or more, bounce houses or amplified music need a City Use of Park Facilities permit, applied for at least three weeks ahead.
- Jellyfish
- Like Waikīkī, the south shore can get box jellyfish about 8–10 days after a full moon. Lifeguards post warnings.
- Facilities
- Bathhouses and concessions at both the Diamond Head and ʻEwa ends; McCoy Pavilion’s Banyan Courtyard work is expected to finish in spring 2027.
Photo: Daniel Ramirez via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
