Kealia Beach

Pretty intense waves here. Nice wave breaks in between. The waters got a lot of grooves in between — great for boogie boarding and surfing

This is a beautiful beach, and we made this the first beach we visited when we stayed in Kapaa on our recent trip to Kauai. The colors of the water is breathtaking! My teenage son loved boogie boarding here and I loved that there were lifeguards from 9 – 5. There are large rocks in certain areas so be careful not to hurt you toes. The sand is fine and soft but we found several pieces of glass in several different areas of the beach which is why took off one star. We visited this beach three times during our Kauai vacay and hope to be back some day!

This beach isn’t amazing but it’s great when the weather is bad on the north shore. We found we could drive 30 minutes from Hanalei and be on a beautiful sunny beach.
It was fun to watch the surfers and body boarders on this beach. We also loves renting bikes and riding the board walk all the way down to Kaapa.
We wouldn’t want to hit up Kealia everyday but it was good when we needed sun and the north shore was rainy.

Easily accessible just north of Kapaa town. Easy parking and bathrooms make it a plus. It’s not a wide beach, but it has plenty of space and you can see people setting up their tents on the far left of the beach. I stumbled upon this beach as it has been unusually cloudy in Poipu (go figure). I am glad I found it as I have already visited twice. Lots of locals and dogs which is fun to watch. if you’re looking for a laid-​back beach and not too many tourists (even though I am one –everyone thinks I am an island girl LOL) thne you should come here!

Easy access and parking. Life guard on duty so it’s safe for the kids and non-​swimmers like myself. There is also a nearby bathroom which is a plus. More people here than Secret Beach but not too packed for a Saturday.

Loved it. Cruisin w frenz unda da shade of da pavilions. Nice breeze and view of ocean was Great! Awesome. Trash/​recycle cans and bathrooms too.

This a beautiful and easily accessible beach located on the eastern side of the island. Parking is easy and there are bathroom and shower facilities which is always helpful. The sand is pristine and the waves are great for boogie-​boarding! But beware, there are quite a few rocks in the water so wear some water/​surfing shoes so that you don’t leave with tons of scrapes on your feet!

If you find a pair of prescription sunglasses, they belong to my teenage son. Sigh! Great beach for surfing and sunbathing.

Love this beach! Lots of space on this sandy beach. Not cramped up next to people. Clean water. There is a place to shower. No weird vibes out in the water (tho it was small, so I can’t imagine anyone being vibey on such a small day). Haven’t surfed here since high school, so it was a nice change. Parking was okay — we got there early. There’s lifeguards, so that’s comforting. I should come here more when I’m at home. Idk why I don’t.

Beautiful beach with soft sand and great waves.

This was the first beach we went to in Kauai and I was immediately impressed/​excited/​intimidated by the huge waves! I am used to the puny waves in DE/​MD/​SC so it was a shock for me. Lots of boogie boarders there and boyfriend jumped right in and bodysurfed as well and got the S kicked out of him by the powerful waves. I had a good time just standing in the waistdeep water and trying to withstand the surf. I was knocked on my ass many a time. Really fun!
This beach gets crowded and there seems to be a lot of local teens that hang out here. One night we came to picnic with some burgers (beware: picnic tables have been overtaken by ants) and noticed that this seems to be a huge hangout spot for teens to park their trucks, blare their music and drink. Fun to watch and made me miss highschool.
In general, I really like this beach. I am only marking it down a star because it was extremely crowded compared to the other beaches we went to.
OH! And we met some cute dogs here. I like how people bring their dogs to the beach and just let them roam and make friends. We had dinner with a dog named Douglas who was sooo cute and sweet!
I am a fan!

This is an awesome beach. The waves and long sloping ocean floor are perfect for boogie boarding from beginner to advanced, and the surf is great for people to hang ten beyond that. Beginners should stay to the left (North) side of the beach, closer to the rock wall. The waves are not as strong. Locals call that the «baby side.»
A stretch of pavilions are available for picnics, and there is a bathroom and shower to clean up after a day of playing in the waves. There is also a life guard station.
This beach is susceptible to mounds of debris after storms, so be weary of that. You might want to try somewhere else if you are eerie of a lot of floating and sunken wood. Also, there are various patches of very large rocks that do not feel good when you run into them or a wave drops you onto one, so step lightly or deal with bruised shins.
This is a great beach to escape the drones of tourists, but there are a ton of locals, so be respectful and try to play nicely.

Beware of the HUGE waves, which makes lots of fun for the surfers out here! If you want to watch some surfers, check out this beach, they will sure entertain you as they ride the waves! Pretty cool!

By far my favorite beach on all the Hawaiian Islands I’ve been on! It’s a locals spot which I love. The waves are decent and it’s got a great relaxed vibe to it that is so indicative of the Aloha Spirit. It’s not too touristy which makes it incredibly relaxing and just REAL. I can’t wait to come back here next!

This is one of the best beaches for boogie boarding and all around family fun. There is a place for bigger waves for surfing and then the north end is better for small kids to play in the surf and to boogie board. Easy access and safety with a life guard

Danger. Sharks, jelly fish, dangerous surf, angry locals.. Just keep driving. Go to Lydgate beach park, or poipu :)

i grew up right down the road from this beach. ever since i was a kid, my grandma brought me here to body board in the summer time.
haven’t been here in a while, but, this beach is good for surfing/​body boarding. not that great for a relaxing swim. the water can get pretty rough, and there are a few spots with rocks.
what’s really nice is that they built several pavilions, so you can enjoy your lunch or have a bbq dinner with your friends!
great beach for bon fires, too.
also, it’s conveniently located next to the coastal walking path. very nice to take a stroll on!

This is a great beach for surfers and boogie boards. There are bathrooms, shower, pavilions and a long beach. Lifeguards are present for those who require one. The parking lot was always packed with cars and tons of people took advantage of the waves. I would come back here. We walked the first day from about 3 miles away but the second time, we drove. Aah. I miss this beach already.

Kealia Beach is located right off of the highway and is probably the most easiest to access. This beach offers a long strip of sandy areas for tanning and pavilions to picnic and grill. In addition, this is one of the few beaches you actually have a nice paved trail/​sidewalk that stretches for a nice distance for your walk, run or biking. The rip currents here are high and ideal for the small to middle level surfers and swimming is highly discouraged. A lifeguard is on duty here. Perfect for a stroll along the coastline, grilling your favorite burgers and observing the surfer dudes get wiped out by the waves!