5 Perfect Baby Beaches on Big Island, Hawaii
If you’re visiting the Big Island with little ones, finding the right beach is key for a safe and fun beach day. And that’s where “keiki beaches,” also known as “baby beaches,” come in! These beaches have calm, shallow waters that make them perfect for toddlers and young kids to splash around safely so parents can have a relaxing beach day too. I’m sharing our five favorite baby beaches on the Kona side of the Big Island, along with parking tips to help you score one of those hard-to-find public parking spots. With these tips, planning the perfect Hawaiian beach day with your little ones will be a breeze.
We stayed on the Kona side of the island during our Big Island trip, so the drive times below are based on that. The Big Island is pretty big, so expect longer drive times compared to other islands. It helps to know how far away the beach is, because many of these beaches are located in private resorts, and there are only a few public parking spots. The last thing you want is to make the trek with your toddler and find there’s no parking! Having a backup plan for other nearby toddler friendly activities can save the day if parking is full. But with a little planning (and these tips!), you’ll be all set for a stress-free beach day with the family.
Makaiwa Bay at the Mauna Lani Beach Club
15 min north of the Waikoloa resort area
This is a small beach with shallow and calm waters for little ones to play in. It is also great for snorkeling, as we could see colorful fish even in the shallow waters we were in. The cabanas and chairs are reserved for resort guests, but there is some shade by the grassy area in the back. There is a public restroom and a foot washing station at the beach.
Parking Tip:
The public parking lot is a ¾ mile walk (15 min) away on a paved path through a lava field and ancient fish ponds. There is very little shade on this path so be warned if you are carrying a toddler and beach gear.
To get to the parking lot, drive into Mauna Lani Resort. At the roundabout take the second right onto Mauna Lani Drive. Take the first left onto Pauoa Road where you will find the Kalahuipua’a Historic Park parking lot immediately on your right, which is also the public parking lot for the beach. The parking lot has a bathroom.
Kikaua Point
20 min south of the Waikoloa resort area
We found this beach because we could not get parking passes to the Kukio keiki beach on our first try. It has a small lagoon-like area surrounded by a small reef that had calm water where our toddler could play. Otherwise, the rest of the beach did have more waves. This beach was fun to walk down and explore because there were also small lava fields that created tide pools. There is a lot of shade from the trees bordering the beach.
You can walk from this beach to the Kukio keiki beach, either on the beach itself or on the paved path behind the beach. It took us about 20 hot minutes each way carrying just our toddler and not our beach gear. Would not recommend walking it with a child and beach gear. There is a public restroom and a foot washing station at the parking lot.
Parking Tip:
Turn off of Highway 19 onto Kaupulehu Drive, just south of the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort sign. Drive to the security hut and let them know you would like to go to the public beach. You’ll turn left just after the security hut and follow the road until you reach the parking lot.
Looking for the best places to stay on the Big Island with kids? Check out our recommendations for accommodations with the easiest access to these baby beaches!
Kukio Keiki Beach
20 min south of the Waikoloa resort area
Could there BE a more perfect baby beach?! Kukio keiki beach is a protected lagoon, so the waters are very calm and shallow for a toddler. Our kiddo loved playing here because even in the shallows there were small schools of fish swimming around. This was our favorite of the baby beaches on the Big Island, but also the hardest to access due to the very limited parking. However, because the public parking spots are so limited, this beach did not feel crowded at all. There also seemed to be some good snorkeling as folks further out near the reef said they spotted a turtle. Some shade from the trees in the back. There is a public restroom and a footwashing station on the beach.
Parking Tip:
Turn off Highway 19 onto Kukio Nui Drive. Drive to the security hut and let them know you would like to go to the Kukio keiki beach. They will give you a parking pass, and you will go around the security hut and back towards Highway 19, turning right just before getting back to the highway. This road will take you to the small parking lot.
Anaehoomalu Bay
In the Waikoloa resort area
The local beach in Waikoloa. This beach is also where the Lava Lava Beach Club restaurant is located. Great for sunset beach vibes – go behind the Kuualii fish pond for photos of the sunset reflected in the ponds.
Parking Tip:
Plentiful parking at this lot! Just follow Google maps. The parking lot for the beach is behind the parking lot for the Lava Lava Beach Club.
Mauna Kea (Kauna’oa) Beach
20 min north of the Waikoloa resort area
This is your picture perfect sandy beach. This half crescent sandy beach is bordered by trees, so there is a lot of shade. The waves are a little strong for a toddler, but would be good for little kids. There were a lot of turtles here – in fact, we even saw one swimming along the coast in knee deep water. The lifeguards ensure visitors give the turtles adequate space, but it was magical for our kiddo to see one little turtle swimming in the water (bubble bubble bubble bubble pop, IYKYK). This beach did get windier and the waves got stronger as the morning progressed, so it might be more enjoyable in the morning.
Parking Tip:
Turn off Highway 19 to the Mauna Kea Beach Resort and ask the gate attendant for a public parking pass. You will follow a long road down to the parking lot. Look for the spots marked public parking. The beach is a 5 minute walk away along a paved path.
Other Beaches and Parks on the Big Island with a Toddler
- Spencer beach park (17 min north, on the way to Waimea)
- Harold H. Higashiwara park (45 min south)
- Honokohau beach – turtles (29 min south, by airport)
- Hapuna beach – more waves (15 min north on the way to Waimea)
- Manini’owali Beach- gorgeous white sand beach but no shade (22 min south)
Kid Essentials You’ll Be Glad You Packed
- Sound Machine: If you’re sharing a room with your little one, a portable sound machine can be a total lifesaver. Because of the time difference and earlier bedtimes, kids are more likely to be asleep while there’s still noise around. A sound machine helps drown out outside sounds and keeps them sleeping longer.
- Pack and play sheets: Even if the condo/hotel has a pack and play, they may not always have sheets to go with it. We always bring our own. It’s even better if your kiddo has slept on the sheets recently, because then it smells like home and can put them to sleep easier in an unfamiliar place.
- Slumberpod: The Slumberpod worked wonders for us when our kid was smaller. Once he turned 2 though, being zipped up in the Slumberpod seemed to scare him more if he woke up in the middle of the night.
- Hip seat carrier: We love our hip seat carrier with convertible straps! It’s so much easier to move around beaches and carry beach gear when our kid is strapped to us rather than pull a wagon or stroller through the sand. The hip seat is also much more comfortable for him to nap in if we’re taking longer walks or hikes because he can actually sit rather than being suspended. We especially love ours because it’s hands free, and can be worn in the front or back.
- Oxo Tot 2-in-1 travel potty: I bring this potty seat everywhere. I love that it can be a standalone potty that you can use with any old plastic bag. And you can put it on top of a regular toilet to make it easier for kids to sit.
- Long sleeve rash guards: If your kid hates putting on sunscreen (as mine does), then a long sleeve rash guard is key for protecting them from the sun. Choose neon yellow, neon green, bright orange, or hot pink for maximum visibility in the pool.
- Sun hat with neck cover: A wide brimmed sunhat with a neck cover is so useful for a bit more sun coverage. Especially on the back of the neck, where we always forget to reapply sunscreen!
- Water shoes: Our kiddo got a blister once after walking in wet rubber sandals. So now we make sure to bring the water shoes that are made of neoprene.
- Kid’s reef safe mineral sunscreen: Walmart and Target on the island usually has adult versions of reef safe sunscreen. However, we brought our own mineral sunscreen for our kiddo when he was smaller and had more sensitive skin.
- Travel entertainment: Our go-tos are one new book (seek and find books or lift the flap books last longer!), Water WOW coloring books, sticker books (the ones from Daiso are amazing and cheap), a drawing pad, and mini magnatiles.
- Water bottles: We like the stainless steel ones.
- Health kit: I always bring a thermometer and Children’s Tylenol. If your kid has any allergies, definitely bring Children’s Benadryl. It’s easier to have it on hand when you need it. I also bring hydrocortisone 1% cream to Hawaii because I always get mosquito bites!
