Haleiwa Beach Park, Oahu

Haleiwa Beach Park, located in the historic town of Haleiwa, offers a few surprises that distinguish it from the other beaches on Oahu’s North Shore. The narrow (250 foot in length by 100 feet in width) strip of beach here is one of the only light brown sand beaches in the area and offers excellent vantages for watching both sunrises and sunsets.

On the east end of the beach, a large seawall has been erected, creating space for large grassy areas where park visitors regularly play soccer and throw Frisbees. Volleyball and basketball courts are available for those who aren’t easily thwarted by the heat and humidity. Haleiwa Beach Park also has a children’s playground, ample bathrooms and plenty of shaded areas for picnicking, making it a particularly popular destination for families with children. The host town of Haleiwa, which means “house of the frigate bird” in Hawaiian, offers some nice opportunities for sightseeing as well.

Haleiwa Beach activities

The waters Haleiwa Beach are shallow and the ocean floor is rocky, so swimming isn’t a very popular activity, though it offers a plethora of other water activities that draw in various kinds of athletes. The park is often utilized as a training and regatta site, and kayakers use it to access the bay. Surfers especially like Haleiwa Beach because it gives access to Puaena Point, which is known for its superb waves. The park hosts a number of surfing competitions, such as the Women’s Events in the Triple Crown, drawing in some of the world’s best women surfers.