Ko Olina Beach Lagoons
add photosFour lagoons located inside the grounds of Ko Olina Resort and Marina are accessible to the public. Check in at the gate and get a lagoon pass. Crystal clear waters in silky calm lagoons make these beaches some of the best for kids on Oahu. Hope over to turtle bay resort and visit with green sea turtles that frolic on the beach right next to the resort. The lagoons have clean bathrooms and showers. Nice shady coconut trees provide some shelter and grassy lawns are a nice napping spot if you prefer grass to sand. The views are beautiful (though it's hard a bad view in Hawaii). The only down side is that Ko-Olina is on the eastern shore. From Waikiki, it takes about 45 minutes to get here. Free parking is also very limited, so arrive early even on a weekday.
13 Reviews for Ko Olina Beach Lagoons
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00 families found this helpful
"Perfect for your little(r) ones..."
This is one of my favorite beach spots on the island. I love it because the tide is always low enough for my daughter to play in the water and I don't worry that she's going to be swept out to sea. The people are usually always pretty nice, we seem to make friends on every visit! Free parking is horrible unless you go really early or in the late afternoon, but you can pay $10 for the day at lagoon 4 and you're pretty much guaranteed a spot!
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"Beautiful west side lagoons"
Ko'Olina offers some of the most family friendly beaches on Oahu. It provides everything you are looking for in a kid friendly beach. There are four lagoons to choose from. The sand is pretty clean and the water is calm and shallow. It offers a great place to swim and some snorkeling in the back of the lagoons. Be aware of your little ones though because there are no life guards. The lagoon closest to Paradise Cove has limited parking and no facilities, but is a great spot for snorkeling and turtle watching. Lagoon 2 is popular for a lot of families because of the shade it provides with thatched umbrellas. This is also where the new Disney Resort is being built so it may become crowded in the future. A neat place to have a moderate priced lunch is at Naupaka Terrace in the JW Marriott Ihilani hotel. Ask to be seated outside. The food is pretty tastey and they have sharks, sting rays, and other tropical fish swimming in pools around you. Our families personal favorite is Lagoon 3. This is where the Marriott Vacation Club Resort is located. If you are looking out at the lagoon, the far left side has plenty of shade and a great view down the coast. If you go in the late afternoon it is the perfect place for a picnic dinner or you can grab food at the outdoor restaurant at the Marriott called Kolohe's. The sunsets from this location are gorgeous. The bathroom facilities are some of the best maintained on the island, and each lagoon has 1-2 shower stations. Parking is limited but there are about 12-15 spots at lagoons 1-3. The largest parking lot is at Lagoon 4. Parking during peak seasons and around holidays does fill up early usually by 10:30 am. You can pay to park at the Marina next door for $10 for the whole day. Parking is closest to the beach at Lagoon 4 if you plan on bringing a lot of gear. If you plan on making this a second stop the Wet and Wild Water Park is only five minutes way on the H1 East.
0 families found this helpful
"Waste Spill"
What a Disgrace this is!
Crews were out here yesterday filling bags full of syringes and vials of blood, but residents at Ko Olina want to know why no one is here today when the medical waste keeps washing ashore.
"So they came out and cleaned-up for one day and left, that too is a disgrace," says Rob Eisenhart.
Eisenhart and his wife Mary live at Ko Olina, and say as long as waste keeps washing ashore, someone should be here cleaning it up.
"Yeah, they still should be out here cleaning of course," he says.
"We swim right here, we used to, now I can't for how long?" questions Mary Eisenhart.
Joe Whelan, the General Manager of Waste Management Hawaii, the Waimanalo Gulch Landfill operator, tells KHON2: "Waste Management completed the cleanup of the storm water outfall area yesterday and the area south of the sedimentation basin today. This is located on landfill property just above the outfall point."
0 families found this helpful
"Kool Ko Olina Lagoons"
The Ko Olina Lagoons on the west side of the island of O'ahu is the perfect place to go with kids. Since the lagoons are mostly blocked off by the (man-made) rocks, there are no strong waves here. However, beware of the currents at the mouth of the lagoons as they can suck you out. Another caution...make sure the kids do not go into the deep, because it does get deep. The down side...very few parking stalls, so get there early in the morning and you won't have any problems. I suggest a quick stop at the Waikele Outlet parking lot for a dozen Leonard's malasadas to enjoy beachside for breakfast - look for the red and white roach coach. Aloha!
0 families found this helpful
"Best Beach for Kids"
The hands-down best beach on Oahu for families is at Ko Olina. We love the beach and our family has tried many on Oahu. We always end up back at Ko Olina because it is the safest and cleanest for our kids. You are not going there to catch a wave, but you can let the toddlers to young adults frolic in the calm, clean, shallow lagoons for hours. There are many grassy areas for picnics and the bathrooms are relatively clean. There is roaming security to enforce order and it's almost always sunny on that side of the island. The only problem, however, is the parking. It can get very crowded and free parking runs out quickly. There is a $10/day option at lagoon #4 that can also fill up, so go early, or later in the day. With the opening of the new Disney resort on the property (late 2011), it will get even busier, so plan accordingly. Bottom line, if you can get parking, it's the best beach for families.
0 families found this helpful
"Fabulous"
We loved going here. There's grass and trees for shade. They even have lounge chairs and it's not too hard to get one, either. It's great for swimming because the water is calm and you're not getting thrashed around by waves. We loved taking our kids here and just lounging around for the afternoon. The sand is awesome, there's no rocks or anything to worry about stepping on.
1 family found this helpful
"The best man made beaches."
Ko'olina is a beautiful place, especially for kids. These man made beaches make it especially safe for kids. Enjoy the calm water and the great scenery. Get some exercise by walking to all four lagoons. A great way to spend the afternoon. Make sure you pack the sunblock, food, and water and you're all set. It's close to the Paradise Cove luau, so you could consider doing that for dinner.
'11
0 families found this helpful
"So Great!"
This was so much fun! The little lagoons make the water easy for the kids to play in, my 1 year old had a blast playin the shallow water here. She was able to splash and we didn't have to worry about a wave jumping up in her face. I definately want to stay at one of these resorts next time! While we were here this year we say a Black Pearl from The Piartes of the Caribbean! No Johnny Dep but the ship was awesome!
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"great beach for family"
If you have a small child, I recommend this beach. These are man-made lagoons, and no strong current, so your kids can enjoy swimming or playing in the water. Parking are limited, so I always go early. Not a tropical one, but we saw some fish swimming around. This is a beach my family goes often.
1 family found this helpful
"Best beach for younger kids"
This is one of the best beaches to go to with younger children. They are man made lagoons so the waves are minimal, and they are very shallow. the whole area is so beautiful as well. Get there early for a good parking spot, there are cases when the free parking is full so you might have to pay for parking, This is my all time absolute favorite beach to take my kids to, my 4 year old can actually play in the water without me having to hold on to here constantly. there is no lifeguard, like most public beaches here, but the calmer water is a nice relaxer to the high waves at other beaches. Love Love this place.
1 family found this helpful
"A Great Beach for the Family"
Whenever we go to the beach, we usually head on over to Ko O'lina Beach Lagoons. It's a great family beach because it's clean, safe, and beautiful. The outer reefs are man-made and help to prevent large waves from coming in. This means very calm waters for the kids.
It's also very clean, even the restrooms. I've never actually seen any maintenance people taking care of the area but someone definitely is. You rarely see trash on the ground or on the sand.
There are also grassy picnic areas where you can sit under a tree and enjoy your lunch. There's also paved pathways for kids to ride their bikes.
The only downside is the limited parking spaces. You have arrive early - especially on weekends or holidays - to get a space. Once they fill up, they usually don't allow cars to enter the area. We usually try to get there before 10am.
It's a great place to spend a beautiful day in paradise!
2 families found this helpful
"Favorite Kid Beach on Oahu"
The Lagoons at the Ko Olina Resort are by far my favorite kid beach on the island of Oahu. Parking is often an issue, and frequently access will be denied to the resort entirely if the public access beach lots are too full, but if you can get in and find a place to park - this is the best. The lagoons are calm and generally shallow, great big sandy beaches, and grass areas as well as trees (yeah shade). Parents can sit at the top of the hill and see the little ones as they move up and down the beach exploring and being independent but easily be there for the quick grab if they loose their footing in the water or the sand. The lagoons have public bathrooms that are very well cared for but do not offer food or drink services. Suggest you take your own snacks, drinks, and lunch because the bars and restaurants at the hotel are your only other option.
0 families found this helpful
"Quiet and calm - great for young ones"
Ko Olina is so beautiful and peaceful. These lagoons are nothing short of that. The waters inside the 4 lagoons are so calm it feels more like a pond. Our three year old who wouldn't come 10 feet of the waves in Waikiki felt perfectly at home here. He put on his floaties and walked right in (after eating a huge snack). Nice clean bathrooms and showers too! Grandpa fell asleep under a coconut tree. The grassy lawn areas and bike path make it a great place to throw a freezbie. Lots of locals hanging out for the day with a BBQ and picnic. It is a trek from Waikiki, but worth it if you have more than a few days on Oahu.
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