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Planning a family trip to Oahu and trying to choose an area? We lived on the island for two years with a baby. Since Oahu was home, we never stayed overnight in these areas, but we spent countless beach days in all three. Here’s how they compare for families.
Quick answer
| Ko Olina | Waikiki | Kailua | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Babies and toddlers | First-timers, no rental car | Beautiful beaches, local food |
| Water | Calm, shallow coves | A little more active; calm lagoon nearby | Usually more active |
| Crowds | Quieter | Very busy | Very busy on weekends |
| Parking | Public parking extremely limited | Difficult downtown | Hard on weekends |
| Food nearby | Bring your own (public cove) | Everywhere | Lots of local food and treats |
Ko Olina: best for babies and toddlers
Ko Olina, on the southwest corner of the island, was our absolute favorite beach with a baby. Rock formations wrap around the coves and keep the water calm and shallow.
The catch, if you’re not staying there: the public cove has no food or anything else to do, so it’s bring-your-own everything, and public parking is extremely limited. Go early. If you stay at a Ko Olina resort, you skip the parking battle and have the calm lagoons steps from your room.
See resorts and condos at Ko Olina
Waikiki: easiest for first-timers
Waikiki is one of Oahu’s most popular, easiest-to-reach tourist areas, and it shows. It gets pretty packed, and parking downtown is difficult. The upside is that everything is walkable, so you may not need a car at all.
For families, Kahanamoku Beach at the edge of Waikiki is a good pick. The water is a little more active and there are lots of surfers, but the calm lagoon by the Hilton is right next door when the ocean is too rough for little ones.
See hotels near Kahanamoku Beach
Kailua: the most beautiful (and busiest)
Kailua Beach, on the windward side, is one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever seen. It’s also very popular, so parking is hard to get, especially on weekends. The water is usually more active than Ko Olina’s, so watch conditions with little ones.
What Kailua has that the others don’t: lots of local food, treats and snacks in town, right near the beach.
Bonus: shave ice on the North Shore
Our favorite shave ice on the island was Matsumoto’s in Haleiwa on the North Shore. It’s not near any of these three areas, and North Shore beaches usually have much bigger waves and tougher parking, so it’s not a toddler beach day. But it’s worth the drive just for the shave ice.
Which should you pick?
- Traveling with a baby or toddler? Ko Olina.
- First trip, no rental car? Waikiki.
- Want gorgeous beaches and local food, and don’t mind crowds? Kailua.
Whichever you choose, you’ll want a car for day trips. Compare rental cars at Honolulu Airport. Then pack the beach bag: here’s everything in ours, and our favorite Oahu beaches for toddlers.
