A huge grassy lawn and sizable pavilion attract large Hawaiian families to this hidden gem of a beach on weekends. There’s always a spare table or two for a picnic, and a good view of Honolulu from the long ribbon of pearlescent south-facing sand that extends well beyond the park. On weekdays this park is the perfect escape for the crowd-phobic.
The surf break here known as ʻEwa Beach is a long paddle out through the alluring turquoise water to a sandbar. In good conditions, there are rights and lefts, from 2ft to 4ft. Local surfers are at times unwelcoming.
That boom you hear may be live-fire training at the military facility immediately east.