Crusin’ Keokea Beach Park with Tita Nui

Keokea Beach Park in North Kohala is not the spot for you if you want to go swimming or float around on an inner tube.

This boulder beach is surrounded by sea cliffs and the bay not protected by offshore reefs, making it prone to strong currents and rough waters during most of the year.

The park is located near the 27-mile marker on Highway 270 as you head towards Pololu Valley.

Local residents over the years have built a breakwater utilizing the boulders on the beach to help improve the conditions in the little cove. There is also a small stream in the park that children enjoy. A word of caution: Make sure the children are kept under the watchful eye of an adult so they do not stray off to the rocks and into dangerous areas.

With that said, why would you want to visit this beach park? Well besides the fact that it is an amazing place to view waves and watch whales during humpback whale season, it offers some of the best facilities in the North Kohala area. Picnic tables, pavilions, fire pits, barbecue grills, restrooms and showers are all available at this beautiful spot.

Visit on the weekends or holidays and you will see just how crowded this place can be. The pavilion is often rented by locals as an ideal location to gather in celebration of birthdays, weddings and whatever other occasions that may arise and call for a party.

The rugged beauty of Keokea beckons one to pause for a moment and enjoy another type of beach—not the usual white sandy beach of Hawai‘i. But this one may give you a greater appreciation of those types of beaches.

It is an awesome spot to sit and contemplate the mysteries of life, while enjoying the harsh untamed beauty that this region of Hawai’i Island is known for.

Keokea Beach Park location. Google Maps.

A beautiful picnic area and showers are available at Keokea Beach Park. Darde Gamayo photo.

The large pavilion at Keokea Beach Park is a favorite spot for locals to hold their various parties. Darde Gamayo photo.

At Keokea Beach Park, you will find rugged, wind-swept sea cliffs surrounding the bay. Darde Gamayo photo.

A small pavilion perched on a little hill at Keokea Beach Park offers a great spot from which to watch waves or whales. Darde Gamayo photo.

Keokea Beach Park. Darde Gamayo photo.

A little cove offers at Keokea Beach Park offers a semi-protected swimming area for park goers. Darde Gamayo photo.

Keokea Beach Park is beautifully maintained by the County of Hawai‘i. Darde Gamayo photo.

The road to Keokea Beach Park is narrow and winding. Darde Gamayo photo.