Kaka'ako Waterfront & Point Panic
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Phone (808) 594-0300
Address South End Of Cook St, Honolulu, HI 96813
 
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No sandy beach. Great park area and surfing area.
Features
• Facilities: Bathrooms • Facilities: Grassy Area • Facilities: Picnic Tables • Facilities: Showers • Type: Kid Friendly
• Type: Shady • Parking: Good / Plenty
Just a few decades ago Kaka'ako Waterfront used to be a landfill and evidence of that landfill can still be found in the large gray venting tubes that stick out of a couple of the grassy hills here. We also detected a bit of a gas smell around here in some areas up on the hills, probably from the venting tubes.


Other than that, you'd never know what a nasty history this park actually had because today it's maintained fairly well and full of grassy hills, paved walkways, shady areas to sit and have a picnic, and has an excellent ocean view (and of Diamond Head State Monument too).


There is no sandy beach to speak of here though there are stairs that walk you right into the ocean with a spot to swim if you really wanted to. You can see the ocean access in the videos we've posted here, including one where the ground appears to be moving which is just a few dozen little crabs getting out of the way.


Locals come here to fish off the rock sea wall, have picnics, and do a little surfing over at Point Panic. Even if you're not a surfer, this is a good place to watch surfers do their thing.


Being in the water isn't really what this park is about. It's really a place to come and relax, a place for the kids to run around and play, or do what the locals do and grab a big piece of cardboard and slide down the grassy hills. This is about as close to snow sledding as you'll get here considering it doesn't snow on O'ahu (though it actually does Snow In Hawaii).


We did notice a lot of homeless people here and even having rules like "no shopping carts allowed" does nothing to stop them as they've evolved and now use baby strollers instead.


On the far east side of the park is Point Panic Body Surfing Area which is, as you probably guessed, a place where people can body surf and no boats, kayaks, surfboards, etc are allowed there.


If you are looking for a place to relax or stroll around or even have a picnic then check this park out, it's quite nice. If you are near the Hawaii Children's Discovery Center then just walk across the street (towards the ocean) and you'll be here.