Best beaches in Hawaii I went to 🌴 swimming 🌴 Past #1 beaches in America 🌴 Hawaii travel blog

ALOHA!

Hawaii is known for its beaches.

It’s one of the best things to do in Hawaii no matter what Hawaiian island you go to!

You will find amazing beaches on every Hawaiian island.

That said, there are 3 islands in Hawaii that have had beaches named as the very best beaches in America:

• Oahu beaches
• Maui beaches
• Big Island beaches

👆 The best beaches in Hawaii are on Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island.

This is according to Dr. Beach.

Who is Dr. Beach?!

So I had seen mentions of a Dr. Beach here and there on lists of beach towns and beach vacation spots.

And I thought Dr. Beach was some marketing name self-proclaimed by some random person, not an actual doctor.

One day, after once again seeing some beach was named among the best beaches in America by Dr. Beach, I decided to see who this “Dr. Beach” actually is.

Well, as it turns out, Dr. Beach is quite literally a doctor of beaches!

Dr. Beach is a scientist (with a PhD) who studies beaches!

Or more formally he is listed as a coastal scientist who seeks to improve “beach health” and beach safety, among other things.

He is also listed as part of the Department of Earth and Environment and the Sea Level Solutions Center at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami with a specialty in geomorphology.

Read more of his bio. Be sure to see the “how it started” section. It’s actually quite the story!

Dr. Beach’s list of best beaches in America

Dr. Beach now comes up with a top 10 beaches list every year to determine what the best beaches in the United States are.

And the “best” beach is even determined by numbers, based on 50 different factors.

These include things that can measure comfort and convenience for a beach vacation, like water temperature, amenities, wave measurements, safety, how sandy the beach is, and more.

This creates a list of not only some of the prettiest beaches in America, but the best destinations for a beach vacation in the US.

More below on the best beaches in the US that are in Hawaii!

And so…

Where are the best beaches in Hawaii?

The beaches on this list below are Hawaii beaches that have taken the #1 spot of overall best beach in the US in the past few years.

👆 The best beaches in Hawaii include Waimanalo Bay, Hanauma Bay, Kapalua Bay, Kailua Beach, and Hapuna Beach.

1. Hapuna Beach, Big Island

Best beach in America in 2021

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii: Best Hawaii state parks on the Big Island

2. Kailua Beach, Oahu

Best beach in America in 2019

Kailua Beach is one of the great beaches that’s located on the east side of Oahu.

You can also rent a kayak from Kailua town and go kayaking to the iconic Mokulua Islands from Kailua Beach.

3. Kapalua Bay Beach, Maui

Best beach in America in 2018

Kapalua Bay is one of the great beaches that’s located in the Kapalua area of West Maui.

This area of Maui is known as one of the main beach resort areas of the island.

As part of a bay, this is a sheltered beach that can also be a good snorkeling spot on Maui.

Kapalua Bay is also the start of the Kapalua Coastal Trail where you can go for a nice leisurely walk that comes with grand ocean views.

You can also make it a beach hopping kind of day right along this trail, as you’ll also find Ironwoods Beach and DT Fleming Beach nearby.

If you want to stay right near Kapalua Bay Beach, you can do so!

You’ll want to stay at the Montage Kapalua Bay that will give you an oceanfront resort stay in Hawaii.

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii: Best Maui beaches

4. Hanauma Bay, Oahu

Best beach in America in 2016

Hanauma Bay is considered one of the best snorkeling spots on Oahu, and this also makes it a popular beach spot.

There is an admission fee to go to this beach.

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii: Oahu snorkeling beaches

5. Waimanalo Beach, Oahu

Best beach in America in 2015

Waimanalo Beach is another beach that’s located on the east side of Oahu.

The Waimanalo Bay shoreline is a quieter part of Oahu that tends to get less tourists compared to the famous tourists hotspot of Waikiki.

6. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu

Best beach in America in 2014

If you’re looking into a Hawaii trip to the island of Oahu, you’ll quickly become familiar with Waikiki.

Waikiki is basically the main tourist spot on Oahu that’s located along the shoreline. Along this shoreline is also called Waikiki Beach.

Waikiki Beach stretches around 2 miles long and has different sections, and these different sections have different beach names.

One of those sections of beach in Waikiki is Duke Kahanamoku Beach. This is located on the far one end of Waikiki Beach.

From this beach you can swim with views of the iconic Diamond Head, which is also one of the best hikes on Oahu.

There is a boardwalk that runs along the beach so you can go for a walk or run with views of the ocean.

On the other side of the boardwalk, you’ll also find the Duke Kahanamoku lagoon.

Follow the boardwalk from Duke Kahanamoku Beach and it will take you towards a more central area of Waikiki.

Waikiki Beach in general is family-friendly, and that includes Duke Kahanamoku Beach.

If you want to stay right at Duke Kahanamoku Beach, you can do so. You’ll want to stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village that will give you a beachfront resort stay in Hawaii.

See more of the best beaches in Hawaii: Best Oahu beaches

The best Hawaii beaches in 2021

There are 2 beaches in Hawaii that made the list of top 10 beaches in America in 2021:

• Hapuna Beach, Big Island
• Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu

Best beaches in America in 2021, according to Dr Beach:

1. Hapuna Beach State Park, Hawaii
2. Coopers Beach, New York
3. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, North Carolina
4. St. George Island State Park, Florida
5. Lighthouse Beach, North Carolina
6. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Hawaii
7. Caladesi Island State Park, Florida
8. Coronado Beach, California
9. Beachwalk Park, South Carolina
10. Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts

Best beaches in America in 2020, according to Dr. Beach:

1. Grayton Beach State Park, Florida
2. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, North Carolina
3. Coopers Beach, New York
4. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Hawaii
5. Lighthouse Beach, North Carolina
6. Caladesi Island State Park, Florida
7. Hapuna Beach, Hawaii
8. Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts
9. Coronado Beach, California
10. Beachwalker Park, South Carolina

Explore more beaches in Hawaii:

• Best beaches in Oahu
• Best beaches in Maui
• Black sand beaches in Hawaii
• Red sand beach in Hawaii
• Green sand beach in Hawaii
• Best snorkeling beaches in Oahu
• Best snorkeling beaches in Maui
• Best snorkeling beaches on the Big Island

PLUS:

• How to know if your sunscreen is good for Hawaii
• How to wear LESS sunscreen aka why wear a rash guard!
• Do you need water shoes for snorkeling?

HAPPY BEACH VACATION IN HAWAII!