Kailua on the Hawaiian island of Oahu is one those idyllic, family-friendly beach towns people visit, then decide to stay forever. It has a population of approximately 35,000, with 15,000 visitors arriving each year. Only a 30-minute drive from Honolulu, the town has one of the best beaches and most picturesque bays in Oahu. There are no hotels or motels in Kailua, but you can book one of its many vacation rentals. To get to Kailua, take the scenic Pali Highway from Waikiki in Honolulu.
Kailua Beach
The main allure of Kailua is the beach and bay, which offer numerous activities for visitors. The tranquil waters of the bay make it perfect for kayaking. Explore one of six protected offshore islands, tidepools, hidden beaches, and sea turtle feeding grounds. If you're lucky, you might even see a humpback whale or spinner dolphins. You can rent kayaks on your own from several operators on the beach or take guided tours. You can also rent snorkels and explore the bay's shallow reefs. The bay is home to numerous tropical fish, including the tongue-twisting humuhumunukunukuapua'a, the state fish of Hawaii. Other water activities include windsurfing, scuba diving, kite surfing and boogie boarding. If swimming is your thing, head to nearby Lanikai Beach, which some consider the best swimming beach in Hawaii.
Kailua Town
If you need a break from the beach, the town offers great shopping and dining. There are more than 100 restaurants serving up a variety of cuisines, from Mexican to Japanese to Moroccan, as well as bakeries and ice cream shops. Shopaholics also have a lot of available choices; Kailua stores and boutiques sell everything from beachwear and gear to jewelry and local art and crafts. Every Thursday, the town hosts two farmers markets. Vendors from all over the island come to sell fresh, locally grown fruit such as papaya and pineapple and other local produce.
Nearby Attractions
There are several tourists attractions within a short drive of Kailua. Waimanalo's Sea Life Park is a marine park, where you can swim with dolphins and sea lions as well as snorkel with stingrays. Kualoa Ranch is a family-owned, 40-acre working cattle ranch that encompasses a variety of terrain, from pristine beaches to thick rain forest. The ranch offers hiking, horseback riding, and all-terrain vehicles tours as well as a gun range. It's located in Kaaawa, about 14 miles from Kailua. The Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden is the neighboring town of Kaneohe offers 400 acres of gardens replicating botanical environments from around the world and featuring rare and endangered plants. You can walk, hike, bike or jog the trails that run through the park. There is also a campground, a 32-acre lake and a botanical library.
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