Nimitz Beach

Located in the southwestern part of the Oahu shoreline, Nimitz Beach - also known as Nimitz Beach Park - is a large beach with white sand, nearby palm trees, and some rocky portions.  This beach is known as one of the best beaches in Hawaii due to it having some of the best snorkeling in Hawaii!  It is situated adjacent to a joint military-civil regional airport named Kalaeloa Airport.   In addition, the area near the beach also has a United States Coast Guard Station.  The eastern part of the beach is rockier as compared to its other parts.  The area near Nimitz Beach has dilapidated concrete bunkers dating back to World War Two and a small beach pavilion.

In addition, the rocky shoreline around Nimitz Beach can inflict grievous injuries to visitors.  Depending on the time of the year, you can view sea turtles in the water near Nimitz Beach - sea turtles are protected in the United States under a law named the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and harming them can result in a fine of up to $50,000, along with possible imprisonment.  If you are planning to enter the water near Nimitz Beach, we recommend ensuring compliance with the local fishing regulations.

Although Nimitz Beach does not have lifeguards, it has many other amenities including a grassy area, showers, restrooms, a pavilion, bathrooms, and picnic areas.  Dogs are not allowed in Nimitz Beach.

Nimitz Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, tidepooling, fishing, snorkeling picnicking, wildlife watching, swimming, surfing, bodyboarding, skimboarding, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, and boating. The water near Nimitz Beach offers mild waves, making it ideal for beginner swimmers and surfers.  However, if you are planning to swim or surf in the water near Nimitz Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents.  The water near Nimitz Beach also has a reef, which can make water activities hard here. 

Nimitz Beach Park does not have disability access.

Getting to Nimitz Beach is easy - from Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway (also known as Queen Liliuokalani Freeway or Interstate H-1), you need to turn towards Fort Barrette Road and then towards Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue.  From Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue, you need to then turn towards Coral Sea Road.  The beach is present near Coral Street Road’s intersection with Nimitz Street.  Free street parking spaces are present along the ocean side of Nimitz Street - some of the spaces are present near a few long concrete barriers.  In addition, some of the street parking spaces along Coral Sea Road are also present near Nimitz Beach’s western end.  You can then walk to Nimitz Beach from these street parking spaces.  It is important to note that access to the portions of this beach may be only restricted to members of the United States Armed Forces and personnel working for the United States Department of Defense.  We recommend visiting this beach early during weekends as it can get quickly crowded during this time. 

There are many attractions near Nimitz Beach.  Coral Crater Adventure Park is an adventure park that offers many fun activities including zip lining, 50 feet-tall free falls, a thrilling ATV tour, and evening group campfires.  The adventure park also has a variety of obstacle courses including an aerial obstacle course and an adventure tower.  Kapolei Regional Park is a recreational park that has many amenities including sports fields, grassy areas, a playground, and restrooms.  Kapapapuhi Point Park is a waterfront recreational park that is 20 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including restrooms, walking paths, piers, a pavilion, and picnic areas.  This park offers many fun activities including fishing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, hiking, biking, picnicking, and wildlife watching.  If you are looking for another attraction near Nimitz Beach, Hawaii’s Plantation Village is an outdoor museum that offers a unique insight into Hawaii’s history during the Plantation Era (approximately between 1820 and 1950).  The village has restored buildings and replicas of plantation-related structures including a plantation store, a bathhouse, and an infirmary.  The village also offers an interesting insight into the lives of migrants who came to work here from faraway lands including China, Portugal, and Japan to work here and the village also has a collection of native Hawaiian and non-native plant species.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Nimitz Beach.   Makahiki is an upscale restaurant that has a casual ambiance and also has artworks depicting the story of the Makahiki season (which is considered a traditional Hawaiian time of harvest) - the restaurant also offers amazing gourmet dishes for breakfast and dinner.  Sprigs Grille has a casual restaurant and it also offers amazing Pacific Northwest-style cuisine including salads, steaks, sandwiches, soups, burgers, ravioli, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Nimitz Beach, Sushi Bay offers excellent sushi, along with other amazing Japanese dishes including udon noodles and tempura.

If you are looking for good and affordable hotels near Nimitz Beach, there are many great nearby options.  The 5-Star Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina offers many amenities including multiple restaurants, a private beach area, a fitness center, kids’ clubs, and a spa.  The hotel also offers many fun activities including yoga classes and watersports.  The 4.5-Star Aulani (also called Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa) is another upscale hotel that offers many amenities including multiple pools, a spa, and 10 bars and restaurants.  The hotel also offers kids’ entertainment performances, movie nights, pool parties and breakfasts with Disney characters - in addition, the hotel was named one of the top 10 resorts in the Travel + Leisure magazine’s World’s Best Awards 2017 in the category of “The World’s Best Hotels and Resorts for Families” and it was also listed as one of the “Top 5 best Hawaii resorts for families” by the HAWAI’I Magazine.  A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Hampton Inn & Suites Oahu/Kapolei which offers many amenities including a fitness room, a pool, a coin-operated laundry, complimentary breakfast, and weekday breakfast bags.  If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Nimitz Beach,  the 2-Star Pacific Marina Inn is 32 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including a pool, a 24/7 shuttle service, a restaurant, a lobby lounge offering cocktails, laundry facilities, and complimentary morning coffee.