Laupāhoehoe Beach Park Campground

Laupāhoehoe Beach Park is located in the peninsula formed where Laupāhoehoe Creek meets the ocean. To get to the park, you descend the gulch via a windy one-lane road with spectacular views, but sketchy terrain. The town of Laupāhoehoe, located on the Hamakua Heritage Coast, is pretty sleepy with not much going on. It was moved from the peninsula up onto higher ground after a tragic tsunami hit the peninsula in 1946, killing 19 school children and five adults. Now the peninsula is a quiet beach park where families enjoy picnics, fishing, and flying kites. There is a small memorial in honor of the tsunami victims, but otherwise the park does not contain evidence of the sugar-cane town that was once bustling where the park now stands.

The beach park tends to be fairly quiet, and because of its large area, it is easy to avoid noise if there are large families or groups gathered. Camping is available in the large field, or you can find a variety of shaded spots closer to the ocean with picnic tables. The coast offers poor swimming, but dramatic, jagged lava rocks create protected pools where you can cool off or explore the tidal marine life. In the rough winter months, the crashing waves spraying water high into the air can be mesmorizing to watch. There are pavilions ranging in size available for booking, but usually you can find a free pavilion for cooking if you should encounter rain. There is no hiking available from the park, but if you want ocean views, pleasant temperatures, and the ability to park your car next to your tent, this is an ideal location. For residents, permits are $5 dollars a person, and non-resident permits are $20 dollars a person. There are 45 permits available, and unless there is a large group, Laupāhoehoe rarely runs out of permits. Permits are available up to one year in advance through the county.