Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Located just east of the junction of Highway 19 and Highway 270, Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park has a host of assets and amenities that make it a great spot to consider bringing the family for a day at the beach. The broad beach faces a bay that is protected from significant surf, so swimming conditions are generally calm, and a lifeguard watches over the beach on weekends and holidays. Locals tend to gravitate to the right side of the park, while visitors and families head left. The bay is a great spot for snorkeling as well, especially near the southern end of the park.

Spencer Beach Park is much more substantial than the public beach parks in Kona, for example, because of its several amenities, the large grassy area abutting the beach, and the ample shade from trees that have been planted throughout the park. A basketball court has also been outfitted with a volleyball net, and the large picnic shelter at the south end could easily accommodate very large groups.

The park is also a great spot to stage other short excursions. From the north end of the park, the fascinating Pu'ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site is just a short walk and well worth an hour or two. And a beautiful section of the 175-mile Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail leaves from the south end of Spencer Beach Park and leads to Mau'umae Beach.

Spencer Beach Park is also a viable spot to camp, though you won't see much privacy during your stay as the sites are quite close together with no barriers. Still, the location near the beach and near to showers and potable water is tough to match. Day use visitors may find that the tent situation at Spencer Beach does contribute to a more disheveled and littered environment at times, unfortunately.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Big beach. Family-friendly water with a lifeguard. Shaded picnic areas. Camping available.

Cons

Can get crowded. Can become littered.

Features

ADA accessible
Showers
Campgrounds + Campsites
Flushing toilets
Potable water
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Tennis
Volleyball
Fishing

Location

Nearby Adventures

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