Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail
March of 2018, My kids and I hiked the lighthouse trail. I’ve done it before without the kids, so I knew what to expect. It’s an easy kid-friendly paved trail. My eldest kid did this hike without any problems. Amazingly enough, he didn’t even complain! However, my little one was all over the place. He got distracted the whole time, picking up sticks, trying to jump off the side of the trail, running the other direction, etc. Next time I know to bring the stroller. Took us over an hour.
The best time to hike this trail is during whale season. Whale seasons is usually around December – April. We didn’t see any whales this time. However, when I hiked this trail back in November 2017, we saw a bunch of whales. There are binoculars off to the side of the path. Also, off to this hike is the Makapu’u tide pools, one of Oahu’s secret hikes.
Parking
The gate opens at 7 am which allows you to drive further into a parking lot area.
Level of difficulty
EASY PEASY FRIEND! Take your kids, out of townies, and lazy family members! There is an incline, but overall easy.
What to bring
SUNBLOCK and MORE SUNBLOCK, there is NO Shady area during this hike. Water and lots of it! There are not many bugs during this hike; bug spray would be unnecessary.
How to get there
Address: 41-95 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI 96795
TRAIL: Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail
LENGTH: 1.5 miles round trip
HOW TO GET THERE: From Waikiki, take Kalakaua Avenue to Diamond Head Road. Follow the signs for H1 freeway going east. H1 quickly turns into Kalanianaole Highway. Go past Hawaii Kai, Hanauma Bay, Sandy Beach and Hawaii Kai Golf Course. About a mile past the golf course, turn right onto Makapuu Lighthouse Road, entering an open gate marked by a sign that reads “Ka Iwi Scenic Shoreline.”
*Directions Taken from https://www.hawaii.com/oahu/things-to-do/hiking/makapuu-lighthouse-trail/ *