Hāpuna Beach State Recreation Area is a large park and sandy beach on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel is also located adjacent to the beach. Hāpuna (literally, "spring" or "pool" in Hawaiian) is popular with residents and visitors.
This is one of a few other white sand beaches on the west coast of the Big Island. The few others include Kua Bay (Manini'owali Beach), Kaunaʻoa Bay, known as Mauna Kea Beach, and Samuel M. Spencer Beach Park. It was named the Best Beach in America by Florida International University professor Stephen Leatherman, known as "Dr Beach", in 1993.
The 61.8-acre (25.0 ha) park is located at coordinates 19°59.4789′N 155°49.3809′W / 19.991315°N 155.823015°W / 19.991315; -155.823015Coordinates: 19°59.4789′N 155°49.3809′W / 19.991315°N 155.823015°W / 19.991315; -155.823015, west of Hawaii Belt Road (Route 19, called Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway) on Hapuna Beach Road. It is about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) south of Kawaihae, Hawaii. A part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail runs through the park from Spencer Beach to the north, to Puako to the south.
Hāpuna beach has lifeguards, but can be hazardous during high surf conditions since the beach is not protected from the open ocean. The park has free admission, paved parking, pavilions, picnic areas, restrooms, and showers. Camping permits are available.
Famous quotes containing the words beach, state, recreation and/or area:
“When the inhabitants of some sequestered island first descry the “big canoe” of the European rolling through the blue waters towards their shores, they rush down to the beach in crowds, and with open arms stand ready to embrace the strangers. Fatal embrace! They fold to their bosoms the vipers whose sting is destined to poison all their joys; and the instinctive feeling of love within their breasts is soon converted into the bitterest hate.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“... the idea of a classless society is ... a disastrous mirage which cannot be maintained without tyranny of the few over the many. It is even more pernicious culturally than politically, not because the monolithic state forces the party line upon its intellectuals and artists, but because it has no social patterns to reflect.”
—Agnes E. Meyer (1887–1970)
“Playing snooker gives you firm hands and helps to build up character. It is the ideal recreation for dedicated nuns.”
—Archbishop Luigi Barito (b. 1922)
“The area [of toilet training] is one where a child really does possess the power to defy. Strong pressure leads to a powerful struggle. The issue then is not toilet training but who holds the reins—mother or child? And the child has most of the ammunition!”
—Dorothy Corkville Briggs (20th century)