Black Pot Beach

Black Pot Beach Park — Enjoy All the Wonders of Hanalei Bay and the Kauai Community
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

When a relaxing day at the beach is calling your name, you cannot go wrong with a trip to Black Pot Beach Park. Located along the western edge of Hanalei Bay, this beach is the perfect place for picnic lunches, sandcastle contests, and cool dips in the water. So, feel free to bring plenty of food, drinks, and gear, and then camp out for the day to see why the Kauai community adores this beach.  

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

When you’d love to spend the day lounging in a little corner of paradise, Black Pot Beach Park is always a great choice. With its location right along the west side of Hanalei Bay, it serves as a fantastic place to swim, play in the sand, and lounge on the beach all day long.  

At Black Pot Beach, you have access to the bayside waters plus the mouth of the Hanalei River. On top of that, the sandy shores extend from the river’s edge to well past the Hanalei Pier. With so much room at all sides, it’s easy to claim a spot all your own for the day, which is good because this beach is super popular.

Locals and tourists alike come down to Black Pot Beach on the regular to day camp and simply enjoy the beauty all around. In the past, it was commonplace to park right on the beach and claim that piece of the sandy shores for the day. Unfortunately, recent renovations make beach parking impossible, but they did expand the lot to fit many more vehicles.

You can still bring all your gear needed for day camp adventures as long as you’re prepared to lug it all from your car to the beach. You’ll want to bring boogie boards, paddleboards, and floaties, so you can enjoy your swims to the fullest. Also, make sure you have plenty of sandcastle building tools on hand, so you can dig, sculpt, and design to your heart’s content.  

Many people even set up big umbrellas and canopy tents to stay out of the sun while lounging at Black Pot Beach, although that might be difficult if you’re only in town for a little while. Thankfully, there are plenty of shady spots beneath the trees to sit and relax. You just have to put down a blanket or a couple of towels, and you’re good to go.

Your claimed spot can serve as a place to rest between swims and an excellent spot to enjoy a picnic lunch or hearty dinner. There are also many covered picnic tables onsite as well if you’d prefer. If you forget to bring food along for the ride, don’t fret. You can find Pat’s Taqueria food truck serving hot, fresh food right in the pier parking lot.

Once you’re done with your meal, be sure to take a nice walk along the pier to see the bay in its full glory. If you time it right, you can even watch in awe as the sky lights up in vivid hues as the sun goes down behind the horizon.

Insider Tips:
-Protect the waterways and local landscapes by leaving Black Pot Beach cleaner than when you arrived.
-If the parking lot at Black Pot Beach is full, you can park in the grass overflow lot located across Weke Road. To avoid having to park altogether, get a ride here and have them drop you off in the loading zone.
-Although beautiful, the bayside waters are known to turn treacherous as rip tides and shore break waves form. This happens most often in the winter months but can occur any time of the year. If you’re a beginning swimmer, only swim close to the shore to stay out of trouble. Strong swimmers often jump off the pier and swim back into shore, but it’s a challenging feat.