- Region: South Shore
- Best for sunbathing, swimming and hanging out.
- One of the most beautiful beaches on Kauai.
- Not easy to visit due to private property on both sides of the beach.
- No lifeguards or restrooms.
- Map: Google Maps
Allerton Beach is the secluded beach at the renowned Allerton Garden on Kauai’s South Shore. It is one of the most special beaches on the island. Here, gentle waves lap on white sands backed by cliffs adorned with pink flora. A footbridge, near the classic Allerton House, crosses the gentle Lawai Stream at the mouth. It could be a scene straight out of the TV show Fantasy Island.
The exquisite beach was favored by Queen Emma in the late 1800s, and her fuchsia-colored bouganvillea still adorn the cliffs at the beach. Later, after the area was transformed into a botanical garden under the direction of Robert Allerton and his adopted son John Gregg Allerton, the beach became a notable destination for the rich and famous including John Wayne, Richard Nixon and Jacqueline Onassis.
Vivid bouganvillea planted by Queen Emma add vivid color to Allerton Beach.
With private property on both sides of the beach, Allerton Beach is not easy to reach. The easiest way to visit the beach is by participating in one of Allerton Garden’s guided tours. However, these tours cost money and do not provide time for beach activities. Moreover, not every guided tour visits the beach, so check before booking a tour.
Another way to visit Allerton Beach is to proceed west (either by vehicle or on foot for about a half mile) on Lawai Road from the Spouting Horn parking lot. The public road ends with a gate and a vehicle turnaround. Park near the end of the public road, hike down to the shoreline and then do some rock-hopping to reach the beach. This method is not really recommended and should be avoided if waves are crashing on the rocks.
A third way to reach Allerton Beach is by kayak from the nearby Kukuiula Small Boat Harbor.
Once you reach the beach you will find a wonderful place for sunbathing, swimming, beachcombing and hanging out. Protected by the cove at Lawai Bay, the water at Allerton Beach is mostly calm and clear for this area. (Ocean waters to the west are heavily silted from the runoff of the Waimea River and ocean waters to the east are generally rougher and not as clear on the unprotected coastline.) In the evening, sunsets are often amazing at Allerton Beach.
(NOTE: Do not venture past the beach onto the grounds of the Allerton Garden. Hawaii law does allow public access to the beach, but not to private property beyond the beach.)
