Located north of Kahaluu Beach Park and the Mauna Kea Resort, Spencer Beach Park is on the beautiful Kohala Coast. It is just south of Kawaihae Harbor, which is one of two major harbors on the island—Hilo is the other—and played an important role in the history of the Big Island. This is where the ships that brought the first cattle and horses to Hawaii docked in the early nineteenth century. It is also called the Samuel Spencer Beach Park and is a popular day trip for families with children because the waters are generally very calm. Spencer Beach in Hawaii has a number of facilities conducive to a full day at the beach, including restrooms and showers, picnic pavilions with electricity and barbecue grills, plenty of shade, and grassy areas. There are also lifeguards on duty until about 4 p.m.

Spencer Beach Park also has volleyball and basketball courts and camping sites, though permits are required to camp. The protective reef offshore also makes for some good snorkeling and diving, and you will find boats heading to Spencer Beach in Hawaii for these excursions that depart from nearby Kawaihae Harbor. If you've booked one of these excursions, you may find yourself swimming with sea turtles. Some of these boats are also available for deep-sea fishing trips.

Samuel Spencer Beach Park is near other things to do on the Kohala Coast. If you want to get in some hiking, this is one of the access points for the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail that rings the southern, western, and northern coasts of the Big Island. The beach is within walking distance of the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, where an ancient Hawaiian temple of war is located.

Big Island Map