Tunnels Beach Parking
Where to Park for Tunnels Beach?
Finding parking for Tunnels Beach in Kauai is not easy.
The best places to find parking for Tunnels Beach on the north shore of Kauai are in the free parking lot at Haena Beach Park, just a short beach walk away, or the two beach access alleys off Kuhio Highway just past mile marker 8.
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Tunnels Beach Parking
| Tunnels Beach Parking | Details |
|---|---|
| Closest parking | Tunnels Beach Access Roads Park for free on the side of the alleyways, making sure not to obstruct traffic. |
| Best parking option | Haena Beach Park parking lot Relatively large free parking lot for Haena Beach Park, restrooms close by, Tunnels Beach is 10-15 minutes walk along the water. |
| Parking Hours | Currently open 24×7 |
| Parking Fee / Cost | Parking is free at the above parking locations. |
| How early should I get to Tunnels Beach for parking? | For the beach access road parking, get here by 08:30 am. Haena Beach Park lot is bigger, but still getting here by 10:00 am is advisable. |
| Do you need a reservation to park at Tunnels Beach? | No parking reservations are needed to park at Tunnels Beach. |
| Do you need a parking permit for Tunnels Beach? | No parking permits are needed for Tunnels Beach. |
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Tunnels Beach Access via Alleys Off the Kuhio Highway
As you are driving west along Kuhio Highway from Hanalei, there are two alleys with signs that say “Beach Access,” with a very limited number of parking spots in each.
Both these alleys lead to Tunnels Beach.
These side roads come up a little bit after mile marker 8 on Kuhio Highway (Highway 560): one at about 0.4 mile after the marker and the second at about 0.6 mile past the marker (see map).
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If you have an audio app you are using as a sightseeing guide, such as the GyPSy Guide, the app should alert you to the location of these alleys.
The spots along these alleys fill up early, so plan to arrive before 8 a.m. — the earlier the better. You have to be very lucky to find one of them vacant during the day.
Please do not park in private driveways or anywhere in the “no parking” zones: area residents are very vigilant about enforcing the parking rules, and your car may be towed away if you park illegally.
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Access to Tunnels Beach via Ha’ena Beach
If the spots in the alleys are taken, or you prefer to park in a bonafide parking lot, drive further west on Kuhio Highway until you arrive at the public parking lot for Ha’ena Beach Park. The lot is on the right of the highway just before mile marker 9 as you face west.
You can park here for free, and walk east from Ha’ena Beach to Tunnels Beach on the sand. This walk is about 0.5 mile each way.
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The parking lot at Ha’ena Beach Park also tends to fill up, because there are just about three dozen spots, so you do have to arrive early.
But your chances of getting a spot when someone leaves during the day is higher here than in the alleyways at Tunnels Beach. Arrive at around noon, when morning visitors may be leaving, or at about 4 p.m. if you plan to stay on at Tunnels Beach for sunset.
Please do not block the highway as you wait for a spot to open up in the Ha’ena Beach Park parking lot. The road is very narrow and you may get irate honks from people trying to drive past or even a ticket.
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If you plan to spend a few hours at Tunnels Beach and are bringing beach chairs and other gear, the driver of your car can drop passengers and gear off at one of the alleyways and then drive up to Haena Beach Park for a parking space if the alleys are full.
Parking at Haena Beach park allows you to use the restroom if needed before you walk over to Tunnels. You can also speak with the lifeguard at Haena Beach Park if you want up-to-date info on conditions.
And usually there’s a food truck by the parking lot with fresh fruit and other yummy treats!
The plus of the limited parking is that Tunnels Beach and Haena Beach are usually not crowded at all, making your time here a truly relaxing experience.
Planning a trip to Tunnels Beach? Be sure to check our Tunnels Beach home page for all the details you need to plan!