If You Love Snorkeling, This Hawaiian Beach Is What You're Looking For

Imagine yourself floating lazily in crystal blue water, snorkeling mask on your face, as a parrotfish swims by. A turtle suns itself on a rock next to you. You can hear children laughing from the nearby playground and people strolling on a boardwalk. If this sounds like paradise, consider visiting the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

On the island's east side, a little under 6 miles from Lihue, sits Lydgate Beach Park. Named after Reverend Henry Lydgate, a missionary on the island in the late 1800s, this beach has everything you need for the perfect snorkeling vacation spot. Visitors will find two man-made protected pools at Lydgate, including one for your little ones to try swimming and snorkeling for the first time and one for more experienced swimmers. Even non-swimmers can learn to snorkel safely in these calm waters. This location has lifeguards on duty, so you can swim and play in the water with peace of mind. 

When you don your snorkeling mask and fins, you may see creatures like angelfish, tangs, pufferfish, yellowtail wrasse, moray eels, and even sea turtles. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about ocean safety and protecting animals. For instance, it's a lot of fun to spot and take pictures of adorable turtles relaxing on the breakwater, but touching them can stress them out or injure them. If you watch the ocean from the beach, you might see some dolphins or glimpse some humpback whales as they pass by from November through March. 

The clear water makes the park's pools ideal for animal spotting, and the pools' barriers prevent aggressive waves interrupting the ocean's serenity. One visitor to Lydgate wrote on TripAdvisor, "Lydgate State Park has amazingly clear water with an area within a rock reef that makes it perfect for families and snorkeling. I am a beginner snorkeler and it was perfect for me. I felt like I was swimming in a tropical fish tank[;] there were so many colorful fish sharing the water with me." Another wrote, "I swam through at least two entire schools of fish."

In addition to the wading and adult pools, more experienced swimmers can try out some water sports outside the protected area. The waves can get rougher here, particularly when the south (or kona) winds blow. That means it's a good spot to try out some windsurfing, bodyboarding, and traditional surfing.

Lydgate Beach Park really is a perfect family spot. The park has the Kamalani Playground, which is full of wooden structures to climb, a bridge, swings, and a volcano slide. It's one of Hawaii's largest playgrounds, so you can spend a lot of time here. There is plenty of shade to protect kids from the Hawaiian sun, but use sunscreen (preferably a reef-safe option). Some of the bridges and ramps in the playground are wheelchair accessible.

If you want to take a beach stroll or let the wind blow through your hair as you ride your bike, try the Lydgate Bike Path, known as Ke Ala Hele Makalae. It runs 2.5 miles along the park. As you go, there are areas along the way where you can stop for a picnic or take some incredible pictures of the ocean. If you like camping, you can stay from noon on Thursday to 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the Lydgate Campground next to the playground's bridge. Make sure to book early, as it fills up. You can get a camping permit here.

Lydgate Beach Park has a free parking lot, but that also tends to fill quickly, especially on weekends. If the lot is full, you can wait for a spot to open or try to find one on Halelilo Road, a few minutes walk from the beach. Lydgate Beach has so much to do during your island vacation, but Kauai as a whole is marvelous. Here are some of the best things to do in Kauai.