Imagine Honolulu Without its Beaches

Beaches and parks on Oahu are closed to the public once again as the city attempts to control the spread of COVID-19.

2 minute read

August 11, 2020, 11:00 AM PDT

By Clement Lau


Pacific Ocean Beaches

RightFramePhotoVideo / Shutterstock

Can you imagine Honolulu without its beaches? Well, the beaches are not actually disappearing. But they are closed to the public until September 4th. Parks and trails (with few exceptions) are also off-limits as COVID-19 cases have spiked on Oahu, prompting authorities to act in an effort to prevent large gatherings of people in public spaces.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, beaches, parks, and trails across the U.S. have become very popular as more and more people venture outside for recreation. Numerous articles and studies have also documented how people are spending more time outdoors for their physical and mental health and well-being. Thus understandably, some Honolulu residents are disappointed and frustrated by the government's decision.

As Christy Stanton, one of the individuals interviewed for this Honolulu Advertiser article, said “I understand about the need to stop the virus from surging, but I think parks are where people can exercise and keep social distance in small household groups — we need it especially when people aren’t working and are cooped up.” There are, however, exceptions to the closures. Most notably, surfers are still allowed to get in the water; they are just not allowed to hang out on the beach. This provision is keeping those who surf happy, with their sentiments captured by Sean Steele who said the closures “don’t really affect me, I just surf.”

The next few weeks will be tough for Honolulu residents. After all, spending time in the beautiful outdoors is a key component of the slowed-down, low-stress island lifestyle. Let's hope that the closures will help to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Honolulu and that residents will be able to return to their beloved beaches, parks, and trails soon.

Saturday, August 8, 2020 in The Honolulu Star Advertiser

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

15 minutes ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

1 hour ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA