Kalama Park, Kihei: Playground, Skate Park, Ocean Lawn
Central Kihei's recreation hub packs a shaded playground, a 20,000-square-foot skatepark, ball fields, courts, pavilions, and a wide oceanfront lawn onto 36 county acres, a 12-minute walk north of The Hale Pau Hana.
At Kalama Park you can skate a 20,000-square-foot concrete skatepark, play tennis, basketball, baseball, or softball, turn kids loose on a shaded playground, grill at two large picnic pavilions, and watch the sun set from a wide ocean lawn, all on 36 county-maintained acres at 1900 South Kihei Road in central Kihei, Maui. The shoreline itself is rocky, so swimmers head to the sand beaches just south. From The Hale Pau Hana, the oceanfront condominium property at 2480 South Kihei Road, Kalama Park is 0.6 miles north, a 12-minute walk along the South Kihei Road sidewalk.
Key takeaways
- Kalama Park is a 36-acre Maui County park at 1900 South Kihei Road in central Kihei, with five ball fields, four tennis courts, two basketball courts, an inline skating rink, a playground, and two picnic pavilions.
- Kalama Skate Park, inside the park, is a 20,000-square-foot concrete skatepark with a street course, a pool-style bowl, and a vert ramp, the main public skatepark in South Maui.
- The shoreline at Kalama Park is rocky and not suited for swimming; the nearest swimmable sand is at Charley Young Beach and Kamaole Beach Park II to the south.
- A life-size humpback whale statue marks the park's South Kihei Road entrance and wears a giant lei around Christmas and on Lei Day, May 1.
- The park has 282 free parking spaces across four lots, five restroom buildings, and two outdoor showers.
- The Hale Pau Hana, the oceanfront condominium property at 2480 South Kihei Road, is 0.6 miles south of Kalama Park, a 12-minute walk.
What is there to do at Kalama Park?
Kalama Park is the largest recreation complex in central Kihei, and the rule of thumb is simple: if a land sport happens in South Maui, it probably happens here. The table below covers every major facility, all maintained by the County of Maui.
| Facility | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Playground | 1,000 square feet with a shade structure and swings | The shade structure keeps equipment usable through midday |
| Kalama Skate Park | 20,000 square feet of concrete | Street course, pool-style bowl, vert ramp; rules posted at the entry |
| Inline skating rink | 170 by 80 feet | Built for inline skating and hockey |
| Tennis courts | 4 full courts, side by side | Free and open to the public |
| Basketball courts | 2 full courts, side by side | Pickup games most evenings |
| Ball fields | Baseball field, softball and little league field, Dorvin D. Leis Little League Field, practice field | Batting cages on two fields; league play fills weekend mornings |
| Multipurpose field | 200 by 200 foot grass field | Soccer and open play |
| Picnic pavilions | 2 pavilions, 132 by 42 feet and 120 by 30 feet | BBQ grills and electrical hookups; permit through Maui County for gatherings |
| Performance gazebo | 40 by 26 foot bandstand | Concerts, festivals, and community events |
| Restrooms and showers | 5 restroom buildings, 2 outdoor showers | The most restroom coverage of any central Kihei park |
| Parking | 282 free spaces across 4 lots | Access from South Kihei Road and Pi'ilani Highway |
| Whale statue | Life-size humpback sculpture at the entrance | Central Kihei's best-known landmark |
| Ocean lawn | Wide grass field running to a rocky shoreline | Sunset watching and shoreline walks, not swimming |
Pavilion permits and field reservations run through the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation; everything else is open to the public at no charge.
Where is Kalama Park, and how far is it from The Hale Pau Hana?
Kalama Park sits on the makai, or ocean, side of South Kihei Road at 1900 South Kihei Road, in the busiest stretch of central Kihei. Kihei Kalama Village, the open-air marketplace at 1941 South Kihei Road, faces it from across the road. Drivers can reach the park from South Kihei Road or Pi'ilani Highway, and the four lots hold 282 free spaces, the largest parking supply of any park in the neighborhood.
| Place | Distance from HPH | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kalama Park | 0.6 miles north | 12-minute walk |
| Cove Park (The Cove), at the park's south end | 0.7 miles north | About 14 minutes on foot |
| Charley Young Beach | 0.4 miles north | 8-minute walk |
| Kihei Kalama Village | 0.9 to 1.0 miles north | Roughly 18 minutes on foot |
| Foodland (1881 South Kihei Road) | 1.1 miles north | About 2 minutes by car |
How do you get to Kalama Park from The Hale Pau Hana?
Walk north on the South Kihei Road sidewalk. The route passes Kamaole Beach Park I and the Charley Young Beach access at 0.4 miles, then reaches the south end of Kalama Park at about 0.6 miles, a 12-minute walk at an easy pace. Cove Park and its beginner surf lineup adjoin the park's southern boundary. The full inventory of what sits along this stretch is mapped in Walking distance from The Hale Pau Hana.
What is Kalama Skate Park like?
Kalama Skate Park is a 20,000-square-foot concrete park inside Kalama Park at 1910 South Kihei Road, and it skates with an ocean view. The layout is a transition-oriented street course with banks, quarter-pipes, roll-ins, and spines, plus a small concrete bowl shaped like a backyard pool. A 9-foot vert ramp connects to a 24-foot-wide mini ramp for riders working between the two. Hours and safety rules are posted at the entry, so check the signage when you arrive. Bring your own board; mornings run cooler and less windy, and the trade winds pick up by afternoon. For visiting skaters staying in South Kihei, this is the park: it is the main public skatepark on Maui's south side, 12 minutes on foot from The Hale Pau Hana.
Is there a playground at Kalama Park?
Yes. The playground covers about 1,000 square feet under a shade structure, with swings alongside, and it anchors the park's appeal for families with mixed ages: small kids on the equipment, older kids at the skatepark or the basketball courts, and parents at a picnic table in between. Five restroom buildings spread across the park mean nobody is ever far from one. For a beach day and a playground in a single stop, Kamaole Beach Park III, a 6-minute walk south of The Hale Pau Hana, pairs its own playground with a large grass park and sand; Kalama is the pick when the kids need wheels, courts, and room to run. Families weighing where to base in Kihei can compare options in Family-friendly Kihei condos.
Can you swim at the beach at Kalama Park?
No, and this is the one thing Kalama Park does not do. The shoreline is rocky and shallow, the water is often murky, and there is no real sand entry, so the ocean edge here is for shoreline walks, fishing, and sunsets rather than swimming. The fix is a short walk south, where the swimmable sand starts almost immediately.
| Shoreline | What it is | Swimming | Distance from HPH | Walk time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalama Park shoreline | Rocky edge below the ocean lawn | Not recommended; shallow rock and murky water | 0.6 miles north | 12 minutes |
| Cove Park (The Cove) | Small cove at Kalama's south end | Beginner surf and paddle lessons rather than swimming | 0.7 miles north | About 14 minutes |
| Charley Young Beach | Sheltered sand cove at the north end of Kamaole I | Calm, sand-bottom swimming | 0.4 miles north | 8 minutes |
| Kamaole Beach Park II | 1,600-foot lifeguarded sand beach | The calmest swimming in Kihei, lifeguards 8am to 4:30pm | On property at The Hale Pau Hana | 0 minutes |
Surfers head to Cove Park at the park's south end, swimmers to Charley Young Beach, and guests of The Hale Pau Hana simply stay put: Kamaole Beach Park II begins where the property lawn ends.
Why is there a whale statue at Kalama Park?
The life-size humpback whale sculpture at the park's South Kihei Road entrance, roughly 49 feet long, has stood there since the late 1980s and is the easiest landmark to give a driver in central Kihei. Volunteers maintain it, and twice a year they dress it: a giant lei goes on for roughly two weeks around Christmas, traditionally December 17 through 27, and again on May 1 for Lei Day. The statue is also a year-round stand-in for the real thing. Humpbacks fill the channel off Kihei from late November through early May and are visible from shore, including from the lanais at The Hale Pau Hana, 0.6 miles south. Where and when to look is covered in Whale watching from Kihei.
Who is Kalama Park best for?
- Families with mixed ages. A shaded playground, a skatepark, courts, open grass, restrooms every few hundred feet, and parking for everyone make it the easiest multi-kid afternoon in Kihei.
- Skaters and inline players. The 20,000-square-foot skatepark and the 170 by 80 foot inline rink are South Maui's purpose-built wheels facilities.
- Picnics, parties, and reunions. Two large pavilions with grills and electrical hookups, a performance gazebo, and 282 parking spaces handle groups that would overwhelm a beach park.
- Pickup sports players. Four tennis courts, two basketball courts, batting cages, and a 200 by 200 foot multipurpose field, all free.
Who it suits less: anyone whose day is built around swimming. For that, base at the sand. Every unit at The Hale Pau Hana is oceanfront on Kamaole Beach Park II, with the lifeguarded beach at the bottom of the lawn and Kalama Park 12 minutes up the road.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kalama Park the same as Kalama Beach Park?
Yes. The official Maui County name is Kalama Park, but signs, maps, and local usage also say Kalama Beach Park because the 36 acres run all the way to the shoreline. Both names mean the same park at 1900 South Kihei Road. Do not confuse it with Kihei Kalama Village, the open-air marketplace across South Kihei Road, or Kalepolepo Beach Park, a separate county park farther north in Kihei.
Is parking free at Kalama Park?
Yes. Kalama Park has 282 free parking spaces across four lots, with access from both South Kihei Road and Pi'ilani Highway. That is the largest parking supply of any park in central Kihei, which makes Kalama the practical meeting point for groups with gear. Lots fill fastest on weekend mornings when league games run on the ball fields. Guests at The Hale Pau Hana can skip the car entirely; the walk takes about 12 minutes.
Does Kalama Park have pickleball courts?
No. Kalama Park's hard courts are four full tennis courts and two side-by-side basketball courts, all free and open to the public. Kihei's dedicated public pickleball courts are at Waipuilani Park in north Kihei, about a six-minute drive from The Hale Pau Hana. For tennis or a pickup basketball game, Kalama is the South Maui default; for organized pickleball play, Waipuilani is the spot locals will point you to.
Can you reserve a pavilion at Kalama Park?
Yes. Kalama Park's two picnic pavilions, one 132 by 42 feet and one 120 by 30 feet, plus the 40 by 26 foot performance gazebo, can be permitted for gatherings through the Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation. The pavilions have electrical hookups, and the park's 282 parking spaces handle large parties. Unreserved picnic tables and BBQ areas operate first come, first served; weekend dates book earliest, so apply well ahead for birthdays or reunions.
Are there restrooms and showers at Kalama Park?
Yes. The county maintains five public restroom buildings spread across the park's 36 acres and two outdoor shower facilities, more coverage than any other park in central Kihei. That matters on long afternoons when kids rotate between the playground, the skate park, and the fields. The nearest lifeguarded beach facilities are south at the Kamaole beach parks, where restrooms and rinse showers sit within steps of the sand.
Can you surf at Kalama Park?
Yes, at the south end. Cove Park, locally The Cove, adjoins Kalama Park's southern boundary and holds South Maui's beginner surf break, a soft rolling longboard wave where Kihei's surf schools meet for morning lessons. From The Hale Pau Hana, The Cove is 0.7 miles north, about 14 minutes on foot. The rest of the Kalama shoreline is rocky and better for watching the lineup at sunset than for getting in the water.
When does the whale statue at Kalama Park wear a lei?
Twice a year. Community volunteers drape a giant lei over the life-size humpback sculpture for roughly two weeks around Christmas, traditionally December 17 through 27, weather permitting, and again on May 1 for Lei Day. The same volunteer group has maintained the sculpture for years, including cleanups and repairs. The statue stands at the park's South Kihei Road entrance and is central Kihei's easiest landmark to spot.
Where can you eat near Kalama Park?
Kihei Kalama Village, the open-air marketplace at 1941 South Kihei Road with 14 restaurants and more than 40 shops, sits across South Kihei Road from the park, about 0.9 to 1.0 miles from The Hale Pau Hana, an 18-minute walk. Kihei Caffe opens at 6am for the classic local breakfast. For picnic provisioning, Foodland, the full-size supermarket at 1881 South Kihei Road, is a short walk north of the park and about a two-minute drive from the property.
Stay 12 minutes from the skatepark, zero steps from the sand
The Hale Pau Hana puts Kalama Park's playground, courts, and skatepark up the road and Kamaole Beach Park II at the bottom of the lawn. Browse available units, then check availability or call +1-808-879-2715.
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