Richardson Ocean Park

Sun, surf, snorkel, enjoy! Super nice area with supporting facilities including picnic tables, shower areas for rinsing, and bathrooms that are well maintained. The issue, occasionally, is when the place is over-crowded due to the high demand seasons (summer breaks, etc.) where all parking spots are taken and many tourists make the place not ideal. Excluding tourists, it is a very nice place where you can surf smaller waves - perfect for beginners - and snorkel where there is an abundant of marine life. I prefer this area over Hanauma bay in Oahu because the corals are still alive and there is plenty of reef fish. I posted some GoPro shots here for visitors to see. Just a word of advice. It is rocky, so make sure you bring water shoes, fins, boards, and masks to fully enjoy the area! If you want just a nice sandy beach where you can just enjoy sun bathing, then visit Hapuna Beach over in the Kona side. But that place is also crowded, but the beach is very beautiful.

Very nice park to visit. Many were getting in the water to swim or surf. Just beautiful views. There were clean restrooms and a small visitors center. Black sand beach. It was relaxing to sit and watch the water coming in wave after wave.

Stunning views down the four mile road! We even saw a sea turtle! Swim, picnic, and restrooms, too! Postcard views! We visited with Hop on Hop off tours and the driver was an over the top Guide along the way!

Went right before sunset. Spend a lil time just by the parking lot and let the kiddos swim. Right before the sun set we took a lil hike deeper into the park and was will worth it. Great view of the sunset and we had the whole place to our self. Don't recommend staying to late as it get dark quick and need to hike back. Great place with a beautiful view if you do a lil hike.

Amazing little black sand beach. Parking is limited but worth a visit if you are nearby.

Amazing, we were able to see the Black beach, and turtles. We took a a bus where you can jump on and off where you wanted to around Hilo.

Top Notch black sand beach Joint! Fantastic scuba! Saw some friendly turtles. Minutes from town.

We stopped here to snorkel and see some turtles. We were able to find parking pretty easily and had a great time snorkeling.

We went there on a Sunday around 11am and it was not busy. There is ample parking, family friendly, the black sand can get a little hot, I would recommend sandals, but the water is clear and refreshing. There are several places to sit and picnic, grill, or have a family gathering, and the restrooms are clean.

We came at sunset the first time. It was magical! We came back later to snorkel. It does get crowded during the day but it was such a great experience both times. Parking can be hard to find! And the waters can get rough. So be patient and a spot will open.

For more advance swimmers and more open waters this is your spot. Perfect for snorkeling and exploring the sea life swim past you. The vibrant colors shimmer at you while you take in the magic of the island as you soak up the sunshine and cold waters. During low time the waters are calmer and great for splashing around. Against the lava rocks are some crawling crabs that camouflage with the rocks so you will see them scurrying around. Parking along the road fills up quick and is rare to get the open waters without running into human feet and bodies as you are snorkel around. Added bonus the public restrooms. Remember to take care of the land and leave it better than you saw it and enjoy!

Beautiful sights, even when raining and the tour guy was very friendly. Black sand and lots and lots of rocks!

This waterfront park is an absolute gem! Black sand beaches, beautiful snorkeling area, and lots of peaceful sea turtle friends to observe. There are so many great photo opportunities and neat things to see here. We saw a tiny baby eel come out of the rocks on the shoreline. Very cool. Great please to bring a meal and enjoy the weather. They have nice bathroom facilities too.

Small black sand beach and protected swimming area just a ten minute drive from downtown Hilo - perfect for young families. We stopped by this evening and had a great time. Our girls frolicked on the sand and swam in the water, carefully watched over by a couple of lifeguards on the shore. There were many young families on the beach, and local youth learning to surf, which contributed to the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We were told that sea turtles sometimes swim near the shore, but we didn't see any. We did, however, spot lots of little black crabs, jumping from rock to rock! Happy to return!

Smaller black sand beach, but a good one. There's parking along the road which is convenient, and there are decent bathrooms. If you walk out far enough along the beach, you may see some turtles. Common courtesy is to leave the turtles alone and don't touch them.

Great area to snorkel, there are smaller tide pools that are family friendly. Lifeguard on duty and turtles galore. They collected in the tide pools to sleep.

Richardson Beach was a short drive from our hotel. Was highly recommended by one of the uber driver's I spoke with while waiting for valet to bring our car. Easy to find and there was plenty of parking in the parking lot and also along the road. Clean bathrooms and short walk to the black sand beach. It is a smaller beach but there was a lifeguard on duty and lots of rocks as you enter in the water so bring water shoes. There are a few picnic tables which we used while we ate our lunch. Several families with young children while we were there but there was still plenty of room to spread out on the sand.

Richardson beach is a smaller black sand beach that has lots of sharp rocks, so definitely bring water shoes. We brought our snorkels and saw tons of fish! We went to the very right side of the beach where there are a ton of rocks so you can't walk through the water gracefully, it's easier to just float over all the rocks while snorkeling. Highly recommend this spot for some lowkey snorkeling.

On a sunny afternoon with clear skies, the cool tradewinds weren't enough to break the heat so, I ventured past Hilo harbour and headed to Richardson Ocean Park. If you just want someplace to dip in the water for a short while like myself and hang-out while soaking in the sun plus gorgeous ocean views, this is the place. With ample parking spaces, clean restrooms plus showers down some steps and, a lifeguard, it was a hot yet justified reason to be here at noon. Bring a folding chair, a water flask, snacks if you want, a beach towel and, sunscreen because even though Hilo may not have white sand beaches, this seems to be a great spot to take a dip in the cool waters. I usually like to swim at beaches that have sand dunes but, even though the ocean floor was rocky, I still enjoyed myself. I hope you do too when visiting this beautiful beach park in Hilo.

We came super early around 7am to walk around. Not many people around. The gates weren't open so we parked on the side of the road that had parking. If you don't want to go far for black sand experience, this is the place for it. We didn't go swimming or snorkeling here but we saw people coming in with her snorkeling gear. My family member who lives in Hilo says it can get crowded and people like to swim/exercise in the water.

It's what we needed. Beautiful views, sun and water that will just feed your body and soul.

Beautiful! Absolutely gorgeous. We spent half a day here snorkeling. Clear water, clean bathrooms, but bring your water shoes as it is rocky in some parts.

Richardson Ocean Park is incredible! -Little crowds...barely anyone...especially compared to Waikiki -Great snorkeling...so many fishes and turtles! -Protected waters -Parking always nearby -Life Guards -Restrooms This is what I love about Hilo's little beach parks! This beautiful spot is a must visit while in Hilo...bring your snorkeling gear!

Beautiful black sand beach park, part of a long stretch of black sand beaches in Hilo. Come here to have some fun in the sun, the sand is fine and soft and more exfoliating than white sand. The view is so beautiful here, we unfortunately got here during sunset, it was still beautiful. I enjoyed experiencing a natural beach in Hilo.

Life's a beach. Find your wave. ...Or find some honu! Or not. After reading the reviews here we were hopeful to see those sea turtles swimming here but unfortunately they were not here even after visiting multiple times. Those honu are in hiding! This is a great park for relaxing on the beach. The water is crystal clear and beautiful, and I feel like there's more sand here than at Carl Smith and definitely more than Wai'uli beach. There are various inlets here which makes it a good place if you want to go snorkeling too.

Its a really nice beach for snorkeling and surfing if the waves are breaking be careful. There is also a undertow so I would say for more experienced swimmers. Not that safe for children 10/10/22 the parking lot is under construction so parking is limited to side of road at this time. I asked how long the parking lot was expected to be closed and the workers said about 4 months. Good news is the are put in ramps etc. to comply with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act.) this is really awesome.

Small parking lot, crowded, rocky, and locals are not friendly to visitors. We are from a neighbor island and a few of the locals were rude. No aloha there, so we left. We went to the next beach over which was super rocky where we met a lovely Aunty. And she recommend Onekahakaha Beach Park for our keiki to play in the water. It was a nice beach with shade and great for families.

They say this is one of the best Black Sand Beaches on Hilo and also the best place to see turtles. The day we were there we only saw one turtle but, it was well worth the time as it is an absolutely gorgeous beach. A must see for Turtles. There are also fresh water ponds just behind the beach and you can see water birds feeding.

Not my type of beach for swimming, but it's definitely pretty to look at and enjoy the scenery. This is a black sand beach, where you will see lots of families and kids roaming around in the sand and water. There are many shallow areas to wade, play and swim in the water so if you're scared of depths this may be the beach for you! The main reason I wouldn't prefer to swim here is because of the crowds and the black sand. If you are okay with the crowds and black sand there are lots of areas to set up at. There are grass areas, sand areas and rocky areas. Whether you're planning on staying here or just visiting there are many sights to see. If you go towards the rocky areas, tide pools can be seen! In those tide pools are crabs, sea urchins and sea anemones. Only spent about 20 minutes here, but it's a perfect spot to visit on the Big Island if you're looking to relax, swim or enjoy the black sand. Just be aware that it's crowded because both residents and tourists come here!

Peaceful place to have a picnic and go for a dip or look for seashells. Lots of people fishing and Kiki swimming in the little swim ponds . Great views of the ocean .

We were going to go beach hopping but fell in love with this location. Black sand beaches. Uncrowded. Gorgeous. Shade. We did not see any turtles there today but maybe wrong time of day as there are signs posted about them in various places. Do you want to see fish without snorkeling? Here you have it. Tons of pooled areas with tons of fish and crabs.

We headed south of Hilo to Richardson's Beach to see one of the Big Island's famed black sand beaches. A historic house from the 1920s is Richardson's Ocean Center and the beach is a pubic park with lifeguards on duty. It contains a marine conservation area with tide pools, spring-fed ponds and excellent snorkeling opportunities. We enjoyed swimming here. Should you visit this or any other black sand beach, be warned that the sand is extremely hot because it absorbs the sun's rays just like asphalt does. Bring water shoes and your feet will thank you. The toilets were kind of gross, but I guess that's to be expected at a public beach. There were showers outside the restrooms to wash the sand off...you do not want to accidentally take sand home and anger Pele.

While researching my trip to the Big Island, many redditors suggested Richardson Ocean Park for some great sea turtle sightings. I was very happy that I listened to what they said as I was in for a HUGE treat! I came to Richardson Ocean Park at around 4pm and though the parking lot was filled, I was still able to get a parking spot. There is one large open spot that is commonly used to start your swim, snorkel, or surf, but it looks like it gets quite deep quite fast (just FYI). The sandy area of this beach isn't great for sun bathing, but can be done if it isn't packed. The real treat of this place is located on the faaaarr right, in the tide pools. I counted about 9 sea turtles that were just relaxing in shallow ponds! Even one just relaxing on a rock...about 100 feet from where children were screaming and jumping into the ocean. It's a great stop to relax and see some sea turtles. Definitely will return. (travel in early March 2020)

I enjoy coming here to snorkel and swim often! They have lifeguards, restrooms and showers. Lots of families come here - everyone very friendly and helpful. My fav Ocean Park in the Hilo area!

Great small beach with black sand and lil green jade sand mixed in. Kind of dirty with tree foliage but it's Hilo and there's a lot of jungle. Went at around 4 pm and parking lot was full but plenty of parking on street. Surrounding the beach was freshwater ponds which was cool to see. Snorkeling is a must here!!! That's why I came to this beach. We saw a giant sea turtle come up to the rocks and started munching on algae off the rocks. That thing was like 4-5 feet in length. Also saw lots of fish like angels, tangs, trigger fish, puffers, wrasses, snowflake eel, and needle/pipefish. Pretty shallow area and lots of rocks so be careful. There was a shark scare when we were there as someone said they saw one and a helicopter started flying overhead apparently looking for any sharks. Police came and no one announced anything but ppl started making there way back to shore. About 10 min later, police left and everyone went back in.

Rocky!! Water was freezing and only saw a few fish. Lots of parking and a couple bathrooms.

This was probably the coolest beach we visited in Hawaii. Not just the Big Island mind you, but all of them. Richardson's is a black sand beach as you can tell by the pictures, and surprisingly the black sand lives up to the hype. The sand--byproducts of lava hitting the water and exploding--is smooth and soft. There are also a number of rocks to climb, smaller pools that form in between said rocks that are great for relaxing in, and also a nice lookout site on the leftmost side of the beach. The water itself is perfect. Sea turtles also frequent this beach so be alert. What I loved about this beach most of all was the mix of people. There are some tourists, but otherwise it's mostly locals. Teenagers, parents with their kids, pretty much everyone is represented and in good spirits. Only negative I can think of is that parking can be a bit tough, but worst comes to worst you walk a little bit. Definitely check this place out if you're Hilo-side on the Big Island!

Very busy , but very beautiful and the rocks aren't as bad on your feet at this location! Life gaurd is on duty as well!

TURTLES TURTLES TURTLES!!!! There was like 9 or so by the time we left for the day! The sand is black and green and feels great on your feet! There was not an abundance of beach sand to lay on... would say this beach is more for the snorkeling! The water was great but it did have a bit of a current. There was a life guards on duty which was really nice! I would definitely suggest getting water shoes though! There was lots of rocks to walk on to see the turtles and there was a few big rocks out in the water. There also was a small wading pool that was a lot calmer for younger kids! Parking was close and there was public bathrooms and a shower to wash off the salt and sand at the end of the day!!!

Great beach just outside of downtown Hilo past the airport, with a good mix of locals and tourists. Just about everything you need for an afternoon at the beach: Free parking Bathrooms Showers Lifeguard Picnic benches Trees for shade A few small sandy beaches Beautiful views Surfing Body boarding Snorkeling with sea turtles right off shore Grassy areas Whether your staying in Hilo or in Kona, Richardson's should be on your list of places to visit.

Our favorite park while visiting Hilo. Lots of fish for snorkeling. Deep water that had fun, gentle rolling waves. I sat on a floaty in the water while my husband snorkeled around. Warm water, black sands, and beautiful scenery. Not crowded at all during the week, so I recommend going then. This was recommended to us by some locals we befriended and I'm so glad they did. We kept leaving other beaches to return to this one.

This was a great find on our trip today. The sand is black and also hot! Since this beach is very rocky I would suggest water shoes. Bring your snorkel there are great reefs out to see. Also, we saw sea turtles back in the corner which made my day! Bring plenty of sunscreen because it's full sun all the time and the black sand seems to magnify that. Don't forget to put it on your feet too!

Nice friendly and convenient beach park. It has a little of everything you would want to see UI n Hawaii. This ocean park obviously has an ocean, a playable beach, lava rocks, black sand, beautiful views, picnic area, and of course sea turtles. So, if you're in the area, this place is worth checking out.

What a beautiful Park. The kids and I just loved it. The water was very cold. The beach was clean and well maintained. There were a lot of local and a lot of tourist as well. You could see that they all were really enjoying this beach. There were some historical plague to read about the area. At the far end there was a sign about the distant to which you could be to Turtles. To our surprise, there were families of turtles in the water near the rocks. The cove area made a nice snorkeling area. Under the water were so many kinds if fish and the water was clear. My son went out a bit farther to boogie board with the locals. And thank God there were Life Guards available.

This is an awesome swim beach. Lots of pluses here. Black sand, shallow swim lagoons, beautiful rock formations, restrooms, snorkeling, showers and free parking. Great place for a quick stop or spend the day and an awesome place for young children.

This is my favorite beach on the Hilo East siiiide. Not that there are many choices but people still have their own spots. My spot happens to be Richardsons. When my sister and I were growing up we thought the black sand beach was huge. It's not at all :-) There's a little spot of sandy beach with a life guard but you'll want to be careful of the rocks in the all the other places. The great parts about Richardsons is the parking, the shady coconut trees, the grassy areas, full on bathroom and outdoor shower facilities, a picnic bench area (kinda set back from the beach so we never hang there) and the swimming holes towards the back right area where you can also lay out on the smooth pahoehoe lava. My favorite part of all times about Richardsons is the way the sun shines upon the beach area when it's setting. You can look out into the bay and see the mountains and other side of the shore. It's pretty fabulous.

This beach is the bomb for all you water dogs. Granted, it's not your typical white sandy beach of Hawaii calendars, however it is an oasis on the east side for those off the beaten path types; the shore is exciting with a little black sandy beach, and room here and there for beach chairs. Walk a little further back and you'll find brackish tide pools ~ be careful not to disturb the sleeping Honu or occasional sun bathing Hawaiian monk seal. A natural protective walk of pahoehoe lava also creates great cliffs for jumping off of. If you are comfortable snorkeling, then be sure to get your fins, mask and snorkel gear and explore the reef that is teaming with tropical fish. Getting past the reef where the waves break is a little tricky and can be a bit intimidating and dangerous ~ so don't do it if you're not with an experienced snorkel buddy or seasoned Hawaiian free diver. Once you're past the point break then the reef drops steeply and you might start to get the heebie jeebies as you realize your vulnerability ~ awesome! The Honu fly by like underwater angels and you might even feel the sonar from nearby humped back whales as they are checking you out and sizing you up if it's January or February. Richardsons is a magical magical place ~ on the shore or in the water you are cradled by the sand or the waves as you relax, reconnect, and revitalize.

This place is amazing. Seriously, heaven on earth. This is a great place to see a black sand beach if you don't want to drive far. The sand on the beach isn't super huge, but it wasn't too packed up there anyways. This probably wouldn't be the place to go of you are looking to bake on a busy, sunny beach. They have big gorgeous trees that provide a nice shade. They also have all of these beautiful lagoons that are fun to walk around. The water was a little cooler, but still great for swimming, snorkeling and wading. My husband went out snorkeling and said he saw some pretty cool fish and some different varieties from the snorkeling he did in Kona. I got to see some awesome big sea turtles. I think there's at least 6 or 7 large ones that live there. If you go please try to stop anyone you see messing with the turtles. Give them their space and you can watch then forever. Technically this is more if a "park" but at the time the parking was free, the waters beautiful and the vibe relaxed. Would be a great place to go for a picnic and just admire the stunning view! This is a MUST stop for me next time I'm in Hilo!

Oh my gosh, this beach is amazing. If you want to walk through beautiful tide pools surrounded by lush forest, across a gorgeous black sugar beach, into incredible coral reefs teaming with fish and other glorious creatures, this is the place. You can safely swim out as far as you could want, as it is protected by a cove. There are life guards on duty. I went by myself, and felt perfectly safe. I snorkeled here for the first time in years, and the water was incredible.

Spent some time here when visiting Hilo for the day with a friend. Visiting a black sand beach was on our list of things to see in Hawaii, so this seemed a perfect fit. There were plenty of people at the beach, but it didn't take away from just being able to enjoy the scenery and trekking around or climbing the rocks. As others have said, there are usually turtles in the large tide pool...plenty of other fish or marine creatures too. The scenery is pretty wonderful though, and so it's worth making this park a stop. If we had more time there, I'm sure my friend and I would have enjoyed a picnic and a bit more hiking around. And, for what it's worth, the sand isn't entirely black. There are specs of green in the sand as well - a local told us it's jade that's formed through the pressures/chemistry of the volcanic activity. Pretty cool.

I grew up here so it has a special place in my heart. If you want to see turtles just bring a mask and snorkel or walk to the ponds at the far end of the beach. Current gets strong during the winter when the waves are up but if you stay well inside of the breaking waves you should be fine. Please do your best to keep this place clean.

I love this park (beach) It is beautiful. I like hanging out by the rocks and checking out the turtles and other little fishes. I could hang out here all day. I think this is probably my favorite beach in all of Hawaii....Love it! Alohaz!

My favorite place on the Big Island! Black sand beach you don't have to hike to like Pololu and plenty of turtles and parking.

Great public beach! Very Rocky and surf/waves are somewhat rough. Bring water shoes for sure. If snorkeling, flippers for your feet would be recommended. We arrived on a Tuesday morning about 9:30 and it wasn't too crowded but by 11 a.m. it was pretty packed. There are some Rocky areas where the surf breaks that had turtles sunbathing and areas of calm water with lots of fish.

It's true! Sea turtles galore 8) being goggles, swim shoes and food and your day will be amazing

Richardson is another great beach on the beach road in Hilo. Nice black sand beach, easy entry and GREAT snorkeling. Water is about 6-15 feet deep, so perfect for novice snorkelers too. Water may be a little chilly at the entry, but go further out, it's way warmer. Snorkel around, in from of the lifeguard tower (about 40-60 meters out) and look for the "ALOHA" on the bottom of the sand! Beach area is not huge but plenty of room to lay out, have a picnic, or let kids play in the sand. Turtles frequent Richardson, look for their heads popping up for air. Park has a few picnic tables, lifeguard, good parking, and clean restrooms. Favorite spot for locals and visitors! Make sure valuables are in the car and out of sight/locked up.

Our highlight of this small but locally popular black sand beach were its large sea turtles! We saw at least a half dozen turtles relaxing and swimming about (they're quick!). The water is shallow (less than 5ft) and easy to see through in the late evening sun. There were also some neat rock formations that the waves would crash through just beyond the quiet cove the turtles had settled into for the evening. These were neat to explore too. You can see the turtles in flip-flops, though you'll be more comfortable and stable in a more secure shoe (e.g., a simple water shoe). Appropriate for all ages.