A main attraction is the naturally formed arch known as Lizard Rock, which has a hole punched through it that was created by a tsunami. Partly thanks to the movie, La’ie Point is a popular cliff-jumping spot, but this is highly discouraged due to the risk of injury from the sharp rocks and powerful waves. Fishing is also a popular activity here but most visitors just come to admire views of the coastline and small offshore islands. Some circle-island tours around Oahu include a stop at La'ie Point State Wayside Park.
The park is free to visit.
There are no lifeguards, restrooms, or any other facilities.
Take care when walking along the coast: wearing flip-flops is not recommended.
There is very little shade, so wearing a hat is advisable.
La’ie Point State Wayside Park is made up of two separate strips of land on either side of a dead-end residential street behind the town of La’ie. Reach La’ie by turning off Kamehameha Highway around a mile (0.6 kilometers) north of the Polynesian Cultural Center onto Anemoku Street, which turns into Naupaka Street, which dead-ends at the park. Parking is very limited: be mindful of where you park and don’t block driveways.
You can visit La’ie Point State Wayside Park any time during daylight hours. If you’re driving, it is a good idea to get there early to secure parking, since there are so few parking spaces. From October to March, it’s possible to see migrating humpback whales offshore.
While Lizard Rock is a spectacular sight in its own right, it also has an interesting legend attached. The story goes that a great Hawaiian warrior named Kana defeated a giant lizard here. He then divided the lizard into five pieces and scattered each piece into the ocean. Each of the offshore islands is a piece of the lizard. A plaque explains the story in more detail.
