Tunnels Beach has become the new epicenter of Kauai’s North Shore parking crisis. What used to be a spontaneous morning at one of Hawaii’s most stunning beaches now demands planning, patience, and a very early start. We’ve experienced it ourselves, parking one car miles away, carpooling in, and arriving before sunrise just to find a safe and legal spot.
Now, the state may step in. Kauai County is considering transferring Tunnels as well as Haena Beach Park to state management, a move that would bring both under the same reservation system used at neighboring Haena State Park. This follows the ongoing debate first explored in Should Haena Beach Park Go To The State? Hawaii Divided, which drew a strong community reaction.
What actually changed.
After the 2018 floods, the county banned shoulder parking along the narrow access road leading to Tunnels and installed new no-parking signs. That removed dozens of informal spots that residents and visitors had relied on for decades. Enforcement became consistent in 2022, with ticketing and towing now a daily presence. The combination of lost spaces and strict enforcement has made visiting Tunnels nearly impossible without planning ahead.
How Haena State Park changed the flow.
When Haena State Park reopened in 2019 under a reservation system, it capped daily visitor numbers at approximately 900 per day, depending on weather and shuttle availability, and limited parking to those with advance bookings. The plan worked inside the park but shifted demand back to Tunnels, outside its boundary, where access has remained free and unmanaged.
What the county and state are now considering.
Kauai County and the State of Hawaii are reviewing a proposal to transfer management of Tunnels as well as Haena Beach Park to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The goal is to create one unified management corridor stretching from Tunnels to Haena State Park.
Mayor Derek Kawakami has publicly identified the transfer of Haena Beach Park to state management as a priority before his term ends, citing the need for consistent rules on parking, safety, and resource protection.
What would change under state control.
If the transfer happens, Tunnels would likely join the Haena reservation model. Visitors would need to book in advance, pay nonresident entry and parking fees, and possibly use a shuttle service instead of driving directly to the beach. Residents would retain separate access. At Haena, the current fees are $5 per person and $10 per vehicle, with shuttle rates set by the operator. Any Tunnels fees would be determined later.
What the community thinks.
Reaction remains mixed. Many residents support a state-managed system, citing Haena’s model as having reduced congestion and improved safety. Others oppose it, arguing that implementing another reservation system will further restrict local use and incur additional costs. Hui Makainana o Makana, the community group that helped implement the Haena model, has expressed support for exploring the same approach at Tunnels while urging sensitivity to local access.
Why residents are frustrated.
Neighborhood streets near Tunnels fill very early every morning with cars edging into the street, driveways, or blocking mailboxes. Even with ticketing and towing, many visitors take the risk after making the long drive north. Until one unified system manages the entire north shore corridor, from Tunnels to Haena Beach park, and all the way to Haena State Park, the friction will continue.
When to go and where else to try.
If you plan to visit, arrive before 8:30 a.m. on weekdays and have backup beaches ready. Once the north shore lots fill, heading back toward Hanalei is usually less stressful than circling for a space.
If you’d rather avoid the parking chaos altogether, Hanalei Colony Resort offers a practical workaround. It’s the only hotel beyond Hanalei, located about a mile from the Tunnels, and offers guest parking. From there, it’s roughly a 20-minute walk to the beach along one of Kauai’s most scenic coastal stretches. You’ll have a peaceful start to the day instead of circling the narrow road in frustration. When we checked today, they were already advertising their Black Friday deals.
Costs, timeline, and next steps.
If the transfer goes forward, visitors can expect paid parking and entry fees similar to those at Haena, along with possible shuttle coordination. The timeline remains open-ended, although discussions are active now. Approvals could take months or longer.
Why this matters.
Tunnels has become the flashpoint for unresolved access issues on Kauai’s North Shore. The informal parking that once absorbed overflow is gone, Haena State Park’s visitor limits have pushed more people toward Tunnels, and enforcement has left little flexibility. Unifying the corridor under one system may be the only long-term fix, but it will also redefine how residents and visitors experience this coastline.
For now, book Haena State Park up to 30 days in advance at gohaena.com, or choose alternative beaches. The system may change, but parking won’t get easier until it does.
Have you tried to park at Tunnels recently? Would you support a state-managed system with reservations and fees if it finally restored order to the North Shore?
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Same as what’s happening to the beaches on Oahu north shore. Shuttle in and pay up the nose. What’s next admission gates and ticket numbering so they can kick off or evict so many tourist’s every 1.5 hours. Amusement park, theme park, call it what you will but every week Hawaii is getting closer to Disney Islands.
I’m on island about four times a year and I’ve never had a problem getting a parking spot at Tunnels at any time of day. If you wait ten to fifteen minutes max, you’ll get a spot. I think it would be horrible to implement the same reservation that was implemented at Ke’e. Its really hard to get a reservation and when you do get one, the parking lot is half empty because people book and then don’t show up. Ever since they implemented the reservation system at Ke’e, I’ve always said, “well at least when can go to Tunnels”. Well that will change if they implement a reservation system. Bummer.
Eric –
“Its really hard to get a reservation and when you do get one, the parking lot is half empty because people book and then don’t show up.”
This is a feature, not a bug. They only allocate a very limited amount of spots to the on-line booking. Most are left open “just in case” residents want to park there., which happens but not that often compared with visitors. They want visitors on the shuttle busses, not in the parking lot.
We just got back from tunnels on Oct 29th. We parked at Hā’ena beach park and walked. We waited a little bit for a spot to park but wasn’t bad. We have been coming to Kauai for over 20 years and have decided most times recently not to go to Ke e. It is just a big hassle, and then when you get there it might not be good snorkeling or weather. I have noticed a change in the crowds and parking at tunnels in the last couple of years since the reservation system was implemented at Haena state park, it has gotten worse, but not crazy. I do not believe there is any reason to set up a reservation and shuttle system so we can go to the beach!! That would absolutely ruin going to tunnels especially since you cannot snorkel there unless the surf is low and you never know that until a few days before. So people are reserving spots and then realize they can’t snorkel.If this is done I will not ever go to tunnels again and may stop coming to Kauai. Where is the fun/joy of it?
I have visited a total of four times. Twice in June 2019, once in August 2023, and recently in July 2025. I never found it particularly hard to get a space. None of the visits were particularly early in the day, as our timeshares are in Poipu and Lihue.
I’m respectful of the neighbors and wouldn’t even think of trying one of the parking areas in front of someone’s house. Much of this could be avoided if more did the same.
If there is ever a time I agree to a government solution to a problem, this is it. We have been going to Tunnels for well over a decade and it has gotten so much worse the last few years to find parking. We usually go to Tunnels to spend the entire day, so as long as full day reservations can be obtained, And the restroom facilities are completely renovated / replaced And a new parking lot is built we’d be all for a reservation system. Building a boardwalk from Haena parking lot to Tunnels would be nice but doubt that would happen.
Sadly, this seems to be the growing trend in Hawaii in general. Between deteriorating/receding beaches, overcrowding and now regulating access via reservations, it ain’t the fun it used to be. Looking at the situation from a locals’ perspective, I couldn’t blame them for feeling they have lost the open, casual and low stress world they used to live in. If I were in their shoes, I’d resent the gross influx of tourists seemingly brought on by the Pandemic. As a long-time visitor (since the 70s), I’ve seen the change, as have many others here, and it’s depressing. I hate to give up on Hawaii, but it’s gotten ‘crowded’, and it seems like the visitor profile has changed to the point I may need to find a different place to just chill. Still, Hawaii is where I want to be . . . . .
There is not an influx of visitors. This is the overall attitude in Hawaii without any stats to back it up. The tourist numbers have hardly changed in 10 years.
The system in place now restricts access to only 1 beach and that beach has a limit of 900. If access to multiple beaches is restricted who is going to enforce that? The shuttle drivers who will have to confirm that someone has permission to go to a specific beach? That will undoubtedly cause friction with with people who have a ticket to Haena Beach park but decide maybe they rather go to the state park instead, or just got the two mixed up. They may have to hire security guards, at additional cost, to enforce this.
Also, access to Limahuli Garden would be affected. You already have to pay to go there. It is not currently on the shuttle stop schedule. Would you have to pay twice to go there, once for the shuttle and again to access it?
The level of complexity of this new proposal is many times greater than restricting access to the end of a dead end road.
I stand corrected on one point, the shuttle is supposed to stop at Limahuli Garden, but of the numerous times I have ridden it they have never even feigned stopping there.
Not pleased that you recommend parking at HCR. There are not that many parking spots considering the residents/guests staying there also need to park. Walking along the highway is not all that safe, and certainly not “relaxing” with the constant two-way traffic and little shoulder to duck onto. One can go out onto the beach and walk, but it’s a mile long slog to tunnels including a long stretch of liquid concrete sand at a steep angle around, especially obnoxious if you are carrying anything. And no bathrooms or lifeguards. What will happen is people will start parking in the neighborhood between HCR and Tunnels, making for a lot more unpleased people (including me). Lumahai Local badly needs a lifeguard already. It is crazy packed there on nice days, especially after rain when the kids like to jump off the bridge into the river.
They said “guest parking” as in you book and stay at HNR.
Just using it at a parking lot is a good way to get towed.
The parking lot is owned by María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, aka “Charo.” She also owns the restaurant building (currently leased to Opakapaka, which is “temporarily closed” due to losing their liquor license. Supposedly the ladies who bought the coffee shop are also going to take over the restaurant, but I digress). She does not own HCR. They have a parking deal, but they share the lot with the restaurant and also a small spa in a trailer. I’ve never witnessed any cars get towed, but maybe it’s happened.
This is a horrible idea! They charge $145 for a family of 4 to use the shuttle! They won’t be happy until the entire island is under so called “community management”. Huge fees for visitors and never for residents. This is a political move to satisfy the wealthy homeowners in Haena (a massive percentage of residents that are not Local BTW).
Aloha Oe