Kailua

Kailua sits on the windward (eastern) side of Oʻahu, separated from Honolulu by the Koʻolau mountains and the Pali Highway tunnel. The drive from Waikīkī takes 25 minutes when traffic cooperates, an hour when it doesn't. The reward is one of the most beautiful beaches in the United States and a town that's still a town.

Kailua Beach Park is the standard answer to 'best beach on Oʻahu.' Two miles of fine white sand, turquoise shallows, kayakable Mokulua Islands offshore (the 'Mokes' — 'twin little islands'). Lanikai Beach, the smaller cove just south, is what people post on Instagram. Both beaches are public, the parking is street-only and limited, and the locals get grumpy about visitor overcrowding for good reason — be a guest.

Downtown Kailua is two streets of cafés, surf shops, a Whole Foods, and Hawaiian-owned restaurants. The Sunday farmers market in the park is bigger than Honolulu's and friendlier. The locals come here to live; the visitors come here for the day.

Pro tip: pre-rent your kayak in town, not at the beach. The beach rentals are a ripoff. Or bring snorkel gear and walk straight to the water — Kailua Beach has a soft reef line you can swim to in 5 minutes.