Waimea Falls: Price, Walk Time, Swimming and Our North Shore Route

Admission and hours at a glance

These are the prices and hours listed by Waimea Valley for 2026. They can change, so check before you go.

The valley is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM and closed Mondays. December is the exception, with daily hours of 9 AM to 4 PM, and summer (late May to early September) runs daily until 5 PM. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, with shorter hours on Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. A shuttle up the valley road is available for $10 one-way or $20 round-trip per person.

How long the walk really takes

The path to the falls is paved, shaded in places and gently uphill, about three-quarters of a mile. Most people take around 30 minutes to walk up, longer if you stop to look at the botanical gardens, which are part of the valley. The entry to the water at the end is rocky. If you want to see the falls without the full walk, the shuttle is an option.

Can you swim at Waimea Falls?

Often, but not always. The lifeguards decide each morning at 9 AM whether swimming is open, based on water conditions, and everyone who swims has to wear a life vest, which the valley provides. Conditions change from day to day, so if swimming matters to your group, call the valley that morning at (808) 638-7766. Bring water shoes: the entry to the pool is rocky and muddy. Bring a towel and a change of clothes too, because there is no quick way to dry off on the walk back.

Is it worth it?

If you like gardens, easy walks and a swim in fresh water, yes. If you only want a waterfall photo, it is a modest fall, and the real draw is the valley itself, which was a Hawaiian cultural site long before it was a park. With small kids it is a good, flat-ish outing. If swimming is closed on your day, you still get the walk and the gardens, so go for those, and treat a swim as a bonus.

Our recommended North Shore route with Waimea Falls

Waimea Valley opens at 9 AM, so it works best as the first or second stop. Here is how we usually lay out the day:

1. Morning: Waimea Valley. Arrive at opening, walk to the falls while it is cool and quiet, and swim if the lifeguards have opened it.
2. Late morning: Waimea Bay. It is right across the road. Calm and swimmable in summer, and a big-wave show in winter.
3. Midday: Haleiwa town. Shave ice, galleries and lunch. For lunch, try Kahuku's food trucks.
4. Afternoon: Laniakea for sea turtles, or Sunset Beach. Turtles come ashore here most days. Keep your distance.

Waimea Valley is not one of the default ten stops on our North Shore Adventure, but every tour is customizable, so we simply swap a stop. Tell us when you book.

Make it a full day

A private tour means no group schedule: you can spend an hour at the falls or three, and move on when your group is ready. The tour is $800 flat for a Toyota Sienna seating up to 6, or $1,000 for a Sprinter seating 7 to 14, for eight hours, with extra hours at $100 (Sienna) or $125 (Sprinter). Cancellation is free up to 72 hours before. Valley admission is paid separately at the gate. If you would rather add something active, pair the morning with horseback riding or an ATV tour nearby, and finish at Sharks Cove or Dole Plantation on the way back to Waikiki.

See the North Shore private tour →

Hero photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Falls photo: aco pbc, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.