• The waters stay calm thanks to a natural coral reef that stretches across the entire length of the beach, protecting it from bigger waves. 

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• Ala Moana Beach Park is in the middle of a major renovation that will be ongoing until 2025. The long list of improvements includes restoring the bathrooms, widening and smoothing pathways, adding a bike path, planting new grass and trees, widening 2 bridges that cross over the canal, adding 2 sand volleyball courts, a new playground, and more lighting. 

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• An important part of the renovations is to replenish the sand on the beach, which is much more complicated than you’d think. There’s been controversy over where the imported sand would come from to make sure it matches the current sand. The recommendation is to take sand from the nearby Hilton Hotel. 

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• Magic Island was initially built in 1964 to house a luxury resort complex. It was built atop a shallow reef. This was just the first phase which was supposed to be followed by creating 2 more islands. Due to public outcry, the project stopped and the resort was never built, so it became a public park instead. 

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• This whole area used to be a wetland and much of it was used as a garbage dump. In the 1920s, the Ala Wai Canal was built to channel the runoff water from the mountains to the ocean. Before that, it would just flood the area. 

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• In 1972 Magic Island was converted into a public park. The state officially renamed it Aina Moana, which means “taken from the sea” as a reminder that it was made of dredged coral. But everyone still calls it Magic Island. 

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• This area was part of land that was included in a land transfer to the US government after annexation. Then the federal government deeded it back to the territory of Hawaii and city of Honolulu in 1927 with a condition that the property would be used as a public park. 

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• In 1931, the Parks Board began development, designating the land as Moana Park. The Hawaiian Dredging Company, owned by Walter Dillingham, filled the marsh with their dredgings which were mostly coral reefs. 

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• Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated it as “the people’s park” in 1934.

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• During WW2, the military used the park as a staging area and military battery. They built barracks, an armory, and temporary fortifications. 

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• In 1947, the Parks Board changed the name from Moana Park to Ala Moana Park. Ala Moana means “path to the sea.”

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• The park was added to the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places in 1988. 

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• Ancient Hawaiians grew taro here and kept fish ponds. 

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• Nearly 4M people visit Ala Moana Beach Park each year.