Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa

Framed by Diamond Head, one of the world’s most climbed (extinct) volcanoes, and with nearly two miles of continuous white sand and palm trees, this iconic beach—over the past 80 years its image has even been printed on tens of thousands “aloha shirts”—is almost always full of tourists and surfers. The bathtub-temp turquoise water is ideal for swimming, and waves are usually gentle enough for children and beginning surfers. One of the safest spots is near the shallow section in front of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, where even non-swimmers can feel comfortable venturing far from shore for a view of the beach—and Diamond Head—from the water.