The Kona coast isn't all sandy beaches — much of it is jagged black lava — but there are a few excellent stretches of sand within easy reach of town. Most of the best beaches sit north of Kailua, accessible via a coastal trail from the Waikoloa area, or by car further up the coast. Hapuna Beach State Park, about 30 miles north, consistently ranks among Hawaii's best beaches: a long arc of white sand with good bodysurfing and clear water. White Sands Beach (Magic Sands) is right in town on Alii Drive — a small but popular pocket beach that loses its sand seasonally, then gets it back.