Located in Hawaii County, Hawaii, James Kealoha Beach is a beach. It sits roughly 6.0 km (3.7 mi) E of Hilo.
James Kealoha (4-mile) Beach Park is a swimming and snorkeling beach located in the Hilo district on the Island of Hawai'i. It is known locally as '4-mile' beach, as its location is exactly 4 miles from the Hilo town post-office. Showers and restrooms are located there, as well as a lifeguard tower for safety. The beach is named after James Kealoha who was the first Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii in the administration of Governor of Hawaiʻi William F. Quinn. Prior to his election as Lieutenant Governor, Kealoha served a number of years as a legislator on Hawaii island, distinguishing himself as a respected leader. The beach is located at the intersection of Kalaniana'ole Avenue and Keaukaha Road. Parking is available in the public lot, as well as off of Kalaniana'ole Avenue.From the Wikipedia article “James Kealoha Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At James Kealoha Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 65° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 295° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 47° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:25 AM | 90° E | 6:32 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 65° ENE | 7:02 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:10 AM | 89° E | 6:17 PM | 271° W | 70° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 115° ESE | 5:47 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 56m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:35 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 04m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:07 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:01 PM | 12h 36m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:13 PM | 13h 04m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 13h 19m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 13h 13m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:46 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:53 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 5:28 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 42m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 12m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 57m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From James Kealoha Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 41° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:14 AM – 4:44 AM | 4.5 | 41° | SE → S |
| May | 10:09 PM – 4:19 AM | 6.2 | 41° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:25 PM – 4:15 AM | 7.8 | 41° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:25 PM – 2:45 AM | 6.3 | 41° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:07 PM – 12:47 AM | 4.7 | 41° | S → SW |
| September | 7:37 PM – 10:47 PM | 3.2 | 38° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:11 PM – 8:51 PM | 1.7 | 27° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (62%). August is the warmest month and February the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 79 | 77 | 78 | 76 | 79 | 81 | 80 | 83 | 82 | 79 | 78 | 76 |
| Low °F | 50 | 46 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 53 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is HILO, 2.3 km (1.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of James Kealoha Beach, closest first.
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Natural Arch
Botanical GardenWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph James Kealoha Beach?
What time is golden hour at James Kealoha Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at James Kealoha Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from James Kealoha Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at James Kealoha Beach?
How far is James Kealoha Beach from Hilo?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.