Proposal Scouting Adventures: Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail
It's adventure time again! I love a good excuse, ahem...quest to scout around the beautiful island of Oahu and find these hidden gems. While I love my regular spots, there is something so magical about being on the road less traveled. There is that spirit of wanderlust in me that craves adventure and getting those gorgeous candid proposal photos is a rush of excitement that is one of my guilty pleasures in life. Keep in mind that adventuring isn’t for the faint of heart. Although, this quest was a little bit more family friendly!
I awoke early on a Sunday to check out the Makapu’u lighthouse trail. Here are some of my notes:
The park opens at 7am and closes at 7pm. Unfortunately, we won’t be chasing the sunrise at this location. Cross that one off the sunrise list! Sad. =(
Bring lots of water, a hat and sunscreen! There is no cover at this location
Parking is plentiful, but remember that the early bird gets the parking!
There are no restrooms available! The nearest one is at Makapu’u beach park about a 5 minute drive from the hiking trail.
Which road will you take?
While I have been here many many times, this is a free and popular hiking destination which offers a variety of things to do. There is the beach, stunning views of the coast, ocean, and lighthouse, tidepools, and pillbox bunkers. These areas are waiting to be explored as there are many paths to follow! While the main path is paved and a few miles uphill, I literally spent 4 hours just wandering around the random paths because I was looking for picturesque proposal spots.
To get to the beach - this is the first split from the main path shortly after the trailhead begins. It's about a 20 minute walk down to the beach. The path was recently maintained with gravel to make getting to the beach much easier! I think this was installed last year, in 2020, while Hawaii was still in various stages of lock down during Covid. I remember when we had to follow trails through tall grass and it wasn’t nearly half as pleasant as it is right now!
There are 4 viewing stations in total. The main viewing area of the lighthouse is on top of the hill near the ocean. There are many areas with pillboxes and there are 2 on the very top of the hill past the lighthouse viewing area. I really enjoyed my morning taking in the breathtaking scenery and ocean views galore! Truly, there is no better way to spend a morning than wandering around your backyard.
My mantra is...
“Destination proposals on Oahu aren't just about love, it’s about going on an adventure with the love of your life! What better way to kick start your Oahu vacation than by going on an adventure with your partner in crime and asking them to be yours?”
I hope that this brought you some inspiration to plan your big moment! Need more inspiration? Check out some of our other blogs and our Adventurer Hawaii Proposal Package. We specialize in creating that perfect surprise engagement that you’ve been envisioning! Are you ready to plan your Dream Destination Proposal on Oahu? We can help you with all the planning, logistics, and set up to make everything as smooth (and painless) as possible. Send us a message! Let’s tell your love story!
