Waikiki Beach, Beach in Cape Disappointment State Park, Pacific County, US

Waikiki Beach is a small sandy cove in Cape Disappointment State Park, on the north side of the cape near the mouth of the Columbia River. A trail climbs from the beach to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and on to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. Large driftwood logs pile up on the sand, and visitors use them to build forts.

Waikiki Beach takes its name from a Hawaiian sailor whose body was found on its shore after his ship ran aground attempting to cross the Columbia River bar in 1811. The beach lies within Cape Disappointment State Park, where Fort Canby was established in 1862 and renamed in 1875; the fort was decommissioned after World War II and transferred to the state in the early 1950s.

Local residents gather at the beach year-round to dig for clams, fish, and watch winter storms reshape the shoreline. These everyday activities define how people connect with the ocean here.

Waikiki Beach lies at the end of the park road below the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which sits on the cliff above; a trail climbs from the sand to the center and on to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. The park holds 2,023 acres with eight miles (13 km) of hiking trails, plus campsites and boat launch sites. Swimming is not advised: tides are unpredictable and no lifeguard is posted.

Waikiki Beach takes its name from a Hawaiian sailor found dead on its shore after his ship failed to cross the Columbia River bar in 1811. Visitors stack the large driftwood logs piled on the sand into forts, a practice that gives the beach its distinctive look.