Lanikai from hawaii on Vimeo. On Sunday, my family and I met up with an old college friend and her kids in Kailua on the Windward side of O'ahu. It was a gray, rainy day, and at first it seemed as if our beach picnic plans had been scuttled. But a patch of blue sky inspired us to head out anyway, and we spent a perfect hour at Lanikai Beach. Lanikai is frequently voted by locals and travel experts alike as one of Hawaii's best beaches. And even on this overcast, windy spring day, it was easy to see why this stretch of sand has so many fans. Our kids had a blast frolicking in the surf and playing in the soft sand. This beach trip was also a landmark one for our youngest son, Alex, who up until now had an inexplicable fear of the ocean. Though he kept his distance from the waves at first, he was eventually won over by Lanikai's gentle waves. Alex's costars in this short video include his 10-year-old sister Katie and 5-year-old brother Zac. There's even a brief cameo by our friend's son, Tyler. The music is by Kimo Watanabe.