Beaches Want To Be Free

A little give and take along a right of way to Secret Beach in Kilauea.

For the past six days I’ve been going to the beach, all over Kauai.

I  drive up, park, get out of the car and hit the sand. There is no admission charge and no parking fee — ever. Hawaii is like that. Even where there are no public parking lots or bathrooms, public access trails are well-maintained.

A woman I know who’s lived here all her life said she was astonished when she went to California and found that people have to pay to go to the beach. In New England, too, there are charges to use the local, state and national beaches in the summer.

But what if there was no charge? What if we did as Hawaii does, and maintained parking areas and facilities for all residents and visitors? No private beaches. No fees.

Wouldn’t that be good for all of us, residents, tourists, business people?