Waimea Valley is selling a low-cost Sunday evening window on Oahu this week. The August Moonwalk returns on August 23, 2026, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with admission listed at 10 dollars for ages 4 and up on the park’s official event page.
Travelers still planning a North Shore evening should buy while tickets remain, then treat the 5:00 p.m. same-day cutoff and 8:30 p.m. late-entry close as hard stops rather than soft suggestions. Free parking is confirmed on site, swimming at the falls is closed for the walk, and a limited dinner window sits just before check-in.
- Event night: Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Price: 10 dollars per person for ages 4 and up.
- Ticket cutoff: Buy by 5:00 p.m. day-of or until capacity fills.
- Late entry: Ticket booth closes at 8:30 p.m. with no late entry.
- Key limits: Free parking; no swimming; self-guided path with staff.
What Waimea Valley confirmed for August 23
The park’s August Moonwalk event page lists Sunday, August 23, 2026, with doors for the walk from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Check-in begins at 8:00 p.m., and the ticket booth closes at 8:30 p.m.
Admission is 10 dollars per person for ages 4 and up. Tickets remain available until 5:00 p.m. on event day or until the night hits maximum capacity, whichever comes first.
Waimea frames the evening as a moonlit return to the Valley for sounds, scents, and cultural sharing along the main paved pathway. Guests enter in small groups with a staff member after a cultural welcome, then explore at their own pace.
The park’s broader events calendar also lists the August 23 Moonwalk among current 2026 dates, matching the dedicated event page on date and location.
Independent local calendars mirror the same night. Hawaii Business Magazine’s community events listing shows Waimea Valley’s Moonwalk on August 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. with a 10-dollar ticket, which aligns with the operator page rather than inventing a different date or price.
How the evening actually runs
Staff start with a cultural welcome and overview of the Valley as a storied and sacred place. That framing is meant to set respectful behavior before guests spread along the trail.
The walk itself is self-guided, with staff available through the evening. Cultural presentations at Kauhale and other special activities may appear depending on the night, so do not treat every stop as guaranteed programming.
The waterfall closes at 9:45 p.m., and all guests must exit by 10:00 p.m. Swimming is not available during the Moon Walk even though the falls are part of the daytime visitor draw.
Expect uneven light under trees even on a clear night. Comfortable closed-toe shoes, a light layer for the Valley’s cooler evening air, and a fully charged phone for the ride home are practical choices that still leave outside food and open drink containers in the car.
Flashlights or phone lights should stay pointed toward the ground. The park asks guests not to shine lights at other people or cultural sites.
Tickets, timing, and the real booking risk
Advance purchase is the safe path. The official FAQ says Moon Walk is popular, tickets are limited, and only a limited number may remain on the evening of the event while supplies last.
Online purchase and Visitor Center sales both work before the event. On the night itself, the booth sells only until 8:30 p.m., and late arrivals after that cutoff are turned away.
Arrive 15 to 30 minutes early for check-in. That buffer matters when parking, restrooms, and the ticket line stack together just after 8:00 p.m.
If you hold a Waimea Valley Annual Membership, one complimentary Moon Walk admission per member applies for one selected event date. Confirm that benefit against your membership card and the date you choose before assuming free entry for a whole family.
Non-member companions still pay the listed 10-dollar fee when the complementary slot applies only per member. If two adults and two children over four attend, count real tickets rather than assuming one membership covers the party.
Dinner, snacks, and what you cannot carry in
Food planning is separate from the walk ticket. Ke Nui Kitchen hosts a special pop-up dinner at the Proud Peacock before the walk, with Open Kitchen hours listed from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The park also notes that the Wahi Āina Snack Bar opens at 6:30 p.m. for guests who want a lighter option before check-in. Neither dinner slot replaces a Moon Walk ticket.
Outside food, drinks, and beverage containers are not permitted beyond the ticket booth. Water fountains and vending machines remain available inside the operating area, so plan hydration without packing a cooler.
Who this night helps, and who should skip it
Families and first-time North Shore visitors get a cheap, dated way to see the Valley after dark without buying a full-day package. The park calls the Moon Walk family-friendly, which fits the 10-dollar age-four threshold.
Travelers who want a long waterfall swim or an unguided late exit should choose a normal daytime visit instead. Swimming is closed for the Moon Walk, and the 10:00 p.m. exit is firm.
Visitors building a wider Oahu plan can pair the ticket with a daytime North Shore route from Deep Arrival’s Hawaii itinerary for five days on Oahu and beach logistics in the best beaches in Oahu guide.
After Tropical Storm and Hurricane Lala’s recent Hawaii disruption, the residual air schedule matters for anyone flying in for a single Sunday night event. Deep Arrival’s Hawaii flight restore note after Lala is useful chronology for mid-August arrivals, not a substitute for checking your own airline day-of.
Where Waimea Valley sits for a North Shore night
Waimea Valley sits on Oahu’s North Shore along Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa, not at the popular beach lot beside the bay. Guests drive or ride to the Valley entrance and use free on-site parking rather than hunting beach stalls after dark.
That geography matters for Sunday traffic. North Shore weekends stack surf, food trucks, and sunset crowds, so a 7:30 p.m. departure from Waikiki or Honolulu can still feel late if Highway 83 slows near the coast.
Build a buffer that protects the 8:00 p.m. check-in window. If you miss the 8:30 p.m. booth close, the ticket does not convert into a late walk-in.
The cultural welcome and Kauhale stops are the reason this is not a generic garden stroll. Staff frame the Valley as a place with living history, then release guests onto the paved main pathway with enough light and staff presence to stay oriented.
Three concrete traveler checks before you leave the hotel
First, open the official Moonwalk page and complete purchase while the night still shows inventory. Do not rely on a screenshot of this article for price or cutoff, because capacity can close the window earlier than 5:00 p.m.
Second, put the 8:00 p.m. check-in and 8:30 p.m. booth close on a shared phone calendar with a 7:15 p.m. departure alarm if you are coming from Honolulu. That single alarm prevents a late coastal traffic surprise from wasting a paid ticket.
Third, decide dinner before you drive. Either book the Open Kitchen window at Proud Peacock between 5:00 and 7:30 p.m., use the snack bar after 6:30 p.m., or eat earlier in Haleiwa so you are not carrying outside food past the ticket booth.
Those three checks, not a long packing lecture, are the actions that keep the night simple. The decision rule is unchanged: buy the dated ticket only if you can clear the entry close and accept a self-guided exit by 10:00 p.m.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Still need a Sunday Oahu evening activity | Buy the August 23 Moonwalk ticket now while capacity remains. |
| Plan to decide on the day of the event | Purchase by 5:00 p.m. or arrive early; booth closes at 8:30 p.m. |
| Want dinner before the walk | Use Open Kitchen 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Proud Peacock, then check in by 8:00 p.m. |
| Travel with kids under four or want swimming | Skip this ticketed night and use a daytime Valley visit instead. |
| Hold an annual membership | Claim one complimentary Moon Walk admission per member for one date. |
- Book first: Secure August 23 tickets online or at the Visitor Center before the 5:00 p.m. day-of cutoff.
- Arrive early: Reach the Valley by about 7:45 p.m. so check-in, parking, and the booth stay manageable.
- Travel light: Leave outside food and bottles in the car; use on-site fountains and vending only.
- Set an exit plan: Expect the waterfall to close at 9:45 p.m. and a full exit by 10:00 p.m.
The practical decision is simple. If you want a dated, low-cost North Shore evening with cultural context and a self-paced trail, buy the August 23 ticket before capacity or the 5:00 p.m. cutoff closes the window. If you need swimming, late flexible exit, or a free night-of stroll without a ticket, this is not that product.
When is the Waimea Valley August Moonwalk in 2026?
Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with check-in starting at 8:00 p.m. on the official event page.
How much does the August Moonwalk cost?
Admission is 10 dollars per person for ages 4 and up, according to Waimea Valley’s Moonwalk event listing.
Can I buy tickets the same day?
Yes, until 5:00 p.m. on August 23 or until capacity is reached, with night-of booth sales only until 8:30 p.m. and no late entry after that.
Is swimming allowed during the Moonwalk?
No. Swimming is not available during the Moon Walk, and the waterfall closes at 9:45 p.m. before the 10:00 p.m. exit.
Is parking free at Waimea Valley for the Moonwalk?
Yes. Waimea Valley states free on-site parking is available for the event.
