Top 10 Places to Visit in Hawaii

Spread out over 17 acres of land, the recently renovated Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is now operated by the National Park Service. While visiting Pearl Harbor, guests can tour the entire Visitor Center but should be prepared to spend at least a few hours if they want to take their time and see it all. Upon arrival, guests will be guided towards a ticket counter to receive two different tickets. They will get a movie ticket for a film about the events of this historic site, and a boat ticket for a trip out to the USS Arizona Memorial. The film and the boat tour together are roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes. Guests will also be able to request headphones at the ticket counter for a narrated tour.

Pearl Harbor is the largest natural harbor in the State of Hawaii and was once known as Pu’uloa by the ancient Hawaiians. It directly translates to “water of pearl,” and is a fitting name due to the immense amounts of pearls that were once found in its waters.

The main hub in the North Shore is the historic Town of Hale’iwa, named after the first hotel opened on the North Shore by Benjamin Dillingham in 1898. Hale’iwa is one of the coolest and most charming towns to visit in all of Hawaii. There is a wide variety of art galleries, local food spots, surf shops, a surf museum, gift shops, food trucks, yoga studios, and a great community of laid-back residents.

When you’re on the North Shore of Oahu, make sure you go to Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in Kahuku and order the garlic shrimp plate. Next, visit the historic M.Matsumoto’s Grocery Store in Hale’iwa Town for shave ice, then spend some time at Waimea Bay. After that, check out Lani’s Beach (Laniakea Beach) to see the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles in their natural habitat. Please do not touch the turtles!

First of all, Waikiki was the first vacation spot for Hawaiian royalty. Foreign visitors would start to frequent Waikiki in the 1830’s. The first hotel was opened in 1901, and a global trend was created! It was then that Waikiki started to become one of the most sought-after travel destinations in the world.

Today, Waikiki is a gorgeous beach town spread across 1.5 square miles. It is lined by hotels and luxurious resorts, and decorated by a variety of restaurants, shopping centers, and nightlife. Waikiki Beach is a glory in its own right thanks to great Hawaiian entertainers like Hilo Hattie and Andy Cummings.

Some mainland celebrities who helped to popularize Waikiki were Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Temple, Bing Crosby, Amelia Earhart and Elvis Presley. Perhaps one of the most cherished local heroes is
Duke Kahanamoku, who won five Olympic medals for swimming and helped to popularize the sport of surfing.

When you’re in Waikiki, take some surf or standup paddle board lessons at Waikiki Beach and check out the Duke Kahanamoku statue. Next, visit the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium. Make sure to take a walk through the international marketplace for gifts and souvenirs, and a chance to taste some local fare. Do not miss out on happy hour and some ono pupus (appetizers) at Duke’s Waikiki on Sundays while you listen to famed Hawaiian musician Henry Kapono.

Today, visitors and residents have a few choices available to them when exploring the Na Pali Coastline. The most popular way for guests to explore this coastline is by ocean vessel. A variety of sailing companies on Kauai provide snorkel tours to the Na Pali Coastline. Most of them also offer sunset dinner cruises, and longer Kauai ocean tours to Nualolo Kai. Here guests will find a remote beach where they can snorkel, explore, and visit an 800-year-old Hawaiian fishing village.

Another option for experiencing the Na Pali Coastline is by foot through the Kalalau Trail, which is 22 miles long, roundtrip. Here, Kauai visitors can explore a rare ecosystem and see natural waterfalls and streams. They will also find dramatically rugged coastlines and two gorgeous beaches, Hanakapi’ai and Kalalau Beach. The full hiking and camping trip through the Na Pali Coastline is at the very least a 3-day trip. However, just the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail from Ha’ena Point to Hanakapi’ai Beach make for a wonderful day trip (approximately 4 miles long roundtrip).

We suggest that guests hoping to explore the Na Pali Coast carefully make their plans first. We strongly suggest that you do not attempt hiking the Kalalau Trail between mid-September and May, so as to avoid unsafe weather and terrain conditions.

Due to the high elevation, the temperature will drop, so bring something warm to wear for the unpredictable weather. Make sure to fill up your gas, bring food and water, and check up on local sunrise and sunset times. Reservations must be made in advance.

If you plan on doing guided activities at the Haleakala Crater, make sure you are up to date on all of the most recent event information.

Here, guests can gather in an outdoor classroom and learn more about Maui’s geography and Haleakala’s unique natural and cultural history. Park naturalists are highly educated on all topics and they will engage with participants by way of science projects, demonstrations, and short guided hikes. If you plan to visit and view the sunrise, you will need to be sure to make a parking reservation.

For hiking and camping adventures to Haleakala National Park, make sure to do your research and plan out your activities ahead of time. Various day-trip hiking options are available, but Haleakala is most famously traveled through multi-day hiking and camping trips. In this way, guests can journey through the Crater while learning about Maui’s unique ecosystems with roughly 30 miles of hiking trails.

Popular Haleakala Maui trails include The Kaupo Gap, Sliding Sands, Halemauu, Hosmer Grove & Supply Trails, and Kipahulu.

If you are driving, please be pono (respectful). Pull over at designated parking areas (look for the signage), and make sure that you do not slow traffic down by abruptly stopping your car for a coconut or to take a photo. It’s not only dangerous but is also absent-minded and rude toward the many East Maui residents who traverse the Road to Hana each day. Mahalo for understanding!

While en route to Hana, guests should definitely stop in Paia Town to gas up and get some coffee and snacks for the drive ahead. We suggest that you plan to reach Paia Town by 7 am. This way you can avoid the traffic that will inevitably clog up the Road to Hana from late morning until the afternoon. We also suggest that you do your research and pick out a few places that you will definitely want to visit so that you do not get caught up in all the stops on the way. Otherwise, your day will go by so quickly and you will be sad that you missed some sites!

When you’re traveling down the Road to Hana, we suggest you make three stops. Twin Falls (Mile Marker 2) has a light hike to a beautiful waterfall and you can grab a refreshing smoothie or fresh coconut, and Nahiku Marketplace (Mile Marker 29) has yummy treats and gifts. Wai’anapanapa State Park (Mile Marker 32) is a great place to stop to see a black sand beach, a gorgeous coastline, and a rare glimpse into Old Hawaii. Reservations are required to visit Wai’anapanapa.

Once you reach Hana Town, check out Hana Bay, the art galleries, and the farmers markets. Just past Hana Town, guests can spend the day at Hamoa Beach, or travel further towards Kipahulu to view the 7 Sacred Pools of Ohe’o.

When on Lanaʻi, guests will have only a few lodging options from which to choose. There are two Four Seasons Resorts, the Hotel Lanaʻi, private vacation rentals or camping. Whether you are visiting Lanaʻi for only one day or you plan to stay longer, we strongly suggest that you rent a 4×4 vehicle so that you can explore the countless sites that Lanaʻi has to offer.

On Lanaʻi, guests should make sure to explore Keahiakawelo, also known as the Garden of the Gods. It is located 45 minutes from Lanaʻi City at the end of Polihua Road on the northwest side of the island. Here, guests can visit an area full of Hawaiian history with an other-worldly landscape made up of rock towers, spires, and boulders, with gorgeous Pacific Ocean views.

Other noteworthy activities on Lanaʻi include visiting Sweetheart Rock and Puʻu Pehe Beach (the perfect place for a romantic outing with its breathtaking views), and snorkeling and scuba diving at Hulopoe Bay. Guests may also want to try traveling down the Monroe Trail by horseback, and lavish in luxury at the world-class golf resorts.

Today, the Kalaupapa Settlement can be visited with a visitors permit while on a tour through Damien Tours, or Kalaupapa Rare Adventure Tours for those who wish to travel by a sure-footed mule. The 3.5-mile hiking trail is uneven, so it is suggested that guests are well prepared and in good health before venturing to Kalaupapa. Tours stop at all of the places of interest including the Windward side of the peninsula, lunch in Kalawao, and the Kalaupapa Bookstore.

The mission of this historic Hawaii park is to “provide a well-maintained community that ensures that the present patient-residents of the Kalaupapa Settlement may live out their lives peacefully and comfortably.”

There are a variety of ways for guests to explore the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. The main interests here are visiting the Hawaii Volcano Observatory and observing billowing steam vents, volcanic lava fields, and fiery infernos. The park is also home to a 500-year-old lava cave, the Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, and the Kīlauea Caldera. Everything here must be viewed from a safe distance.

When looking to visit the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, plan ahead if you’d like to take a guided tour, a day hike or a longer back-country hike. If you can only visit for a few hours, make sure you try to explore the Kīlauea Summit by journeying the 11-mile Crater Rim Drive. Here, guests can drive around the caldera at the summit, and see desert and jungle landscapes. They will also have a chance to pull over and take short walks to scenic points of interest. Since there are ongoing volcanic eruptions on the Big Island, we highly suggest that guests check for visitor alerts and road closures. Also, make sure to always follow the guidance of the Hawai’i State Park Rangers.

Besides enjoying the rich coffee pleasures of each destination that you choose, you will have the incredible advantage of sightseeing and exploring while on your way.

If you’re visiting Kona in November, make sure you check out the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in the historic Kailua-Kona Village. Guests can participate in the local Hawai’i culture while celebrating with food and coffee vendors, live music, and entertainment. This is a great way to explore all of the coffee farm delights to be had at one time.

We suggest that you visit Greenwell Farms, the Hilo Coffee Mill, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, and the Kona Coffee Living History Farm during any other time of the year.

These are all wonderful choices for tasting Kona Coffee and learning its history through guided tours. Enjoy trying all that these incredible places have to offer during your visit to Hawaii!