Creating a list of all of the amazing places to visit in Hawaii is difficult, honestly, so much of the area is just terrific overall. What kind of adventure you’re looking to seek out will change where you decide to visit on your journey to this beautiful piece of the world. From historical sites to shopping, to active volcanoes, there’s no end of amazing places to visit in the island state.
Kōkeʻe State Park
If you’re all about the camping life, Hawaii has plenty of national parks to offer you. One of the most well-known parks is the Kokee state park, and it offers quite a unique camping experience. If you’ve never camped in a lush, visibly outstanding terrain directly by the ocean, it’s something that you definitely need to encounter. This location seems completely untouched by the human hand and it offers a natural reprieve not easily found throughout the world.
Pearl Harbor Memorial
You don’t need to be a history buff to want to visit the Pearl Harbour Memorial located at the USS Arizona memorial dedicated to the lives lost during this incident. It’s a humbling experience to realize and visit the location where many people lost their lives, and it helps generate feelings of thankfulness. If you’re looking to pay your respects to the tragedy of that historical time in history, visiting these memorials are a good idea. They can also give you a greater sense of satisfaction for all your other experiences in Hawaii, and the freedom that you have to enjoy them.
Waikiki Beach On Oahu
Waikiki has a rich history when it comes to Hawaii, it used to be a location the royal family would visit longboard (a traditional form of surfing). It’s also a hot spot of tourist activity with plenty of museums and unique events to fill your itinerary. According to Collections of Waikiki, there are plenty of good shopping locations to be found in the area. If you’re looking to add a historical visit, and shopping to your plans, Waikiki is a great location for you.
Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park
If you’re looking to enjoy a wilderness park that’s completely inaccessible to vehicles, look no further than the Na Pali Coast park. When you’re looking at photos of this vegetation rich area, it almost feels like a scene straight out of Jurassic Park. The contrast between the sharp cliffs of Na Pali Coast and the ocean creates an image that you would expect out of a fantasy novel. If you want to cut ties with the rat race of the modern world, you can get a permit to camp in this area.
Molokai Island
It’s hard to research areas where tourists don’t normally travel, considering most advertisements, direct you to these areas. Molokai Island is a vision of Hawaii that most people do not get to see and receives less than 100 000 tourists per year. If you don’t want to be competing for gorgeous views of the ocean, and you’re looking for a less developed area to vacation this is a great place to do it.
The area is heavily invested in maintaining historic Hawaiian tradition and is not as overly developed as many other areas of Hawaii. Even the tourist industry places heavy emphasis on environmental sustainability, making it a hotspot for those who love contributing to a greener Earth.
The Hawaii Volcano’s National Park
This national park is home to two Hawaiian volcano’s Kīlauea and Mauna Loa. It’s one of the only places in the world where you’re able to traverse through terrain entirely generated from the eruptions of these active beasts. If you’re the adventure-seeking type, or you’re looking for a once in a lifetime experience, this is the national park for you.
There’s only one hotel located in the entirety of the national park, due to the volcano’s still being considered active. However, there has been a great reduction in the activity of these volcanoes in recent years. These sites are often associated with Hawaiian deities and serve as an awesome cultural educational expedition.
After one visit to a great location in Hawaii, you’re going to be counting the days until your next. Even if you’re not able to visit all of these great spots in one go, they can provide entertainment for years to come. Before visiting any state parks be sure to look up the rules and regulations required of each so you know what to expect when you get there. Keep the environment tidy and respect the land wherever you go. No matter where you choose to visit, I’m sure you’ll gain some lifelong memories.