Things to do in Hawaii

35 places worth stopping for and 11 places to stay on a road trip through Hawaii.

See and do

Geothermal · Volcano
Kīlauea Visitor Center and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Park with an active volcano, steam vents and lava rock drives.
Beach
Beach · Hana
Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Black sand beach with sea caves, a blowhole, and a coastal path.
Walk · Kipahulu
Pīpīwai Trail and Kīpahulu
Bamboo forest walk to a 400 foot waterfall in the quiet corner of Haleakalā National Park.
Viewpoint · Kula
Haleakalā summit
Volcano summit above the clouds, famous for sunrise and stargazing.
Beach · Haena
Haʻena State Park and Keʻe Beach
End of the road at the start of the Kalalau Trail, with a reef-protected beach.
Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Waimea
Waimea Canyon Lookout
Giant red-rock canyon sometimes called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Viewpoint · Kokee
Kalalau Lookout
End-of-road viewpoint into the Nā Pali Coast valley.
Viewpoint · Kapaau
Polulu Valley Lookout
Cliff viewpoint over a steep green valley and black sand beach.
Viewpoint · Honokaa
Waipiʻo Valley Lookout
Giant lush valley with a black sand beach and waterfalls, seen from the rim.
Beach · Captain Cook
Kealakekua Bay
Calm bay with spinner dolphins and a white monument; snorkelling is protected.
Beach
Beach · KekahaHidden gem
Polihale State Park
A very long sandy beach at the end of Kauai's western road, with huge dunes and sunsets.
Wildlife · Kilauea
Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse and seabird colony on a sea cliff, with nene geese, boobies and whales.
Beach · Waimea
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area
One of the Big Island's best white sand beaches, with lifeguards and facilities.
History · Captain Cook
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
Restored sacred refuge on the Kona coast, with tide pools and a ranger-led history.
Viewpoint · Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station
Mid-mountain stop for stargazing programs and altitude acclimatisation.
Beach
Beach · Hana
Hamoa Beach
Crescent of golden sand backed by cliffs, popular with locals for swimming.
Waterfall · Honomu
Akaka Falls State Park
A 442 foot waterfall reached by an easy paved loop through rainforest.
Beach · Naalehu
Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach
Black sand beach where green turtles rest on shore.
Town · Hanalei
Hanalei town and Hanalei Pier
Pretty little north shore town with a long bay and a historic pier.
Viewpoint
Viewpoint · Keʻanae
Keʻanae Peninsula
Lava rock shoreline and taro fields, plus a famous banana bread stand.
Viewpoint · Naalehu
Ka Lae, South Point
The southernmost point of the United States, a windy cliff with fishing platforms.
Beach · Paia
Hookipa Beach Park
North shore beach with windsurfers in the afternoon and turtles on the sand.
Beach · Wailua
Lydgate Beach Park
Protected ponds with calm swimming and a big wooden playground.
Waterfall
Waterfall · Lihue
Wailua Falls
A twin waterfall right by a road lookout near Lihue.
Beach · Poipu
Poipu Beach Park
Family beach with a tombolo, monk seals and reliable swimming.
Walk
Walk · Kailua-KonaHidden gem
Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park
Coastal park of fishponds, turtles and old trails north of Kona.
Town
Town · HanapepeHidden gem
Hanapepe town and swinging bridge
Old plantation town with art galleries and a small swinging footbridge.
Waterfall
Waterfall · Haiku
Twin Falls
Easy early stop on the Hana road with a short walk through a fruit farm to pools.
Waterfall · Hilo
Rainbow Falls
Waterfall within Hilo town, with rainbows in the mist on sunny mornings.
Walk · PahoaHidden gem
Lava Tree State Monument
Short loop among eerie lava casts of trees from an old eruption.
Beach · PahoaHidden gem
Kehena Beach
Black sand beach below a steep stair, where dolphins sometimes swim in the bay.
Town · Hana
Hana town and Hana Bay
Small town at the end of the main road, with a quiet harbour beach.
Roadside oddity · Koloa
Spouting Horn
Blowhole that shoots seawater into the air, on the south coast.
History
History · KapaauHidden gem
Kamehameha I statue and Kapaʻau
The original Kamehameha statue in the northern Kohala town.
Scenic drive
Scenic drive · Koloa
Tree Tunnel (Maluhia Road)
A tunnel of arching eucalyptus trees over the road to the south coast.

Food stops

Places to stay

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