Top 10 Places to Visit in Hawaii

Located on over 17 acres, the recently renovated Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is now operated by the National Park Service. When visiting Pearl Harbor, guests can tour the whole Visitor Center but should be prepared to have a couple of hours if they want to take their time and see it all. Upon arrival, guests will be guided towards a ticket counter to receive movie tickets for a film that will summarize the history of this historic site and boat shuttle tickets for a trip to the USS Arizona Memorial. The film and the boat tour together are approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Guests will also have the option to arrange a headphone narrated tour at the ticket counter*

Pearl Harbor is the largest natural harbor within the State of Hawaii and was once referred to as ‘Pu’uloa’ by the ancient Hawaiians. The Hawaiian name directly translates to “water of pearl,” perfectly stated for 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 definitely one of the coolest and most charming towns to visit in all of Hawaii with 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 on the North Shore of Oahu, definitely go to Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck in Kahuku and order the garlic shrimp plate, visit the historic M.Matsumoto’s Grocery Store in Hale’iwa Town for shave ice, spend some time at Waimea Bay, and check out Lani’s Beach (Laniakea Beach) to see the Green Hawaiian Sea Turtles in their natural habitat. Please do not touch the turtles!

It was first a vacation destination for Hawaiian royalty, then foreign visitors began 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 vacation destinations in the world.
Today, Waikiki is a gorgeous beach town spread across 1.5 square miles, lined by hotels, luxurious resorts, and decorated by a variety of restaurants, shopping centers, and nightlife. Waikiki Beach is a glory in its own with fabulous stories of Hawaiian entertainers like Hilo Hattie and Andy Cummings. Mainland celebrities that contributed to popularizing Waikiki were Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Temple, Bing Crosby, Amelia Earhart and Elvis Presley. Perhaps one of the most cherished Waikiki namesakes is Duke Kahanamoku, a celebrated Hawaiian hero, and a master waterman.

When in Waikiki, take surf or stand up paddle lessons at Waikiki Beach, check out the Duke Kahanamoku statue, visit the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium, walk through the international marketplace for gifts, 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 to listen to notorious Hawaiian musician Henry Kapono.

Today, visitors and Hawaii residents have a few choices available when exploring the Na Pali Coastline. The most “mainstream,” and popular way for guests to explore this coastline is by ocean vessel. A variety of sailing companies on Kauai provides snorkel tours to the Na Pali Coastline, sunset dinner cruises, and longer Kauai ocean tours to Nualolo Kai, a remote beach where guests 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, (22 miles roundtrip). Here, Kauai visitors can explore a rare eco-system, see natural waterfalls and streams, dramatically rugged coastlines and two gorgeous beaches; Hanakapi’ai and Kalalau Beach. The full hiking/camping trip through the Na Pali Coastline is at the very least a 3-day trip, although the first 2 miles of the Kalalau Trail from Ha’ena Point to Hanakapi’ai Beach is a wonderful day trip, approximately 4 miles roundtrip.

We suggest that guests explore the Na Pali Coast by first carefully planning. We strongly suggest that you do not attempt hiking the Kalalau Trail between mid-September to May to avoid unsafe weather and terrain conditions.

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

If you’re planning on doing guided activities at the Haleakala Crater, plan ahead for all the most recent event information. Here, guests can gather together in an outdoor classroom and learn more about Maui’s geography and Haleakala’s unique natural and cultural history. Park naturalists are extremely educated on all topics and easily engage all participants with science projects, demonstrations, and short guided hikes. If you’re planning a visit for a sunrise, you’ll need to be sure to make a parking reservation.

For hiking and camping adventures to Haleakala National Park, do your research and form your plan of action ahead of time. There are a variety of day trip hiking options available, but Haleakala is most famously traveled through with multi-day hiking and camping trips. In this way, guests can journey through the Crater learning about Maui’s unique eco-systems with approximately 30-miles of hiking trails. Popular trails include The Kaupo Gap, Sliding Sands, Halemauu, Hosmer Grove & Supply Trails, and Kipahulu.

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 dominate the Road to Hana from late morning until the afternoon. We also suggest that you do your research and choose a few places that you definitely want to visit so that you do not get caught up in all the stops on the way. (Otherwise, your day will go super fast and you will be sad that you missed some sites!).

When traveling down the Road to Hana, we suggest the following stops: Twin Falls (mile marker 2) for a light hike to a waterfall and a refreshing smoothie or fresh coconut, the Garden of Eden Arboretum (mile marker 10) to see Hawaiian flora and fauna, Nahiku Marketplace (mile marker 29) for yummy treats and gifts, and Wai’anapanapa State Park (mile marker 32) to see a black sand beach, a gorgeous coastline, and a rare glimpse into Old Hawaii. In Hana Town, check out Hana Bay, art galleries, and farmers markets. Just past Hana, guests can spend the day at Hamoa Beach, or travel further towards Kipahulu and explore the 7 Sacred Pools of Ohe’o.

Today, the Kalaupapa Settlement can be visited by securing a visitors permit and tour through Damien Tours, or Kalaupapa Rare Adventure Tours for those who want to go by a sure-footed mule. The 3 1/2 mile hiking trail is uneven, so it is suggested that visitors are well prepared and in good health before venturing to Kalaupapa. Tours stop at all 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”.

When on Lana’i, guests have only a handful of lodging options to choose from, including two Four Seasons Resorts, the Hotel Lana’i, private vacation rentals or camping. Whether you are visiting Lana’i only for the day or longer, we strongly suggest that you rent a 4×4 vehicle so that you can explore the variety of sites that Lana’i has to offer.

On Lana’i, guests should definitely explore Keahiakawelo, also known as the Garden of the Gods. It is located 45 minutes from Lana’i 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 of rock towers, spires, boulders, and gorgeous Pacific Ocean views. Other places of interest on Lana’i include Sweetheart Rock and Puu Pehe Beach (a perfect place for a romantic outing with views), snorkeling and scuba diving at Hulopoe Bay, traveling down the Monroe Trail by horseback, and lavish luxury at world-class golf resorts.

There are a variety of ways to explore the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, with main interests being the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Jaggar Museum & Giftshop, and observing billowing steam vents, volcanic lava fields, fiery infernos, a 500-year old lava cave, the Halema’uma’u Crater, and Kilauea’s Caldera from a safe distance.

When visiting the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, plan ahead if you’d like to take a guided tour, a day hike or a longer backcountry hike. If you can only visit for a few hours, definitely try to explore the Kilauea Summit by journeying the 11-mile Crater Rim Drive. Here, guests can drive around the summit caldera, see desert and jungle landscapes, and 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, and always follow the guidance of the Hawai’i State Park Rangers.

Besides experiencing the unique coffee pleasures of each destination you choose, you will the incredible advantage of sightseeing and exploring on your way.

If you’re visiting Kona in November, make sure to attend the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in the historic Kailua-Kona Village. This is a great way to explore all the coffee farm delights at once, and take part in Hawai’i’s local culture while celebrating with food and coffee vendors, live music and entertainment. During any other time of the year, we suggest that you visit Lyman Kona Coffee Farms, Greenwell Farms, the Hilo Coffee Mill, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation, and the Kona Coffee Living History Farm. These are all wonderful choices for exploring and tasting Kona Coffee history through guided tours.