Hawaii attractions

The first of five gardens in the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Allerton Garden is also one of the most vibrant. Flowering plants such as anthuriums and plumeria grow alongside Moreton Bay fig trees, their human-sized roots rising from the ground near the Lawa‘i Stream. The garden is also home to the Corypha, or Talipot palm, which flowers only once in its lifetime, producing the largest known flower cluster of any plant.

McBryde Garden is bursting with Hawaiian plant life. From the endemic Brighamia insignis, of which only one is known to live in the wild, to dozens of “canoe” plants brought to the island by the first Hawaiians, the rare plants are more than worth seeing in a lush, manicured setting. You could spend days searching for Kauai's unique tropical blooms on your own—or view them here in just a few hours.

Many travelers to Kauai’s South Shore stop to browse the plantation-style storefronts of Old Koloa Town, once the site of Kauai's first sugar mill. While shopping for artisan crafts and local fare is easy and enjoyable, more adventurous visitors can follow the Koloa Heritage Trail—a 10-mile (16-kilometer) route through one of the island’s most historic areas. Along the way, you’ll find more than a dozen landmarks, including Hawaiian temples and the remains of the sugar mill.

This modest museum in Koke’e State Park has a lot to offer any nature enthusiast. Highlights include botanical prints, wood samples, mounted birds and animals, and exhibits on everything from forest deities to early conservationists. Stop in to learn about the region’s unique natural history, pick up information on popular hiking trails before you set out, or browse the well-stocked gift shop before heading out.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park is the site of two former Hansen's disease (leprosy) settlements on Molokai. Once completely isolated, the park today is dedicated to preserving the history and experiences of settlement residents, as well as offering refuge to the remaining few who are cured but choose to reside there still. Some of the landmarks on view include historic churches, homes, and cemeteries. Visits to this remote part of the island require permits and organized transportation.

Perched on the slopes of Hualalai Volcano, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation produces renowned Kona Coffee and offers free tours of the farm, which is located in a cloud forest overlooking the ocean on Hawaii’s Big Island. Visitors can sample fresh coffee and see the entire process, from where the coffee grows to how it is served.

At Hanakapi’ai Falls, a cascade plunges 300 feet (91.5 meters) down a sheer cliff into a swimmable pool surrounded by unspoiled flora and fauna. It’s an ideal spot for a break or a dip along the challenging Kalalau Trail—or a scenic destination in its own right, offering a shorter segment of the much longer full trail on Kauai’s north shore.

Coconut Island, also known as Moku o Loe, is a small private island in Oahu’s Kāneʻohe Bay. Home to the University of Hawaii's Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), the island serves as a world-renowned marine research facility and is generally closed to the public. The scenic location was also the setting for the opening credits of Gilligan's Island .

With its white shingle siding and a broad front porch straight out of the American South, Waioli Mission House marks the point where the story of mainland missionaries and Kauai intertwine. Built in 1836 by a Kentucky reverend for the area’s first missionaries, the carefully preserved house-turned-museum offers visitors a time-capsule glimpse into 19th-century island life—when Western influences reshaped traditions and daily life on Kauai’s North Shore.

This network of sinkholes and limestone caves—including the largest in Hawaii—is rich in fascinating fossils and home to a complex underground ecosystem of flora and fauna. Spread across acres of forest, wetlands, and dunes, the reserve is a habitat for dozens of native plants, waterbirds, and tortoises, and offers spectacular views of the the Maha’ulepu Valley and Kauai’s southern coast.

The towering pagoda, giant Buddha statue, and well-manicured grounds of Lahaina Jodo Mission near downtown Lahaina reflect a world an ocean away. Get a window into Japanese culture as you wander grounds modeled after a Japanese Buddhist temple and constructed in honor of Japanese immigrants who once worked in nearby sugarcane fields.

The Big Island’s Pacific Tsunami Museum offers the rare chance to explore three things: history, culture, and disaster. Sparked by two tsunamis—in 1946 and 1960—this tiny-but-mighty museum is dedicated to the understanding of tsunamis, both locally and globally. It also serves as a memorial to Hawaiian lives lost from these natural disasters, preserving aspects of the island’s past.

The smallest of Maui’s Kamaole Beach Parks, Kamaole Beach Park III attracts travelers looking to enjoy its beautiful beaches. Many come to sunbathe, swim, whale watch, and picnic, but it’s most popular among boogie boarders who enjoy the calmer water. Colorful, tropical fish and marine life fill the water near the beach, so Kamaole Beach Park III is also an ideal snorkeling pick.