Fodor's Expert Review Kokee State Park

This 4,345-acre wilderness park is 4,000 feet above sea level, an elevation that affords you breathtaking views and a cooler, wetter climate that's in marked contrast to the beach. You can gain a deeper appreciation of the island's rugged terrain and dramatic beauty from this vantage point. Large tracts of native ohia and koa forest cover much of the land, along with many varieties of exotic plants. Hikers can follow a 45-mile network of trails through diverse landscapes that feel wonderfully remote—until the tour helicopters pass overhead. The small nonprofit museum provides park information, and the lodge offers hearty lunches. Note that there's no cell phone service in the park.