414 Best Sights in Hawaii, USA

Family-owned and -operated, this is the largest property management company in West Maui, with the largest selection of rentals, from studios to three bedrooms. Rentals are everywhere from Lahaina town to Kapalua. Rates run about $100–$1,500 per night. The company has been in business since 1980, and is good at what it does.

Standing together along the highway are seven houses of worship with primarily Native Hawaiian congregations. Notice the unadorned, boxlike architecture so similar to missionary homes.

Even if you're not staying here, make time to stroll through the expansive lobby of this Kailua-Kona fixture to view impressive displays of Hawaiian artifacts, including feathered helmets, capes, ancient hula instruments, and battle weapons. Portraits of Hawaiian royalty adorn the walls. You'll also see mounted marlin from Hawaii International Billfish tournaments (Kailua Pier used to be the weigh-in point, and these "grander" marlin weighed 1,000 pounds or more). One of the best collections of works by Hawaiian artist Herb Kane is on display in the breezeway. Activities in Hawaiian arts and crafts are conducted regularly by on-site cultural staff, and there are nice gift shops, shave ice, and cafés scattered throughout the small mall.

Come to the Cove if you want to learn to surf or stand-up paddle. All the surf schools are here in the morning, pushing longboard beginners onto the bunny-slope waves. For spectators there's a grassy area with some shade—and a tiny blink of a beach. If you aren't here to learn to surf, don't bother. The shallow water is sketchy at best and plenty of other beaches are better. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: stand-up paddling; surfing.

Because the current can be quite strong, this charming, mile-long sandy cove is better for sunbathing than for swimming or water sports. Still, it's one of the island's most popular beaches. It's a perfect spot to watch the spectacular Maui sunsets, and there are picnic tables and grills. Part of the beach runs along the front of the Ritz-Carlton—a good place to grab a cocktail and enjoy the view. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

If it's the South Shore luxury of Wailea and Makena you seek, look no further. This company has hundreds of condominiums and villas ranging in size from studios to five bedrooms, and in price from $189 per night for a studio at Wailea Grand Champions Villas, to more than $4,000 (yes, per night) for the splashy Wailea Beach Villas. The company offers excellent personalized service (including a $155 restaurant/spa credit and a Tesla shuttle service—all included in the price) and is known for particularly fine housekeeping services. Check-in for all properties is at the company's well-appointed office in Wailea Gateway.

A paved pathway takes visitors across a barren lavascape strewn with chunky cinders that descended from towering lava fountains during the 1959 eruption of nearby Kilauea Iki Crater. The easy 1-mile (round-trip) hike ends at the edge of the Kilauea Iki Crater. This must-see view of the crater could yield such memorable sights as white-tailed tropic birds gliding in the breeze or a rainbow stretching above the crater's rim after a sunlit rain shower. Easy.

You have to do a little hiking to reach this beautiful, remote spot at the base of Diamond Head Crater. Although the beach is just a small, narrow strip of sand with lots of coral in the water, the views from the point are breathtaking, and it's fun to watch the windsurfers skimming along. From the parking area, look for an opening in the wall where an unpaved trail leads down to the beach. Even for the unadventurous, a stop at the lookout point is well worth the time. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers. Best for: solitude; sunset; surfing; windsurfing.

Pineapple plantation days are nearly defunct in Hawaii, but you can still celebrate the state's famous golden fruit at this promotional center with exhibits, a huge gift shop, a snack concession, educational displays, and one of the world's largest mazes. Take the self-guided Garden Tour, or hop aboard the Pineapple Express for a 20-minute train tour to learn a bit about life on a pineapple plantation. Kids love the more than 3-acre Pineapple Garden Maze, made up of 14,000 tropical plants and trees. If you do nothing else, stop by the cafeteria in the back for a delicious pineapple soft-serve Dole Whip. This is about a 40-minute drive from Waikiki, a suitable stop on the way to or from the North Shore.

This beach gets its unusual nickname from the former Lihue Plantation Company, which once kept a herd of mules and donkeys in the pasture adjacent to the beach. If the waves are right, bodyboarders and surfers might be spotted offshore. However, the waters here are usually rough and are not recommended for swimming and snorkeling. Instead, we suggest a morning walk along the easy trail that overlooks the coast, starting at the northern end of Kealia Beach. It's not uncommon to see nude sunbathers here. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunrise; surfing.

Named for Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii's famous Olympic swimming champion and waterman, this hard-packed beach fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is great for families. It's the only stretch of Waikiki with shade trees on the sand, and its waters are very calm thanks to a rock wall that creates a semiprotected cove. The ocean clarity here is not as good as elsewhere, but this is a small price to pay for peace of mind about youngsters. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

What sets Ehukai apart is the view of the famous Banzai Pipeline, where the winter waves curl into magnificent tubes, making it an experienced wave-rider's dream. It's also an inexperienced swimmer's nightmare. Spring and summer waves, on the other hand, are more accommodating to the average person, and there's good snorkeling. Except when the surf contests are happening, there's no reason to stay on the central strip. Travel in either direction from the center, and the conditions remain the same but the population thins out, leaving you with a magnificent stretch of sand all to yourself. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; surfing.

From pineapples to papayas, the produce at this West Maui market is local and flavorful. Prices are good, too. The deli offers hot and cold food items, and colorful tropical flowers and handcrafted items are also available.

Tropical flowers, tempting produce, massive avocados, and locally made preserves, banana bread, and crafts are among the bargains at this South Shore market in the west end of Kihei, next to the ABC Store.

Though it's really not much to look at, visitors enjoy this longtime attraction, perhaps because of the serene boat ride up and down the Wailua River that allows you to see it. The grotto is a yawning lava tube swathed in lush fishtail ferns 3 miles up the river. Though it was significantly damaged after Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and again after heavy rains in 2006, the greenery has completely recovered. The Smith's Kauai tour group is the only legal way to see the grotto. You can access the entrance with a kayak, but if boats are there, you may not be allowed to land.

Some of the trees in this 14-acre botanical garden, which opened in 1931, date from 1853, when Queen Kalama allowed a young German doctor to lease a portion of her land. More than 170 years later, you can see these trees and many others along with bromeliads, orchids, and other tropical plants, some of which are rare or endangered. Look out in particular for the cannonball tree and the redwood-size quipo tree.

More than 30 artists and craftspeople are represented in this small but lovely gallery. They feature original works as well as archival giclée pieces. If you are looking for Big Island artists, a stop at Glyph is a must.

Many people travel the mile past Oheo Gulch to pay their respects to Charles Lindbergh, who was buried beside Palapala Hoomau Congregational Church in 1974. The world-renowned aviator chose this as his final resting place because he and his wife, writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh, spent a lot of time in a home they built in the area. The simple one-room church sits on a bluff over the sea, with the small graveyard on the ocean side. The views from here are gorgeous. Since this is a churchyard, be considerate and leave everything exactly as you found it. Next door is a small county park that's a good place for a peaceful picnic.

In the 1920s, a little guesthouse called Gray's-by-the-Sea stood on what is now a very narrow strip of sand that's best for walking, admiring the ocean, and imagining a Waikiki of yesteryear. (Note that the tides often put sand space at a premium, so you have to use the elevated concrete walkway most of the time.) Catamaran charters launch from this beach throughout the day, sailing out for views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. You can get a great view of Diamond Head here, and you can also sip a mai tai at House Without a Key, a legendary beach restaurant at the Halekulani hotel a few steps away. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: walking.

Guided two-hour walking tours of this carefully restored 80-acre country estate offer a fascinating and authentic look at how upper-class white people experienced plantation life in the mid-19th century. The tour focuses on the original home, built by the Wilcox family in 1860 and filled with a quirky collection of classic Hawaiiana. You can also see the workers' quarters, farm animals, orchards, and gardens that reflect the practical self-sufficient lifestyle of the island's earliest Western inhabitants. Tours of the homestead are conducted twice a day, three days a week. To protect the historic building and its furnishings, tours may be canceled on very wet days.  With a six-person limit per tour, reservations are essential.

Established in 1850, the homestead of Henry N. Greenwell served as cattle ranch, sheep station, store, post office, and family home all in one. Now, all that remains is the 1875 stone structure, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It houses a fascinating museum with exhibits on ranching and coffee farming. It's also headquarters for the Kona Historical Society, which archives and preserves the history of the Kona district. An interesting aside: today, direct descendants of Henry Greenwell operate a popular South Kona grocery store, ChoiceMart, bringing their ancestors' legacy full circle.

Constructed in 1859 by New England missionaries, this church is known for its services in Hawaiian and for the choir, which sings hymns in Hawaiian. In 1902, Hawaiian musical legends Harry K. Naope Sr. and Albert Nahalea Sr. began the choral traditions still practiced by their descendants. The church, with its iconic yellow spire, has an interesting history that dates to 1824 when it was a thatched structure.

The vigorous water that gouged the steep, spectacular Halawa Valley also carved out two adjacent bays. Accumulations of coarse sand and river rock have created some protected pools that are good for wading or floating around. You might see surfers, but it's not wise to entrust your safety to the turbulent open ocean along this coast. Most people come here to hang out and absorb the beauty of Halawa Valley. The valley itself is private property, so do not wander without a guide. Amenities: toilets. Best for: solitude.

When most people think about Haleakala, it's the volcano in the park's western (Upcountry) Summit District that comes to mind. However, the so-called backside of the park runs down from the mountain's volcanic crater east to the sea, encompassing the Kipahulu District, an area that's rich with greenery, waterfalls, ocean vistas, and archaeological sites.

The Kipahulu Visitor Center, about 12 miles southwest of Hana (mile marker 42 on the Hana Highway) is a good first stop, not only to get your bearings, but also find out about scheduled cultural demonstrations and other activities. The center is open daily year-round, though hours can vary by season.

The 4-mile round-trip Pipiwai Trail truly showcases this district's natural beauty. It's a moderately strenuous trek, with an 800-foot gain in elevation, but it's well worth the effort, taking you to Makahiku Overlook—with views of its namesake falls—and through a remarkable bamboo forest before ending at Waimoku Falls.

If time is short, consider the easier, 1-mile round-trip Kuloa Point Trail, which offers views of Oheo Gulch and its famous pools. (Some tour guides incorrectly call this area Seven Sacred Pools, but in truth there are more than seven when the water is high, and they've never been considered sacred.) Note that many people who drive the Hana Highway make Oheo Gulch their last stop, so visit earlier in the day to avoid crowds.  Although you may be tempted to take a dip, know that the pools are generally closed for safety reasons. Take closure notices seriously, as people have died here.

You'll need to make reservations ( recreation.gov) to camp at the 20-site Kipahulu Campground just south of the visitor center; be sure to stock up on provisions before arriving. Note, too, that entrance tickets are valid for three days and are honored both here and in the Summit District, so hold onto your receipt if you're also planning a visit to the crater.

The visitor center is at the crater summit, about a 30-minute drive south of the park headquarters and the Summit District entrance. Inside, you'll find exhibits, and there's also a trail leading to Pa Kaoao (White Hill), which offers excellent views of the valley and is a short, easy walk. The center is generally open daily year-round, although the hours may vary depending on the season.

Named for the whales that once washed ashore here, Halepalaoa, or the "House of Whale Ivory," is a nice place for whale-watching and sunbathing, but it's difficult to reach (a 4WD vehicle is definitely required). The beach was also the site of a wharf used by the Maunalei Sugar Company, which was established in 1898 and closed just three years later. Although brackish well water and financial difficulties were likely to blame for the endeavor's failure, some say the company was cursed because it built its cane railroad using sacred stones taken from nearby Kahea Heiau, once an important place of worship and now hidden amid kiawe (mesquite) overgrowth. To get to this beach, follow Highway 440 (Keomuku Highway) to its eastern terminus, turn right onto a dirt road, and continue south for 5½ miles. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude.

Go behind the scenes to see how vodka, rum, whiskey, and gin are produced—from distillation to bottling—on this tour, which pairs nicely with a tour of the nearby Maui Pineapple Farm. Indeed, the distillery’s flagship brand, Pau Vodka, is made with Maui Gold pineapples, creating a unique liquor that’s clean and easy to drink. At the end of the tour, you can taste it and other spirits. Afterward, stop by the gift shop for all things pineapple. If you're feeling peckish, Haliimaile General Store, open for lunch and dinner, is just across the road.

Also known as Eternity Beach, this little beauty is never crowded due to the short, treacherous climb down to the sand. But what a treat it is for the intrepid—perfect for packing a lunch and holing up for the day. The beach is in a break in the ocean cliffs, with the surrounding crags providing protection from the wind. Open-ocean waves roll up onto the sand, but a gently sloping sand bottom takes much of the punch out of them before they hit the shore. Locals also call it "Cockroach Cove," but there's no consensus as to why. Turtles frequent the small cove, seeking respite from the otherwise blustery coast.  The current is mellow inside the cove but dangerous once you get outside it. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: sunrise.

This park situated around an old pier offers the area's calmest swimming opportunities. The black-sand beach is a favorite among canoe clubs and families; indeed, residents prefer that weekends be left for locals. There are picnic tables, and you can occasionally find craft vendors in the parking lot. Amenities: parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

Built in 1892, the historic Hanalei Pier can be seen from miles across the bay and is a great spot for photos or taking a leisurely stroll; it attracts a gathering every sunset. The pier came to fame when it was featured in the award-winning 1957 movie South Pacific. Fishers fish here, and picnickers picnic. The pier was refurbished after flooding in 2018.