Travel Blog

Most Visited Attractions in Hawaii

Looking for the best attractions to visit in Hawaii? This place is on nearly everyone’s travel bucket list, but every island has different, eye-catching and unique attractions. We’ve compiled our insider’s tips with the top places to explore.

Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

Located on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island, it offers tourists a glimpse of ancient Hawaiian culture. The site was once a place of refuge for those who broke a “kapu,” or sacred law, where they could receive absolution from priests to rejoin their community. Today, it’s a 180-acre park where visitors can take a self-guided walking tour through the preserved rock walls, thatched huts and sacred temples that house the bones of ancient chiefs. 

Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon sprawls across western Kauai, creating a dramatic landscape reminiscent of Arizona’s Grand Canyon. The 14-mile-long and 3,600-foot-deep canyon awe visitors with its immense size and the vibrant color of its red stone walls. You can enjoy the canyon from one of its many scenic overlooks or they can explore the interior along with a series of hiking trails. A small fee is required for entry into the park, which includes restroom access and use of the picnic areas. 

Bishop Museum

Located on the island of Oahu, Bishop Museum houses one of the biggest collections of ancient Hawaiian cultural and natural artifacts in the world. The museum also offers a comprehensive exhibition of Hawaiian sports memorabilia, a science adventure center, planetarium, library and visitor’s center with a gift shop. 

Halawa Valley

The island of Molokai stands at the center of the Hawaiian island chain. Amongst the most picturesque and remote tourist attractions on Molokai is Halawa Valley, an old settlement website located on the eastern end of the island. The towering valley wall surfaces, countless waterfalls and also rich plants of Halawa Valley make it really beautiful, however, it is the “heiau,” or shrines, that make it an intriguing tourist attraction for tourists with a rate of interest in Hawaiian culture and history. Unlike many parks around Hawaii, Halawa Valley doesn’t currently charge for admission but check with the local park’s authority before visiting just in case.

Maui Ocean Center

The comprehensive and varied educational exhibits found at the Maui Ocean Center earned them the title of “Top-Rated Attraction in Hawaii” . The center offers aquarium tours, a shark dive and an on-site cafe, as well as seasonal whale-watching tours, guided snorkeling excursions, and overnight stays in the aquarium. Hours vary according to the season, but the center is open year-round with both online and on-site ticketing options available.

We recommend that the first time you go, go with someone who has been there and knows the best places to rest, dine, relax on the beach so you don’t get overrun by tourists. We want to say thanks to the cool folks over at Chandler Towing and Recovery who went with us on our first trip to Hawaii and showed us the ropes. Thanks guys and gals!