Things to do in Hawaii
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Big Island Day Trip: Volcanoes National Park from Oahu
15 hours (Departs Oahu, Hawaii)
by Viator
Take a Big Island volcano tour from Oahu on a day trip to Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park. The recent eruptions of Kilauea Volcano have captured the world's…Not LP reviewed
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Eggs 'n Things
Never empty, this bustling diner specializes in hearty breakfast fare, from thick pancakes done up with whip cream to steak and eggs. The odd hours reflect its clientele, early morning tourists, graveyard shift workers and post-clubbers.
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Mama's Fish House
- Maui, USA
- Restaurants › Other
This is Maui's most celebrated seafood restaurant, which pairs beachside romance with impeccably prepared fish. Reservations are essential.
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Grandma's Coffee House
- Maui, USA
- Restaurants › Café
This downhome café has homemade pastries, sandwiches and fresh dark-roasted Maui coffee. Grandma's family has been growing coffee beans in Keokea since 1918. Take your goodies out on the patio and you can eat right under the coffee trees. Grandma's is also a good place to pick up picnic fare if you're headed around the Pi'ilani Hwy to Hana.
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Rainbow Drive-in
If nothing else, it's refreshing to have a president who appreciates plate lunches and shave ice. President Obama has enjoyed plate lunches at Waikiki's Rainbow Drive-In
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Ninini Point
You'll enjoy solitude from other tourists at Ninini Point, where 360-degree vistas show jets swooping in the sky above and waves crashing against the rocks below. Looking east, soaring cliffs cut off rainbows and, closer in, golfers tee off near a beckoning scoop of beach.
These terrific views from Ninini Point are made more so by its 100ft lighthouse marking the northern entrance to Nawiliwili Bay. Here, Hawaiians still fish, pick 'opihi (edible limpet) and gather limu (edible seaweed). The road to the lighthouse begins off Kapule Hwy, just over 0.5 miles south of the intersection with Ahukini Rd and marked with two concrete slabs. You'll pass a guard gate (usually…
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Keawakapu Beach
There's a lot to like about Keawakapu Beach, which stretches from the southernmost part of Kihei to Wailea's Mokapu Beach. Not only is Keawakapu Beach less crowded than Kihei's roadside beaches but it offers a stellar view, and during winter humpback whales come quite close to shore.
With its cushiony soft sand, it's a favorite place for people doing sunrise yoga and wake-up strolls and it's also a good spot for a sunset swim. Mornings are the best time for snorkeling; head to the rocky outcrops that form the northern and southern ends of the beach.
There are three beach access points, all with outdoor showers. To get to the south end, go south on S Kihei Rd until it…
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Thurston Lava Tube
East of the intersection with Chain of Craters Rd you enter the rain forest of native tree ferns and ohia that covers Kilauea's windward slope. Thurston Lava Tube is the endpoint of an enjoyable short walk through a bird-filled ohia forest (it's a good place to spot the red-bodied 'apapane, a native honeycreeper). The lava tube itself is enormous - big enough for your car - and a short initial section is lighted. Does get crowded.
Lava tubes are formed when the outer crust of a river of lava starts to harden but the liquid lava beneath the surface continues to flow through. After the flow has drained out, the hard shell remains. Eastern Hawai'i is riddled with lava tubes,…
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Donkey Beach
An easy 10-minute walk down from the highway takes you to golden Donkey Beach, Kaua'i's best-known nudist beach. But nudity is illegal on Kaua'i and police occasionally bust those in the buff. No surprise, the site is also popular as a gay beach.
Summer swells are manageable here but from October to May dangerous rip currents and a powerful shorebreak take over. Blustery winds whip ironwood trees away from the shore, which are bent so low they resemble shrubs. Naupaka and 'ilima, native ground-creeping flowers, add dashes of color to the sand. Shade is minimal so bring sun protection.
To get to the beach, stop at the paved parking lot at the ocean side of Kuhio Hwy, about…
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Ala Moana Center
Holy fashion, this attractive open-air shopping mall could compete on an international runway with some of Asia's most famous malls. And the shoppers are top-shelf fashionistas, stocking up on couture. The usual mall anchors are here, (Sears and Macy's) as are the designer name brands (you name it) and the trendy teen brands (Abercrombie & Fitch).
A favorite for local color is the Crack Seed Center, where you can just scoop from jars full of pickled mangoes, candied ginger, dried cuttlefish and banzai (rice crackers, nuts and dried fish) mix. The ground floor or the shopping center is also the hub for TheBus service.
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Kahakuloa Village
Remote and quintessentially Hawaiian, Kahakuloa Village sits at the base of a tidy valley embraced by sea cliffs standing like sentinels on either side of the bay. Although it contains only a few dozen homes, Kahakuloa (Tall Lord) has two churches.
The little tin-roof Catholic mission sits hillside at the southern end of town, just off the road, and the Protestant church, sporting a green wooden exterior and red-tile roof, hunkers down on the valley floor further north. The town doesn't have any shops, but villagers set up roadside stands selling shave ice, fruit and 'ono (delicious) banana bread.
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Secret Beach
While no longer a secret, the gorgeous, golden-sand Secret Beach backed by sea cliffs and jungly foliage is still frequented mainly by Kaua'i's alternative community - perhaps because it's accessible only by a steep (and slippery) 10- to 15-minute hike. Also known as Kauapea Beach, its waters are swimmable only during summer.
To get to Secret Beach, turn down Kalihiwai Rd 0.5 miles west of Kilauea and then turn right onto the first dirt road, which is just 0.1 miles from Kuhio Hwy. Less than 0.5 miles down, the road ends at a parking area where the well-defined trail begins. Don't go during rainy periods.
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Roy's
Chef Roy Yamaguchi's namesake restaurants are sometimes referred to as the Spago of the islands. The O'ahu-born enterprise was an early innovator of Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, which emphasizes fresh local ingredients and blends European, Asian and Polynesian flavors. Today, Roy's restaurants have populated the islands and mainland, but this Hawai'i Kai location, east of Waikiki, is one of the originals.
A more centrally located restaurant is slotted for the new Waikiki Beach Walk (corner of Kalia Rd and Lewers St).
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'Anini Beach Park
You can't ask for a gentler stretch of beach than this one at 'Anini Beach Park. The water is flat as glass within the lagoon, which is protected by one of the longest and widest fringing reefs in the Hawaiian Islands. At its widest point, the reef extends over 1600ft offshore. The park is unofficially divided into day-use, camping and windsurfing areas. While weekends might draw crowds, weekdays are low key. Facilities include rest rooms, showers, changing rooms, drinking water, picnic pavilions and barbecue grills.
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Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea (White Mountain) is Hawaii's highest peak, and its 4140m (13,796ft) summit has a cluster of observatory domes, containing what is considered the greatest collection of astronomical telescopes in the world. The Onizuka Center offers displays and stargazing, while a rugged 9.7km (6mi) hiking trail leads from here to the summit.
In Hilo, visit the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center, a planetarium and museum about modern science and ancient Hawaiian voyaging - and a good complement to visiting the summit.
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Aloha Mixed Plate
Hands down, the best place on Maui to enjoy a Hawaiian-style meal in a beachside setting. Go local with the Hawaiian plate lunch brimming with kalua (traditional method of cooking in an underground pit) pig, lomilomi salmon (minced, salted salmon, diced tomato and green onion) and other taste treats. And then there are the award-winning coconut prawns - order them as a pupu (snack or appetizer) or as part of a mixed plate, but do try them.
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Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park
Kealakekua Bay is one of the Big Island's (and the state's) premier snorkelling spots. In the pristine waters, a spectacular diversity of marine life thrives. The bay is both a state park and a marine-life conservation district. Among the protected species here are spinner dolphins that frequently swim into the bay.
In nearby Ka'awaloa Cove you can find the Captain Cook Monument which marks the spot where the explorer died during a skirmish in 1779.
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Kapa'a Beach Park
This relatively unused beach park affords access to clear waters and great snorkeling if you venture past the rocky shore. The views of Maui can be spectacular. The park itself is mostly parking lot, with only a falling-apart wooden picnic pavilion and portable toilets. You will need a county permit to camp, but the beach is rocky and the ground uneven. There is only one really choice spot with a picnic table near the water.
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Coffee Shack
The Shack has an amazing view from its intimate, open-air deck surrounded by tropical foliage. The place is perched precariously on the makai side of the highway and has very limited parking. The breakfasts, hearty salads, sandwiches and pizzas are consistently OK, while, ironically, the coffee gets bad reviews. Consider sliding in for a beer right before closing. It's between the 108- and 109-mile markers.
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Diamond Head Market & Grill
Fast-food for an upscale neighborhood, this takeaway counter and deli market feeds families who don't want to heat up the kitchen as well as career bachelors with healthy versions of plate lunches. The salmon plate gets an approving nod from others in line and there are picnic tables beside the parking lot for immediate consumption. In the market, you can stock up on salads and picnic supplies.
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Maui Swap Meet
Skip the mall and head to this quintessential island scene where you buy direct from craftspeople and local farmers (admission 50¢). You'll not only find fresh organic Hana fruits, Kula veggies and homemade banana bread, but it's a fun place to souvenir shop for everything from Hawaiian quilts to Maui designed T's. This place glows with aloha and the prices are unbeatable.
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Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch & Crab
Its menu offers huge portions of local specialties, such as fried noodles or loco moco (three hamburger patties and more, buried in gravy) for breakfast, along with mainland staples such as bacon and eggs, and fresh crab. The food is great, a high-quality change from overpriced hotel fare. The on-site Big Aloha Brewery pours some of the best microbrews in town.
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Ward Farmers Market
Ward Farmers Market, across the street from Ward Center, is this almost daily fresh market and grocery. For the average tourist, a visit here is more like sightseeing for food and is a good introduction to Hawaiian and Asian dishes and ingredients, from local produce to prepared meals. The market covers the budget range from blue collar to gourmet imports.
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He'eia State Park
He'eia State Park on Kealohi Point, just off Kamehameha Hwy, has a good view of He'eia Fishpond on the right and He'eia-Kea Harbor on the left. The fishpond, an impressive survivor from the days when stone walled ponds of fish raised for royalty were common on Hawaiian shores, remains largely intact despite the invasive mangroves.
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Hawaiian Style Cafe
Join locals at the horseshoe-shaped counter that dominates the island's best greasy spoon: filling servings of loco moco, pancakes, laulau, poi fried rice, burgers and more will keep you going all day. As the sign says: 'Come early. When food is pau…there is no more!'
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Flatbread Company
- Maui, USA
- Restaurants › Other
Wood-fired pizzas made with organic sauces, nitrate-free pepperoni, Kula onions - you'll never stop at a chain pizza house again. Lots of fun combinations, from vegan to kiawe-smoked ham and organic pineapples. Start with mesclun salad topped with Surfing Goat Dairy chevre - Maui-grown flavors at their finest!
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