Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
claims the USS
Arizona
Memorial at Pearl Harbor, part of the larger World War II Valor
in the Pacific National Monument. Hawaii also has nine national wildlife refuges
(
www.fws.gov/pacific/refuges
) on the main islands; their primary focus is preserving en-
dangered plants and waterbirds.
Incredibly, Hawaii has over 50 state parks, monuments and recreational areas
(
www.hawaiistateparks.org
). These diverse natural and historic areas include stunners
such as Waimea Canyon on Kauaʻi and Diamond Head on Oʻahu. Each island also has
county-managed beach parks and natural areas, as well as privately run botanical gar-
dens, zoos and aquariums.
HAWAII'S TOP 15 NATURAL AREAS
BEST
TIME TO
VISIT
PROTECTED AREA
FEATURES
ACTIVITIES
Oʻahu
Hanauma Bay Nature
Preserve
enormous coral reef in volcan-
ic ring
year-
round
snorkeling, swimming
Malaekahana State
Recreation Area
sandy beach, offshore bird
sanctuary
swimming, snorkeling,
camping, birding
May-
Oct
Hawaiʻi, the Big Is-
land
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes Na-
tional Park
lava tubes, volcanic craters,
fern forests, petroglyphs
year-
round
hiking, camping
Kealakekua Bay State
Historical Park
calm waters, coral reefs, sea
caves
year-
round
snorkeling, diving
Hawaii's highest peak, ancient
Hawaiian sites
year-
round
Mauna Kea
hiking, stargazing
Maui
Haleakalā National
Park (Kipahulu area)
bamboo forest, waterfalls,
cascading pools
year-
round
hiking, swimming
Haleakalā National
Park (summit area)
cloud forest, eroded volcanic
summit, nene
hiking, camping, bird-
ing
year-
round
Waiʻanapanapa State
Park
hiking, sunrise-watch-
ing
year-
round
black-sand beach, caves
Lanaʻi
