Hawaii · best-of list
The 15 Best Outdoor Spots in Hawaii
All 15 outdoor spots our route editors picked in Hawaii, across 5 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
15 outdoor spots in Hawaii, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Maui 5 picks
Haleakalā National Park
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Watch sunrise from 10,000 ft above the clouds, then hike into the crater.
Tip: Sunrise entry needs a reservation on recreation.gov; bring warm layers.
Photo: Niagara66 · CC BY-SA 4.0
ʻĪao Valley State Monument
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Short paved walk to view the 1,200-ft ʻĪao Needle in a green valley.
Tip: Non-resident reservations required; mornings are clearest.
Photo: Danielle Carlisle · Google
Kaʻanapali Beach
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Long sandy beach with good snorkeling at Black Rock.
Tip: Snorkel at Puʻu Kekaʻa (Black Rock) in the morning calm.
Photo: Número equivocado · Google
Twin Falls
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Easy farm-trail walk to swimmable waterfalls at the start of the Hana drive.
Tip: Pay the small parking fee; the farm stand sells smoothies.
Photo: Miguel Pastrana · Google
Waiʻānapanapa State Park
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Black sand beach, sea caves and lava coastline near Hana.
Tip: Advance entry and parking reservation required.
Photo: Test Test · Google
Big Island 3 picks
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Walk crater rims, steam vents and lava tubes around active Kīlauea.
Tip: Kilauea Visitor Center closed for renovation; rangers and passes at the KMC Welcome Center.
Photo: Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0
ʻAkaka Falls State Park
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Short loop through rainforest to a 442-ft waterfall north of Hilo.
Tip: Pay non-resident entry and parking at the kiosk; paved trail with stairs.
Photo: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0
Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Jet-black sand beach where green sea turtles haul out to rest.
Tip: Keep 10 feet from turtles; surf is rough, wear water shoes.
Photo: Shuichi · Google
Kailua & Lanikai 3 picks
Kailua Beach Park
Kailua & Lanikai · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Long, soft-sand beach with calm water, a park with showers, and kayak rentals to the Mokulua islets.
Tip: Park here and walk to Lanikai, which has no public parking.
Photo: Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0
Lanikai Beach
Kailua & Lanikai · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Narrow strip of white sand in a residential neighborhood, facing the twin Mokulua islets.
Tip: Use the marked public beach paths between the houses.
Photo: claralieu · CC BY 2.0
Lanikai Pillbox Trail
Kailua & Lanikai · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Short, steep climb up Kaiwa Ridge to old concrete bunkers with views over Lanikai and the islets.
Tip: Wear shoes with grip; the dirt trail gets slippery after rain.
Photo: Raita Futo · CC BY 2.0
Oahu 3 picks
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Oahu · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Protected volcanic bay with reef snorkeling and green sea turtles.
Tip: Online reservations required; closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Photo: John Walker · Google
Waikiki Beach
Oahu · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Calm, sandy swim and beginner surf with Diamond Head as the backdrop.
Tip: Rent a board and take a lesson near the Duke Kahanamoku statue.
Photo: Travis.Thurston · CC BY-SA 3.0
Waimea Bay Beach Park
Oahu · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Big North Shore bay: glassy summer swimming, huge winter surf to watch.
Tip: Swim only in summer; winter waves are for experts and spectators.
Photo: Allen Hoof · Google
Waikiki 1 pick
Diamond Head State Monument
Waikiki · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Volcanic crater above Waikiki with a steep 0.8-mile trail to old military bunkers on the rim.
Tip: Reserve the first entry slot for Jan 1 and bring a headlamp for the tunnel.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in Hawaii?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 15 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Hawaii has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Maui has the most (5 of 15), followed by Big Island (3) and Kailua & Lanikai (3).
Are any of these free?
7 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Kailua Beach Park, Lanikai Beach, Waikiki Beach, Kaʻanapali Beach, Punaluʻu Black Sand Beach, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Hawaii
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Maui 5 on this list
- Big Island 3 on this list
- Kailua & Lanikai 3 on this list
- Oahu 3 on this list
- Waikiki 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.