State Parks in Hawaii

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area is a 61.8-acre park on the Big Island of Hawaii which features a beautiful white sandy beach with amenities such as paved parking, pavilions, picnic areas, restrooms, and showers.

One of the most popular beaches on the island, Hapuna is situated just over two miles south of Kawaihae, and part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail winds its way through the park from Spencer Beach in the north to Puako in the south.

Hapuna Beach offers excellent conditions for swimming, surfing, bodyboarding, snorkeling and sunbathing, and it’s possible to spot migrating whales in the distance during the early part of the year.

Hapuna Beach State Park, Old Puako Rd, Waimea, HI 96743

The Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park a 6,175-acre state park located in the northwest of the Kaua?i Island which is famous for its soaring sea cliffs (pali), which rise to 4,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean, lush valleys, winding streams and cascading waterfalls.

Located in the center of the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island, the Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park was established in 1983 to protect the Kalalau Valley.and features the steep Kalalau Trail, which runs between the sandy Kalalau Beach and Ke’e Beach and cuts through five beautiful valleys, including the Hanakoa Valley.

The coast is inaccessible to vehicles but can be enjoyed over land by hiking or in a helicopter, and from the ocean by kayak and paddleboard. The park can also be accessed by charter tours on catamarans or rigid-hulled inflatable boats from Hanalei Bay and Port Allen.

Na Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kapaa, HI 96746

The Lapakahi State Historical Park is located 12.4 miles north of Kawaihae Harbor, and the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site in the North Kohala District on the Big Island of Hawai'i and was established to preserve the historic ruins of an ancient Hawaiian fishing village in North Kohala.

Visitors to this 262-acre rugged coastal park can learn about traditional Hawaiian culture by taking a one-mile self-guided tour and exploring the partially restored remains of this ancient settlement.

Offshore from the park is the protected Lapakahi Marine Life Conservation District and to the north of the park is the Mahukona Beach Park.

Lapakahi State Historical Park, HI-270, Waimea, HI 96743

Romantic State Parks in Hawaii

Kiholo State Park Reserve is a lava-covered coastal park located in the North Kona District of Hawaii’s Big Island surrounding Kiholo Bay.

Set in the in the ahupua`a (historic land division) of Pu'u Wa'awa'a, the park is famous for its fossilized lava flows which were created when Mount Hualalai erupted in 1801 and Mauna Loa in 1859.

Kiholo State Park Reserve features a basic campground with tent sites and portable toilets, however, there is no running water. Activities that can be enjoyed in the park include beachcombing, camping, hiking, fishing, snorkeling, swimming, and wildlife viewing.

Kiholo State Park Reserve, 2000 96740, 71-2000 Queen Ka'ahumanu Hwy, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Kaena Point State Park can be found on the westernmost tip of land on the island of O?ahu and was established to protect a wealth of fauna and flora, including Hawaiian monk seals, nesting Wedge-tailed Shearwaters and Laysan Albatrosses, and the fragile endemic vegetation of the region.

Accessible only on foot, Ka?ena Point State Park has a beautiful white sandy beach that offers excellent swimming, snorkeling, and surfing for those brave enough to take on the large, powerful waves that Oahu is renowned for.

The park also offers excellent hiking on the Ka'ena point trail with spectacular natural scenery, plenty of wildlife, and the remains of what was once a railway from Honolulu through Kahuku that was destroyed by a tsunami in 1946.

Kaena Point State Park , Waialua, HI 96791

Ahupua'a 'O Kahana State Park, formerly known as the Kahana Valley State Park, stretches from Kahana Bay rising more than 2,670 feet to the tip of Pu?u Pauao.

Located between Ka'a'awa and Punalu'u on the windward side of Oahu, the park is Hawaii's only public ahupua'a (historic land division) and was established to teach visitors about the rich culture and history of the country.

The park boasts two hiking trails, namely the Kapa'ele'ele Ko'a and Keaniani Lookout Trail, which is a one-mile loop, and the 2.5-mile Nakoa Trail, which winds its way through lush tropical rainforests and freshwater streams.

Ten campsites on the beach are available for use with a permit, and licensed hunting is permitted within designated boundaries on weekends and holidays.

Ahupua'a 'O Kahana State Park , 52-222 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaaawa, HI 96730

State Parks in Hawaii for Families

Kalopa Native Forest State Park and Recreation Area is a state park located around 40 miles northwest of Hilo that features an arboretum of native 'ohi'a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees and other local flora.

Resting at an elevation of 2,000 feet near the village of Honoka'a, a few miles inland from the Hawaii Belt Road, the 100-acre Kalopa Native Forest State Park and Recreation Area and arboretum are home to a variety of rare plants, including native hibiscus and endangered loulu palms. Amenities in the park include drinking water, restrooms, overnight cabins, and basic camping sites.

Kalopa Native Forest State Park and Recreation Area, 44-3480 Kalaniai Rd, Honokaa, HI 96727

Waianapanapa State Park is a 122-acre state park located at the end of Wai'anapanapa Road off Hana Highway in Hana on the island of Maui. Home to one of Maui’s volcanic-sand beaches and vast seabird colonies, the park has interesting features such as blowholes, lava tubes, freshwater caves, and a natural stone arch.

The tidal pools in the park turn red several times of a year due to the arrival of a certain species of shrimp, however, folklore claims it to be the blood of Popoaleae, a Hawaiian princess that was supposedly murdered by her husband, Chief Kaakea in a nearby cave. Park activities include swimming, snorkeling, fishing, hiking, and camping with a permit.

Waianapanapa State Park, Waianapanapa, Hana, HI 96713

Set between Hilo Bay and downtown Hilo on Hawai'i Island, Wailoa River State Park and Recreation Area is a 131.9-acre state park that features a visitor center with cultural displays and a boat ramp.

Meaning ‘long water’, the Wailoa River State Park and Recreation Area is bordered by the Hawaii Belt Road and the beautiful Lili'uokalani Gardens, and the Wailoa River flows from the park’s Waiakea Pond to the Pacific Ocean.

The park has several features, including a Kamehameha Statue honoring the founder of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King Kamehameha I and the Wailoa Arts & Cultural Center, which was founded in 1967 and offers free admission to visitors.

Wailoa River State Park and Recreation Area, Piilani St, Hilo, HI 96720