Hawaiʻi’s combination of natural beauty, storied history and rich cultural heritage makes it a destination unlike any other. On a single visit, your clients can witness awe-inspiring nature, retrace the footsteps of early Hawaiians and immerse themselves in the Islands’ traditions. There are one-of-a-kind experiences unique to each of these islands, creating meaningful and enriching memories clients will treasure forever.

Kaua‘i
At 14 miles in length, a mile wide and 3,600 feet deep, with rust-hued cliff faces, Waimea Canyon is fondly referred to as “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” Visiting Waimea Canyon State Park offers scenic drives and lookouts that highlight the gorge’s tropical foliage, sun-dried cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. Clients can also explore hiking trails that wind into and around the canyon’s edges. Waimea Canyon was home to early Hawaiian settlements, and interpretive displays share insights about the area’s cultural heritage. At the Kauaʻi Museum, clients will learn about past and present Hawaiian heritage, art and artifacts, as well as the deep historical and cultural connection between Kaua‘i and its neighboring island, Ni‘ihau. The museum also showcases cultural exhibits of kapa (bark cloth), Hawaiian quilting and rare Ni‘ihau shell lei, in addition to providing ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i (Hawaiian language), lei making, and hula classes.

O‘ahu
With a legacy spanning more than 130 years, Bishop Museum highlights the Pacific’s rich history and traditions, showcasing over 25 million artifacts throughout several exhibitions, a planetarium and even a science adventure center. Clients visiting on the second Friday of the month can attend the museum’s After Hours event, which offers special tours of the Hawaiian Hall, planetarium shows and food and drink from local vendors. A short drive from Honolulu is one of O‘ahu’s most scenic locations: the Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout. Situated on a plateau at an elevation of more than 1,000 feet, the lookout offers unparalleled views of the sheer, towering cliffs of the Koʻolau mountain range and Windward Coast. The lookout holds deep historical significance as the site of the Battle of Nuʻuanu, where King Kamehameha I and his army solidified his rule of the Islands in 1795. The lookout is also known for strong trade winds, at times so powerful, that visitors can lean into an invisible wall of wind.

Maui
ʻĪao Valley State Monument is home to one of Maui’s most famous natural landmarks, the ʻĪao Needle, a towering 1200-foot volcano remnant covered with vegetation. The lookout area neighbors the valley-carving ʻĪao Stream and an ethnobotanical garden that visitors can explore and see Hawaiian canoe plants. The valley is sacred to Hawaiian culture and history as the location of the 1790 Battle of Kepaniwai, where the armies of King Kamehameha I and Maui ali‘i nui (high chief) Kalanikūpule clashed in the great king’s quest to unite the Hawaiian Islands under his rule. Advance online reservations are required for park entry. Clients visiting from December through May can go whale watching to see North Pacific koholā (humpback whales) enjoy the warm shallow waters to calve and nurse their young. Several tour companies offer boat, raft, kayak and canoeing excursions to watch the whales as they breach and frolic in offshore waters. Clients can also whale watch from land at one of the many coastal viewing spots.

Hawai‘i Island
The Island of Hawaiʻi has such a rich history and diverse landscapes that it’s home to five national park sites. Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has two of the most active volcanoes on Earth, Kīlauea and Maunaloa, and offers many activities, from scenic drives to hiking trails. Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, meaning, “place of refuge at Hōnaunau,” in ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, is a sacred oceanside site that served as a sanctuary for early Hawaiian lawbreakers and others fleeing death or harm. Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site is home to one of the last heiau (temples) built in Hawai‘i, completed on orders from King Kamehameha I to honor his family war god Kūkāʻilimoku. Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park preserves four ahupuaʻa (ocean-to-mountain land divisions) and two historic fishponds engineered and constructed by early Hawaiians. The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile oceanside corridor, encompassing a network of culturally and historically significant trails along the west and southeast coasts of Hawai‘i Island.