Hawaii's eight main islands feature must see places.
Consisting of several separate islands in the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is a common destination for tourists because of the state's warm tropical weather and beautiful waters and landscape. People living in or visiting Hawaii will find numerous places to visit on the islands that showcase Hawaii's rich history and natural surroundings.
Honolulu Zoo
Located on the island Oahu near the Diamond Head crater, the Honolulu Zoo features various animals including zebras, tigers, lions and giraffes. Several native animals such as the Hawaiian Hawk are also housed at the zoo. The entire zoo is wheel-chair accessible and has a rest and picnic area; visitors are welcomed to bring their own food. With a reservation, the zoo hosts birthday parties on weekends, which include a guided tour of the zoo. Other activities offered by the Honolulu Zoo include twilight tours, behind the scenes tours, overnight camp outs and zoo keeper classes for children aged 6 to 18. A section the the Honolulu Zoo specifically designed for children called the "Keiki Zoo" allows children to pet animals and features observation tunnels kids can crawl through.
Maui Ocean Center
The Maui Ocean Center allows visitors an up close view of Hawaii's marine life through more than 40 exhibits. A behind the scenes exhibit uses diagrams to show how the center's seawater system pumps in water from the ocean for all the aquariums. Other exhibits allow you to see eye to eye with hammerhead sharks, watch sea turtles swim underwater and touch different invertebrates in the Tide Pool exhibit. The Maui Ocean Center features a 54-foot long tunnel offering a 240-degree view of fishes, stingrays and sharks. The Marine Mammal Discovery Center provides interactive displays on different species of dolphins and whales and life-size models of monk seals. Before leaving, buy a souvenir at the Maui Ocean Center Store or stay for lunch or dinner at the Seascape Ma'alaea Restaurant or the Reef Cafe.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Surrounding 323,431 acres, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park allows visitors to explore Kilauea volcano and various environments including rain forests. Visitors can sometimes see lava flowing near the eastern edge of the park by driving down Chain of Craters Road. The park's hiking trails lead to the sulphur banks, the 550-year-old Thurston Lava tube, the crater Kilauea Iki, and atop a 210-foot cinder cone. The park's visitor center sells educational material, provides guided tours and shows hourly movies. The Thomas A. Jaggar Museum located in the park has an observation deck offering a view of the active Halema'uma'u Crater and several exhibits on volcanism. For accommodations, the park has two campsites, a military RV campground and a village located just outside the park with a bed and breakfast.
USS Arizona Memorial
The USS Arizona Memorial invites visitors to remember the battleship's 1,177 crew members who were killed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The 184-foot memorial was built over the hull of the sunken ship and has three areas. The first area, The Entry Room, features the flags of the nine states the battleships were named after. The Assembly Room is where ceremonies are conducted and where visitors can view the underwater remains of the Arizona. The Shrine Room contains a marble plaque with the names of all 1,177 marines and sailors that died and honors those that survived. Exhibits at the memorial include the Remembrance Exhibit, which pays tribute to the civilians and military personnel not aboard the ship that died during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Tags: Maui Ocean, Maui Ocean Center, Ocean Center, allows visitors, Arizona Memorial, behind scenes, Hawaii Volcanoes