Best Designated Camping in Hawaii
Hawaii, it’s America’s slice of tropical island paradise. Hawaii conjures lavish resorts and sun-soaked white sand beaches. It’s those beaches that attract tourists…but we bet most don’t know they could be sleeping on those same pristine shores. They likely didn’t consider moving inland either; there’s nothing quite like tenting in the middle of lush jungle. For adventurers looking to travel Hawaii on a shoestring budget, or those who prefer total eco-immersion, here are our top designated campsites.
Nāmakanipaio Campground at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 12 sites | $15-$20 for campers RVs allowed |
Running water Flush toilets Hot showers |
Reservations available Open year-round |
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is without a doubt the state’s most well-known park. Located on the Big Island, almost every visitor that comes to Hawaii makes a stop at this park for one reason – to see the vast black rock fields and volcanoes, some of which rarely stop spewing liquid hot lava. Visitors can partake in the stunning Crater Rim Drive if they are short on time, but the camper will want to take full advantage of the park’s day hikes, some are guided and some are not. Depending on the park’s lava flow, visitors may get an once-in-a-lifetime chance to see nature’s most terrifying fury.
Of course, what camper wouldn’t want to camp on rugged black rock that just a few years ago would have been hot enough to melt their bones into gravy? Just kidding! Sleeping on the volcanic rock would be painful at best, but Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park features two campgrounds, Kulanaokuaiki and Nāmakanipaio. Kulanaokuaiki is free, but has no running water and sites nestled in the brush off the highway. However, while campers will need to pay to camp at Nāmakanipaio, they are treated much better. Campers will have full amenities as well as soft grassy campsites surrounded by tall eucalyptus and ‘ōhi’a trees.
Kalalau Beach Campground on the Na Pali Coast
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 10 sites | $15-$20 for campers No RVs allowed |
no water Composting toilets No showers |
No Reservations Open year-round |
The campground at Kalalau Beach is one for the truest and most fit adventurer. In order to reach this piece of Eden tucked away on the scenic Na Pali Coast on Kauai, campers must first tackle the Kalalau Trail that wanders up and down the cliffs of the coast in a challenging (and dangerous) hike. However, the rewards for the trek are myriad. As Kalalau Beach can only be accessed via this challenging hike or from kayaking along the coast, there are virtually no crowds. This leaves the beach one of the last un-marred pieces of sand in the archipelago.
While camping on Kalalau Beach is technically free (as there are no staff on hand), campers and hikers will need to obtain a permit to visit and stay the night. These run $15 for residents and $20 for those from out-of-state. The campground has no marked campsites or running water, but campers will be have access to composting toilets and rain shelters. Campers should also resist the urge to swim in the ocean in this area due to dangerous riptides.
Kipahulu Campground
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 24 sites | $15 for campers No RVs allowed |
Non-potable water Pit toilets No showers |
No Reservations Open year-round |
Kipahulu Campground is the favorite camping spots for locals on Maui. Visitors are treated to a grassy area rising high above the oceans and are lulled to sleep each night by the wave crashing on the cliffs below. However, as the area is also frequented by rains, it can also be a popular area for local mosquitoes as well. Regardless, looking out over the ocean is not the only activity at Kipahulu Campground. The camping area sits just a short walk from two of Maui’s most beautiful landmarks – Oheo Gulch and the Seven Sacred Pools. As Maui is the place to go in the island chain for rugged wilderness, visitors will find it in abundance around the park.
The Kipahulu Campground doesn’t have much in the way of amenities, but visitors will be treated to a grilling area and spacious campsites. Although popular with locals, visitors will not find many crowds at the campground (since most live nearby).
Waianapanapa State Park Campground
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 23 sites | $12-$18 for campers No RVs allowed |
Running water Flush toilets Hot showers |
Reservations available Open year-round |
Not unlike Kipahulu, Waianapanapa State Park is another sought after camping area in Maui. Waianapanapa State Park is a relatively small park by size, but it manages to pack a big punch in a small area. Visitors come to spend days exploring the black sand Pa’iloa Beach, gazing at natural blow holes and ocean arches worn into the rock and spying defunct lava tubes. With so many little caves and holes that have eroded in the area, this is one state park that visitors definitely don’t want to be night hiking in. Hikers can spend days exploring the caves where they will learn firsthand about the Hawaiian Ali’i echoes or hike one of the last remaining coastal trails used by the island natives.
While Waianapanapa State Park is certainly a natural highlight of Hawaii, it can be difficult to get a permit for camping. The park has twelve cabins for rental, but the tent camping sites often fill up fast. However, there is a good reason for that. The campground sits overlooking the ocean on a flat plain surrounded by forest. It is not as rainy as Kipahulu, but still gets the view and refreshing ocean breezes with only half the bugs.
Hulopoe Beach Park Campground
Quick Camp Site Info
| # of Sites | Price: | Comforts: | Availability: |
| 8 sites | $15-$30 for campers No RVs allowed |
Running water Flush toilets Cold showers |
Reservations available Open year-round |
Everyone can sing the praises of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island all day long, but Lanai is the Hawaiian island that no one ever remembers. Small and out of the way, Lanai has also been forgotten by the state when it comes to campgrounds. While visitors may hear of other camping experiences on Lanai, Hulopoe Beach Park is the only place on the island to do it legally. The campground at Hulopoe Beach Park is hidden in the forest just off the sand of the crescent-shaped beach. Since Hulopoe is really only frequented by locals (and it sits on the other end of the island from the major Lanai City), crowds are nothing compared to an Oahu or Kauai beach. Visitors can walk the crescent to find rocky tide pool areas on each end and enjoy swimming in a crystal clear calm lagoon. It’s not quite the paradise that campers would find at the end of the Kalalau Trail, but it is much easier to reach.
