Lindsay and I had been planning a family trip to Hawaii since before Covid knowing we would have to save up a ton of money to get a family of five flown across the entire United States. In the Fall of 2022, we decided it was time to take the plunge and make it happen during Christmas Break of 2023.

My first recommendation when planning such a trip to make every attempt to add American Samoa to the adventure. If you ever want to visit American Samoa National Park (one of the Big 63), you'll have to go through Honolulu, so if you can make it part of your travels, I highly recommend it. 

Below are a few other key planning tips we realized while bringing this adventure to life:

1) If you are going to add on American Samoa, work the schedule to fly to Samoa from Hawaii on a Monday, and fly back to Hawaii on a Thursday. Pago Pago only has flights (as of 2023) into out and of American Samoa on Mondays and Thursdays. Most visitors only really need a day or two at most to take in everything on American Samoa including the National Park and it's hikes. When you revers the order and fly to Samoa on a Thursday and return on a Monday, you will run into National Park Visitor center closure times, and limited access to activities on Sundays. 

2) If you want to do all the National Park sites, You will need to plan in days to Island Hop to Molokai, Maui, and the "Big Island" itself [assuming you are staying on Oahu where we made our home base for the visit].

3) The National Park site on Molokai is a [former?] leper colony that is very difficult to visit as of 2023. There was once a trail that you could take to hike down the National Park that you could choose to walk (apparently very difficult), or take a guided tour riding a mule down the colony itself. There are still small plane or helicopter rides, but as of 2023 in the post-Covid era, there are extreme restrictions and permissions that must be obtained by the Hawaiian state government to protect the health of the residents at the colony. There are other things to do on Molokai, but do a lot of research if you want to try and make it down the NPS site itself.

4) Hawaii (The "Big" Island) is difficult to complete in a single day Island Hop. It would be more enjoyable to plan an overnight on the the Big Island as part of the visit to allow adequate time for Hiking, touring, and taking everything in. 

Molokai, Saturday, December 23rd

This island is often overlooked by National Park travelers for a few reasons, but I was determined to cross it off the list anyway. None of the 63 big national park are found on this little island and there is only one official NPS site - Kalaupapa, the home of the former Leper Colony. Added to the complication is that Kalaupapa has been closed to visitors since the beginning the Covid Pandemic and as of the start of 2024, it remains effectively closed to visitors. The main visitor center that is located inside the town also remains closed which prevents even obtaining the NPS cancellation stamp in person. 

When I began planning the trip, I was hopeful it would open back up by time we arrived in Hawaii, but no luck for me. Instead, I booked a guided culture hike at the Halawa (pronounced Oh-Luh-Va... I think) Park that would take me to a waterfall and learn even more about the native history and culture. Interestingly, it turns out that Molokai has been in a draught (as I would learn later) for the last five years which actually makes it possible to conquer this 3.5 mile (total length) out and back hike...at least until about three weeks ago.

However, with my luck being what is on nearly every National Park adventure I attempt, things tend to go sideways. Apparently there is a river one must hike through to get to the waterfall and the extensive rain in the last three weeks (and even on and off the whole day I was on Molokai) raised the water level to an unsafe limit forcing the hike to be cancelled. 

With the hike cancelled, I drove back across the island to the Kalaupapa lookout where I was able to read a bit of the history of the colony and snag a few good photos from a distance before the fog bank rolled back in. If you find yourself visiting this lookout, you will also be able to take about 5 minute walk in the woods to the Ka Ule o Nanahoa rock with some interesting local lore as to it's significance. You can read the details in one of the photos from my travels to the Island.  

Here's a quick list of all the things I discovered from this little adventure that may help you out if you ever attempt a similar journey:

1) Assuming you're flying via Molokulele Airlines out of Honolulu Airport, head for Terminal 3 and park there. It's a small detached terminal for these smaller planes. There's no security checks (you can carry full water bottles on with you!), but they will weigh your bags and want your weight to plan the flight effectively.

2) Alamo will be your car rental for the day. Gas on the day I visited was $6/gallon, so budget accordingly.

3) Try to do the Halawa hike if you can [https://halawavalleymolokai.com/hikeoverview.html]. I'm sure it's a gorgeous hike. It's about an hour so drive to the trailhead park from the airport on a very narrow road with a lot of sharp turns and switch backs all along the coast.

4) Assuming, you can't get down to Kalaupapa, hit the lookout and Molokai Cultural Museum to learn all you can. It's possible that the Molokai Cultural museum may even have their own copy of the NPS stamp someday. 

5) Molokai really only takes about one day to do everything there is, including the Halawa state park.

Maui, Sunday, December 24th

Dad's all over the world often spend Christmas Eve running their final pre-Christmas activities solo, and I was no different. Thankfully this year that meant a tour of Maui (the National Park side) with a very thorough visit of Haleakala National Park. This would be the first of the Big 63 National Parks to be visited on this trip and it didn't disappoint. 

After landing at Kahului Airport, I grabbed my rental car and headed straight for the summit of Haleakala. I was actually a little nervous (not because of the continuous switchbacks as I climbed to ten thousand feet of elevation), but because I kept seeing a continuous flood of people coming DOWN the mountain at 7:30am local time. It didn't look like anything had erupted, but they certainly knew something I did not. As I made it to the entrance station (NOTE: it's a Fee Station, so you pay to get in or you present your America the Beautiful Pass), I asked the ranger about it. Apparently, it's a really big deal to get a reservation for the middle of the night (I'm sure through recreation.gov) to then park/camp/hang out at the summit and watch the sun rise from the high elevation. I did not know about this and could not have likely pulled it off on this trip, but if I ever make my way back to Maui in this lifetime, I will be sure to make it happen and see what all the fuss is about. 

There's a headquarters visitor center that opens at 8:30 and a separate visitor center at the summit, as well as a dark sky observatory (the 4th most powerful in the world, I believe at the time of my adventure). There are some short walking trails from the summit VC and other look out points that provide excellent views of the island from above the clouds and clear observation inside the crater itself. There's a longer hike that can take you down into the crater if so desired. It took about 45 minutes to climb to the summit from the airport.

After grabbing the photos, taking some of the walks, grabbing the stamps, and earning the Junior Ranger Badge, it was time to head off to the opposite side of the park at the Kipahulu Visitor Center in what feels like a rain forest styled environment. 

Before you decide to visit this other side of the park, here are a few things to know. As you can see from the map image, you can basically drive in a single big loop around the island, or you can just drive there and back. The actual mileage is not large, but you cannot base travel time on mileage alone this case. It will not matter which direction you choose to go, your average speed will be between 20 and 30 miles per hour for the entire journey. 

If you opt to head south and then east from the Summit to Kipahulu, you will see some fantastic views of the coast, mountains, and forests of Maui. HOWEVER, you will be on a road that is about 1.5 cars wide, so there is a lot of yielding when you encounter on-coming traffic. Additionally, the road is wavy and crazy curvy at times making it feel like a rollercoaster which can be fun as the driver, but if you have passengers you may need to keep your speed even lower to keep everyone's stomachs settled. You will encounter a solid number of abandoned vehicles in a wide variety of states of disrepair as well as noticing that nearly every road sign appears to have been blasted with buckshot (shotgun) just for fun. The farther along you travel, the worse the road conditions become. I can only summarize the road along the southern coast of Maui as "brutal". There are washed out sections of road, nearly every bridge is single lane, it's continually only wide enough for a single car safely and two cars at your own risk. It's an adventure to take this path for sure, but it is the shorter path from the summit and probably about 30-45 minutes quicker than along the north side of the island. 

The other option is to head north after leaving the summit, effectively backtracking almost to the airport and then head East/Southeast along the northern coast. This is a longer travel distance and 30-45 minutes longer in travel time. The upside is that the road is much more well maintained for the vast majority. As you approach the Kipahulu VC, the road continues to narrow with all bridges being single lane and eventually it also begins the deterioration similar to the south side. Along this northern pass, you will have the pleasure of passing by the "7 Sacred Pools" with gorgeous waterfalls as well as passing by Hookipa Lookout/beach which is an obvious surfer haven (this is where I finally found some of the infamous big Hawaiian waves). 

No matter which path you choose, be ready for a grand-prix, race car, "Tokyo drift" effect as you continuously traverse the intense and very sharp switchbacks that can't be avoid with your driving along the side of a massive mountain ridge. If you have the time and are up for the adventure, drive south from the Summit, and then head north from the Kipahulu VC to complete the full route. I do not recall how long it took from the Summit to Kipahulu, but it took two hours solid to get from Kipahulu back to the airport along the northern route. The northern route also has a number of great little towns to drive through and places to stop for bit to eat, homemade baking (wonderful banana bread!), and fresh fruit stands.

As for Kipahulu, there are two hikes worth conquering of which I completed only one. The hike I was chose was for Waimoku Falls. It it just shy of two miles from the VC to the falls with about 800 feet of elevation. Most of the climb is in the starting 3/4 of a mile and then it levels out. There's a secondary small waterfall you can pause at and admire from a distance and a few other smaller ones along the path as you cross bridges on the trail. There's also one of the largest I have ever seen in my entire life. Photos don't really tell the tale - you just have to see it for yourself in person. It's a muddy trail through a bamboo forest that was worth the time and effort ton conquer. As I was nervous about the continued drive around the island after leaving the visitor center and catching my flight back to Oahu on time, I opted out of the half mile Pipawai Trail loop that also starts at the visitor center. 

It was a day full of adventure in the driving, the views, the waterfalls, and even some of the best homemade fresh banana bread (baked with local bananas) I have ever had. I have low expectations of coming back to Hawaii again in my life time, but if it happens, I am certain I'll give myself at least 2-3 full days on Maui alone to revisit and conquer a few more hikes and waterfall adventures. 

Oh - and be aware, there are chickens just running around the island everywhere without leashes or anything, and if you're really lucky, maybe in a few cows in the road just wandering around doing cow things.

Hawai'i (The Big Island), Tuesday, December 26th

Scheduling a single day to visit all four National Park Sites on Hawai'I (the Big Island) is not for the feint of heart. It's takes solid planning with plenty of cushion and flexibility built in for the unexpected curveballs that arrive. However, it absolutely can be done (unless you are trying to complete every hike and every single minute activity - if that's your goal, you'll need a couple days to make it all happen).

Our first stop was the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical park. It's a small, very open "field" area about ten minutes from the Kona Airport and opens at 8:30am local time. They have a Jr. Ranger program and a mile or two of walking trails through the volcanic rock and along the shore to see turtles and other marine wildlife.

Our second stop was the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park. This a very interesting and lively National Park Site that allows visitors to not just tour the historical ruins of a Hawaiian sanctuary, but to also fish, swim, and generally enjoy the open beach area for you and the whole family. There's a $20 parking fee per vehicle that's good for the day. They have a Jr. ranger program and a number of walking trails throughout the park.

Our third stop was the big one for the day - Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park, one more of the big 63 National Parks. The first thing to be aware of is that this park has some serious draw for tourists which makes sense with it being the most well known National Park site in all of Hawaii. Add to that are cruise ships coming into port. I always expect some crowds at the bigger parks, but was taken aback at the level when we arrived about 1pm local time. It turns out that a cruise ship was in port that day and this is one of the big go-to 'excursions' for cruise goers packing the parking lot with extra cars and tour led groups. If you are planning to visit this park, it would be best to assume this is going to be the case any given day and add some additional cushion to your timing.

There is a LOT to do in this park - hikes, both short and long, an extensive scenic drive along the crater rim, and of course a Jr. Ranger program. The two hike was conquered was the Sulfur Banks (Steam Vents) and Thurston Lava Tube hikes. The Sulfur Banks trail starts at the visitor center and takes you through a variety of active volcanic steam vents in a very casual stroll along the paved path and board walk. The Thurston Lava Tube is a short drive (about two miles from the VC), but parking is very limited, especially when the crowds are high, so plan to do a few parking area laps before you snag a spot. The trail itself is under a mile long that takes you through an open lava tube inside the active volcano - that's right, taking you INSIDE an active volcano. There's a little elevation down to the tube itself and stairs back out and up to the parking area, but otherwise it's a nice little walk. Be sure to expect crowds on this hike.

After we completed the two hikes and bit of the scenic drive, we began the long trek across the heart of the island to our fourth stop of the day. If you have the time, I recommend taking the same return leg that can be seen in the shared map. This drive takes you to some of the highest altitude on the island and may have you literally driving through clouds with various spectacular views of the entire island and coast.

Our fourth and final stop was the Pu`ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, a nearly two hour drive from the Volcanoes National Park. This site takes you to another open "field" area right on the coastline and also immediately next to an open beach for families to enjoy. On lucky days, it's possible to occasionally see various marine wildlife, possible including breaching humpback whales (we had no such luck ourselves.)

The whole day takes about 5.5 hours of driving time, plus the additional time for Jr. Ranger activities, walks, hikes, and general site seeing. To conquer it all in a single day requires an early start, a drive to move quickly, and requiring you to pick and choose the activities most desired that may leave you feeling exhausted and rushed, but it can be done. Otherwise, give yourself 2-3 days on just this one island to truly take it all in at a more relaxed pace.

American Samoa National Park, December 29th

American Samoa National Park is the last of the big 63 National Parks nearly ever national park hopper visits due to it's extreme distance and travel requirements (which I reveal in greater detail on the American Samoa page here), but since we were able to go to Hawaii at the half way point of visiting them all, that meant conquering American Samoa as part of the same trip making it my 34th visited official National Park.

On day one, we made the drive to the trail head at Fagasa Pass to check it out. This trail is found by taking your first real left turn (when heading North-East from the visitor center)  off of highway 001 and traveling just over the top of the mountain summit. You will find a parking lot off the right and a ladder taking hikers up to the start of the trail. This trail is upwards of 11 total miles in one direction through a rainforest and not something the family was interested in conquering in the heat of American Samoa summer.

We then made our way to Vatia Bay for the Pola Island "hike". The trick to finding this trail is to continue on Highway 001 heading North-East from the visitor center for I would estimate to be 5-6 miles. Do not turn off of Highway 001 before you pass the Starkist Tuna factory. Once you pass the factory (travelers cannot miss the factory), keep your eyes peal for a solid left turn onto highway 006. Don't expect to see a sign that says Highway 006, but there is a small brown National Park of American Samoa sign pointing to the turn on the left. Take the road all the way to the end (up and over the mountain) and by "the end", I literally mean the end of the road. The road follows the shoreline and eventually the pavement just ends. Keep going on what appears to be a service road and pass an abandoned blue house on the left. Do not park at the blue house as reportedly there are many wild dogs roaming around the house and it may not be safe. Continue up the very bumpy and wood trail until the trail ends. During our visit, there was downed tree blocking the trail about 500 yards before reaching a nice turn about at the end of the drive and starting of the walking area of the trail. There are a number of small pull out places along this wood area, so it is possible to turn around safely when it's time to go. 

Once you are stopped in the woods, it will be time to get out and head off by foot along a rocky beach. The larger rocks are more stable and safer to travel long with less risk of twisted ankles. Travel along the short about a half mile until you reach a tunnel and the closest view of Pola Island and enjoy the adventure.