Hawaii's headline sights no longer work on a turn-up-and-go basis. From Diamond Head to the Haleakalā sunrise and the Nāpali Coast, non-residents need timed reservations, and some windows open only two days ahead. Here is what to book, where, and exactly when.
Which places in Hawaii need a reservation?
A handful of Hawaii's most famous sights now run on advance bookings, mostly to protect fragile reefs, trails and parking lots. If you are not a Hawaiʻi resident, you cannot simply turn up at Diamond Head, Waiʻānapanapa, ʻĪao Valley or Hāʻena: no reservation means no entry.
Booking windows differ, so set reminders as soon as your flights are fixed.
| Place | Island | Book where | How far ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Head State Monument | Oʻahu | Hawaiʻi State Parks reservation site | Up to 30 days |
| Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve | Oʻahu | City and County of Honolulu (PROS) | 2 days, from 7am HST |
| USS Arizona Memorial program | Oʻahu | Recreation.gov | 8 weeks, plus a next-day release |
| Haleakalā sunrise | Maui | Recreation.gov | Up to 60 days, plus a 2-day release |
| Waiʻānapanapa State Park | Maui | Hawaiʻi State Parks reservation site | 30 days |
| ʻĪao Valley State Monument | Maui | Hawaiʻi State Parks reservation site | Up to 30 days |
| Hāʻena State Park | Kauaʻi | GoHaena | 30 days |
| Kalalau Trail beyond Hanakāpīʻai | Kauaʻi | Hawaiʻi State Parks camping permits | 90 days |
How do you get Diamond Head tickets?
Diamond Head is the classic first hike on Oʻahu, and non-residents must reserve online up to 30 days in advance. You book a time period and pay entry, plus parking if you are driving, in one transaction on the Hawaiʻi State Parks reservation site. Walk-ups are turned away.
- Arrive on time: you need to enter within the first 30 minutes of your slot, or you risk losing entry or parking.
- Leave on time: if you bought parking, your car must be gone by the end of your period.
- Changes: refunds are available up to three days before entry; changes until midnight Hawaiʻi time the day before, with a small cancellation fee and service fees possible.
A fee applies for entry and for parking; check the booking page for current rates.
How far ahead can you book Hanauma Bay?
Hanauma Bay is Oʻahu's best-known snorkelling cove and the strictest to time. Admission-only reservations open just two days ahead at 7am Hawaiʻi time, so Wednesday slots go on sale Monday morning. Slots go fast, so be logged in and ready before 7am.
- Closed: every Monday and Tuesday, plus Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
- Hours: entry from 6:45am to 1:30pm; the beach is cleared at 3:30pm.
- Cost: non-residents pay US$25 per person plus a small online fee. Parking is paid on site in cash, US$3 for non-residents.
- Free entry: Hawaiʻi residents with ID, US military with ID, and children aged 12 and under.
If you miss the two-day window, a package with transport through the city's partner operator can be booked up to a month ahead. A limited number of walk-in tickets are also handed out first come, first served when the gate opens at 6:45am, and your whole party must be present.
Do you need tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor?
Yes. Entry to the Pearl Harbor visitor centre is free, but the USS Arizona Memorial program, which includes the boat out to the memorial, needs a timed ticket from Recreation.gov. The program itself is free; Recreation.gov adds a non-refundable US$1 booking fee per ticket.
Tickets are released in two windows: eight weeks ahead and 24 hours ahead, both at 3pm Hawaiʻi time. If the long-range tickets are gone, sit down at 3pm the afternoon before your visit and try again. You can book up to 10 tickets per person per day.
Same-day, in-person ticket handouts have ended. A standby callback list operates at the visitor centre, but seats are not guaranteed and waits can stretch to several hours on busy days.
How do you book the Haleakalā sunrise?
Watching dawn break over the crater is a Maui rite of passage, and every vehicle entering Haleakalā National Park between 3am and 7am needs a sunrise reservation from Recreation.gov. The reservation costs US$1 per vehicle, on top of the park entrance fee of US$30 per private vehicle, which is valid for three days.
- 60 days ahead: reservations open at 7am Hawaiʻi time.
- 48 hours ahead: a second batch is released two days before each date, also at 7am.
- Limits: one sunrise reservation per account every three days, and no refunds if the summit is clouded in.
Pack warm layers: you are driving to the top of a high volcano in the dark. If you miss out, remember the reservation applies only to the 3am to 7am window, so a sunset or daytime visit needs just the entrance fee.
Do you need a reservation for Waiʻānapanapa and ʻĪao Valley?
Both Maui state parks require non-residents to reserve and pay before arrival.
Waiʻānapanapa State Park, the black-sand beach on the Road to Hāna, releases reservations 30 days ahead, one day at a time, at midnight Hawaiʻi time. You book a time slot: the park opens at 7am, and you can enter any time within your window but must leave when it ends. Parking costs US$10 per slot and an entry fee applies per person; children aged three and under are free. Without a booking you will be turned away, so time your slot around the drive.
ʻĪao Valley State Monument, home of the ʻĪao Needle above Wailuku, takes bookings up to 30 days in advance. As at Diamond Head, arrive within the first 30 minutes of your period and leave by the end of it if you bought parking. A fee applies, and visitors accompanying a resident are not exempt.
How do you get into Hāʻena State Park and the Kalalau Trail?
On Kauaʻi's North Shore, Hāʻena State Park is the gateway to Keʻe Beach and the Kalalau Trail along the Nāpali Coast. Non-residents book through GoHaena, with reservations opening 30 days ahead. Everyone needs an entry reservation, plus either a parking slot or a shuttle reservation. Residents with a Hawaiʻi State ID enter free.
Your Hāʻena reservation only covers the first 3.2km (2mi) of the Kalalau Trail, to Hanakāpīʻai. To go any further, even on a day hike, you need a Nāpali Coast camping permit, released 90 days in advance and frequently sold out for summer.
Kauaʻi state parks were hit by storm closures in autumn 2026. Hāʻena reopened on 15 October 2026, but Kauaʻi camping was still closed at the time of writing. Check State Parks notices before you book.
Does Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park need a reservation?
For a standard day visit on the Big Island, the park's official pages describe no entry reservation or timed-entry system. You simply pay the entrance fee: US$30 per private vehicle, US$25 per motorcycle or US$15 per person on foot or bike. The entrance station takes cards only, so you can also buy a pass online in advance; save a screenshot, as mobile signal inside the park is patchy.
The bigger issue is parking. Lots at Nāhuku and the Kīlauea summit can fill by around 10am, so arrive early or late in the day.
What can you do if a reservation is sold out?
- Watch the second release: Haleakalā (48 hours ahead) and the USS Arizona Memorial (24 hours ahead) both hold back a share of tickets.
- Try the walk-in line: only Hanauma Bay offers first-come walk-in tickets, and the USS Arizona Memorial has a standby list. Everywhere else turns you away.
- Use a shuttle or tour: Hāʻena shuttle slots are booked separately from parking, and Hanauma Bay packages with transport open up to a month ahead.
- Bring ID if you live here: residents are exempt at the state parks and Hanauma Bay but must show valid Hawaiʻi ID. Out-of-state friends travelling with them still need their own reservations.
Rules and fees change often, especially after storms. Always confirm on the official booking page in the week before you go.
Facts checked October 2026. Fees, booking windows and storm-related closures change often; confirm on the official booking page before you travel.
- Diamond Head State Monument reservations (Hawaiʻi State Parks)
- Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve (City and County of Honolulu)
- USS Arizona Memorial programs (NPS)
- Haleakalā sunrise reservations (NPS)
- Haleakalā fees and passes (NPS)
- Waiʻānapanapa State Park FAQ (Hawaiʻi State Parks)
- ʻĪao Valley State Monument reservations (Hawaiʻi State Parks)
- Hāʻena and Nāpali Coast access (DLNR State Parks)
- Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park (DLNR State Parks)
- Hawaiʻi Volcanoes fees and passes (NPS)
