Hawaii Island

Hawaii Island is the biggest yet the least populated (30 people per square mile) and also the least explored island of the bunch. In my opinion, the island of Hawaii is the most interesting island in the archipelago. It is has it all: volcanoes, black-lava fields, snow-capped mountain peaks, alpine meadows, a glacial lake, waterfalls including Kapuna, Akaka Falls, and Rainbow Falls, rainforests, deserts, and golden, black and green beaches. It is unmatched in natural diversity. It is one of the few places in the world where you can sail and ski in the same day which is my idea of a perfect destination.

It has the nation’s wettest city and the southernmost point in the U.S. and the highest peaks in the Pacific. There are five volcanoes on the island of which Kilauea is still erupting making the island bigger each day and Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on earth rising 30, 000 feet from the ocean floor. At Volcanos National Park you can witness volcano activity from vents in the Kilauea Crater.

Kona Coffee, orchids and cattle are grown on Hawaii. Would you believe that The Big Island is also home to one of the largest cattle ranches in the nation spanning 175,000 acres! Parker Ranch is a very unique location for couples who love history and natural settings.

It is also a paradise for water sports enthusiasts. It is one of the best destinations for big-game fishing and the underwater caves, cliffs and tunnels attracts an array of interesting marine life for divers to explore.

Maui

 ‘The Valley Isle,’ is one of the most popular. If you love golf, hiking, windsurfing, tennis, and water sports, you will not want to miss Maui. There are 2 mountain regions running through it which unfold to rolling hills, passing waterfalls, and valleys fertile with fields of sugar-cane. Legend says that Maui captured the Sun and secured the promise of long days for the enjoyment of the people and visitors of these islands. Today it is said the Sun resides in the beautiful mountains of Haleakala known as the ‘House of the Sun.’ Couples might opt to trek 10,000 feet up (by car or foot) to the peak to exchange their vows at sunrise or sunset. The Kepaniwai Park and Heritage Gardens showcase gardens and dwellings representing the many cultures that make Hawaii so diverse. Your wedding ceremony can take place here at no charge!

Oahu

‘The Gathering Space’ is an appropriate name for a wedding destination. Oahu is where the action is. Historically it is where the Hawaiian monarchy was overthrown and where the USS Arizona was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Today government officials convene in Honolulu, tourists enjoy the many resorts, restaurants, and nightclubs of Waikiki Beach, surfers challenge themselves with the death defying 25 ft waves of the Banzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach, cliff divers perform dives from heights of 60-ft above Waimea Falls, plant lovers find the largest variety of tropical plants and flowers, and Dole grows the world’s finest and sweetest pineapples. Oahu is also home to Diamond Head Crater where you can drive right inside, climb 760 feet up where you can exchange your vows overlooking spectacular views of Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean.

Kauai

Kauai is often referred to as the ‘Garden Isle’ is the most tropical and probably the most romantic. South Pacific was filmed on Lumahai Beach, which is part of the Na Pali Coast to the North. This is also where you might be lucky enough to see humpback whales during the ‘winter’ months. In the Wailua State Park you will see the Wailua Falls and you can take a river cruise down the only navigable river in Hawaii, the Wailua River, to the Fern Grotto, another popular wedding destination. The Fern Grotto is covered with tropical ferns and is a natural amphitheatre with excellent acoustics if you plan on having music. Kauai is also home to the ‘Grand Canyon of the Pacific,’ or the Waimea Canyon on the western end of the island. The canyon is 3,000 feet deep so it is easiest to see it and its many waterfalls is from a helicopter.