Best Campgrounds in Hawaii

Stayed for five nights and loved it. A beautiful beach. It’s a locals area for sure, people drive on the beach a bit. Bungalow 7 was more in the jungle with lizards running and insects buzzing; it was also fairly connected to another unit by its deck- might not feel private if you didn’t know the other party. Bungalow 2 was beautiful! Right on the beach with the breeze. The bungalows have sweet outdoor showers, which was amazing as it was hot when we were there.

Saw many folks with rented trucks with tents on top. And just regular tenters/vanners as well. Free am coffee in a short window with cute cats.

The beach itself is totally covered in lava rock. Cool to see the 2018 glow up close but it’s turned this into a rocky beach. If you want to sunbath I guess it would still be good, but when we were there the water looked too rough to swim and there wasn’t any sand, just rock. There was a lifeguard on duty though so I guess you technically are allowed to swim.

The hot springs were great though! I recommend going to the one back in the woods! They’re heated by the magma deep in the ground and are pretty hot! Worth the visit just for these!

No camping at all though. They still have it completely shut down.

If you need a break from the constant buzz of Honolulu, Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Gardens was my perfect getaway. Just a short 8-mile drive from Waikiki, this is a tropical paradise tucked beneath the Ko‘olau Mountain Range.

PROs:

-Views! Towering green cliffs in the misty jungle. 

-No City Noise, Just Nature - no honking, no sirens - just chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the occasional gecko. 

-Luxury (by camping standards). Plenty of bathrooms with running water, foot-washing stations, and dishwashing sinks. 

-Roomy, Level Campsites - Plenty of foliage to make your site private.

-Hiking Trails - I recommend going to the lake. Though I read beforehand that fishing was allowed, it was posted not allowed this past weekend.

-Cool Mountain Nights - Temps drop to a comfy 70°F.

Tips:

-You NEED a Permit - No permit, no camping. An attendant checks at the entrance gate. I recommend reserving 1-2 weeks in advance to guarantee your spot. I bought a 3-day permit to stay 1 night as that was the only option. Camping is only allowed on weekends, Friday through Monday.

-Bring Bug Spray - The biting gnats will eat you alive. Other than that, there were no other pests, besides the occasional chicken wanting my dinner.

-Expect a Little Rain - The Ko‘olau Range is basically a cloud magnet, so pack a rain jacket/poncho.

-Pack light - Parking is in a lot and you have to walk in to your site from there.

Camping at Hosmer is like camping in a neighbor's nice grassy yard with everyone from the HOA's kids and conversations. The campground is just a square patch of soft green grass with some grills and potable water spouts. There is a nice enclosed pit toilet and a covered grill area for bad weather.

There would be no appeal here except...

• The campground is at the entrance to the Haleakalā National Park, allowing you to wake up and explore as opposed to make an early drive a couple miles up a windy road if you were doing a longer hike.
• The campground is home to a nature trail through a Frankenstein'd woods where they planted numerous different trees after logging the area in the old days searching for a fast growing tree they could then log again. It's a little bit of the Pacific Northwest in Hawaii, but with all the Hawaiian plantlife as well.
• The bird watching is wild. The confluence of water and mixed plants makes this a perfect spot for bird watching, including some rare and endangered birds.
• Did I mention the location?

They offer reservations of up to 3 days per month, which offers ample opportunity to explore the park and the volcano crater fully, but it is not wilderness camping or amenable to any sort of RV. Know that at camp, if there is an a-hole (or group of a-holes), they are going to be part of your stay. Similarly, if there is an expert on local birds, they become part of the group too!