Best Dog-Friendly Camping in Hawaii

Our first time here we tent camped. Some of the sites seemed close together but we stayed at the end and had good privacy with the trade off of a long trip to the bathrooms.  The shared bathrooms are great! Clean, flush toilets, and running water.  Showers and dishwashing stations also a plus.  Free coffee for early risers.   You can see the beach from a few campsites.  Like most camping in Hawaii, bring your earplugs for the roosters.

My favorite place to camp in Hawaii. A small and isolated beach well hidden from the average person it seems. Ho'okena is a fun place to get a feel of local vibes for sure. Great and very accommodating staff. Real bathrooms as well as fairly clean port-o-poties they provide closer to the actual camp sites. Some really amazing snorkeling too!

We stayed here Thanksgiving night prior to spending a day in Volcanoes national park. Given the holiday, everything was closed in town so make sure you bring some food and supplies. It was also pretty quiet and felt very safe.

In the middle of the night we woke up to RAIN! And if anyone knows rain in Hawaii is HARD - so make sure you are prepared if you decide to camp in Hawaii.

This is a great way to be close to the volcano park to get an early start.

There is a paystation on site and restrooms, firepits and picnic tables.

There was a coffee farm within walk distance, the church, peace gardens and just nice little area.  Lots of pets, the cow! and baby goats.  City of refuge and Captain Cook Monument are amazing to  hang, and a few private beaches only for people who stay here

Malaekahana State Recreation Campground & Malaekahana Beach Campground are 2 separate campgrounds run by 2 different “owners” on the Island of Oahu-Hawaii. They are only a few miles apart.

The State Campground is State run requiring a permit (on line). No fires, no pets, tent camping. Reasonable pricing.

Malaekahana Beach Campground is privately owned. Tents sites are $9.00 per person per night with maximums based on site size. They also have Rustic cabins with one queen bed and a bunk. ($50+). No electric or water. Water nearby. Then they have the larger cabins with 2 queen beds, flush toilet and electric for approx $120. a night. All sites have fire rings and a picnic table. No pets.Outdoor showers and flush toilets various locations around campground. Very dark at night-bring flashlights, lanterns. Employees there have always been very friendly and helpful. Gate locked 7p-7a. Must call for assistance if emergency arises or you’re out late! I’ve camped here many times and love having the beach so close! Last time I camped there was in Feb. There was a big storm that Sat & Sun and on Monday-the campers were all out trying to clean up the beach!

This guest house offers a wide array of lodging opportunities, but the most unique are their hammock cabanas. These elevated, screened and tented porches offer one a pleasant and inexpensive (for Hawaii) night’s sleep. Rather than providing a bed or cot, each tent has two sleeping hammocks, a small cooler, secure gear locker and some basic lighting and electricity.  Note, the power goes off at 10pm, as the whole compound runs on solar power and batteries. It was raining buckets the night we stayed there, but we were dry and comfortable, although torrential rain on any small structure might make sleeping a challenge. 

The guest house at the top of the property has a great covered back porch with some great cooking, food preparation, and washing up options. Also the bathrooms and showers are lovely, especially if you’ve just come from a backcountry trip in the National Park!  

The guest house also welcomes the small herd of local stray cats to roam around outside and get an evening meal. It’s so cool if you like cats, but could be a bit of a nightmare if you do not. These furry guests are not allowed inside so no worries there, but they will investigate your food bag and meow like crazy should you be trying to make dinner outside.

This website is in error. There are no dogs allowed on ANY Hawaii State Campground!!! Don't know if you know this or not. So if you have a dog in Hawaii, you cannot bring your loved one(s) camping anywhere. Too bad.

My family and I visit Hawaii every other Christmas. I know, spending Christmas without snow may seem weird to some people, because we always have a white Christmas where I am from (Washington State). But honestly, we love going this time of year because it isnt as busy. We love either camping, staying at my families condo, or doing a combo of both. We visited Kolekole Beach Park when we came last Christmas, and it was great. It was super clean, which we really loved. There was also some great small cliffs that we could jump off of- the whole family loved doing this. It almost feels like you are in a "jungle" only because of the greenery and trees. Not to mention the weather is pretty muggy. My family and I had a picnic here, and played in the water for the day. They didnt have any life guards on duty just FYI. Weirdly, there were a lot of cats around? Not sure why? but thought this was interesting. The park is a little hard to find, we drove past the sign and had to turn around. It's a pretty small, spray painted sign. We hiked in the morning before we came here, which was beautiful hike overlooking the water. Highly recommend!!

What a darling little spot. Would return in a heartbeat, and honestly probably will before the month is up. Had two glorious nights there and now I don't want to camp anywhere else in Maui because I was so spoiled.

Pros

• To echo other folks, absolutely LOVED the outdoor showers - and yes, they get hot. Felt utterly luxurious. Toilets and sinks remain clean and odorless. 
• Easy sandy beach access! Pebble-side great for hanging up hammocks.
• Can take relatively affordable kayaking tours from the campgrounds or rent SUP/kayaks for very affordable rates. 
• Free coffee in the morning! 
• Has its own teensy general store and a walkable larger market down a half mile and across the street. Famed pie place next door. 
• Pet-friendly!

Cons

• Literally 8 plugs for a bajillion people causing a massive traffic jam in the mornings and evenings. On the side of the ice house only (not even near campgrounds).
• Not that you need it, but if you do - weak wifi signal beyond the toilet/shower area. 
• Absolutely no shade at all on any sites, save for one campsite (campsite #1). 
• Beware the wind!!! Because it's open air with no shielding trees, sooo many people evacuated to sleep in cars or resigned to/woke up to collapsed tents because of high winds. 

Overall

4.5/5. Absolutely worth it. LOOOOOVE.

Malaekahana Campgrounds in Hawaii offers an exceptional camping tubidy experience with stunning ocean views, clean facilities, and a tranquil environment. The location is perfect for both relaxation and adventure, with plenty of activities like swimming mp3 juice, hiking, and exploring nearby attractions. It's y2mate an ideal spot for families and solo travelers alike to connect with nature and enjoy the beauty of Hawaii.

Polipoli does not even feel like you’re in Hawaii! I mean this in the best way possible! Hawaii is amazing with all the beaches, ocean views, and sunshine. Polipoli is high upcountry tucked in the clouds and forests. The hike from the recreational area leads you to two abandoned ranger stations which are super cool! It also starts out by bringing you past these crazy caves! Definitely a must see while in Maui!

This campground is very close to the highest concentration of rock climbs in all of Hawaii! The Mokule'ia wall has over 60 climbs ranging from beginner to expert and includes trad, sport, and toprope routes. One of the other things we loved about this site is the proximity to Ka'ena Point! It feels like you're standing out in the ocean without anything around it's such a small point! One of favorite places we hung out at during our trip to Hawaii

Great facilities. Shower, restrooms, etc. You can camp right on the beach. And wake up to the ocean. Definitely stay here when you go to Hawaii

Telegram groups in Hong Kong are buzzing about stunning camping spots, and Mālaekahana seems like the perfect inspiration. Hong Kong nature lovers would enjoy a similar beachside setup, bringing a slice of Hawaii closer to home.

Ok, you twisted my arm...

Hosmer Grove Campground is a small set of primitive sites located in the Kīpahulu region of Haleakalā National Park, at the cloud line. This means it will get cold, especially at night, and even in the summer. Come prepared for this nice break from the Maui beach heat. The spaces are first come first serve, summer will likely be busier so come early. No permit needed. Fairly easy to pack in as well.

There are grills and nice picnic tables available at each site, but no campfires are allowed, so you must use the grills for your cooking. All the better to see the stars at night, right? Portable water is available and there are also put toilets only. Please be respectful of other campers since the area is so small.

Be prepared to be woken early to the sound of an array of birds, and even a clearly lost rooster up before dawn. The best thing about Maui, is that it’s an island formed out of nothing from a volcano, meaning it did not break off from a land mass carrying with it all the variety of animals and insects campers often find troubling. In fact, typical tropical concerns like venomous snakes and large cats are nonexistent here. A very safe place, animal wise, to camp, but do be warned of flash floods when hiking the area and come aware of the conditions and also prepared with a first aid kit, as outside help is far and difficult to reach. Towers were recently put in to assist with calls out, but in the valleys and at high elevations you will often find it hard to get reception. And help us an hour or more away. So hike with caution.

Sites are fairly level, close to each other, and on soft grass. The route to this area via the Hāna Hwy is almost worth the trip in and of itself, it’s truly a gorgeous area at all elevations.

Be sure to take advantage of the many guided hikes (also for safety reasons) offered by the national park and local private companies. We took a GREAT waterfall rappelling trip with Rappel Maui and enjoyed all their info about the area and expertise in rappelling. Be prepared for mosquitos, however we really didn’t encounter too many in June.

Check out the Pools at ‘Ohe’o and the many many waterfalls around the Nat Park as well as the state park while there. And the rocky, rough-waved cost on that side of the island (not great for swimming but so so beautiful).

I was here in December, which is the rainy, rough season in Hawaii. The park is very large, and is the quintessential black sand beach of Maui. Jutting cliffs, blowholes, fine black sand surrounded by lush greenery. Even on a rainy day it was beautiful.

One of my favorite places to camp when visiting Hawaii. They have volleyball, tubing, rope swings, snorkeling, just to name a few. This place is also super green. It receives the most rain anywhere in Oahu. They have some pretty cool cultural events where you can learn how to roast a pig, fire dance, etc.

There is a beach camping spot nearby here and I will add it to the map once I get the info from my friend in Hawaii! It's definitely the best place to camp in the area but this is the best place to relax for a bit! A good close trail is the Crouching Tiger trail which is pretty steep and muddy so bring good hiking boots!

This was my favorite hike in Hawaii. It was so beautiful I felt like I was in a movie! Make sure to bring lots of water and even a water pump or life straw, we ran out of water and thought we had brought too much initially. Also have a snack, I didn’t eat that day and my legs started shaking quite a bit.