15 Unique Places In Hawaii

In all actuality, the title of this post should be…obscure observations from someone who has never been to Hawaii before. Because quite honestly, after nearly 5 years, most of this stuff seems totally normal to me, if not spectacularly cool! ::shrug:: Is anyone else fascinated with the “weird” details or cool roadside haunts in your state? Today I’m sharing 15 unique places in Hawaii if you’re interested in those kinds of things 🙂

1. Coco Palms Resort was a resort hotel in Wailuā, Kauai, Hawaii. The resort was visited by numerous movie stars and was also used in scenes of Elvis Presley’s film Blue Hawaii. The resort has been closed since being hit by Hurricane Iniki in 1992, but remains standing though completely deserted.2. Located on five acres above Kailua-Kona is Tree Ring Ranch, home to various exotic animals – including a golden zebra who is distinguished by gold stripes and blue eyes.

3. The Dole Plantation’s giant pineapple garden maze was declared the world’s largest by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008. The maze is housed on more than three acres, and includes nearly 2.5 miles of paths for guests to wind through.

4. The Corsair Plan Wreck lies 100 feet deep on the ocean floor just off Oahu, where it has been guarded by eels and rays since 1946.

5. The Kukaniloko Birthing Stones, found about 100 yards from the intersection of Whitmore Avenue and Highway 80 (marked by a historical land marker) in Wahiawa, Oahu, have marked the site of royal births and power struggles for centuries.

6. Lava Tree State Monument is a public park located 2.7 miles southeast of Pāhoa in the Puna District on the island of Hawaii. It preserves lava molds of the tree trunks that were formed when a lava flow swept through a forested area in 1790.

7. Located on an isolated peninsula on the northern side of Molokai is Kalaupapa, the site of a leper colony. From 1866 to 1969, thousands of men, women and children diagnosed with leprosy were exiled to the colony by the Hawaiian government and legally declared dead. Today, visitors can travel to the colony via mule.

8. Adherents to the Raelist religion believe that we were created by Elohim aliens and also claim to have successfully cloned humans. In Volcano, on the Big Island of Hawaii, a small sculpture park was created featuring a model of a proposed galactic embassy that the group wants to build on.

9. When Katherine Burke, a former principal of Oahu’s Ewa Plantation School, passed away, she left her entire estate to fund a bronze statue at her school. Today, a 9-foot-tall ax-wielding Abraham Lincoln reigns over the campus. It was the last bronze monument made in the U.S. during World War II.

10. Known as the “Father of Baseball”, Alexander Cartwright’s grave can be located in Oahu Cemetery.

11. St. Benedict Roman Catholic Church was erected in 1899 by Father John Velghe in Captain Cook on the Big Island of Hawaii. Without any professional training and using house paint, he painted the church with beautiful landscapes and Biblical scenes, which he later used for teaching.

12. The Byodo-In Temple is a non-denominational shrine located on the island of Oahu at the Valley of the Temples. It was dedicated in August 1968 to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii.13. At Kalama Park in Kihei, Maui, visitors can view a sculpture of a humpback whale on its side, resembling a whale in its natural habitat, in motion. The waters off Maui are a natural habitat for humpback whales, making the statue a natural addition to the community.

14. One of only four in the world, Papakolea Green Sand Beach provides hiking trails, scenic bay views & swimming in Naalehu on the Big Island of Hawaii.

15. Burning endlessly in remembrance of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the Eternal Flame Memorial stands just across the street from the Hawaii State Capitol Building in Honolulu. It pays tribute to the men and women who served with the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy in major and minor conflicts.

Did you know any of these? Which was the most interesting to you?