Whether you’ve lived in Hawaii your entire life and are coming back from a mainland vacation, or are visiting the islands for the first time ever, here are 21 thoughts everyone inevitably has when traveling to, and, eventually, when they arrive in Honolulu.

  1. The water is too perfectly blue… That can’t be right, can it?

Anne Petersen/Flickr

  1. My leg has fallen asleep. I need to stand up. Right now.

Thomas Hawk/Flickr

  1. Another 30 minutes until landing?

Alexander Tat/Flickr

  1. But we’ve all been crammed together on this plane for almost six hours.

FearfulStills/Flickr

  1. Is Hawaii even worth the six-hour plane ride from Los Angeles?

Anne Petersen/Flickr Or, was that trip to Vegas for a girls’ weekend really worth it?

  1. I can’t believe how stunning these mountains are.

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

  1. Only ten minutes until landing now. Ah, yeah!

Nate Bergus/Flickr

  1. It feels like the plane is turning. Yep, the aircraft is definitely turning.

Anne Petersen/Flickr

  1. Wait, is that a whale?

Christine Bondeau/Flickr

  1. No, it’s just a boat. Still cool, though.

U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr

  1. I’m so excited to finally be (back) in Hawaii.

Daniel Ramirez/Flickr

  1. I didn’t expect Honolulu to be so big… Honolulu, that’s a great name for a city.

Alan Light/Flickr Or, if you live in Hawaii, it’s sad how much Honolulu has sprawled into the mountainside.

  1. Oh, look, we are actually landing now. Finally.

Daniel Chodusov/Flickr

  1. Look at the miles upon miles of beaches — I can’t wait to explore them all.

Kent Buckingham/Flickr Or, “I’m so excited to be home.”

  1. I could really use a mai tai right now.

Julie U./Flickr

  1. Dude, the airport is literally outside. How cool is that?

Ali R/Flickr Alternatively, if you call Hawaii home: Honolulu’s airport is so small.

  1. It is so warm here. Let me take off my three layers of airplane clothes without looking weird in the airport.

Bobby Hidy/Flickr

  1. How cool is it that leis are customary to give someone when arriving in Hawaii?

NekaPearl That doesn’t happen anywhere else in the country.

  1. Yep, Hawaii is definitely worth that plane ride.

Daniel Ramirez/Flickr

  1. Gross, I totally forgot that I have to take another flight from Oahu to Maui.

Donjiro/Flickr

  1. At least that flight will only be 30 minutes…

Logan Sakai/Flickr

Cheers to making it back to our beautiful island paradise without having a complete meltdown on the plane — whether from fear of flying or sheer exhaustion. So tell us, can you think of any common thoughts you would add to this list of thoughts everyone has when they arrive in Hawaii? If you enjoyed this list, you might also enjoy reading about the 12 Lessons The Rest Of The Country Could Learn From Hawaii.

Anne Petersen/Flickr

Thomas Hawk/Flickr

Alexander Tat/Flickr

FearfulStills/Flickr

Or, was that trip to Vegas for a girls’ weekend really worth it?

Wally Gobetz/Flickr

Nate Bergus/Flickr

Christine Bondeau/Flickr

U.S. Pacific Fleet/Flickr

Daniel Ramirez/Flickr

Alan Light/Flickr

Or, if you live in Hawaii, it’s sad how much Honolulu has sprawled into the mountainside.

Daniel Chodusov/Flickr

Kent Buckingham/Flickr

Or, “I’m so excited to be home.”

Julie U./Flickr

Ali R/Flickr

Alternatively, if you call Hawaii home: Honolulu’s airport is so small.

Bobby Hidy/Flickr

NekaPearl

That doesn’t happen anywhere else in the country.

Donjiro/Flickr

Logan Sakai/Flickr

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Address: Hawaii, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Tourism In Hawaii September 14, 2020 Megan Shute What is Hawaii’s tourism industry like?  The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with more than ten million visitors in 2019 alone. For more than a century, and especially in the decades since Hawaii became an American state, tourism has been one of the largest industries in Hawaii, and it’s fascinating to look back on its history, especially these 13 vintage photographs of Hawaii’s tourism industry. What does tourism in Hawaii look like in 2020?  Unfortunately, 2020’s Coronavirus pandemic has ceased nearly all travel to Hawaii, and though the Hawaiian Islands have relied on the booming tourism industry for decades, it will be interesting to see how the islands’ adapt to the lack of revenue from the tourism industry — or if the islands will bounce back once travel is safe again. What mistakes do tourists make when visiting Hawaii?  We can all agree that vacationing in Hawaii is one of the greatest decisions you can make. But once you disembark that long flight, there are a plethora of mistakes to be made while visiting the islands. From dismissing warning signs to spending all your time at the beach, these are the 14 worst mistakes tourists make while vacationing in the Aloha State. What touristy attractions do locals actually love?  There is no debating that Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The islands are home to some jaw-dropping landscapes, amazing activities, and stellar attractions, but not all of the places you will find in guidebooks get the local stamp of approval. These 15 spots and activities, however, are popular among locals and tourists alike.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Tourism In Hawaii

September 14, 2020

Megan Shute

What is Hawaii’s tourism industry like?  The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with more than ten million visitors in 2019 alone. For more than a century, and especially in the decades since Hawaii became an American state, tourism has been one of the largest industries in Hawaii, and it’s fascinating to look back on its history, especially these 13 vintage photographs of Hawaii’s tourism industry. What does tourism in Hawaii look like in 2020?  Unfortunately, 2020’s Coronavirus pandemic has ceased nearly all travel to Hawaii, and though the Hawaiian Islands have relied on the booming tourism industry for decades, it will be interesting to see how the islands’ adapt to the lack of revenue from the tourism industry — or if the islands will bounce back once travel is safe again. What mistakes do tourists make when visiting Hawaii?  We can all agree that vacationing in Hawaii is one of the greatest decisions you can make. But once you disembark that long flight, there are a plethora of mistakes to be made while visiting the islands. From dismissing warning signs to spending all your time at the beach, these are the 14 worst mistakes tourists make while vacationing in the Aloha State. What touristy attractions do locals actually love?  There is no debating that Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The islands are home to some jaw-dropping landscapes, amazing activities, and stellar attractions, but not all of the places you will find in guidebooks get the local stamp of approval. These 15 spots and activities, however, are popular among locals and tourists alike.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with more than ten million visitors in 2019 alone. For more than a century, and especially in the decades since Hawaii became an American state, tourism has been one of the largest industries in Hawaii, and it’s fascinating to look back on its history, especially these 13 vintage photographs of Hawaii’s tourism industry.

What does tourism in Hawaii look like in 2020? 

Unfortunately, 2020’s Coronavirus pandemic has ceased nearly all travel to Hawaii, and though the Hawaiian Islands have relied on the booming tourism industry for decades, it will be interesting to see how the islands’ adapt to the lack of revenue from the tourism industry — or if the islands will bounce back once travel is safe again.

What mistakes do tourists make when visiting Hawaii? 

We can all agree that vacationing in Hawaii is one of the greatest decisions you can make. But once you disembark that long flight, there are a plethora of mistakes to be made while visiting the islands. From dismissing warning signs to spending all your time at the beach, these are the 14 worst mistakes tourists make while vacationing in the Aloha State.

What touristy attractions do locals actually love? 

There is no debating that Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. The islands are home to some jaw-dropping landscapes, amazing activities, and stellar attractions, but not all of the places you will find in guidebooks get the local stamp of approval. These 15 spots and activities, however, are popular among locals and tourists alike.