Hawaii
Hawaii’s National Parks: Exploring Four Islands from Volcanoes to Pearl Harbor
Program No. 2810RJ
Join local experts on an exploration of Hawaii’s volcanoes, where you’ll learn about Hawaiian mythology, unique island ecology, natural monuments and sacred sites.
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13 days
12 nights
31 meals
12B 10L 9D
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Introductions
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
2
Orientation, Hilo Walking Field Trip, Geology Class
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
3
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
4
Travel to Kona, Puuhonua o Honaunau NHP
Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
5
Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, Puukohola Heiau NHS
Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
6
Fly to Maui, Haleakala
Kaanapali, HI (Island of Maui)
7
Free Time
Kaanapali, HI (Island of Maui)
8
Flight to Molokai, Molokai Museum & Cultural Center
Kaunakakai, Molokai
9
Air Shuttles to Kalaupapa National Historical Park
Kaunakakai, Molokai
10
Kalaupapa Overlook, Macadamia Nut Farm, Papohaku Beach
Kaunakakai, Molokai
11
Fly to Oahu, Bishop Museum
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
12
Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Punchbowl, Cultural Activity
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
13
Program Concludes
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
At a Glance
Follow the journey of Pele — Hawaii's volcano goddess — from Kilauea on Hawaii to Haleakala on Maui, to Kalaupapa on Molokai, and to bustling Waikiki on Oahu. Led by local experts, delight in Hawaii's natural and cultural history while you traverse through its national parks and historic sites.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles on varied terrain. Elevations up to 10,000 feet.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Learn about Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park and Kilauea’s active eruption.
- Explore and study St. Damien’s ministry to Hansen's disease patients quarantined on an isolated portion of Moloka'i.
- Visit Pearl Harbor’s USS Arizona Memorial.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Andrew A Lockwood
Andrew Lockwood is the President of Pacific Islands Institute, an educational travel company specializing in cultural and eco-experiences throughout Hawaii and the Pacific and has a great appreciation for the life-changing impact of global travel. He has been creating and coordinating Road Scholar programs since 1992 and carrying luggage for Elderhostel participants as a high school student in the early 1980s when his mother was the Hawaii Loa College Elderhostel Director. Andrew is an involved husband and parent of three children.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Andrew A Lockwood
View biography
Andrew Lockwood is the President of Pacific Islands Institute, an educational travel company specializing in cultural and eco-experiences throughout Hawaii and the Pacific and has a great appreciation for the life-changing impact of global travel. He has been creating and coordinating Road Scholar programs since 1992 and carrying luggage for Elderhostel participants as a high school student in the early 1980s when his mother was the Hawaii Loa College Elderhostel Director. Andrew is an involved husband and parent of three children.
Suggested Reading List
(26 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Hawaii’s National Parks: Exploring Four Islands from Volcanoes to Pearl Harbor
Program Number: 2810
From a Native Daughter, Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawaii
Trask, a descendant of the Pi'ilani line of Maui and the Kahakumakaliua line of Kauai, explores issues of racism and imperialism in Hawaii, documenting the work of native Hawaiian student organizations and the native Hawaiian self-governing organization Ka Lahuni Hawaii.
Pearl Harbor Ghosts, The Legacy of December 7, 1941
A well-researched and evocative look at the bombing of Pearl Harbor by a veteran travel writer. Clarke compares and contrasts the social life and culture of Hawaii on the day of the bombing and sixty years later, enumerating the changes wrought by WWII.
Born in Paradise
The autobiographical tale of childhood on a Maui ranch in the early part of this century. A classic account of old Hawaii, warm-spirited and evocative.
Paradise Remade, The Politics of Culture and History in Hawaii
By focusing on the experience of the indigenous people of Hawaii rather than on that of their colonizers, Buck considers the transformation of Hawaiian culture over the past 200 years.
Captive Paradise, A History of Hawaii
A fascinating history of America’s youngest (and, arguably, most unique) state. Historian and biographer James Haley charts Hawaii’s epic journey from kingdom to statehood with authority.
Volcanoes, Fire From the Earth
By the great French volcanologist (who died on the job on Mount Unzen in Japan in 1992), this pocket guide features hundreds of full-color paintings and traces the study of volcanoes from early myth and legend to modern science.
Hawaii
A romantic, fictional overview of the islands' history, people and culture from prehistoric times to statehood in 1959.
Dismembering Lahui, A History of the Hawaiian Nation to 1887
Osorio charts the effects of Western law on the national identity of Native Hawaiians in this political history of the Kingdom of Hawaii from the onset of constitutional government in 1840 to the Bayonet Constitution of 1887.
The Island Edge of America, A Political History of Hawaii
Journalist Tom Coffman brings Hawaii's story into the twentieth century through this reinterpretation of major events leading up to and following statehood in 1959.
Moloka'i
Set in Hawaii more than a century ago, Brennert's richly imagined novel of seven-year-old Rachel Kalama -- full of tales of stories of old Hawaii -- draws on historical accounts of Kalaupapa, the isolated leper colony on the island of Moloka'I.
Shoal of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands
A vivid, scholarly history of Hawaii, from Cook's first visit to the islands in 1778 through statehood. A classic, well-told history, first published in 1968.
Hotel Honolulu
This hilarious sendup of ex-pats and their ilk, drawing on Theroux's time in the islands, where he has a home, features a full cast of eccentrics who reside in and visit a fleabag hotel on the coast of Oahu.
Nation Within, The History of the American Occupation of Hawai'i
Coffman follows the rising tensions between the U.S. and the once-independent Hawaii through the late 19th century, documenting how the native population resisted annexation.
Hawaii Wildlife
A fold-up, laminated card featuring color drawings and short descriptions of commonly encountered birds, mammals and other critters of Hawaii.
Mark Twain's Letters from Hawaii
These observant and often wildly hilarious letters from an 1866 trip display Twain's famous wit.
The Food of Paradise, Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage
Laudan takes readers on a thoughtful, wide-ranging tour of Hawaii's farms and gardens, fish auctions and vegetable markets, fairs and carnivals, mom-and-pop stores and lunch wagons to uncover the delightful complexities and incongruities in Hawaii's culinary history. With 150 recipes.
Hawaii Fishwatcher's Field Guide
A handy, laminated card featuring full color illustrations of 60 common and spectacular denizens of Hawaiian coral reefs.
Lost Kingdom
Royalty and rogues, sugar barons, politicians and missionaries all figure in Siler's riveting tale of Liliuokalani, the last queen of Hawaii.
Eyewitness Guide Hawaii
An on-the-ground guide to the Hawaiian Islands -- handsome, comprehensive and superb.
Hawaii, Islands Under the Influence
A history of economic development in the islands from sandalwood and whaling to sugar, tourism and Japanese investment in the 1980s.
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
A poignant plea for sovereignty. Queen Liliuokalani, deposed by the United States in 1893, tells the story of her islands.
Plague And Fire, Battling Black Death And the 1900 Burning of Honolulu's Chinatown
Mohr relates the gripping tale of the bubonic plague that reached Hawaii's shores just as the islands were about to become a U.S. territory through the eyes of the people caught up in the vast conflagration that engulfed Honolulu's Chinatown.
Aloha Betrayed
Silva draws on newspapers, books, letters and contemporary accounts in Hawaiian for this eye-opening account of popular resistance to the annexation of Hawaii by the United States.
Unfamiliar Fishes
Tracking the Americanization of Hawaii from the arrival of the first missionaries in 1820 to the annexation in 1898 (Queen Liliuokalani was in Washington lobbying to save her nation during the McKinley inauguration), Vowell shows the complex interplay of god, business and tradition with her usual acerbic wit (and research).
Hawaiian Islands Map
A map of all the individual Hawaiian Islands, including maps of O'ahu, Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i at 1:150,000 and of Hawai'i at 1:330,000. Includes an inset map of Waikiki.
Hawaii, Travellers' Wildlife Guides
This all-around field guide features color illustrations of commonly encountered birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish with notes on Hawaii's geology and popular parks and reserves.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
13 days
12 nights
What's Included
31 meals (
12B, 10L, 9D
)
1 expert-led lecture
13 expert-led field trips
5 flights during the program
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
12 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-in, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Introductions
Location:
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Meals:
D
Stay:
Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously)
Afternoon:
Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead as we begin to explore Hawaii from an insider’s perspective. This Road Scholar program is designed for students of lifelong learning who may be first-time visitors as well as those returning to a place they love. Please read the daily schedule carefully to understand what is included. There is a limited amount of free time so that we can cover as much as possible. If you have special interests that are not part of the Road Scholar program, we recommend making plans to arrive early and/or stay on after its conclusion. Road Scholar Travel Services can assist you in making such plans.
Day
2
Orientation, Hilo Walking Field Trip, Geology Class
Location:
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Activity Note
Walking up to 2 miles, streets, sidewalks, dirt roads for morning and afternoon field trips. Getting on/off a bus.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Orientation: 8:00 am. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead field trips. Travel and transfers will be via bus, and/or van depending on local conditions and schedules at the time of the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. After orientation, we’ll then head out on a walking field trip led by a local expert to an overview of historic Hilo to learn about its history and culture.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will drive to nearby Rainbow Falls with the Group Leader which cascades 80 feet over a lava cave. In the afternoon we will return to the hotel for a lecture from a local expert on the Geologic Formation and Evolution of the Hawaiian Islands to prepare us for our field trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park tomorrow.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
3
Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Location:
Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Castle Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus for multiple stops throughout field trips; driving about 70 miles on field trips; about 2 hours total riding time. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day on varied terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We will depart via bus mid-morning for Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We will be joined by a local expert who will share with us the history of this geological wonder. From the National Park Service: “Hawaii Volcanoes National Park displays the results of at least 70 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolution in the Hawaiian Island-Emperor Seamount chain — processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture.”
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will make multiple stops within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, determined by the evolving conditions of this fascinating geologically active area.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
After dinner, we will ride back to our hotel in Hilo. Prepare for morning check-out and transfer to Kona in the morning.
Day
4
Travel to Kona, Puuhonua o Honaunau NHP
Location:
Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Royal Kona Resort
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 110 miles total throughout the day with stops; approximately 2.5 hours total riding time. Walking about 2 miles; uneven trails, sandy paths. Puuhonoua is considered a sacred site; observe guidelines, stay on marked trails and paths, take only photographs.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll transfer to Kona, with a stop en route at a black sand beach.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will learn from a local expert as we visit Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park located along lava flats of the Kona Coast. The entire complex covers about 420 acres including significant sites that recall four centuries of Hawaiian history. This location was a sacred sanctuary and place of refuge in ancient times. Mark Twain visited this site in the 1860s and remarked, “The walls of the temple are a study. The same food for speculation that is offered the visitor to the Pyramids of Egypt he will find here – the mystery of how they were constructed by a people unacquainted with science and mechanics.” After our field trip, we’ll proceed to our hotel in Kailua-Kona and check in.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Kaloko-Honokohau NHP, Puukohola Heiau NHS
Location:
Kona, Big Island of Hawaii
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Royal Kona Resort
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving approx. 70 miles throughout the day with stops; about 1.5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 2 miles; park-maintained, coastal, sandy and rocky trails.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will depart on bus to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park where we will learn from a local expert. Kaloko-Honokohau National Historic Park was established in 1978 and a culturally significant Ancient Hawaiian settlement. We will then travel to Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, "The temple on the hill of the Whale,” where we will earn from another local expert. Built by Kamehameha I in 1790-1791 to incur the favor of the war god, Kukailimoku, this was the last major heiau (temple) built in the islands.
Lunch:
Picnic style boxed lunch at a coastal beach.
Afternoon:
We’ll linger at the beach with an opportunity to relax or take a stroll. We’ll then return to the hotel with time to freshen up before dinner.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
6
Fly to Maui, Haleakala
Location:
Kaanapali, HI (Island of Maui)
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
Activity Note
Boarding/deboarding a plane. Flight time is approximately 35 minutes but the trip could take 3-4 hours due to transfer times. Getting on/off motorcoach and bus; driving about 90 miles total throughout the day with stops; approximately 3 hours total riding time. Walking up to 1 mile for the day; some uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll transfer with luggage via bus to Kona International Airport. We will fly to Maui Island.
Lunch:
Lunch location varies based on flight schedules.
Afternoon:
We will set out for our afternoon in Haleakala National Park with a local expert and visit the summit area of Haleakala, an active shield volcano. We’ll learn about Hawaii’s indigenous animals and plants, including the endemic Ahinahina (silversword). The park is recognized by the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. After our field trip we will depart the park for our hotel.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Free Time
Location:
Kaanapali, HI (Island of Maui)
Meals:
B
Stay:
Kaanapali Beach Hotel
Activity Note
Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Afternoon:
Free time. Continue your independent explorations or just relax.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. If you have something special in mind, we recommend making reservations well in advance.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
8
Flight to Molokai, Molokai Museum & Cultural Center
Location:
Kaunakakai, Molokai
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Molokai
Activity Note
Flights to Molokai on 9-pax prop planes. Transport in 15-passenger vans while on Molokai. Walking on grassy lawn at Molokai Museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel, depart via bus for Kahului airport for flights to Molokai on 9-passenger planes.
Lunch:
Lunch location varies based on flight schedules.
Afternoon:
Upon arrival in Molokai we will board vans and depart for our Molokai Museum and Cultural Center which features the former Rudolph W. Meyer Sugar Mill (1878), now restored to operation with its century-old steam engine, mule-driven cane crusher, and other vintage equipment. A museum docent will take us on an historical walk through the Mill, on the State and National Register of Historic Places. We’ll examine the original Mill equipment and handwritten records of the German-Hawaiian family who started it all. In the museum gallery exhibit on Kalaupapa history, artifacts from patients are on display. At the conclusion of the field trip we will depart for the hotel and check-in.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
9
Air Shuttles to Kalaupapa National Historical Park
Location:
Kaunakakai, Molokai
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Molokai
Activity Note
Shuttle flights of approximately 15 minutes will be via 9-passenger, twin-engine prop planes. Getting on/off a school bus (non-A/C) in Kalaupapa, light walking; driving 20 miles to and from Molokai airport about 2.5 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll transfer to Molokai Airport and board small commuter planes for the short flight down to Kalaupapa National Historical Park. There, we’ll board a school bus for our field trip to the isolated peninsula where Father Damien ministered to leprosy patients. Hansen's disease (leprosy) was first diagnosed in the Hawaiian islands in 1853. Little more than a decade later, it had spread, causing great fear. After several attempts at creating care and treatment centers in different places, those with the disease were required to move to an isolated settlement on Molokai in 1866. A number of religious workers and other volunteers came to provide care for the residents. The most famous of these was Joseph De Veuster, a Belgian who became a priest in the Roman Catholic order of the Sacred Heart and took the name Father Damien. He was a dynamo of activity, not only providing medical care to settlement residents, but also building houses, organizing activities, and pressuring the kingdom of Hawaii to provide more resources. Father Damien’s efforts attracted worldwide attention for those with Hansen’s disease and the needs of those on Molokai in particular. The settlement gradually became a place to live rather than die. After working in the settlement for 12 years, Father Damien contracted Hansen’s disease. He died in 1889 at the age of 49. His life of devotion inspired multitudes, and he was canonized as Saint Damien of Molokai in 2009.
Lunch:
Boxed lunch.
Afternoon:
When our field trip ends, we’ll return via bus and air shuttles to Molokai Airport and back to the hotel.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
10
Kalaupapa Overlook, Macadamia Nut Farm, Papohaku Beach
Location:
Kaunakakai, Molokai
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Molokai
Activity Note
Getting on/off 15-passenger vans; driving about 65 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles including grassy terrain and sandy beach.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We will depart from hotel via vans to the Kalaupapa Peninsula Overlook. As we stroll down a paved path, we will view the historic Phallic rocks and the isolated peninsula where Father Damien ministered to leprosy patients. Hansen's disease (leprosy) was first diagnosed in the Hawaiian islands around 1850 and within a few decades reached epidemic proportions. After several attempts at care centers throughout the islands, the Kingdom of Hawaii’s government decided to isolate those with the disease in the village of Kalawao on the remote Kalaupapa peninsula on Molokai. Many religious workers and other volunteers went to Kalaupapa to tend to the residents; their care and advocacy for their patient’s conditions led to the development of housing, hospital facilities, and utilities. The settlement eventually became a place to live out one’s life with the disease rather than die. The most famous of these religious workers was Joseph De Veuster, a priest known as Father Damien, and Sister Marianne Cope who managed the Bishop Home for Girls. Both were later canonized after dedicating their lives to caring for those in the isolated community. After our visit to the overlook we will drive to a local Macadamia Nut Farm operated by a local family.
Lunch:
Box lunches.
Afternoon:
After lunch we'll have some time to go beachcombing on Hawaii's longest, white sand beach. We will also see the plantation town of Maunaloa which is surrounded by former pineapple fields. We will return to the hotel for some time to relax before dinner.
Dinner:
We will transfer in vans to the Molokai Museum and Cultural Center for Hawaiian Paina (luau). We will experience a traditional luau in our honor through food, and music. The luau is prepared by the museum staff with an array of local food selection.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
11
Fly to Oahu, Bishop Museum
Location:
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Twin Fin Hotel
Activity Note
Getting on/off bus and motorcoach; driving about 20 miles; up to 1 hour depending on Honolulu Traffic. Walking up to 1.5 miles during the course of the day on streets and sidewalks.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight to Oahu Island.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After claiming our luggage, we’ll transfer via motorcoach to the Bishop Museum. While here, we will have a guided tour by a local expert of Bishop Museum with time to explore the museum independently. We will continue on to our Waikiki hotel and check in later in the afternoon.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
12
Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Punchbowl, Cultural Activity
Location:
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
The Twin Fin Hotel
Activity Note
Getting on/off a bus; driving about 40 miles; up to 2 hours riding time depending on traffic. Walking up to 1 mile during the course of the day on streets and sidewalks. Pearl Harbor has a no bag policy. Bags that offer concealment, such as purses, handbags, backpacks, fanny packs, camera bags, diaper bags, etc. that exceed the measurements of 1.5" X 2.25" X 5.5," are not allowed at the monument. There is a baggage storage center onsite that costs an additional fee or use a clear bag instead.
Breakfast:
At the hotel
Morning:
We begin the day with a drive to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center. While here, we’ll pick up audio guides, explore the museums, view a historical film in the park theater, and take a launch boat ride across Pearl Harbor to the USS Arizona Memorial with National Park Service rangers. As the National Park Service reminds us, “Pearl Harbor was the home port for much of the Pacific Fleet and the surprise attack on December 7, 1941, drew the United States into World War II. A total of 2,390 American service members and civilians were killed that day.” Please note that the National Park Service does not allow guided interpretation of the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, so our visit here will be self-directed. Due to unprecedented demand, tickets for the boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial are limited and are not guaranteed for our group members in advance. There is a stand-by line available for those looking to take the boat ride out to the USS Arizona Memorial without a ticket. If you would like to ensure a ticket in advance, you may purchase one for yourself directly on www.recreation.gov for $1. The group will arrive at Pearl Harbor at approximately 9:00 a.m. and will depart Pearl Harbor by 12:00 p.m. If your ticket time is outside of those hours, you will need to coordinate your own transportation to and from Pearl Harbor. After Pearl Harbor, we will drive through The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, commonly known as “Punchbowl.” We are not permitted to get off the bus but will have commentary aboard from a local expert.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
There will be free time after lunch for independent exploration or relaxation before a late afternoon Cultural Activity Class. At the hotel meeting space, we will be joined by a cultural organization for demonstrations and other activities.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
13
Program Concludes
Location:
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys! Aloha!
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MEALS
31 Meals
12 Breakfasts
10 Lunches
9 Dinners
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
- Oct 28, 2025 - Nov 09, 2025
- Oct 28, 2025 - Nov 09, 2025 (Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)
- Jan 06, 2026 - Jan 18, 2026 (Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)
- Mar 10, 2026 - Mar 22, 2026 (Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)
- Oct 27, 2026 - Nov 08, 2026 (Hilo, Big Island of Hawaii to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii)
Participant Reviews
Based on 8 Reviews
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This is a great trip. If you want to experience the full spectrum that is Hawaii, this is an excellent way to do it. The reviews of previous trips are mixed with some high praise and some discontent with the Molokai portion. Some in our group also had reservations about Molokai, but I felt it was very valuable. Molokai represents "old" Hawaii with much less development and a population that isn't built around serving tourists. That made it interesting and I never felt unwelcomed by the locals we met. The highlight of Molokai is Kalaupapa since it is so important to the island's legacy. We were the first group to be allowed to visit since the pandemic, but it was on a very limited basis-we could spend a few hours on a philanthropic project but not to tour. The no touring policy was unfortunate but it was what the Park Service was willing to do so we abided. Even so, it was valuable to see what we did and to actually experience the place-kudos to Road Scholar for arranging it. Hopefully the park service relaxes the restrictions for future tours. The rest of the trip was wonderful with great visits to National Parks and National Historical Parks and great local guiding; thanks to Cheryl, Kala and Valerie for greatly enhancing our knowledge, and we were blessed with a superb Group Leader, Will McGough, who was just right and made the trip fully rewarding. Highly recommended.
— Review left March 8, 2024
Hawai’i’s National Parks is an outstanding program. Knowledgeable instructors will fill your head with information, friendly people will fill your heart with aloha spirit. Good food, lovely music, sandy beaches and volcanoes!
— Review left April 1, 2023
I absolutely loved this program! Our leader, Steve Kooiman is very kowlegeable and his love of Hawaii and the Hawaiian people and culture are obvious! He did a great job keeping the program on track in spite of some issues (Mokulele Airlines!) I found the cultural presentations particularly informative and interesting. Kala's discussion during the walk through Lili'uokalani Gardens and into Hilo was fascinating! I loved watching him weave coconut leaf baskets as we walked. It was a pleasure to see him with his "Auntie" 2 days later at the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park where he also gave a cultural presentation. I loved all of the National parks we visited, including Hawaii Volcanos National Park and Haleakala National Park with its spectacular views. Of the islands we visited, I particularly enjoyed Molokai and its peaceful nature. The walk through Kalani Pruet's flower farm was beautiful but the highlight of our time on Molokai was most definitely the pa'ina (lu'au) at the museum on our final evening on the island. The following day we transferred to Oahu and the Pearl Harbor National Memorial was our first stop after lunch. It is very moving and interesting (so much so that I returned after the Program ended to see what I did not have time to experience on the day the group visited).
I frankly don't understand the reviews that criticize this program. The transportation on Molokai was disclosed in the information packet provided before the trip. I received an email more than two months before the trip informing me that the Kalaupapa National Historical Park remained closed to the public and a partial refund was provided and the flights to and from Molokai are limited by the whims of Mokulele Airlines. A canceled flight led to an incredible amount of work between our group leader and the office to get us all to Oahu in time to visit Pearl Harbor. All in all this was a fantastic trip with a great group of participants and an excellent leader!
— Review left March 30, 2023
Extremely disappointed that Road Scholar is publishing an itinerary they KNOW cannot happen. This trip has 3+ days on Molokai and almost everything on the agenda doesn't exist: the ferry has been closed for over 6 years, the National Historic Park has been closed to visitors since the pandemic, the Nene sanctuary is closed, the sugar mill isn't restored to operational, etc.
Molokai itself is not conducive to tourism. The Sheraton has been closed for a long time, leaving an unappealing half star as the only option. The transportation was laughable - old/dirty passenger vans that BOTH broke down, or a school bus. The food was the worst on the trip and the lunches were terrible cold box lunches - largely left uneaten. The local guide made disparaging remarks about the United States, and there were signs for "no tourism" and "go home".
Why road Scholar would continue to publish a fictional itinerary that has been inaccurate for 6 years is beyond me and insulting. Unfortunately, the poor treatment we received on Molokai has tainted my opinion of the entire trip.
— Review left March 4, 2023
Hawaii is a beautiful state and this program is designed to see as much as possible. We missed some parts of the itinerary (field sites and free time) due to flooding and road closures as well as plane delays. Kilauea was amazing, Pearl Harbor was sobering and educational, field trips were great, our leader and field experts did a wonderful job. My one suggestion would be to reduce time spent on Malakai.
— Review left February 28, 2023
Another very disappointing trip. Before covid, I would have highly recommended RS, but after they let 3/4 of their staff off due to covid, their trips have been horrible. We did not see what was advertised, the guide was drinking a bit too much, only had one "expert lecture" the whole trip. We spent a whole day listening to the local guide telling us, this is where the pineapple plantations USED to be. Here is where the fancy hotel USED to be, this over- grown field is where the golf course USED to be. I cannot recommend this trip.
— Review left February 10, 2023
The Hawaiian Islands are so much more than pretty beaches and surf. This program is a wonderful opportunity to experience 4 islands where you can learn about the geologic and cultural history. You will see many beautiful sights and historical locations you would likely miss if drawn only to the traditional tourist locations. These experiences are enhanced by entertaining and knowledgeable instructors as well as interesting and fun fellow participants attracted to this trip.
— Review left April 11, 2022
Fantastic trip for my first visit to Hawai'i. I love National Parks and all seven we visited were great. Molokai and Pearl Harbor were particularly moving. Volcanoes and Haleakala were breathtaking. The accommodations were comfortable and all very different. Meals were fine and sometimes exceptional. Cultural experiences were educational and fun. This trip made me long to return to Hawai'i.
— Review left February 2, 2020
