If you haven’t been to Hawaii in a few years, there’s one big change waiting for you here: reservation requirements at parks and beaches. 

It began as a way to control crowds and guarantee spots at high-demand attractions. Now the program has grown and spread throughout the state. You’ll see at select national, county, and state parks in Hawaii – but not all of them (not yet, anyway!). 

What does that mean for your vacation? Well, you can no longer come to Hawaii and just “wing it.” Not without some disappointments, anyway. You’ll want to plan your itinerary with a little more care. And it all starts with knowing which attractions require reservations. 

Let’s learn about Hawaii’s reservation requirements and get an idea of how to plan for it as you look forward to your vacation. 

What to know About Hawaii Reservations at Park

Many parks and areas in Hawaii now require reservations to visit, and more will likely be added to the list in the next year or two. 

This is to help keep crowds down, reserve space for residents, and help maintain some environmental balance. 

Also, some areas have become off-limits except to approved tour companies. So though Waipio Valley on Hawaii Island isn’t a park and doesn’t have a public reservation system, you do need to book a tour in advance to visit that area. 

But for now, reservations are just required at a handful of parks and locations that have been overwhelmed with visitors – especially since the post-COVID visitor surge. 

In most cases, these aren’t make-or-break fees. Instead, it’s a few bucks that you need to pay online to secure your spot. Here’s what to look for as you reserve your Hawaii activities:

What Are You Paying For When You Make a Reservation?

Some reservation systems require you to pay a full entry fee when you sign up online. Others (like Haleakala National Park Sunrise Reservations) require you to pay a couple of dollars online and then pay your remaining entry fee at the gate. Review what you’re paying for as you make your reservations so there are no surprises later. 

How Far In Advance Can You Reserve?

Most parks have a revolving window where you can make reservations. For example, you can make Pearl Harbor reservations up to 8 weeks in advance, with additional tickets becoming available the day before. 

It’s Worth Checking for Last-Minute Hawaii Reservations

For peak days and times, reservations get booked up quickly. If you are planning a spur-of-the-moment outing, check on the reservation site to see if there happen to be any openings. It could be your lucky day. If not, head to a park that doesn’t require reservations.

Sunrise at Haleakala and Throughout Hawaii 

It was always an early start if you wanted to watch the sunrise at Haleakala National Park. But we used to have to plan to get there even earlier than necessary because of crowds. When I took visitors up to the peak of Haleakala to watch the sunrise, we were always worried about the parking lots becoming full, and us getting turned away at the gate. 

But then, in 2017, the park introduced a reservation system. For $1.50, you secured your spot in the park, allowing you to drive up without worrying about getting turned away. The reservations weren’t optional – you had to have one to access the park during sunrise hours. 

Now, years later, the reservation requirement endures. And while some hopeful sunrise spectators see it as an obstacle to accessing Haleakala, I appreciate the assurance of it. You have your reservation, you’re all set, and you know you’re not risking getting turned away after waking up early and driving up to the mountaintop. 

And, if you can’t secure a pass for sunrise access, you can always watch the (often equally) stunning Haleakala sunset without reservation. 

Post-Covid Tourism Surge

During Covid, some parks began requiring reservations to control gathering sizes. But the real regulation happened post-covid,