About Hawaii

Off the coast of California situated in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is an American treasure known as Hawaii. Originally ruled by a king, the islands that make up the current state of Hawaii did not become the 50th U.S. state until 1959.

The journey to that official declaration as a part of the union was a rough one, ending with World War II military operations launching from U.S. naval bases that were established in Hawaii in 1887. After fighting the war alongside the U.S., Hawaii became the final state to join the union.

Yet, to this day Hawaii has maintained its own culture and beauty while accepting the influences from the mainland country. The islands are still considered a luxurious vacation destination for most Americans.

While typical vacations include lots of relaxing, snorkeling, swimming, and surfing on beautiful island beaches, there are lots of other things to do while in Hawaii as well. Millions of visitors have come to see the amazing volcanoes in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Big Island. Not only is this unique park home to the largest volcano in the entire world, but tourists can get a view of Kilauea volcano, which is the most active in the world today.

For history buffs there is plenty to explore while visiting this state, including the popular Diamond Head State Monument in Oahu. In the 1700s miners poured into this are searching for diamonds, but it turned out all they could find were calcite crystals which closely resemble diamonds. Visitors today can tour the actual military bunkers from that era and dig for their own "diamonds".

The Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park on Big Island is also a popular historic site that features archeological finds and rich historical relevance to the Hawaiian people.

Cities in Hawaii