13 Amazing Campgrounds In Hawaii Where You Can Spend The Night 25 Bucks And Under

With endless summer weather comes endless opportunities for summer activities like swimming, surfing, hiking, and perhaps my favorite: camping trips. And while you will find campgrounds scattered across the Hawaiian Islands — from beachfront parks to botanical gardens and everywhere in between — our favorites are reserved for less than $25 per night!

Most of these campgrounds are found within state parks, which have a set rate of $12 per campsite per night for up to six people, and $2 per night for each additional person with a maximum fee per site of $20 per night for Hawaii residents. Non-residents will pay $18 per campsite per night for up to six people, and $3 per night for each additional person with a maximum fee per site of $30 per night. If a campsite doesn’t follow this pricing structure, the cost is listed below.

Daniel Ramirez/Flickr

Ahupua’a O Kahana State Park, formerly known as Kahana Valley State Park, is often overlooked for more accessible spots on Oahu but is an absolute natural oasis. With numerous hiking opportunities, this state park is the perfect camping spot if you want to enjoy a weekend getting lost in the wilderness.

Address: 52-222 Kamehameha Highway, Kaaawa, HI 96730

Rakesh A/Flickr

Nestled along the rim of Waimea Canyon between 3,200 and 4,200 feet above sea level, Koke’e State Park is home to some of the prettiest scenery in the Aloha State, incredible hiking, and is the perfect spot for a weekend camping trip any time of year. Whether you choose to go tent camping or stay in a cozy cabin, your trip to Koke’e State Park is sure to be unforgettable. There is truly no better place to get away from it all and spend time surrounded by a natural oasis.

Address: Hanapepe, HI 96716

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Kirt Edblom/Flickr

Located on Maui’s Road to Hana is this amazing state park, with an absolutely stunning black sand beach, hikes, a blowhole, ocean caves, sea arches, freshwater pools, and cliff diving. What more could a true explorer want in a park? Camping, perhaps? Oh yeah, they have that too. Tent and campervan sites, as well as charming and rustic cabins, are available for rent at Waianapanapa, making this the perfect spot to stay overnight while exploring Maui’s Hana Highway.

Address: Waianapanapa, Hana, HI 96713

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A 25,000-acre park on the flank of Leeward Mauna Loa, this reserve encompasses a wide range of habitats — including subalpine shrublands and forests, wet montane forests, lowland mesic forests, and mesic montane kipuka forests. Recent lava flows have resulted in uncharacterized and unsurveyed lava tubes.

Address: Ocean View, HI 96737

Joel/Flickr

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens is a little-known 400-acre natural oasis tucked away in Kaneohe perfect for an afternoon stroll. Ho’omaluhia is also home to countless walking and bike trails, a day use area, campgrounds, and a visitor center with an exhibition hall, workshops, and botanical library. With nearly 30 picturesque campsites to choose from and plenty of restrooms available throughout the garden, you won’t find a bad campsite here.

Cost: $32 for three nights, Friday through Sunday, or less than $11 per night.
Address: 45-680 Luluku Road, Kaneohe, HI 96744

David Baron/Flickr

Known for lodging and camping, this park features only short hiking trails, with longer excursions in the neighboring forest reserve. Nestled on the slopes of Mauna Kea near Honoka’a, the Kalopa Forest receives substantial rainfall, resulting in the enchanting and lush native forest you’ll find here. If you aren’t into sleeping in a tent, consider renting a duplex cabin at Kalopa State Recreation Area. These eight-person cabins feature bunk beds, toilet facilities, hot showers, and a recreational dining hall for shared cooking. The cabins are more than $25 per night, but tent camping starts at just $12 per night!

Address: 44-3480 Kalaniai Road, Honokaa, HI 96727

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jshyun/Flickr

Perhaps most famous for its scenic overlook of Kalaupapa, a leper colony with the ocean on one side and giant 1,600-foot cliffs on the other described by Robert Louis Stevenson as a "prison fortified by nature," Pala’au is a perfect spot for a picnic or camping getaway.

Address: Highway 47, Ho'olehua, HI 96729

Malaekahana Beach Campground/Flickr

Malaekahana Beach Campground is a secluded and remote slice of paradise perfect for a weekend spent getting in touch with nature. Found just 55 yards off Kamehameha Highway between Kahuku and Laie is this 37-acre campground surrounded by ironwood trees and backing up to a pristine white sand beach. Here, you will find 37 tent campsites as well as plantation-style cabins. Amenities include restrooms, showers, water fountains, kayak, paddleboard and bike rentals, and even a food truck that hangs out here on the weekends. You will also find a small camp store on-site that sells souvenirs and any camping essentials you may have forgotten — including ice for your cooler.

Cost: $9.41 per night per person
Address: 56-335 Kamehameha Highway, Kahuku, HI 96731

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brewbooks/Flickr

This stark, coastal, lava-covered park is home to stunning trails, a breathtaking bay, and some wild camping, accessible via an unimproved gravel access road, with no amenities, and no water — recommended only for those serious campers who prefer isolation over large, close together campsites.

Address: 71-2000 Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740

Tim Szlachetka/Flickr

Polipoli is perhaps most famous for its breathtaking redwood forest. Located approximately 7,000 feet above sea level is this forest populated by redwood trees that were brought to Hawaii in the 1920s to re-establish the watershed. The popular Redwood Trail is 1.7 miles, and guides hikers through a forest of baby Redwood trees, and is the access point for many other trails. Within this stunning park, you will find several campsites as well as a single cabin available for rent.

Address: Kula, HI 96790

Kevin Schraer/Flickr

At the end of a long dirt road off Kuamuali’i Highway, Polihale is the largest stretch of sand in Hawaii. While often overlooked for more accessible Kauai beaches, the secluded spot is the perfect place for a weekend retreat into the wilderness. So, grab your gear, pitch a tent, and spend a few days swimming and fishing.

Address: Highway 50, Waimea, HI 96766

Hawaii DLNR/Website

This landscaped beach park perfect for swimming, bodysurfing, sunbathing, and other beach activities is also home to cozy four-person A-frame shelters. These shelters consist of a single screened-in room with wooden sleeping platforms and a picnic table. Nearby, you will find an enclosed pavilion with refrigerator, range, and tables. Comfort stations with cold showers and restrooms are also found on site. The perfect blend of rustic and charming, this is one lodging opportunity you won’t want to miss.

Bryan Dorrough/Flickr

During the week, this beautiful beach is used as a military training area, but on weekends, fifty campsites open up for residents to enjoy splashing in the ocean during the day and listening to waves crash against the shore at night. You can pitch a tent on the public side of the beach at one of 50 campsites or rent a cabin on the military side of the beach. Amenities include two comfort stations, outdoor showers, and lifeguard towns.

Cost: $32 for three nights, Friday through Sunday, or less than $11 per night.
Address: 41-43 Kalanianaole Highway, Waimanalo, HI 96795

Have you ever been camping at any of these phenomenal campgrounds found within our city and state parks? Where is your favorite place to get away from it all? Share your go-to camping destination with us in the comments below!