The Best of Both Worlds: RV Hopping the Hawaiian Islands Story and Photos from Paula Loehr If you think traveling to the exotic Hawaiian Islands means you have to give up the RV / camping lifestyle while you experience the Aloha lifestyle, think again. Keep reading and you will learn how to have the best of both worlds. My first camping connection in Hawaii happened long ago in 1978, two years after my 1976 wedding. Due to the financial constraints of student life, my husband Dennis and I delayed our honeymoon trip for a couple of years after we tied the knot. In 1978, we wrapped up our college years at University of California Santa Barbara. We were relocating to Virginia, and a speedy return to the West Coast seemed unlikely. So we purchased roundtrip tickets from Los Angeles to Honolulu for our Hawaiian honeymoon. Upon arrival on Oahu, we rented a small leaky canvas tent and spent two soggy weeks camping during the height of Hawaii’s rainy season. Much to our amazement, the Hawaiian State Park system (circa 1978) permitted free camping at Hawaiian beach parks. It felt like serendipity—a belated wedding present. The Aloha State’s complimentary camping policy allowed us to tent our way from one uncrowded beach site to another. Between raindrops, we thoroughly explored Oahu’s super-scenic coastline, and toured several of the island’s best indoor attractions. Traveling around Oahu via metro buses, we landed in the good company of aloha-spirited local folks. They shared their Hawaiian customs, culture, and cuisine. Lau lau (fresh-caught fish steamed in taro leaves), roasted kalua pig, pupus (island-style appetizers), legendary Spam, and Hawaiian shaved ice became parts of our daily menus. All in all, we enjoyed two of the most memorable weeks of our lives. A few decades later, fond Hawaiian recollections inspired our return to Oahu for a three-week surfing adventure with three teenage sons.
You can walk an easy paved trail up to Waimea Falls.
And in 2023, we ventured back to Hawaii again, this time with all our sons, two daughters-in- law, and four grandchildren. Dennis and I were celebrating 50 years since we met in Santa Barbara, so we enhanced the trip by visiting several islands in the Hawaiian chain. It was not surprising that the passage of four- plus decades brought major differences in terms of Hawaii’s camping options. For our part, our RV-loving family had camped in a series of pop-ups, travel trailers, and motorhomes since the early 1980s. Our collective tenting skills were decidedly rusty. RV Camping, Hawaiian Style, in the 2020s If you decide to camp on the Hawaiian Islands, you will need to think creatively and go with the flow. A primary consideration for RV owners flying to Hawaii is the rock-solid fact that you cannot take your camping vehicle along for the ride. RV travelers who are island hopping will likely reserve a combination of campervans, glamping tents, cabins, and cottages to round out lodging needs. A fair amount of research is required to find the best fit for your preferences. It is a more complex variation of the typical vacation rental search. Island hopping in Hawaii in 2024 requires short airplane flights from one isle to another. Mobile camper rentals in Hawaii are plentiful, but almost all recreational vehicles on the Islands are downsized as compared with typical
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SPRING 2024 | 14
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online