Hawaii Tours Worth Walking

Walking tours are seeing a resurgence in Hawaii as more travelers seek an in-depth experience in areas they are visiting. Besides being eco-oriented and a means for insightful exercise, the following walking tours are growing in popularity.

• The Kauai Historical Society leads 90-minute walking tours in Kapaa Town three times a week. Interpretive guides take visitors back 125 years to when King Kalakaua came to Kauai to start a sugar venture and learn about the many ethnicities that make Kauai what it is today. www.KauaiHistoricalSociety.org

• The Mission Houses Museum on Oahu offers a walking tour of the Hawaii Capitol Cultural District every second Saturday of the month. Stops include Iolani Palace, the Kamehameha Statue, Lunalilo Tomb, and the Hawaii State Art Museum. www.MissionHouses.org

• Conducted Monday through Thursday by Maui Nei, the Lahaina Historical Walking Tour provides a peek into the history of an area that was once considered the islands’ capital. Listen to lesser-heard stories about Lahaina’s past that made the town’s harbor such an important gateway to the islands. www.MauiNei.com

• The Historic Kailua Village Walking Tour tells the story of a small Hawaiian fishing village on Hawaii’s Big Island. Historic structures such as Hulihee Palace and St. Michael’s Catholic Church indicate Kailua’s importance for royalty and early missionaries. www.KonaHistorical.org