New Parking Fees for Out-of-State Visitors
Hawaii’s state parks offer free parking to residents, but starting next month, out-of-state visitors will be required to pay for parking at four newly designated parks, in addition to entrance fees.
The Hawaii Department of Natural Resources has announced that the new parks affected by this policy are Wailuku River State Park and Kekaha Kai State Park on the Big Island, Wailua River State Park on Kauai, and Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside on Oahu.
The new parking fees will align with the existing system used at ten other parks that already charge nonresidents. For instance, Waiʻanapanapa State Park on Maui currently charges $5 per person for entry for out-of-state visitors aged three and older, along with a $10 parking fee per vehicle. The Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside will have a slightly lower parking fee of $7 due to its nature as a brief stopover near Honolulu.
Commercial vehicles will also incur parking fees based on passenger count.
Officials from Hawaii’s parks department stated that these fees are intended to support ongoing park maintenance, facility upgrades, and long-term resource protection initiatives.
Hawaii is not alone in implementing higher charges for non-residents. In Maryland, local residents enjoy a $2 discount on parking compared to non-Marylanders. Similarly, Oregon state parks offer reduced rates for locals while Idaho charges non-residents double for entry and camping at certain locations.
