Planning a trip to Hawaii? You’re in for a treat! This chain of islands is one of the most beautiful and exciting destinations in the U.S. It’s also one of the most interesting. Some fun Hawaiian facts are fairly well-known, like the many meanings of the word “aloha.” Others, however, are a little more obscure. Check out these fascinating tidbits of info about the Aloha state:
1. Hawaii is the second-widest state
The only state wider than Hawaii measured east to west is Alaska. Other than that, the island state manages to outstretch any other – it measures 1,523 miles across. To give you an idea for scale, that’s more than twice as wide as Texas.
2. The Big Island is getting bigger
The Big Island’s Kilauea Volcano is constantly erupting, which means the island gets bigger every year. The volcano has been erupting since 1983, and as a result, the island gains about 42 acres of land annually. The island is already Hawaii’s biggest, but it seems that title will only become more appropriate with time.
The islands were created by volcanoes, and they’ll continue to grow because of them.3. Hawaii has the world’s tallest mountain
Move over Everest – Mauna Kea is the world’s tallest mountain – that is, if you define “tallness” a little differently. Everest goes much, much higher above sea level than Mauna Kea – the Nepalese peak reaches 29,035 feet above sea level, while the Big Island’s dormant volcano reaches less than half that high – 13,796 feet. However, Mauna Kea extends another 19,700 feet below sea level – which means its total height is a whopping 33,500 feet. If they were on a level surface, Mauna Kea would tower over Everest!
4. Time is different in Hawaii
Many people will tell you that people move at a slower, more relaxed pace in Hawaii. What you might not know is that Hawaiian time doesn’t just refer to this phenomenon – the islands have their own designated time zone. Moreover, they don’t follow daylight saving time in Hawaii. This makes it one of only two states that don’t adhere to this tradition – the other is Arizona.
5. Pineapples galore
Hawaii produces 32,000 tons of pineapples each year. This comes out to one-third of the world’s total pineapple production, all from this single small island chain. If you come to Hawaii, you can visit the Dole Plantation, which features a pineapple plantation tour and a giant maze you can solve yourself.
6. The curvy Road to Hana
Many of Hawaii’s visitors head to Maui to travel down the Road to Hana. This is a famous Hawaiian highway with tons of great sites and stops along the path. As anyone who has ever driven it well knows, it’s also an incredibly curvy path. How curvy? Well, it’s a 64-mile long road with 617 curves along the way. That’s just under 10 curves each mile! If you travel along the Road to Hana, remember to drive safely and enjoy every twist and turn.