things to do on lanai scaled

<p>Looking for things to do on Lanai? LānaÊ»i is a small island off the west coast of Maui. I recently took a day trip there from the island of Oahu and wanted to share my tips for a one-day itinerary. LānaÊ»i is a small island with limited things to see and do, so a day trip is the perfect amount of time to enjoy what the island has to offer. Fly in early in the morning, grab your rental car, explore the island, and fly out late the same afternoon. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-get-to-lanaÊ»i-nbsp">How to get to <a href="https://www.gohawaii.com/islands/lanai">LānaÊ»i</a> ;</h2>



<p>There are no flights from the Continental United States to Hawaii. Currently, you&#8217;ll need to fly to LānaÊ»i (LNY) <a href="https://mokuleleairlines.com/" data-type="link" data-id="https://mokuleleairlines.com/">Mokulele Airlines</a> from Oahu&#8217;s Honolulu Airport (HNL) or Maui&#8217;s Kahului Airport (OGG). Prepare yourself for a small plane. The flight I took from Oahu seated just nine passengers and two pilots. The flight from Oahu was just under an hour and there are several departures a day.</p>



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<p class="is-style-info"><em>This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read ;<a href="https://mostlysolotravel.com/affiliate-third-party-links-disclosure-and-disclaimer/">full disclosure</a> ;for more information.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-to-get-around-lanaÊ»i">How to get around LānaÊ»i</h2>



<p>Book your rental with <a data-type="link" data-id="https://www.acerentacar.com/" href="https://www.acerentacar.com/">Ace Rent a Car</a> (it&#8217;s the only game on the island!) You&#8217;re looking ;at about $200/day for a Jeep rental, which is what you want with all the dirt roads. Worth noting is that the same person who checks you in for your flight on LānaÊ»i handles the rental car pickup/dropoff. The general pace of things in LānaÊ»i is slower, so pack your patience and be prepared to wait.</p>



<div class="wp-block-essential-blocks-call-to-action root-eb-call-to-action-8jh9m"><div class="eb-parent-wrapper eb-parent-eb-call-to-action-8jh9m "><div class="eb-cia-wrapper eb-call-to-action-8jh9m" data-icon="fas fa-umbrella-beach"><div class="eb-cia-text-wrapper"><h3 class="eb-cia-title">Discover the <a href="https://mostlysolotravel.com/best-things-to-do-in-hawaii/">Best Things to do in Hawaii</a></h3><p class="eb-cia-description">From the Big Island to Kauai and everywhere in between, plan your perfect trip!</p></div></div></div></div>



<p>LānaÊ»i is a relatively small, easy-to-navigate island. Get a paper map from the car rental place and be sure to take note of which roads are unpaved as it&#8217;s not advised to drive on them if it has been raining. Being aware of the weather is important when choosing things to do on LānaÊ»i.</p>



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<p>There is also a shuttle and private car service option. More information can be found on the <a href="https://airports.hawaii.gov/lny/getting-to-from/ground-transportation/">LānaÊ»i Airport website</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-eat-on-lanaÊ»i">Where to eat on LānaÊ»i</h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.bluegingercafelanai.com" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.bluegingercafelanai.com">Blue Ginger Cafe</a> is a cash-only restaurant in the heart of LānaÊ»i City. Their operating hours can be a bit fluid (some days they open at 6, other days 6:30. Somdays they&#8217;re open till 8 p.m., other days until just 2 p.m.) so be sure to check their website for current information. Serving everything from Saimin (Hawaii&#8217;s version of chicken noodle soup) and Mahi burgers to pancakes and pastries, the Blue Ginger has options to suit everyone!</p>



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<p>PRO TIP: Bring cash (or your debit card) as some places on-island don&#8217;t take credit cards (or any form of electronic payment).</p>


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<p>You can also pick up sandwiches, salads, snacks, and bottled water at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lanaicityservice/">LānaÊ»i City Service Station</a>, located in LānaÊ»i City. It&#8217;s also the cheapest gas station on the island. It&#8217;s also the only gas station on the island, so I guess that also makes it the most expensive gas station on the island! Credit cards are accepted.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-things-to-do-on-lanaÊ»i">Things to Do on LānaÊ»i</h2>



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<p>Honestly, the <a href="https://lanaicatsanctuary.org/">LānaÊ»i Cat Sanctuary</a> was the reason I visited LānaÊ»i. Crazy cat lady for life, ya know? And it was so, so worth it! Easily one of the best things to do on LānaÊ»i.</p>



<p>Over 600 cats roam the four-acre sanctuary in a variety of outdoor enclosures. This keeps not only the cats but local native birds safe. Visits are donation-based and you&#8217;ll be given a bag of cat treats upon arrival. And boy do the cats know it! You&#8217;ll immediately have half a dozen new best friends when you enter each enclosure. The enclosures are spacious and filled with plenty of room to roam, things to climb, and cozy spots for the cats to snooze in the sunshine.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center" id="h-what-it-s-like-to-visit-the-lanai-cat-sanctuary">What It&#8217;s Like to Visit the Lanai Cat Sanctuary</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-center">Spoiler alert: it&#8217;s purrfect!</p>



<div class="wp-block-essential-blocks-button root-eb-button-1ixq5"><div class="eb-parent-wrapper eb-parent-eb-button-1ixq5 "><div class="eb-button-wrapper eb-button-alignment eb-button-1ixq5"><div class="eb-button"><div class="eb-button-inner-wrapper "><a class="eb-button-anchor " href="https://mostlysolotravel.com/what-its-like-to-visit-lanai-cat-sanctuary/" rel="noopener">Read Meow</a></div></div></div></div></div>
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<p>Many of the cats will eat out of your hand and welcome all the petting and brushing you&#8217;re willing to give. There are other, more shy cats, who prefer to observe you from a distance, but all of the cats are well-cared for by the team, who even flies in a vet from Oahu to ensure that the cats are in good health.</p>



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<p>Located on the northern side of LānaÊ»i, Shipwreck Beach, also known as Kaiolohia, is roughly a 30-minute drive from LānaÊ»i City. As you get further from town, the roads turn from paved to dirt and get narrower and more winding, but it&#8217;s a perfectly safe drive with stunning views! The eight-mile stretch of beach has had numerous ships wrecked along its coast and you can still see the hull of a wrecked tanker on its reef. Shipwreck Beach is not a swimming beach, but one to enjoy wandering and sightseeing. There is no shade, no restrooms, and no concessions, so be sure to pack appropriately.</p>



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<p>Keahiakawelo, commonly known as Garden of the Gods, is a rock garden located about 45 minutes from LānaÊ»i City. Because it had been raining, the rental car agency advised me to not visit Garden of the Gods due to the condition of the road and I chose to listen to that advice. I&#8217;m sad to have missed the storied spot and its otherwordly seeming rock formations caused by centuries of erosion. Guess I&#8217;ll just have to go back!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-stay-on-lanaÊ»i">Where to stay on LānaÊ»i</h2>



<p>If you choose to spend more than a day on LānaÊ»i, there are a few lodging options. The primary options are <a href="https://trip.tp.st/hQjKPT7e">Hotel LānaÊ»i</a>, <a href="https://trip.tp.st/hQjKPT7e">Four Seasons Resort LānaÊ»i</a>, and <a href="https://trip.tp.st/hQjKPT7e">Sensei LānaÊ»i, A Four Seasons Resort</a>. There are also a few bed and breakfast options as well as Airbnbs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-like-it-put-a-pin-on-it">If you like it, put a pin on it!</h2>



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