HAWAIIAN ISLANDS RANKED ‘BEST ADVENTURE VACATIONS’ IN USA
U.S. News and World Report List Ranks Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island in Top 10
HONOLULU – Americans looking for adventure on their holidays favor the Hawaiian Islands, with Kauai ranked No. 3, Maui No. 4 and Hawaii Island No. 7 in the U.S. News and World Report’s list of “16 Best Adventure Vacations in the USA” released today.
“The U.S. News and World Report’s Best Adventure Vacations ranking naming Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island in the top ten is a great recognition for our state,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “This honor is a testament to the things that make Hawaii special – our people, place and culture, and the commitment of our visitor industry in providing visitors with a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.”
The ranking cites Kauai’s “acres of misty rainforests, plummeting waterfalls and jagged cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean;” Maui’s “plethora of heart-pounding options from sea kayaking to mule riding;” and Hawaii Island’s “black volcanic deserts, tumbling waterfalls, lush rainforests and five volcanoes.”
“The natural beauty of our islands shape the many activities our visitors participate in, from soft adventure to the more extreme,” said John Monahan, president and CEO of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. “We’ve been working hard marketing Hawaii’s rich active adventure experiences and are pleased to see three Hawaiian Islands in the top 10. We encourage visitors to keep exploring all six unique islands – Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii Island.”
The new rankings reflect how strongly a destination is recommended by an independent collection of published travel writers and by U.S. News Travel website users.
“Whether in the fall or any time of year, everyone is looking for a great travel experience,” said Chad Smolinski, Vice President of Rankings and Reviews at U.S. News and World Report. “Our vacation rankings help travelers find places that others would recommend in a heartbeat.”
Today’s launch is a part of the 2011-2012 U.S. News Best Vacations rankings, which are updated annually. In total, more than 100 top destinations were considered in the current rankings, and that list will likely double in the coming year. The opinions of travel writers and consumers distinguish these award-winning destinations from other vacation spots. The 2011-2012 award winners for Best Adventure Vacations in the USA are below. The complete lists are published at http://travel.usnews.com.
16 Best Adventure Vacations in the USA
1. Yellowstone
2. Yosemite
3. Kauai
4. Maui
5. Puerto Rico
6. Grand Canyon
7. Hawaii, the Big Island
8. Outer Banks
9. Portland, OR
10. U.S. Virgin Islands
11. Key West
12. San Francisco
13. San Diego
14. Seattle
15. South Padre Island
16. Miami Beach
For information on the Islands of Hawaii:
www.gohawaii.com
Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau
2270 Kalakaua Avenue
Suite 801
Honolulu, HI USA 96815
Phone: 800-464-2924
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