Your Guide to What’s Open in Hawaii

This entry was posted in West Hawaii Lifestyle on .

The state of Hawaii has entered the “Act with Care” stage which is phase three of the Governor’s strategy to reopen Hawaii. According to the Governor’s office this phase “depends on venues taking steps to mitigate COVID-19 and Hawaii’s people acting with care.” As of June 1, medium-risk businesses can begin to operate under social-distancing guidelines. For Big Island, this means the following businesses are able to resume operations:

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  • Places of worship
  • Salons
  • Barber shops
  • Beauty operators
  • Restaurants (excluding bars and nightclubs)
  • Indoor exercise facilities
  • Museums and Theaters
  • Outdoor spaces (ocean tours, some outside pools and some summer camps)

News outlet, Big Island Now, has developed a useful resource to find out which businesses are open on Hawaii Island. Check it out here.

One place that was fortunately never closed for business in Hawai’i was nature. While gatherings and normal use of beaches, trails, and parks were restricted, outdoor exercise has been permitted in some places on island and in the water. As residents, we have been lucky enough to escape the confines of our homes and catch a sunset surf or go on a trail run. Last month, Hawaii State parks began opening under new restrictions and hours of operations. Places like Hapuna Beach and Magic Sand’s have begun to draw people who are happy to soak up sun rays and go for a swim in the clear and beautiful waters. Check the list of state parks open here. However, with the mandatory travel quarantine still in place until at least July 30, even with the local beachgoers, many of us at LUVA Real Estate have never seen our beaches so empty and the streets of Ali’i Drive not bustling with activity. On neighboring islands, like Oahu, residents are venturing into areas usually dominated by tourists, like Waikiki. As reported in this West Hawaii article , some residents are enjoying the unusually slow Waikiki but realize that this slow-down is temporary, as hospitality and tourism is a major factor for Hawaii’s economy. One resident saying “Tourism fuels the economy. If they’re not working, then Hawai’i can’t sustain itself.”