Hawaii continues to show the peak of desirability, taking four of the top ten awards for Readers Choice according to CNN and Conde Nast Traveler. These awards are for the best islands in the USA.
This year, Maui moved up to fourth place as the highest-rated island in Hawaii and the USA. Lanai came off the top ten list, and Kauai gained its spot. Big Island and Oahu are still in the top 10 but ranked lower than the year before.
There have been many articles written about the top 10 lists and how we use them. In a way, it’s because of how busy we all are, and so we let others tell us what to like. That saves us time from having to do our own research.
I think we all agree, however, that we have favorite islands, and we choose them by what matches our personalities and interests. That’s something a top-ten list clearly can’t do.
Lanai, for example, fell off the top ten list this year but is still the same island as the year before when it was ranked 8th best in the USA.
The good news is that four islands in Hawaii are still in the top 10. Even with the skyrocketing costs of a Hawaii vacation, the infighting about pros and cons of Hawaii tourism, and the still proposed $50 green fee, we all love Hawaii after more than a half-century since it became America’s most enchanting beach destination.
Top Islands: Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 CNN and Conde Nast Traveler
As we indicated, Hawaii took four of the top ten positions for top islands in the U.S. The list is as follows:
- Hilton Head Island, S.C.95.60
- Kiawah Island, S.C.95.11
- Amelia Island, Fla. 93.76
- Maui, Hawaii 92.19 (ranked 5th in 2022)
- Nantucket, Mass. 91.32
- Sanibel Island, Fla. 90.69
- Oahu, Hawaii 89.28 (ranked 6th in 2022)
- Mackinac Island, Mich. 89.08
- Kauai, Hawaii 89.06 (new to the list this year)
- Big Island, Hawaii 89.01 (ranked 7th in 2022)
If you were writing this list, how would you rank the islands in Hawaii? Would Lanai or Molokai make your cut?
Kona resorts
Hey, what about Galveston?!?
Hope Lanai remakes list but I know there have been changes to island..I was last there in summer of 1972.Are there no more wake- up calls at 5:30AM to get to fields?
Did CNN and Conde Nast Traveler limit responders to actual visitors to Hawaii?
BOH, thank you for the upbeat article.
I love Southwest, that’s the only airline I fly with now.
Other airlines give low fares like frontier but when you add up the cost for a carry on, $60 a NOT buying it then cost of seats.
Hawaiian was my favorite flew free with miles etc…mostly over the world, but they lost my business from overcharging, seat fares and outrageous bag fees. Seats aren’t all that comfy and I have many family members working there but I refuse to use their family fare etc…lots of delays
Etc… so, my pick is Southwest airlines
Their friendly in my experiences.
I’m not here to badger any airline, that was just my experience.
If I could fly a plane like before, I would fly myself. 🤗
Completely personal and subjective review from me. The Hawaii order of rank appear about right. Been to all the ones listed, but as we have became more discriminating with our tourist dollar we gravitated towards Maui as the range of scenery and adventures fit our personality, as you say. Oahu is a great second choice: should be everyone’s first Hawaii experience and go from there. Kauai is a natural third place finisher for its lush attractions – but we like a little nightlife and there is none. Big Island a close fourth – maybe the best weather but outside of lava flows, just not a lot to see that you can’t see on Maui. Anyone is blessed to see just one of these amazing islands. We have been blessed more than we deserved.
I have not been to Lanai but we did spend 2 weeks on Molokai many years ago. There’s some beautiful scenery but the snorkeling was not good. We did enjoy the mule trip and hikes in the pristine forest etc. but Molokai would not make my cut for best island because I love snorkeling. We trapped 36 mice in our condo on that trip! There was an island wide infestation. We call it our Molokai Mouse vacation.
Sorry, to SC and FL but in my opinion if you can drive over a bridge to get there it’s not really an island. Loving all the Hawaiian islands and traveling there more than just annually for 35 years, there really is no comparison.
BOH,
I think you meant that Maui is 4th in the country, not in Hawaii.
Hi Pat.
Thank you!
Aloha.
I live on the number one island, Hilton Head. We travel to at least one Hawaiian island every 6-12 months because the lush tropical islands are so vastly different than the east coast barrier island. Hard to compare but equally committed to natural surroundings
To me, those other islands on the mainland are not even comparable to the Island of Hawai’i.
I agree! A friend said there’s a Lot of beautiful places in the world, but Hawaii is God’s masterpiece! :))