19 Hawaii Instagram Accounts To Follow Before Visiting the Islands
Because you can never have too many waves and palm trees in your scroll.
These Hawaii Instagram feeds will get you even more excited about your upcoming trip to Hawaii (or inspire you to book one) with their diverse showcase of the Islands’ sights and destinations.
1. For Waikiki: @the96815
Aka, Nova Rizzo
Nova has quickly become social media’s go-to account for all things Waikiki—the hotels to stay at, the hole-in-the-walls to grab a musubi from and which colorful resort umbrella to order a tropical drink at. And, somehow, she manages to make Waikiki look appealing to locals, who may otherwise brush the city off as “too touristy,” with a welcoming eye that captures the strip during its quieter, more peaceful moments.
2. For food: @alanakysar
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This Maui native is a blogger and cookbook author—and her photos will make you want to lick the screen.
READ MORE: Q&A with Maui Food Blogger Alana Kysar
3. For the North Shore, Oahu: @brooklynhawaii
Aka, Brooke Dombroski
Fair warning: Five photos into Brooke’s feed and you’ll be wondering how to trade lives with the North Shore creative. Sunsets, drool-worthy acai bowls, and the most stylish squad of surfers cruise so cooly through her Instagram you can practically feel the light ocean spray through your screen.
4. For culture: @ge_keoni
Aka, GE Keoni
Whenever Keoni visits a place in the Islands he does thorough research on its moolelo (stories/legends) giving not just a stunning photo, but a detailed caption on the area’s roots to its indigenous peoples—a reminder that Hawaii is so much more than just “a pretty place.”
5. For witty visual commentary: @misterver
Aka, who knows?
From the most mysterious (and tongue-in-cheek) Instagram account out of Hawaii, you never know what kind of shot you’re going to get from @misterver, and that’s exactly the fun of it. Where most Instagram feeds will naturally gravitate to Hawaii’s beaches and mountains, @misterver sticks to Honolulu’s urban core, catching slice-of-life city moments that are part-photo-journalism, part-New Yorker covers. Always full of juxtapositions to linger on before hitting “like.”
6. For the great outdoors: @threeifbysea
Aka, Nainoa, Makana and Kapono Ciotti
A shared account among three Hawaiian brothers, @threeifbysea can be anywhere in the Islands at any given time, whether it’s by air, land or sea. Spend a minute on this account and there’s a 105% chance you’ll be lacing up your hiking boots in the process.
7. For fashion: @pineappleice
Aka, Lindsey Higa
The Honolulu-based wardrobe stylist and fashion blogger is always mixing high and low pieces to serve up some solid #WhatToWearToday inspo to reference on any given day, especially for the Islands’ sunny climate (and, yes, she’ll somehow inspire you to wear a leather jacket in Hawaii). Also, her collection of sunglasses? To die for. And, not sure what exact hairstyle she’s currently rocking, but it’ll have you going to your nearest salon asking for The Higa.
8. For staying active: @chelseakauai
Aka, Chelsea Yamase
Chelsea’s account will #motivate you to get up early, load up that fire playlist and, as seen here, race up a mountain. She’s basically living in the lushest Nike commercial and we want to too.
9. For hidden waterfalls: @josiahwg
Aka, Josiah William Gordon
As described in his bio, this self-proclaimed “sunburn expert” is always outside, ascending summits and mingling with waterfalls. The latter is our favorite and the fantastical storybook-ready photos speak for themselves.
10. For random escapades: @randomrob_
Aka, Rob Law
It’s in his handle. Rob’s excursions are erratic and adventurous, but always unexpectedly whimsical, like a cross between something you’d see in a rock-climbing magazine and a Hayao Miyazaki movie.
11. For seaside Kona living: @elanaloo
Aka, Elana Jadallah
Want to know what it’s like to live in a charming coastal community on Hawaii Island? Peer into Elana’s life that’s glowing with recommendations for which restaurants to check out, boutiques to browse and beaches to lounge about at.
12. For drone shots: @opticalhi
Aka, Jimmy Wilkinson
Get high on Hawaii—a droner’s paradise which Jimmy proves with some of the best aerial shots of the Islands (Oahu, specifically) that we’ve seen.
13. For throwback Hawaii: @fotoaloha
Aka, Spencer
You can get lost in nostalgia on this account filled with vintage postcards, retro fashion shoots and advertisements, bygone diners, archival photos and present-day images of historic places across Hawaii. And, if you’re a lover of dated automobiles and mid-century architecture, Spencer is an instant follow.
14. For moody green landscapes: @nolank808
Aka, Nolan K.
If there’s anyone who can make an overcast day in Hawaii look enticing, it’s Nolan. His images steer towards the more melancholy side of the color spectrum—muddy, grungy trails and deep, emerald mountainsides—that will inspire you to still get outside even when the weather isn’t something you’d see on a postcard.
15. For marine life: @chadkoga
Aka, Chad Koga
Chad spends most of his time all over the island of Kauai, but his standout stuff is any time he’s underwater. Humpback whales, honu (green sea turtles) and maybe the best #DolphinLeapingOutOfTheOceanInFrontOfTheNapaliCoast shot ever, all of which belong in your Instagram feed.
16. For lava: @tomkualii
Aka, Tom Kualii
Tom is based on Hawaii Island has been shooting the phenomenal power and intensity of Kilauea for decades. With the recent 61g lava flow ocean entry, now is a great time to revisit his work. Striking and poetic.
17. For straight up surfing: @zaknoyle
Aka, Zak Noyle
Hawaii’s-own Zak is arguably the most prominent surf photographer in the world right now and here’s where to see some of his stuff before they make it into leading surf publications. Perfect shots, like this one of Kelly Slater, that give you an inside perspective to the surf community and tubes you may not be finessed enough to ride.
19. For, well, everything: @jake_of_all_trades
Aka, Jake Marote
Waves, hammocking, outrigger canoeing, sunsets, drone shots, coral reefs, tako, jungles, caves, stargazing (and the list goes on), Jake pretty much has all the Islands, and everything we love about them, covered.
Bonus #20 follow! For HAWAIʻI, behind-the-scenes: @hawaiimagazine
A little self-shout out here! To follow our editors, writers and photographers while on assignment across the Islands, follow us at @hawaiimagazine and come along for the story.
