Kualoa Ranch

"Kualoa Ranch on Oahu is known for its lush scenery and has been featured in several Jurassic Park films. The ranch offers tours of its filming locations by various means of transport." - Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer, an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeare

"A 4,000-acre nature preserve and working cattle ranch featured in the original Jurassic Park and Jurassic World films. This coveted location has proven to be a goldmine, reeling in more than $1 billion in visitor spending in 2022, according to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism." - Taryn White

"This 4,000-acre private nature reserve moonlights as an adventure playground and also a film set. Kaaawa Valley serves as Hollywood's "Hawaii backlot" and has hosted more than four dozen shoots, ranging from Elvis hits to Jurassic Park and 50 First Dates . It recently blazed across the silver screen in 2016's Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates , as the stars forded rivers and tore past jungled mountains on ATVs. Visitors can follow in their tire treads with rip-roaring one- and two-hour tours. Riders must be 16 years old and wearing closed-toe shoes (long pants are also highly recommended). Add $15 for the Kualoa shuttle to and from Waikiki."

"Best Oahu Day Trip Why would a local visit a tourist attraction? Because Kualoa is a beautiful escape and a place to appreciate Hawaiian culture. Building sprees that began in the early 1900s spread across Hawaii with no concern for desecrating places of cultural significance or taro farmland, making it more remarkable that this land system running from the mountains to the sea, known as an ahupua'a, still exists. The Morgan family, descendants of Dr. Gerrit P. Judd, land-owner after King Kamehameha III, have diligently kept the integrity of the area intact while providing a financial base to preserve Kualoa's 4000 acres on Oahu. Drive out to the ranch on your own or arrange a Waikiki pick-up, then take in a full or half-day of tours, a beach day, and dinner show. Kualoa Ranch has been a scene-stealer in many movies and a tour will drive you through some of the locations. If horseback riding is your thing, experienced wranglers can set you up on well-kept horses. While your gentle mount does all of the work, magnificent vistas will leave you breathless. For those preferring their horsepower with four tires, there are ATV rides or, a jungle expedition in a Pinzgauer up mountain trails stopping for a stunning view of Kane'ohe Bay, an 800-year-old fishpond and a tiny island called Mokoli'i. There are easy options like the garden tour and fishpond boat ride. Everyone will enjoy the authentic Hawaiian show featuring ancient dances about Kualoa while dining under the stars."