.png){kind=logo}
Welcome to our page of Hawaii trivia questions! Hawaii is a state known for its beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and unique history, making it a fascinating destination for trivia enthusiasts. Our selection of questions covers a wide range of topics including the state's history, culture, geography, and landmarks. Whether you're a native of Hawaii or just a curious learner, our trivia questions will help you discover new and exciting information about this great state.
For those interested in the history of Hawaii, our trivia questions will take you through the state's past, from its early days as a Hawaiian Kingdom to the present. We also cover the state's famous landmarks such as the Mauna Kea, the USS Arizona Memorial and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Culture enthusiasts can learn about the state's rich cultural heritage, traditional customs, and local art forms.
Hawaii's geography and wildlife are also an important part of the state's identity, and our questions cover information about the state's natural wonders like the Waimea Canyon, the Napali Coast and the unique wildlife such as the Hawaiian Monk Seal and the state bird, the Nene.
Our trivia questions are designed to be challenging yet entertaining, making them perfect for individuals, families, or groups of friends. Whether you're looking for a fun way to pass the time or you want to test your knowledge of Hawaii, our trivia questions are sure to provide hours of entertainment.
1. The keynote speaker at the 1968 Democratic Convention was Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye. 36 years later, what Hawaiian-born politician and future president gave the keynote at the 2004 Democratic Convention?
Answer: Barack Obama
2. Duke Kahanamoku, a Native Hawaiian, was an Olympic swimmer for the U.S. national team. But he’s probably best known for popularizing what sport, whose iconic boards were developed from Hawaiian olo?
Answer: Surfing
3. Daniel Inouye, fighting in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II lost his right arm to a grenade wound. That didn’t stop him from serving over 50 consecutive years as a congressman from what tropical U.S. state whose busiest airport now bears his name?
Answer: Hawaii
4. A recovered anchor from the USS Arizona is on display at what memorial's visitor center in Hawaii?
Answer: Pearl Harbor
5. A precursor to Wi-Fi was an Ethernet connection, and a precursor to Ethernet was the ALOHAnet, which used a UHF wireless packet network to connect parts of what U.S. state?
Answer: Hawaii
6. The remains of what U.S. battleship can be viewed from above the water at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii?
Answer: USS Arizona
7. In the 2002 Disney film "Lilo & Stitch," Lilo teaches her alien companion that what five-letter Hawaiian word means "family," adding that "no one gets left behind"?
Answer: Ohana
8. "Dolphin" or "dolphinfish" are sometimes swapped in on menus for the repetitive eight-letter Hawaiian name of what fish that is very much a fish-fish and not a dolphin?
Answer: Mahi-mahi
9. The Kona Coast of Hawaii's Big Island is the only major production area in the U.S. of what crop?
Answer: Coffee
10. Which two U.S. states do not observe Daylight Saving Time?
Answer: Arizona and Hawaii
11. The improbably named Cobra Bubbles is a social worker who used to be a CIA agent in what 2002 Disney animated film set in Hawaii?
Answer: Lilo and Stitch
12. What district of Hawaii's "Big Island" is famous for the coffee grown on the slopes of volcanoes like Mauna Loa?
Answer: Kona
13. In 1778, Captain James Cook wrote about surfing after observing the religious tradition of wave-riding among men in which state?
Answer: Hawaii
14. As odd as it may sound, the Iolani Palace is the only royal palace that’s on U.S. soil. It was the royal residence from 1845 until 1893, when the monarchy was overthrown in what is now what U.S. state?
Answer: Hawaii
15. The 'i'iwi, also known as the scarlet honeycreeper, is a recognizable symbol of what U.S. state?
Answer: Hawaii
16. If you were to take a stroll down Waikiki Beach, you’d come across a statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the Hawaiian known for popularizing the sport of surfing. While surfing wasn’t part of the Olympics back then, he did win medals in 1912, 1920, and 1924 in what sport?
Answer: Swimming
17. Who is the Hawaii-born golfer who announced she was turning professional in 2005, just one week before her sixteenth birthday? As part of turning pro, she signed eight-figure sponsorship contracts with both Nike and Sony.
Answer: Michelle Wie West
18. An 1845 building found in what state capital is the only royal palace in what's now the United States?
Answer: Honolulu
19. Which state’s official bird is Branta sandvicensis, which is also known simply as the nene?
Answer: Hawaii
20. "When Versace Locked You Uptown" is a fake song title we just made by snatching words from hit songs by what Hawaiian pop star?
Answer: Bruno Mars
21. It makes sense with all the surfing: a super simple online database is known by what four-letter Hawaiian word for “speedy”?
Answer: Wiki
22. What hybrid form of hobbyist transportation is also known as sidewalk surfing and originated in Hawaii in 1959 as a combination of skateboarding and surfing?
Answer: Longboarding
23. A'a and pahoehoe are words from the Hawaiian language used to describe differing types of what naturally occurring substance?
Answer: Lava
24. What Hawaiian sugar company built a ditch to send water to its sugar fields in 1907, an engineering marvel that stands to this day?
Answer: Kekaha
25. In 1959, Hiram Fong became the first Asian-American U.S. Senator after being elected as one of the first two Senators of what non-mainland state?
Answer: Hawaii
26. Hawaii and Florida are the only two states that have which type of warm, moist climate?
Answer: Tropical
27. What landlocked state was admitted to the Union in 1912, the last continental state to do so before the admission of Hawaii and Alaska?
Answer: Arizona
28. Famous English explorer Captain James Cook was killed in 1779 in which modern-day U.S. state?
Answer: Hawaii
29. A 27-foot-tall obelisk on the coast of Kealakekua Bay, on Hawaii's "Big Island," marks the spot where what explorer met his end in 1779?
Answer: Captain James Cook
30. On what Hawaiian island would you find the largest coffee farm in the U.S., which produces half of the Arabica beans grown in the country?
Answer: Kauai
31. Which goose native to Hawaii gets most of its hydration needs met by eating berries and grass rather than from water?
Answer: Nene
32. A critical 1942 victory for Allied forces in the Pacific is named for what atoll in the Hawaiian archipelago, which is roughly equidistant between North America and Asia?
Answer: Midway Atoll
33. In September 2024, Alaska Airlines Group completed the acquisition of what other airline? Despite being headquartered nearly 3,000 miles away from one another, the merger of these two airlines makes a specific kind of sense.
Answer: Hawaiian Airlines
34. Although most of the world’s supply is grown in Hawaii as a result of its volcanic soil, the Macadamia tree is native to what big ol' Southern Hemisphere country about 9,000 km away from Hawaii?
Answer: Australia
35. A group of extremely tall and striking members of the aster family called "silverswords" or "greenswords" are only found in what island chain?
Answer: Hawaii
36. Captain America likes them! Commonly found in both Hawaii and Iceland, what type of volcano is characterized by a broad, shallow profile formed by the eruption of low-viscosity lava flows?
Answer: Shield Volcano
37. Peter Gene Hernandez is the real name of what famous pop star who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on October 8, 1985?
Answer: Bruno Mars
38. Known as "le'ahi," or "brow of the tuna" in Hawaiian, what is the English name of the volcanic cone that is Hawaii's most popular state park?
Answer: Diamond Head
39. Colt Brennan, a prolific college quarterback from 2005-2007 with the most 400-yard games in NCAA history, played for what isolated college? It has been a member of the Mountain West Conference since 2012.
Answer: University Of Hawaii
40. In the late 19th century, Protestant missionary Elisha Loomis developed a standardized alphabet for what language, using five vowels and the consonants H, K, L, M, N, P, and W?
Answer: Hawaiian
41. The nene is a species of black goose that in 1957 was named the official state bird of what U.S. State, to which it is endemic?
Answer: Hawaii
42. To honor a man who became more famous as the namesake for a popular food, Captain Cook gave what name to the islands now known as Hawaii?
Answer: Sandwich islands
43. "Democracy," a novel set in Hawaii and Southeast Asia focusing on the wife of a U.S. senator, is a novel by what American writer of "Slouching Towards Bethlehem" and "The Year of Magical Thinking"?
Answer: Joan Didion
44. What Timex watch was introduced at a Hawaii athletic event in 1986 and quickly became the best-selling watch in the United States?
Answer: Ironman
45. What new journalism pioneer and author of the essay collection "Political Fictions" also wrote about a U.S. senator from Hawaii in her 1984 novel "Democracy?"
Answer: Joan Didion
46. Although Everest is the tallest mountain from sea level to peak, which mountain is the tallest from its beneath-sea-level base to its peak? From Hawaiian, the two-word name means "White Mountain."
Answer: Mauna Kea
47. The pueo, a subspecies of short-eared owl with the Latin name Asio flammeus sandwichensis, is endemic to what U.S. state?
Answer: Hawaii
48. What is the only extant species of geese that is not found in continental areas, but only on an island group in the Pacific?
Answer: Nene
49. A 7 (in Squamish), a question mark (in Crow), a k (in Malay), and an apostrophe-like shape called an 'okina (in Samoan or Hawaiian) are all ways of writing what consonant sound common to many world languages?
Answer: Glottal stop
50. In 2015, which Hawaii-based cargo shipping company acquired Horizon Lines (its major rival) in a $469 million deal?
Answer: Matson
Water Cooler Trivia is well-equipped to provide you with exciting and engaging trivia quizzes.
So, how does it work?
Each week, our team will deliver original trivia quizzes straight to your inbox.
All you have to do is pick the categories.
You can leave the rest of the heavy lifting to us.
Take Water Cooler Trivia for a test run with our four-week free trial.
We do everything we can to ensure that Water Cooler Trivia's questions are appropriate, relevant, and accurate. Our database has tens of thousands of questions, so we don't always get it right. If you see a question that needs editing, we would love if you let us know here or email quizmaster@watercoolertrivia.com.
.png)