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Some consider Lanai, Hawaii to be Hawaii’s most enticing island. Its lush beauty and year-round pleasant weather make it a popular resort area for seniors.

Lanai HI History

Lanai was first discovered by Kaululaau, the son of a chief on Maui. After Kaululaau destroyed Maui's breadfruit crop, his father banished him to Lanai. For centuries, Hawaiians believed that Lanai was the home of evil spirits so they left the island uninhabited until the 1500’s.

In the 1500’s, people started to settle on the island to try farming. Eventually, private companies tried to produce crops of sugar cane without success. Charles Gay purchased the whole island and tried to introduce sheep ranching, but the venture failed and he was forced to sell out in 1909.

Entrepreneur James Dole purchased the island for about 1.1 million dollars in 1922 to convert parcels of land into pineapple fields. The mass growing and production of tinned pineapple caused the island to be known historically as "The Pineapple Island." At its peak, Lanai exported 75 percent of the world’s pineapple. As the pineapple industry dried up, the Castle & Cooke Company (which now owns 98 percent of the island) shifted from pineapples to tourism. In the early 1990’s, they built two upscale resorts and a pair of championship golf courses.

Lanai Hawaii – Senior Tourist Destination

Today, less than 100 acres of pineapple remain. Lanai, HI is now a popular destination for senior tourists looking for white sand beaches and lush scenery in a friendly, relaxing atmosphere on Hawaii’s most enticing island.