Traveling from California to Hawaii: No States in Between

If you're looking at a map and wondering which U.S. states you'd cross driving from California to Hawaii, the answer is simple: none. Hawaii is an isolated volcanic archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, situated over 2,000 miles from the California coast. There are no roads, bridges, or ferries that connect the mainland to the islands.

The only ways to reach Hawaii from California are by air or sea. Nonstop flights from major California airports (LAX, SFO, SAN, OAK, SJC) to Honolulu (HNL), Kahului (OGG), Kona (KOA), or Lihue (LIH) take roughly 5.5 to 6 hours. For a more leisurely journey, several cruise lines offer round-trip voyages from Los Angeles or San Diego, typically lasting 14 to 16 days with several days at sea each way.

So while you won't pass through any other states, you will cross the vast Pacific Ocean—one of the most memorable "state lines" you'll ever traverse.