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Things to do in Hawaii

A surfer's paradise, these lush volcanic islands are synonymous with golden sunsets and friendly aloha vibes.

Our most recommended things to do in Hawaii

Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City Tour

1. Honolulu: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona, and City Tour

Spend the day visiting the most important historical sites and landmarks of Honolulu, Hawaii. Visit Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, Iolani Palace, Kawaiahao Church, the Hawaii State Capitol, Honolulu City Hall, and more. Begin your tour with a visit to Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Enjoy the exhibits, galleries, and displays before boarding a Navy boat shuttle for a tour of the harbor along “Battleship Row.” Step off the boat to explore the USS Arizona Memorial, then continue to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl Crater. See the historical landmark against a backdrop of rolling hills and lush foliage. Wrap up your experience with a narrated tour of downtown Honolulu. Spot the impressive state buildings and learn about the Iolani Palace, the official residence of Hawaii’s last reigning monarch and the only royal palace in the United States. Make your way to the Hawaii State Capitol grounds. See the Eternal Flame, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials, Liberty Bell, the majestic statue of King Kamehameha, and Kawaiahao Church.

Lahaina: Maui Channel Whale-Watching Catamaran Cruise

2. Lahaina: Maui Channel Whale-Watching Catamaran Cruise

Travel via high-speed catamaran from Lahaina Harbor to the Maui Channel to see the humpback whales, who return to Hawaii for a few months each year to mate and give birth. Get up close to these creatures in their native environment from comfortable table and chair seating. Keep your eyes peeled for whales slapping the surface with their very long side fins, tails, or the strong muscles attaching the tail to the rest of the body. See them spy-hop, when humpback whales come high out of the water to have a look around at the world above. See the majesty of a breaching whale, if you are lucky. This is when a whale rises completely out of the water and crashes down again. Don’t forget to bring your camera and take memorable photos from the shade of a spacious cabin.

Kauai: Buffet Dinner with Open Bar and Luau Kalamaku Show

3. Kauai: Buffet Dinner with Open Bar and Luau Kalamaku Show

Experience an unforgettable evening at Kilohana Plantation's 60-acre orchard and agricultural park. Savor a delightful buffet dinner and watch a spectacular 45-minute main show chronicling an epic sea voyage between Tahiti and Kauai along one of the longest sea roads of Polynesia. Browse the wares at the craft fair of local artisans. Witness the unearthing of the pig from the imu. As you arrive at Kilohana Plantation, enjoy a traditional lei greeting and drinks from the open bar. Sit down to a luau buffet of poi (mashed starchy vegetables), fresh salads, Kalua pork baked in the imu, and seasonal fish. Dig into teriyaki chicken, noodles, fresh fruits, salad, pineapple upside down cake, haupia (coconut pudding), and a banana crème tart. After dinner, relax with live Hawaiian music and marvel at the cast of entertainers, including graceful hula dancers and traditional fire knife and fire poi ball dancing. The interactive stage design with transport you back in time to ancient Polynesia, during the time of the people’s remarkable migration to the Islands. Watch the story of an epic voyage taken by islanders between Tahiti and Kauaʻi on one of the longest sea roads of Polynesia. Through laughter, fear, seduction and fire, a new legacy is created, born from the cherished seeds of their ancestors. Have the chance to take a photo of the cast at the end of the show.

Lahaina: Turtle Town Snorkel and Whale Watching Cruise

4. Lahaina: Turtle Town Snorkel and Whale Watching Cruise

Spot Hawaii's native marine life in its natural habitat on a snorkel cruise to Turtle Town from Lahaina. Swim past green sea turtles, Moorish idols, and even humpback whales. Enjoy an onboard lunch and drinks. Set sail from Lahaina Harbor towards Turtle Town, aka Mala Wharf (if weather conditions allow). See where, in 1992, a powerful hurricane created an artificial reef and sanctuary where corals and other marine life thrive. Spot Moorish idols, green sea turtles, and saddle wrasse while snorkeling here. If snorkel conditions are not ideal at Turtle Town a.k.a. Mala Wharf, cruise to one of the other premier westside snorkel locations such as Honolua Bay, Airport Beach, or Launiupoko. See Hawaiian green sea turtles, brightly colored tropical fish, and beautiful coral reef formations. During the whale season between December to April, observe humpback whales as they enjoy the warm Hawaiian waters (time permitting). Learn from expert narration about the whales and provide a play-by-play commentary of the whales' behavior as you view them.

Oahu: Ka Moana Luau Dinner and Show at Aloha Tower

5. Oahu: Ka Moana Luau Dinner and Show at Aloha Tower

Get tickets to the oceanfront dinner theatre of Ka Moana Luau and enjoy an evening of Polynesian entertainment and a tropical-themed buffet dinner. Sip on a welcome Mai Tai with the celebrity option. Upgrade your experience by choosing hotel transfers from Waikiki. After check-in, head inside the venue where you can take part in a number of cultural activities like lei making, temporary tattoos, hula, and drum lessons, coconut-headband weaving and a coconut tree-climbing demonstration. The buffet selections include: Pre-show appetizers: • Hawaiian-style ahi poke • Tahitian poisson cru • Lomi lomi salmon • Traditional poi • Taro chips • Kiawe wood-roasted organic pork Farm-to-table buffet: • Mixed greens salad • Hapa rice (brown and white rice) • Bread rolls w/ small-batch honey guava butter • Stir-fry veggies • Mahi mahi • Guava chicken • Local kalua pork Dessert: • Haupia • Ube cheesecake Complimentary beverage options: • Fresh lemonade • Water Bar menu: Enhance your Luau experience by indulging in some refreshing Ka Moana pineapple, served in a freshly cut pineapple and filled with a signature cocktail. • Island Mai Tai’s • Tropical Cocktails • Mixed premium and well drinks • Beers: Bud Light, Stella Artois, Kona Big Wave • Soft drinks: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Passion Fruit Orange Juice, bottled water Following dinner, enjoy an award-winning production highlighting the vibrant traditions of Hawaii and Polynesia. The show navigates through Polynesia on a way-finding adventure. Your experience culminates with the Polynesian Sword of Fire dance and don’t be surprised if you find yourself as part of the experience. 

Big Island: Voyagers of the Pacific Luau with Buffet

6. Big Island: Voyagers of the Pacific Luau with Buffet

Visit the Royal Kona Resort to experience an interactive luau show celebrating the rich cultural history of Hawaii with seating on the glimmering shores of Kailua Bay. Feast on a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet with traditional Hawaiian dishes made with local ingredients. Savor authentic island entrees such as teriyaki beef and freshly-caught fish. Be treated to Big Island flavors with sides like, coconut rolls, sweet potato-macaroni salad, and Waipio Valley Poi. Enjoy stir fry vegetables, kalua-style pork and cabbage. Finish off your culinary experiences with tasty favorites like Hawaiian haupia pudding and coconut cake. Sip Mai Tais, wine, beer, and soft drinks as you embrace the local culture and radiant sunset. Then, as drumbeats build, the sensational Voyagers of the Pacific Luau show unfolds on stage. Be captivated by a dramatic show inspired by Polynesian stories told through live music, song, and dance, culminating in the exciting Samoan fire knife dance finale.

Kailua-Kona: Whale Watching Cruise

7. Kailua-Kona: Whale Watching Cruise

Hawaii is the only state in the United States where humpback whales mate, calve and nurse their young. Humpbacks may find Hawaii suitable because of the warm waters, the underwater visibility, the variety of ocean depths and the lack of natural predators. Mothers can be seen breaching alongside their calves and males can be seen competing with one another for females in fierce head-to-head battles. Join a 2.5-hour cruise as you follow these magnificent sea creatures and listen to their singing using the underwater hydrophones. Snacks and beverages will be available during your cruise providing a unique and memorable experience for the whole family.

Big Island, Hawaii: Night Manta Ray Snorkel Experience

8. Big Island, Hawaii: Night Manta Ray Snorkel Experience

Snorkeling with manta rays is a must-do while in Hawaii! Enjoy this amazing opportunity to see manta rays up close. Feed and interact with other ocean creatures on this cruise trip. After a safety briefing, gear up with the snorkeling equipment and wet suits provided. Relax and enjoy the cruise with drinks and snacks on board. Bring your underwater camera for photos and capture memories that will last a lifetime.

Mauna Kea: Summit Sunset & Stargazing Trip with Photo

9. Mauna Kea: Summit Sunset & Stargazing Trip with Photo

Get your photos taken by the stars during this sunset and stargazing adventure on the summit of Mauna Kea. Learn about the area from your guide as you sip on hot chocolate and eat snacks. Choose from pickup and drop-off options at several locations.  Delight in the awe-inspiring sunset at the top of Mauna Kea, the highest point in the Pacific. Get cozy with a parka, gloves, and hot drink as you learn historic accounts of Hawaii, the Big Island, from your guide. Stand amidst the world’s largest collection of research telescopes and see two of the eight telescopes which took the first photo of a black hole. Enjoy your very own private star show with a Celestron telescope. Capture your experience forever with photos taken by your guide on a DSLR camera. Get emailed these photos after your experience. After your unforgettable evening with the stars, depart back to your pickup location for drop-off.

From Ma'alaea Harbor: Whale Watching Tours Aboard the Malolo

10. From Ma'alaea Harbor: Whale Watching Tours Aboard the Malolo

Depart from Maalaea Harbor, easily located off the highway with ample parking. This high-speed catamaran is located at Slip 87 near Coast Guard Station. While on board, enjoy complimentary juices and sodas, and a variety of alcoholic beverages. The optimal whale watching season starts in December and goes through April, during which thousands of humpback whales return to Hawaii for a few months each year to mate and give birth. Depending on the whales’ behavior during your two-hour whale watching trip, you may see any number of whale activity happening, from tail flapping to full body breaching. Keep your eyes peeled for whales slapping the surface with pectoral fins (their very long side fins), flukes (the tail), and the peduncle (the strong muscles attaching the tail to the rest of the body). Keep your fingers crossed for a breach - this is when a whale rises completely out of the water and crashes down again. And most importantly, don’t forget to bring your camera to capture a picture of these amazing animals.

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Frequently asked questions about Hawaii

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What people are saying about Hawaii

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 16,562 reviews

The guide was on time maybe even a few mins early for pick which was great! Since it was more rainy day the waterfall was beautiful! Definitely wear a light rainproof jacket! The valley was wonderful! The lunch was yummy! And the guide was very nice and had great recommendations.

Really liked this vessel.. very clean and great layout for whale watching. Was a super choppy day but the boat and Captain Carlos did a great job making it a comfortable trip. Saw some great activity and probably would have been even better if it wasn’t so choppy.

Great way to see all the beautiful places along the road to Hana. Guide (Marty) very informative and accommodating.

Great crew and awesome adventure! Would definitely recommend

They were very professional and safety was their priority.