Hawaii Tours & Activities

A week is a good time frame to see an island with a few days for relaxing at the beach but with 10 to 14 days you can feel comfortable splitting up your time between two islands. The smaller islands of Kauai and Oahu can be enjoyed with 3 to 5 days but Maui and the Big Island both need a bit more time as you will have more ground (and activities) to cover.

While there is no real wrong answer about where to go in Hawaii, Oahu is the most visited with over half of all Hawaii visitors stay here. The island is considered the most affordable and the most accessible. Excursions to another island for the day are easy from Oahu.

Though any time of the year is beautiful in Hawaii peak season (meaning most expensive) is mid December through March and mid June through August. Low season is spring (April thru mid June) and fall (September to mid December). Plan well and book early for peak season travel.

Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee and more than one third of the world’s commercial pineapple is grown here. There are four main islands (the Big Island, Maui, Oahu and Kauai) and four smaller islands – Lana’i, Molokai, Niihau (off limits to visitors) and Kahoolawe (uninhabited).

Traditional Hawaiian food consists of dishes like kalua pork (roasted in an underground oven), chicken long rice, poi, laulau and lomi lomi salmon. These dishes can be found as a plate lunch (served with rice and mac salad) or enjoyed at a luau.

Hawaii basically has two seasons – the dry season (April thru October) and the wet season of (November thru March). Tropical storms or hurricanes can develop nearby in the summer months but the cool deep waters to the east of the islands often deflect or knock out big summer storms.

If you’re traveling during peak season (summer and winter months) at least a month or more in advance is a good idea. During the low season a few weeks in advance is usually enough to find desired lodging and flights.

Peak season activities should be booked 2 to 3 weeks before arrival but some of the more popular stuff like zipline tours and well known luaus can require earlier bookings (4 or more weeks).

Some things are easy to do on your own, like getting in some beach time or strolling around town. However many adventures are much better with a guide. Tours often have access to remote locations and guides provide insider knowledge about the history, flora and fauna and other things to do on the island. Taking a tour is the easiest way to relax and not have to think about food, where to go and how to stay safe and comfortable during your excursions.