Discover the Best Things to Do in Hawaii for Your Next Adventure

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Choosing which island and planning a trip to Hawaii can be overwhelming, so I’m sharing the best things to do in Hawaii to help you with your travels!

What is the Best Time to Visit Hawaii?

While its temperate weather makes Hawaii a great place to visit year-round, March through September is the best time to visit Hawaii in terms of weather. This timeframe sees the lowest rainfall and the highest temperatures in the islands.

As you might expect, crowds in Hawaii are high during school breaks. Summer, Christmas, and Spring Break all see high hotel occupancy (which translates to higher costs).

September and October are Hawaii’s shoulder season—the weather is great and the kids are in school—making it my favorite time to visit the Hawaiian islands.

What is the Difference Between the Hawaiian Islands?

If you’ve never been to the Hawaiian island chain, you may not realize just how diverse they are!

First a quick geography lesson. The Hawaiian island chain as they run from West to East are Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. The islands to the West are the oldest, while the islands to the East are the newest. Only the Big Island, which is the farthest East, currently sees active lava flow, and because of that the landmass is still growing.

The varying ages of the islands are one of the differentiating factors. The older the island, the more lush and green it is. The newer the island, the more black lava rock you’ll find in the landscape.

Kauai is very lush and green and is home to Waimea Canyon, which has been dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Hiking and snorkeling are popular activities on the island.

Maui is less built-up than Oahu, but more built-up than Kauai. It’s the island I suggest to most first-time visitors as it gives you a sense of Hawaii’s stunning natural beauty and has a good mix of restaurants and shopping without the big city feel of Oahu.

With active lava flow happening intermittently, the Big Island is home to the most alien-feeling landscapes and is a must-visit for that alone! The island also features a mix of beautiful beaches with high-end resorts as well as cozy towns with old Hawaii vibes. The island also boasts eight of the 13 types of climate zones, which means you can experience anything from desert to tropical and even snow atop Mauna Kea in a relatively small landmass.

Maui is less built-up than Oahu, but more built-up than Kauai. It’s the island I suggest to most first-time visitors as it gives you a sense of Hawaii’s stunning natural beauty and has a good mix of restaurants and shopping without the big city feel of Oahu.

With active lava flow happening intermittently, the Big Island is home to the most alien-feeling landscapes and is a must-visit for that alone! The island also features a mix of beautiful beaches with high-end resorts as well as cozy towns with old Hawaii vibes. The island also boasts eight of the 13 types of climate zones, which means you can experience anything from desert to tropical and even snow atop Mauna Kea in a relatively small landmass.

Fast Facts: How the Hawaiian Islands Compare

How to Get to Hawaii

Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island all have international airports that airlines such as United, Delta, and American fly into. Hawaiian Airlines is Hawaii’s largest airline and offers flights from the mainland to the islands as well as interisland flights.