Hawaii · best-of list
10 Top Things to Do in Hawaii
All 10 things to do our route editors picked in Hawaii, across 5 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
10 things to do in Hawaii, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Big Island 3 picks
Kīlauea Iki Trail
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
4-mile loop through rainforest and across a still-steaming crater floor.
Tip: Start early before the crater floor heats up.
Photo: Carlos Archuleta · Google
Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Stargazing at 9,200 ft on one of the world's top observatory peaks.
Tip: Bring warm layers and check road status; not for under-13s or pregnancy.
Photo: ぷーちん · Google
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
Big Island · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Restored royal grounds and place of refuge on a lava shoreline.
Tip: Snorkel next door at Two Step for reef fish and turtles.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domain
Maui 2 picks
Molokini Crater
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Boat snorkel trip to a half-sunken crater with very clear water.
Tip: Book a morning boat from Maalaea; seas get rough after noon.
Photo: ServTek · Google
Road to Hana
Maui · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Winding coastal drive with waterfalls, bamboo forest and lookouts.
Tip: Start by 7am, fill gas in Paia, and drive back before dark.
Photo: Rama M · Google
Oahu 2 picks
Diamond Head State Monument
Oahu · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Steep 1.6-mile round-trip trail up a volcanic crater rim with views over Waikiki.
Tip: Non-residents must reserve an entry slot online; go at the first slot to beat heat.
Photo: David Cain · Google
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Oahu · On our Hawaii Paradise route
Boat out to the USS Arizona Memorial and walk the museums on the 1941 attack.
Tip: Reserve free USS Arizona tickets on recreation.gov; no bags allowed.
Photo: Victor-ny · CC BY-SA 3.0
Waikiki 2 picks
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Waikiki · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Pink 1927 Spanish-Moorish hotel on Waikiki Beach, with gardens and a beachfront bar open to visitors.
Tip: Walk through the lobby and gardens to the beach, then have a mai tai at the bar.
Photo: Seagerthomas · CC BY-SA 4.0
Waikiki Beach fireworks
Waikiki · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Midnight fireworks launched from a barge off Waikiki, free to watch from the sand along Duke Kahanamoku Beach.
Tip: Bring a beach mat and arrive by 11 p.m.; the sand fills from the Hilton end first.
Photo: Edmund Garman · CC BY 2.0
Kailua & Lanikai 1 pick
Nuuanu Pali Lookout
Kailua & Lanikai · On our Honolulu New Year's Eve route
Windy lookout at the top of the Pali Highway with a view of the green Koolau cliffs and the windward coast.
Tip: Stop on the drive over to Kailua; it is often windy and cool.
Photo: Lukas · CC BY 2.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Hawaii?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 10 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Hawaii has the most things to do on this list?
Big Island has the most (3 of 10), followed by Maui (2) and Oahu (2).
Are any of these free?
5 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Kīlauea Iki Trail, Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station, Road to Hana, Pearl Harbor National Memorial and Waikiki Beach fireworks. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Hawaii
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Big Island 3 on this list
- Maui 2 on this list
- Oahu 2 on this list
- Waikiki 2 on this list
- Kailua & Lanikai 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.