to do in HawaiiWhat is there really to do in Hawaii?So what is there really to do in Hawaii? I'm glad you asked!! You will find more fun, exciting, relaxing, invigorating, and awe-inspiring sights, sounds, events and activities here than in most other visitor destinations. What makes Hawaii so unique is the extreme differences between each island and the different areas of each island that offer almost every kind of activity you can imagine. So what is there to do? Well, you could .... Whale and Dolphin watch Hawaii is home to whales all year long but the famous humpbacks migrate here from December to May and really create a show. They can be seen from shore, or you could take a whale watching cruise. Dolphins are also easily seen from shore, sometimes in large pods of 40 or 50. If you do go out on a boat you may also be lucky enough to have a dolphin or two try and catch a free ride in front of your boat for an up-close viewing. take a Helicopter tour You could take a helicopter or small plane tour of almost anything on any island. Try the active lava flow on the Big Island, or the Na Pali coast or Waimea canyon on Kauai. Waterfalls are always a visual treat, along with the many valleys on all islands. go boating You could rent a motorboat, a catamaran, a sailboat, or even jetski's and spend the day or night on the water. go camping Hawaii is full of good camping spots - especially the National Parks and the beach parks. On the Big Island you can actually camp at various places on the active volcano. About three years ago there were two campers who hiked out to an area of the volcano where no lava had flown for many years and pitched their tents near the vent. During the evening an earthquake woke them up and they looked out the tent flap to see the vent, a few hundred feet away, overflowing with red hot lava. Luckily, they were a husband and wife pair of rangers from a mainland national park so they found the incident more fascinating than terrifying. At first light, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park personnel, who had checked the camping permits for that area, flew in with a helicopter to evacuate them. True story, I swear - one day soon I will dig out the newspaper article and write a review on it. The moral of that story is always get your camping permit! bike down a volcano On Maui, you can be driven to the 10,000 foot level summit of Haleakala and bike all the way down past farms, ranches, and fields. It is about a 38 mile ride, all downhill and can take 4 hours. - Thrilling. Ride a mule On Molokai the historic guided trip down to Kalaupapa (the old leper colony) is via mule. Kalaupapa is a volcanic "peninsula" with no vehicular access. They do have a small airport and a harbor though - but the mules are more fun.. Build a snowman Yes, a snowman, yes out of snow. On the Big Island, on Mauna Kea (white mountain), during the winter - it snows on the top of the mountain., sometimes all the way down to the 10,000 foot level (the summit is over 13,000 feet high). The view from Hilo town is very pretty. A trip up to the summit is amazing - and even if you don't want to play in the snow, the views and the observatories might be worth it for you. go horseback riding All the islands have the kind of wide open spaces and rugged terrain that makes a horseback riding adventure memorable. Lessons are available too. see a rodeo The Paniolos (cowboys) in Hawaii are the best in the business and will amaze you with their expertise. Go kayaking You know - that long canoe-like thing .. you can rent a kayak for streams, rivers, lakes, or the ocean. Go parasailing I haven't tried this yet, but I see the large sails on the ocean all the time behind the boats. I can't decide if it looks like fun or torture yet to be lifted 400 feet above the ocean and pulled behind a speedboat. try snorkeling, scuba, or snuba Snorkeling and scuba you probably recognize - but snuba? Well snuba is kind of like scuba but the tank is not on your back - it is carried on a float on the surface of the water. You and it are attached by a very long tube. The training required to do this is very minimal but you can skim the bottom and not have to come up for air - amazing experience. Here in Hawaii, most scuba places will get you your certification in a day or two so you can get the most out of it. Go fishing You can rent a space on a deep sea fishing boat and try your hand at catching a 1000 lb marlin. Last time I went out I didn't get that lucky but we did get 4 good size mahi to brag about. Surf, boogie board, windsurf, or body surf You can wing it (not advised with surfing or windsurfing) or take a class at many beaches on all the islands. Go hiking Oy my goodness, the hiking available in Hawaii. Hike the waterfalls, the volcanoes, the tropical gardens, the streams, the lava tubes, the mountains, the valleys, the parks, the coasts, the bays, the beaches, the gulches, the craters, the cinder cones, the tropical forests ... (deeeep breath) well .. you get the idea. beachcomb My husband and I do this all the time - the southern west facing shores are usually best - you can find anything! Or, if all else fails you can lay around on the beach and get sunburnt. :) |
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