How Long To Vacation In Hawaii
Most people ask how long does it take to vacation” in Hawaii, as they probably want to know what time of year is best to travel. The climate in Hawaii is tropical and warm all year round, though it may rain more in the winter months than in the summer ones.
A vacation to Hawaii could be one of the most memorable vacations for you and your friends. The breathtaking views and climate of Hawaii is enough to relax you from all your tensions and daily worries. Hawaii has many places that you can choose to visit such as Waikiki, Manoa, Kanaha Beach Park, Ala Moana Beach Park, Hawaii Kai Park and Honolulu Zoo to name a few. You’ve booked your flight, exchanged email with your travel agent, and now there’s nothing to do but pack and drag your suitcases out of the hotel. Time to get on the plane, relax and enjoy your timeshare in Maui. Or is it?
How Long To Vacation In Hawaii
Hawaii is the ideal place for a vacation. Its people will treat you with utmost kindness as you enjoy this island paradise on your schedule. The tranquil landscape offers no rush, no deadlines to meet, only a sense of freedom. There is nothing more pleasing and heart-warming than knowing that any moment of the day or night, you can step out into the fresh air and feel its warmth surround you. And when you do, bring along your camera to capture the scenes so intriguing and beautiful. The Big Island of Hawaii is the home of series of volcanic mountains, folds and sea cliffs. Visitors enjoy not just the extraordinary beauty of sunsets and tropical weather, but also rich history and entertainment. The island is well worth a visit, whether it’s your first or tenth time.
How long should your Hawaiian Vacation be?
Topics: TRAVEL TIPS
If it’s your first time to Hawaii, it is safe to assume that you will want to stay for longer than just a quick weekend getaway. All of the islands have so much to offer, and it is important to make sure you have time to take full advantage of this paradise.
The first few days of your vacation should be slow-paced, as you may feel the effects of the time difference as well as traveling. Find local eats close by, enjoy the pools and beaches, and sip on some Mai Tais. Once you are feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, come zipline with us on Maui, Kauai, or the Big Island!
Add us to your list of adventures! You will not be disappointed with the jaw-dropping views, exhilarating courses, and interesting facts. Take another day to go on a snorkel adventure on a boat, go whale watching during the winter months, or go hiking. There are numerous ways to see Hawaii and experience the unique culture and microclimates, but you will definitely want 10 days or more to take it all in!
About the Author: Skyline Eco-Adventures is the United States’ Original zipline company. With zipline tours on the islands of Kauai and Maui, Skyline Eco-Adventures has an adventure for every visitor. For more info or to make your reservation today, visit: www.skylinehawaii.com.
If you’ve never been to Hawaii, you probably have visions of white sand beaches, swaying palm trees and hula girls. You just might find that dreamed-up image at a beachside luau, but there’s so much more to the Hawaiian islands. There are rivers of flowing lava that pour into the ocean to create hissing clouds of glass, towering cathedral cliffs that reach into the ocean like the talons of a massive dragon and an underwater world waiting to be discovered inside the crater of a sunken volcano.
These once-in-a-lifetime natural wonders are scattered over four touristed islands that each have their own distinct personalities. Kauai is the Garden Isle. It’s sleepy, lush, wet and full of natural wonders perfect for the outdoorsy types. Oahu is home to Honolulu with its big city amenities, towering resorts, and crackling nightlife. Maui is for lovers with perfect beaches, small resort towns and the Road to Hana. Hawaii is the Big Island, and it continues to grow. Hot flowing lava pours into the ocean to expand the island by 40 acres per year.
Each of these islands deserves at least a week of exploration. As you’ll soon discover, a week is not enough to see everything a single Hawaiian island has to offer. Meanwhile, vacations less than seven days are doable, but it can be a blur if you don’t plan correctly. Here’s how to do each length of stay.
Budget Concerns: How Much Is a Vacation To Hawaii?
It’s pretty obvious, but you can stay longer if you save money on the essentials like flights and accommodation. You don’t want to be left wanting more when you leave the islands, so saving money upfront will allow you to extend your trip to see all of the sights.
People wonder how much a vacation to Hawaii is and it varies depending on different variables. When it comes to flights, it’s important to stay flexible. It’s cheapest to book your flights 50-70 days ahead of time, so pick a month on the calendar when you’d like to visit Hawaii. Start scouring for the best prices 70 days before your chosen month arrives. And don’t be afraid to vacation during the winter or the “rainy” season. Winters in Hawaii are nearly as hot as summers, but the humidity generally builds throughout the day which leads to a quick shower in the afternoon. It generally does not affect your activities and can even be quite refreshing.
And you don’t need a whole lot out of your hotel. After all, the island is going to be your playground. It’s essential to have air conditioning because many mainlanders find the Hawaiian humidity challenging, especially when you lay down to go to bed. Other than that, you just need free parking for a rental car and a decent location. You don’t need to overpay for a room that you’re going to leave for outdoor activities every day.
48-hours To A Few Days
As you consider how many days to stay in Hawaii take note, a 48-hour stay on the Hawaiian islands could be quite hectic. A flight from the west coast is about six hours, so, saying you land at noon, you’ll have to get on another long flight back to the mainland after just two nights of sleep. And getting to and from the airport will eat into your time on the island. Essentially, a 48-hour stay gives you one whole day on the island. It’s possible but not recommended.
We recommend at least a week and one island per seven days, so two days is pushing it. We also recommend a holiday cadence that looks something like this:
• Day 1 – Adventurous hike to get the blood pumping.
• Day 2 – Stay semi-active with a guided tour.
• Day 3 – Lounge on your favorite beach and get a spa treatment to recuperate.
You can cycle through this cadence — active to semi-active to recovery — just twice during a week-long trip. Remember, the days you fly might not be full days on the island, so you can cycle through the cadence only once on a five-day, four-night trip. Anything less than five days will have you active from the time you land to the time you leave. You might return home even more exhausted than when you left.
But, if you have to compact a Hawaiian vacation into a time frame of less than a week, it’s important to:
1. Stay focused on just a few activities or attractions.
2. Choose one area of interest on one island.
3. Make the most out of your short time with guided tours.
Diversifying your short trip with a variety of activities, or trying to see all of the island’s attractions, will have you crunched for time and that goes against everything Hawaii stands for. You’ll notice the locals are on “island time” where nobody is in a rush. You’ll also need to narrow your focus to one area of one island as each island is too big to explore during a whole week. And you can see more through the efficiency of guided tours. You don’t have to waste time trying to find the trailhead, the prime snorkeling spot or that hidden waterfall. An experienced guide will take you there with no wasted time. After taking these factors into consideration you’ll never wonder how many days in Hawaii is the right amount as a little less than a week was the perfect vacation for you.
One to Two Weeks
This is the ideal time frame for a Hawaiian vacation. It gives you just enough time to see everything that you might want to see on just one island. That’s right, you should fight the urge to island-hop unless you have more than a week to spend in Hawaii as each island requires at least seven days of exploration.
As stated above, the recommended cadence for an unforgettable Hawaiian vacation goes like this:
• Day 1 ”Active” – Adventurous hike to get the blood pumping.
• Day 2 ”Semi-active” – Stay semi-active with a guided tour.
• Day 3 “Rest” – Lounge on your favorite beach and a spa treatment to recuperate.
Feel free to sprinkle in a luau or some nightlife on top of this three-cycle in order to get the most out of your visit. This cycle, trending from active to semi-active to rest, can be repeated twice during a week-long single-island visit. Remember that your travel days — the days where you fly in and out of Hawaii — may not be full days for activities. Don’t be afraid to take some time the day you land to simply get acclimated to the humidity, the new time zone and to get on “island time.” Leave all your rushed anxiety at home, and then you can start the cycle on day two.
Let’s put this cycle through a single-island test on Kauai. It might look something like this:
• Day 1 “Active” – Hike the eight-mile Hanakapiai Falls Trail on the Na Pali Coast.
• Day 2 “Semi-active Tour”- Take a kayaking tour to Secret Falls on the Wailua River.
• Day 3 “Rest” – Lounge on the sand in Hanalei Bay then get dressed for a luau.
• Day 4 “Active” – Hike the eight-mile Alakai Swamp Trail to the North Shore Viewpoint.
