Hawaii Must Do: The Complete Guide to the Big Island, Oahu, and Beyond
Hawaii must do experiences include exploring Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, swimming with manta rays on the Big Island, and hiking Diamond Head on Oahu. With two of the state’s most popular islands offering such different vibes, from active lava fields to surf-town beach breaks, figuring out where to actually spend your limited vacation time is where most first timers get stuck.
Should You Visit the Big Island or Oahu?
Both, if your trip allows, but they deliver genuinely different experiences worth understanding first.
| Island | Best For | Size and Logistics |
| Big Island | Nature, volcanoes, adventure | Covers 63% of Hawaii’s total land mass, can take up to 3 hours to drive across |
| Oahu | Variety, city plus beach, families | Compact enough to see multiple regions in a few days |
The Big Island is the largest island in the state by far, home to an active volcano that’s still creating new land, along with black and green sand beaches, snowy mountain summits, and one of the only places on earth where you can night swim with manta rays. Oahu offers the widest overall variety of any island, splitting neatly into a busy south side around Honolulu and Waikiki, a laid-back North Shore with a genuine surfer culture, and quieter windward and leeward coasts in between. A common mistake first timers make is trying to squeeze both islands into a single short trip without accounting for the driving distances on the Big Island specifically, which genuinely eats into sightseeing time given how spread out its highlights are.
How Do You See Hawaii Volcanoes National Park?
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ranks as the single most essential must do Hawaii experience, offering remarkable views of Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world you can actually witness up close. Start any visit at the visitor center for current maps and eruption updates, since conditions here genuinely change day to day. The 11-mile Chain of Craters Road loop lets you explore the crater rim by car, while hiking trails like the one leading through Thurston Lava Tube, formed by 2,000-degree lava flows nearly 500 years ago, offer an easy, family-friendly way to walk through a tunnel the volcano itself carved out. Travelers can explore by self-driving at their own pace, ideal for families with young kids who want flexibility, joining a guided bus tour, or taking a helicopter tour if time is genuinely tight, since a proper ground visit typically eats up a full day or more.
Is Swimming with Manta Rays Safe?
Yes, and it’s widely considered one of the most magical experiences available anywhere in Hawaii. Several spots near the Kona side of the Big Island consistently attract manta rays feeding at night, and joining a guided night tour gives roughly a 90% chance of an actual encounter. Guides typically have guests hold onto a raft while bright lights attract plankton, drawing manta rays close enough to do barrel rolls directly beneath the group. This experience genuinely works for kids as young as six with proper guidance and gear, making it a standout family activity rather than something reserved only for experienced divers.
What Is There to Do in Hawaii with Kids?
| Activity | Location | Best For |
| Manta ray night swim | Big Island, Kona side | Ages 6 and up with guide supervision |
| Hilton Waikoloa Lagoon | Big Island | Snorkeling, kayaking, safe beginner practice |
| Dolphin swim | Big Island resort, Oahu tour | Hands-on animal interaction |
| Kualoa Ranch movie tour | Oahu | Jurassic Park and other filming locations |
The Hilton Waikoloa Village’s ocean-fed lagoon on the Big Island offers a genuinely safer, more controlled place for kids to practice snorkeling before heading into open water later in a trip, with turtles, tropical fish, and even the occasional spotted ray visible daily. Dolphin encounters, available both at a Big Island resort habitat and through guided ocean tours off Oahu, let kids get in the water to learn about and interact with dolphins directly. Kualoa Ranch’s movie tour on Oahu, featured in films including Jurassic Park, blends stunning scenery with behind-the-scenes movie history that tends to captivate kids and adults equally.
Is Pearl Harbor Worth Visiting?
Yes, and it’s genuinely one of the most powerful, sobering must do experiences in all of Hawaii. As a national monument, tickets are free, but availability is extremely limited, so reserving online as early as possible, typically around 60 days in advance for a specific date, is strongly recommended over showing up early hoping to snag one of the limited same-day tickets. Seeing the sunken USS Arizona and learning about what happened here genuinely deepens appreciation for the military personnel affected during World War II, making it a worthwhile stop even for travelers not typically drawn to historical sites.
Waikiki or the North Shore: Where Should You Stay in Hawaii?
| Area | Vibe | Best For |
| Waikiki | Busy, high-rise, city energy | Shopping, dining, easy access to Honolulu attractions |
| North Shore | Laid-back, surfer culture | Beach relaxation, watching world-class surfing |
Waikiki feels like an island version of a major mainland city, packed with high-rise buildings, fancy shops, and restaurants along the main strip, and while it’s genuinely crowded and touristy, it’s still worth seeing for icons like the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and historic beachfront hotels. The North Shore delivers a completely different world, with a laid-back, surfer vibe centered around Ehukai Beach Park’s famous Banzai Pipeline, where watching some of the world’s best surfers tackle massive waves genuinely counts as a must-do activity in its own right. Travelers wanting city convenience and nightlife should base in or near Waikiki, while those craving a slower pace and genuine beach town atmosphere should prioritize the North Shore, ideally driving up before sunrise to maximize a single day trip if time is limited.
What Are the Best Beaches in Hawaii?
Punaluu Black Sands Beach on the Big Island, just 35 minutes from the volcano, offers a genuinely stunning stop where sea turtles frequently appear, though strong currents make it better for photos than swimming. The Big Island’s rare green sand beach, colored by olivine deposits in the Ka’u district, requires a genuine 2.5 mile hike each way, making it a reward reserved for adventurous travelers willing to put in the effort. On Oahu, Lanikai and Waimanalo Beaches both rank among the most popular windward side options, while Sunset Beach on the North Shore doubles as a genuinely great spot to watch both surfers and the evening sky.
What Waterfalls Should You See in Hawaii?
Akaka Falls, on the Big Island’s Hilo side, plunges 442 feet and is reachable via an easy .4 mile hiking trail, making it accessible even for travelers without much hiking experience. Rainbow Falls sits nearby, dropping 80 feet and frequently producing its own rainbow, most reliably in the morning light, giving it its name.
What Should You Eat in Hawaii?
Shave ice and poke rank among the most essential foods to try anywhere in Hawaii, with the best shave ice typically including a scoop of ice cream tucked at the bottom of the cup. Kona coffee, grown exclusively on the Big Island’s hillsides above Kona and the only coffee commercially grown anywhere in the United States, is worth sampling straight from one of the region’s many small farms. On Oahu’s North Shore, roadside shrimp trucks serving garlic or coconut shrimp plates with rice and salad have become a genuine local institution, while a Dole Whip at the Dole Plantation and an acai bowl from a North Shore roadside stand both round out the required food list for any first Hawaii trip.
What Is the Best Hawaii Itinerary for a Week?
A week works well split roughly in half between the Big Island and Oahu if visiting both, with three to four days dedicated to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a manta ray tour, and beach hopping on the Big Island, followed by three to four days covering Waikiki, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, and a full North Shore drive on Oahu. Travelers with less time should pick just one island rather than rushing through both, since the Big Island alone can take up to three hours to drive across and genuinely rewards a slower pace.
Final Thoughts
Deciding on the real Hawaii must do list comes down to accepting that one trip likely can’t cover everything both major islands offer. Book Pearl Harbor tickets the moment your dates are set, choose a volcano-viewing method that matches your time budget, and pick Waikiki or the North Shore based on whether you want city energy or a slower beach pace. Whether it’s a night swim with manta rays or watching surfers tackle the Banzai Pipeline, the best Hawaii must do experiences reward travelers who plan around each island’s real strengths rather than trying to rush through everything at once.
FAQs
Is it safe to leave valuables in your car in Hawaii?
No, car break-ins are a documented, common issue at trailheads and scenic viewpoints across the islands, so keeping valuables with you or out of sight entirely, rather than leaving them in a parked car even for a quick stop, is genuinely important.
What is the best time to see whales in Hawaii?
Humpback whales are typically visible from November through April, making these months the best window for combining whale watching with other Hawaii must do activities.
Is Kualoa Ranch worth visiting?
Yes, particularly its movie tour, which combines stunning ranch scenery with behind-the-scenes stories from major films like Jurassic Park shot on location there.
What is a Hawaii luau like?
A luau offers a fun, if slightly cheesy, introduction to Hawaiian food, music, and dance, typically including a full meal and tropical cocktails alongside traditional performances, and remains a genuine must-try for first time visitors.
