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The Ultimate Guide To Hawaiian Vacation | What Not To Miss

Things To Do May, 09, 2025

Would you like to know how to plan a trip to Hawaii? This ultimate guide tells you everything you need to know to have a great time on this Pacific island. With its beautiful volcanic landscapes, black and red sand beaches of Hawaii, lush highlands, and clear blue oceans, it's no surprise that Hawaii is a popular tourist spot.

During your stay, you must explore the green hiking trails in the morning, snorkel and relax on the beautiful beaches in the afternoon, and sip a mai tai while watching the sun go down. Also, you can plan all other sorts of other Hawaiian activities there according to your interest.

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You'll have a lot of choices to make when planning your trip. Whether you're going to Hawaii for the first time or the tenth, this Hawaii travel guide is likely to give you ideas and tips that will tell you the most popular destinations and things that you shouldn’t miss during your Hawaiian vacation.

Visit the Hawaii Volcanoes, National Park

People often put Hawaii Volcanoes National Park at the top of their list of things to do on the Big Island. It's a famous place in Hawaii. It's easy to see why this is one of the most popular things to do on the Big Island. It has interesting geology, an active volcano, miles of lava tubes, and even ancient petroglyphs. There aren't many places on Earth where you can see a volcano making land.

The most recent island to join the Hawaiian Islands is the Big Island. Even so, it is the biggest. One of the best things to do in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is the Crater Rim drive. The 11-mile drive is a great way to see what the area is like. The rim of the Kilauea caldera is explored on this beautiful trip.

At different points along the route, you can park and walk into the park's strange landscape. From the paths, you can see sulfur banks and steam vents. These are signs that you are walking on an active caldera. You can get a close-up look at the Thurston Lava Tubes if you stop and explore them.

You can find out about the latest volcanic activity and ask park rangers where the best places are to look for lava. It's also the easiest method to find out if any regions are blocked off before making the long journey there just to turn back. And in this whole journey, TourRadar helps you in your travel around one of the most iconic places in Hawaii. TourRadar is the first Adventure Booking Platform in the world. It makes it easy to book individual, group, and custom-made multi-day organized experiences from more than 160 locations around the world.

Hawaiian Islands

The first choice you'll have to make is one that many people who visit Hawaii for the first time don't think about: which of the Hawaiian islands will you go to?

The four main Hawaiian islands are O'ahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai. In order of how many tourists visit each year, they are O'ahu, Maui, Big Island, and Kauai.

Every island is different. Kauai, for example, attracts people who like nature, hiking, and getting a rush. But Oahu is Hawaii's version of Disneyland. It's for people who like to plan their own vacations with hotels and tourist sites.

Before you can start planning your trip to Hawaii, you need to decide which island or islands are best for you. Start with the short guide below, and then keep reading for more information that might help you make your final decision:

  1. Oahu is Hawaii's Miami: The biggest city in Hawaii has some of the best beaches with white sand and the best nightlife. Oahu is mostly a resort and tourist site, so it attracts people who want a nice, planned vacation rather than an adventure. It is by far the most popular island in Hawaii.
  2. Kauai is Hawaii's Denver: The island has high-end hotels and romantic restaurants, but what people know it for most is its stunning natural beauty. Kauai is a great place for hikers, people who like to try new things, and people who are interested in the environment.
  3. Maui is Hawaii's, Los Angeles: Beautiful beaches with a lot of high-end visitors, but also great for people who like to drive around and see new places. During your Maui Hawaii vacation, you will see a mix of rich people on the Maui island of Hawaii and people who rent cars and go to the beach. This is the second island that people go to the most.
  4. Big Island: Seattle of Hawaii: Even though it takes more work, the pace is slow, the people are nice, and there is a lot of beautiful nature to explore. The Big Island is perfect for people who prefer space, privacy, and low prices over manufactured and expensive experiences.

And if you want to explore all four islands while you’re in Hawaii, book your private, group, or custom package at TourRadar. With a package, you get to explore all four islands along with accommodation, tour guide, transport, and more.

Hike The Kalalau Trail

One of the top ten hiking locations in Hawaii? Kauai's Kalalau Trail! It might be one of the world's most beautiful paths and the top things to do on Kauai. It has amazing views of Kauai's coast and valleys and should be on the list of things to do for anyone who likes to try new things.

From Ke'e Beach to Kalalau Beach, this beautiful stretch runs for 11 miles along the N Pali Coast.

And even though the hike is hard, it's worth it to see this part of the island. Start your trip in the N Pali Coast State Park at Ke'e beach. For the first two kilometers, you'll walk along the water's edge, which will give you some amazing views. Even if you can't finish the whole hike, we really think you should do at least the first mile!

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The nxt stop is Hanakapiai Beach. This beach is beautiful, but you can't swim there. At this point, many people turn around, but you should keep going. At the fork, go left and walk for two miles through a beautiful jungle-like forest to reach Hanakapiai Falls, a 300-foot-high waterfall that is a sight to behold. Then make a right turn to stay on the Kalalau Trail. The hike is hard, but experienced hikers who are ready for the work can do it.

Safari

Do you like to drink Mai Tais and go on adventures through tropical valleys? Then make plans for Kauai Safaris for your next trip to Green Island.

Kauai Safaris is one of the things to do at the Kilohana Plantation in Lihue. On the eastern side of the island, on 105 acres that used to be a sugar plantation, there are now fruit fields, a luau event site, a vintage restaurant and stores, and a rum distillery. Some of these sights can be seen on foot, while others can be seen by train. However, a safari is one of the best ways to see everything Kilohana has to offer.

Kauai Safaris uses vehicles that have been cut up and redesigned so that tourists can get the best view. When everyone is in their raised seats, the safari vehicles drive off while a guide at the front tells them about the history of Kilohana Plantation. This Kauai Safaris trip will not only talk about the history of sugar in Hawaii but also the history of rum and other tropical plants.

Beaches in Hawaii

Hawaii is a beautiful tropical island state with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The islands have every kind of beach you can think of: white, black, and red sand beaches; romantic bays, and beach parks for families. Tourists from all over the world come to Hawaii beaches because they are clean, the water is a beautiful blue color, and there are a lot of fun water sports to do.

In Aloha State, people can go windsurfing, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, boogie boarding, kitesurfing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, and do a lot of other water sports.

No matter how old you are or how old your family members are, the beaches of this island paradise are sure to be a lot of fun for everyone.

Conclusion

The diversity of Hawaii's islands in size, personality, and population provides travelers with a great selection of things to see and do on their vacation. The islands are a microcosm of the United States as a whole, with skyscrapers in Honolulu, surfers on the beach in Maui, volcanoes on the Big Island, and calm woods on Lanai. There is practically something for everyone on the islands of Hawaii, and whether you take a guided trip or go island hopping on your own, you will fall in love with America's 50th state.