Top 50 Most Fun Things to Do In Hawaii

Ok, so this might seem obvious, but it's only obvious because it's so true. You've never seen beaches like in Hawaii and you've never seen weather like Hawaii weather. Both are awesome.

No matter which island you go to there will be at least a few beaches that will make your jaw drop. The Big Island even has a green sand beach and a few black sand beaches.

Plus, the beaches are cool, and fun. Ok, so you probably won't get to waterski, but there's tons of other things to do on all the beaches in Hawaii.

Even if you go in December, the water will be plenty warm enough to swim in at about 72 degrees F.

When I first moved to Hawaii this was one of my favorite things. It seemed that no matter where I went if I looked out on the water I could see pods of 50+ dolphins swimming past. You can even swim with dolphins, in the wild or at a program.

During the months of November to May the Humpback Whales take a trip from Alaska down to Hawaii. They can also be seen from shore.

And turtles. There are lots of beaches in Hawaii, like Kahaluu and Punaluu on the Big Island where the turtles just hang out. Don't touch them though. These are sea turtles. They can be more than a hundred pounds - my husband saw one that had a shell as big as the hood of a car. They aren't the kinds of freshwater turtles you're used to.

So the ocean is what it's all about in Hawaii, and you make sure you don't leave without getting out on at least ONE boat! Your most inexpensive option would be a catamaran sail from Waikiki Beach.

My favorites are big catamaran snorkel cruises like the Fair Winds on the Big Island or a Na Pali Cruise.

Many dive shops in Hawaii will take beginners down for the first time ever. They give you a class that teaches you what to do and maybe gives you some practice, and then you can be scuba diving in Hawaii!

If even that sounds like too much for you, you could try Snuba. It's where you are way underneath the water, but your oxygen is coming from a tube above you. Same things as Scuba, but a bit safer and easier - less complicated.

and snorkel! Snorkel anywhere in Hawaii. Somewhere with a bit of rocks is best as this is where the fish like to hang out. You can even do a controlled night snorkel at Hanauma Bay on Oahu.

Check the hawaii entertainment book for boat and snorkel coupons.

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The blue books above, those are the Hawaii Revealed books - they are awesome for anyone going to Hawaii. They detail everything - even used-to-be secret waterfalls and tidepools. Click on the row of books above to check them out. - Lisa

Hawaii is a special place, and not just becuase of the land. The people and the culture and the language are fascinating and beautiful. Hawaii is the only place that you can still be in a U.S. state and experience lifestyle and culture this different from the mainland.

Luau's are a very popular way to get a big dosage of the culture in your face. You eat the food, watch the hula show, maybe get a lei and get to talk with some locals. Sometimes the hawaii entertainment book has 25% off coupons for some of them and the Go Oahu Card also offers luau discounts.

If you are lucky you may find a free hula show. Waikiki usually hosts one every Friday night. Your hotel may host one for you. Sometimes you find them in malls and shopping centers.

You can order a lei greeting for when you get off the plane. Is it worth it? Yeah, probably, if it's your first time to Hawaii and you are really into it.

There are also places on most of the islands where you can go and see Hawaiian petroglyphs. Very fascinating slice of history.

Ok, so this isn't a must-do for me because I don't play golf, but if you have ever enjoyed the sport, Hawaii is a place to check out golf.

You've never seen the views and holes and greens like you've seen in Hawaii. Play out in the middle of a lava field, or watch whales jump in the distance while you walk to your hole.

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Hawaii is truly amazing, and in the winter when the surf is big, you will be wowed at the size of the waves on the north shore of most of the islands. They are ground-shakingly amazing. You probably have never seen anything like it.

You can wach surfers anywhere, anytime though. Most surfers will go out and enjoy waves that are only a fraction of the size of the monsters.

If you get inspired, maybe you'll want to take a surfing lesson, or rent a boogie board, or rent a kayak, or take a kite-surfing lesson.

OR, this is the new, fun, easy one, do some stand-up paddleboarding, like in the picture above! It's kind of like a kayak, easy to balance on, but you are standing up. good fun!

On Waikiki beach, you can just show up and you'll find surfing lessons easy to get. Anywhere else, just stop in at a local scuba diving or snorkel rental shop and they can get you going.

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There's plenty of hiking in Hawaii, some of it really super-cool, like in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and on the Na Pali Coast. There's also easy hikes like the diamond head hike.

You can take nature tours on private and public land to see waterfalls and petroglyphs and valleys.

You can take horseback riding tours or wagon tours or ATV tours or 4WD tours or duck tours or lava tours.

Ok, this could have gone under nature hikes, cuz you'll have to hike in to see a lot of the waterfalls, but since it's so HUGE for most people, it got it's own top spot.

Many people, when they think of Hawaii, think of an idyllic waterfall falling into a deep freshwater pool that they can swim in and maybe get romantic in.

Well, it's not *quite* like that, although you can have that if you want it.

Many waterfalls in Hawaii are hard to get to, along bug-infested paths, or impossible or unsafe to swim under. A few waterfalls have been closed to the public because of past injuries or deaths.

Anyway, here's a few waterfalls that you might like to check out (no swimming)

and here's a few waterfalls in Hawaii you can swim under:

There's lots of adventurous stuff to do in Hawaii, especially these days. Hike na pali, dive with sharks, gliders, zipline, adventure hikes, helicopter or small plane tours, lava hikes, spelunking, atlantis submarine tour, the pali lookout winds.

So have an adventure in Hawaii!