Being one of the most popular vacation destinations in The United States, Hawaii is an attractive haven for those who love the ocean and outdoors. Depending on what you want to do, there are critical periods for different activities throughout the year. Here are the pros and cons of each season to make the most of your stay.

The Best Time To Travel To Hawaii

Spring (March-May):

High season is from mid-December to mid-April, so hotels and plane tickets may be expensive during this time. (Especially during spring break!) It’s also the beginning of dry season, so it’s a great time to explore and take advantage of the cool and sunny weather.

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Summer (June-August):

Summer in Hawaii is everything one would look for in a tropical escape: Sunny blue skies and warm sandy beaches. This is definitely one of the most popular times to visit. Kid’s are out of school and Golden Week in Japan brings in a surge of tourism.

It’s the hottest and most humid during these months, but nothing usually gets past the mid 90’s. Summer is the perfect time for any water activities, but remember to account for the surge of visitors! (Traffic, crowds, etc.)

Fall (September-November):

More rain begins to pour during Fall, but the temperature is still pretty comfortable. The weather cools off for a bit, and many popular events happen during this time, such as The Iron Man Triathlon on The Big Island and Honolulu Fashion Week on Oahu. Fall also brings in the holidays of course; Halloween is quite a popular time in Waikiki, as well as Black Friday shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

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Winter (December-February):

Hawaii is quite the popular locale to escape the freezing cold of other climates. While the temperatures on the islands never really reach anything below the 50’s-60’s F°, it is surely a lot more cloudy and rainy then usual. While the beaches are still frequented often in the winter, remember the waves are usually at it’s largest, so it’s often not advised to surf or swim.

Because of the large waves, many surf competitions are held during this time, and some beaches are often closed off because of unsafe swimming conditions. (At certain beaches, waves can reach 50 ft+!) A surf competition is definitely a highlight to watch, but be sure to account for the traffic to/from these competitions.