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Explore in Hawaii
The breadth layer — where to go, what to do, on every main island
Explore in Hawaii
Where to go, what to do, on every main island
Four main islands. Four completely different vacations. Some of the best beaches, hikes, sights, and activities anywhere on Earth — packed into a chain you can fly the length of in under an hour. Explore is the breadth layer of HawaiiGuide: a working catalog of where to go and what to do, across every main island, built from twenty-four years of actually going.
If Connect is the depth layer (people, language, culture, conditions), Explore is the part of the site you reach for when you're trying to figure out which beach to pick on Tuesday afternoon, which trail is worth the drive, or what to actually do on the second-to-last day of the trip.
Each of the four main islands has its own personality. Kauai is the wild one — Na Pali, Waimea Canyon, the trails most people only see from a helicopter. Oahu is the cultural and historical one — Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace, Waikiki, the North Shore. The Big Island is the geological one — active volcano, two climate zones, the youngest land on the planet. Maui is the variety one — beaches, the Hana Highway, Haleakalā at sunrise, Upcountry, all of it on one short drive.
Pick the island first. Everything else flows from that one decision. The pages below are the working guides — sights, beaches, hikes, snorkel spots, food, and the kind of small things that turn a generic trip into one you remember twenty years later.
Trades are breezy right now with scattered showers on the windward side and mountains; the leeward coast stays mostly dry. Tomorrow stays breezy with the same pattern.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The exact track is still uncertain. If it comes closer, expect heavier rain over a longer stretch; if it stays farther out, impacts will be shorter and lighter. Winds will increase late this week, with potential gusts over 70 miles per hour on the highest summits.
Plan your leeward beach time and snorkeling for today through Tuesday. Save summit drives and offshore water sports for after Saturday, and check updates daily as this develops.
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Trade winds are pushing across Maui right now and staying breezy through tomorrow. Windward slopes and peaks will see scattered showers; the leeward side stays mostly dry. Rough seas mean a Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The track remains uncertain. Late this week, winds will increase across Maui, with summit gusts potentially exceeding 70 mph on Haleakala. The Big Island—especially Hilo and Puna—faces the highest risk of heavy rain and flooding if the storm tracks close.
Leeward beaches and snorkeling work best today through Tuesday. Avoid summit hikes and offshore water sports Thursday through Saturday.
0:000:55
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Trades are kicking today with moderate wind and rough seas. Windward slopes will see scattered showers; the leeward side stays mostly dry. A Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The track remains uncertain, but the Big Island faces the highest risk of heavy rain and flooding, especially in the Hilo and Puna areas. Summit winds could exceed 70 mph late in the week. Check forecasts daily as the situation develops.
Leeward snorkeling and beach time work well through Tuesday. Save summit drives and windward hikes for today or tomorrow, and avoid offshore water sports and high elevations Thursday through Saturday.
0:000:58
Voice
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Trades are steady now with scattered showers on the windward side and ridges; the leeward coast stays mostly dry. Through Tuesday it stays breezy with rough seas around Maui and the Big Island, where a Small Craft Advisory is in effect through Tuesday evening.
A tropical disturbance southeast of the islands is likely to become a tropical storm by mid-week and approach the state Thursday through Saturday. The exact track is uncertain. Winds will increase across the eastern islands late this week, with potential for summit gusts over 70 mph on Maui and the Big Island if the storm intensifies.
Get your beach and snorkel time in today and tomorrow on the leeward coast. Avoid summit hikes and offshore water sports Thursday through Saturday as conditions deteriorate. The track could shift significantly—check updates daily.
Created with AI from the official NWS forecast discussion · verify with NWS before heading out