10-Day Hawaii Itinerary

Fly into Honolulu (HNL) and transfer to Waikiki

Take a shuttle, rideshare or taxi about 30 minutes to Waikiki; skip the rental car for now.

Check in and get your bearings

Settle in and walk Kalakaua Avenue to pick up snacks, sunscreen and a poke bowl.

First swim at Waikiki Beach

Wade into the gentle water near Kuhio Beach Park with Diamond Head on the horizon.

Sunset and hula on the beach

Watch the sunset from the sand and catch the free hula show at Kuhio Beach when scheduled.

USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Use your Recreation.gov reservation for the film and Navy boat to the memorial. No bags allowed.

Battleship Missouri or the Aviation Museum

Stay for the deck where World War II ended, or the hangars on Ford Island.

Iolani Palace and Chinatown

Tour the only royal palace on US soil, then wander Honolulu's Chinatown for lei shops and noodle counters.

Surf lesson or sunset mai tai in Waikiki

Take a late-day surf lesson or toast the sunset at a beachfront bar.

Hike Diamond Head crater

With a reserved early slot, climb to the rim for views over Waikiki and the coast.

Drive to Haleiwa on the North Shore

Pick up a rental car for the day and drive about an hour north through pineapple country.

Big waves at Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach and Pipeline

Watch winter surf from the sand, see turtles at Laniakea and grab lunch from a shrimp truck.

Shave ice and sunset in Haleiwa

Cool off with shave ice in Haleiwa town, catch sunset at a North Shore beach, then drive back to Waikiki.

Inter-island flight from Honolulu to Kona

The flight to Kona (KOA) takes about 45 minutes. Pick up a rental car; you will need it here.

Check in on the Kona coast

Base yourself in Kailua-Kona or Keauhou for the next three nights.

Historic Kailua Village and Ali'i Drive

Walk past Hulihee Palace and Mokuaikaua Church, then have a coffee tasting from a Kona farm.

Manta ray night snorkel

Board a sunset boat and float above giant mantas feeding under the lights.

Snorkel or kayak Kealakekua Bay

Join a morning boat or guided kayak to the Captain Cook Monument, one of Hawaii's richest snorkel spots.

Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

Visit this restored place of refuge with carved wooden ki'i and royal grounds by the sea.

Black sand at Punaluu Beach

Drive the south coast and look for green sea turtles resting on the black sand. Don't take any sand.

Evening at the Kilauea summit

Check in to Volcano Village and, if Kilauea is active, watch the glow from a park overlook.

Crater Rim Drive and Kilauea Iki

Walk part of the Kilauea Iki Trail across a once-molten crater floor, steaming vents and all.

Nahuku (Thurston) lava tube

Walk through a lit lava tube in a fern rainforest.

Chain of Craters Road to the sea

Drive about 19 miles down to the coast to see lava flows and the Holei Sea Arch.

Dinner in Volcano Village

Warm up with dinner in the cool rainforest village, then return to an overlook if lava is glowing.

Hilo Farmers Market and Rainbow Falls

Browse tropical fruit at the market and see Rainbow Falls just outside town.

Akaka Falls State Park

Walk the short rainforest loop to 442-foot Akaka Falls. A reservation is not needed, but there is a small fee.

Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station

Drive the Saddle Road to about 9,200 feet. Stop to acclimatize; only 4WD may go higher, and the summit is unsafe for children, pregnant visitors and those with heart or lung conditions.

Stargaze, then drive back to Kona

Bring warm layers for near-freezing nights, then drive about 1.5 hours back to the Kona coast.

Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area

Swim and bodyboard at one of Hawaii's widest white-sand beaches.

Snorkel at a Kohala Coast bay

Snorkel a calm resort-area cove with reef fish and turtles.

Pool or spa afternoon

Take the afternoon off at your hotel or a quiet beach.

Sunset dinner on the Kohala Coast

End with a sunset dinner and a chance of a green flash.

Paniolo town of Waimea

Visit the ranching town of Waimea for coffee and local shops in the cool uplands.

Waipio Valley Lookout

Gaze into the sacred valley; the steep road down is restricted, so enjoy it from the top.

Pololu Valley Trail

Hike the steep trail down to a black-boulder beach at the end of the road in North Kohala.

Hawi town and back to Kona

Browse galleries in Hawi before driving back to the Kona coast.

Morning swim on the Kona coast

Take one more swim or snorkel near your hotel.

Kona coffee farm visit

Taste estate coffee on the slopes above town.

Pick up souvenirs

Buy Kona coffee, macadamia nuts and local crafts.

Fly home from Kona (KOA)

Return your car and allow 2 hours; agricultural inspection applies to mainland-bound bags.