If you’re vacationing on the Hawaiian Islands, you’ve probably traveled a long way. There are six major islands, each with its own distinct flavor. Why limit yourself to visiting only one? Honolulu and the Kohala Coast complement each other as perfectly as milk does cookies and are just a quick 50-minute flight apart.
Located on the island of Oahu, Honolulu is the state’s biggest city, presenting a vibrant immersion in local art, culture, shopping, and food, with an urban beach to boot. On the Big Island of Hawaii, the Kohala Coast looks lifted from the pages of a Polynesian fairytale. If you’re dreaming of a beach getaway with a side order of adventure, it’s a jackpot.
Get ready for the perfect two-island Hawaiian vacation.
Honolulu, Oahu
Honolulu is the urban soul of the Hawaiian Islands, where cosmopolitan attractions merge with the warm Aloha spirit. It hits the right mix of authentic and new, with Muumuu shops and flower lei stands next door to hip coffee bars and street art.
The Best Things To Do:
To get a better understanding of modern Hawaii, delve into its history and tour Iolani Palace. Built in the 1880s, this sophisticated structure (it had electricity before the White House) was the official residence of Hawaiian monarchs before they were overthrown.
The Hawaiian Hall at the Bishop Museum houses a blue-chip collection of indigenous artifacts and royal heirlooms, offering a glimpse into how Hawaiian aristocracy once lived. The science center and planetarium are a winner with families.
Touring the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor sheds light on the event that propelled the United States into World War II. Start at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, with its interpretive exhibits, before you ferry to the memorial, where you may scatter flowers in memory of the 1,177 crewmen who lost their lives when the battleship exploded on December 7, 1941.
Honolulu has its own beach, Ala Moana Beach Park. Thanks to reef protection, the water is usually as a calm as a swimming pool. Challenge your balance on a SUP, play tennis, and stroll the paved paths on shady Magic Island.
The world’s largest outdoor shopping center, Ala Moana, has Hawaiian flair to spare. Located across the street from Ala Moana Beach Park, you’ll feel a salty breeze as you browse. At Big Island Candies, the chocolate-dipped shortbread infused with macadamia nuts are addictive. For a locavore immersion, head to the ukulele shop, sample poi at the food court, and watch the free daily hula show.
Bring your appetite and sample the city’s diverse food scene. Arvo is a breakfast staple, where the matcha chia pudding is packed with island fruit. At lunch, make like a local and head to Foodland Farms, a giant supermarket with a selection of prepared food and fresh-made poke that are picnic-perfect. For a potent potable, Happy Hour at LBD offers sake samplers and sushi bites. You can’t go wrong with dinner at Straits Hawaii, where a fusion of zesty Southeast Asian flavors is prepared with Hawaiian-grown ingredients.
Insider Tip: On the edge of bustling Chinatown is Foster Botanical Garden, a 14-acre swath of tranquility. Highlights include a butterfly garden and an ancient cycad collection.
Where to Stay:
Opened in February 2024, Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa is a high-rise retreat in the city center. Chic guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing Oahu's south shore. Two swimming pools, poolside cabanas, a Japanese-style spa, and wellness center present a resort experience in the heart of downtown. The onsite restaurant, Mara, draws a local crowd thanks to ultra-fresh seafood and a talented young sommelier who sources rare wines from small producers around the world.
For a more boutique stay, there’s Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani, in the heart of Waikiki. It’s near cultural venues such as the Bishop Museum; Just present your room key for free admission. Foodies flock here to sample delectable treats at the onsite Halekulani Bakery, ranging from artisan bread to their famous coconut cake.
The Best Time To Visit:
Temperatures are balmy all year, without much deviation. The rainy season is November through March, but be prepared for some precipitation year-round.
How To Get There:
Many airlines fly nonstop to Oahu’s Daniel K. Inouye Airport from the mainland. It’s an eleven-hour journey from the East Coast, six hours from the West Coast.
Kohala Coast, Hawaii
The Big Island, also known as Hawaii, is the largest of the Hawaiian Islands. There’s plenty of geographic diversity, from beaches with black, white, and even green-hued sand, to rainforests and volcanoes, with sparkling waterfalls dropped in for good measure. The Kohala Coast is the island’s prime vacation spot.
Best Things To Do:
The Kohala Coast overflows with striking natural assets. Many of the island’s top resorts dot this postcard-pretty stretch of coastline, where white-sand beaches fringed with coco palms sit next to jet-black lava rock.
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area is known for dazzling sunsets, while Spencer Beach Park is in the shadows of the Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site, which preserves the ruins of the last major Hawaiian temple.
Book the guided Kohala Waterfall Adventure with Hawaii Forest & Trail and ramble off-road in a 4-wheel-drive. You’ll hike to a semi-secret waterfall and refresh under the cascade.
For a nighttime adventure, snorkeling with manta rays is unique to this corner of Hawaii. Adventure X Boat Tours launches out of Puako Boat Ramp, a stone’s throw from most Kohala resorts. You’ll anchor in the bay, jump in the water with the able crew, and get safely up close with manta rays feeding on plankton under the bright lights.
Immerse yourself in the ancient at the Puako Petroglyph Archaeological Preserve, where carvings etched into stone dating back to 1200 AD are found along an unpaved 1.5-mile trail not far from the Fairmont Orchid.
Insider Tip: Head to Waimea for the farmers market on Wednesdays and Saturdays and get a taste of the local agricultural scene and the rolling pastures that have drawn Hawaiian cowboys, known as paniolo, for generations.
Where To Stay:
The Fairmont Orchid is an elegant maze of fragrant gardens and koi ponds. The beach is a protected cove where you can snorkel with sea turtles and spy dolphins at play. An array of programming, from hula lessons to coconut frond weaving, is an experiential window into native customs.
The Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa is an idyllic escape with stone walkways that were once fields of lava and pristine fishponds that are designated as part of the Anchialine Pond Preservation Area. Golf, a dip in one of the three swimming pools, and sunset sails in the calm waters of the Anaeho’omalu Bay await.
The Best Time To Visit:
Temperatures are reliably warm year-round. For big waves, come in winter, the official rainy season. Summer brings gentler surf, with the warmest temperatures in August and September.
How To Get There:
Numerous airlines, including United, Delta, Alaska, and Hawaiian, fly to Kona International Airport nonstop from the mainland. Hawaiian Airlines offers inexpensive interisland flights from Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye Airport to Kona multiple times daily, with a flight time of 50 minutes.
