O‘ahu
You’ll never run out of things to do on O‘ahu. Home to nearly 1 million people, the island has renowned museums, concert halls, and restaurants in Honolulu, and thriving nightlife in Waikiki.
Flower Power
Escape to the Islands of Hawai’i
The Aloha Festivals are a month-long celebration of Native Hawaiian music and culture in September, and this is their 70th year. On September 17, KalÄkaua Avenue transforms into the Waikiki Ho‘olaule‘a, the state’s largest block party, packed with hula performances, food, and crafts. The festivals end with an elaborate parade on September 24, with colorful horseback riders and floats covered in tropical flowers.
Eat the Street
Hawai‘i has its hipsters, too, and they congregate in Kaka‘ako, a former industrial corner of Honolulu that’s being redeveloped. Like food truck festivals? On O‘ahu, you can attend one with a prime ocean view every weekend at Makers & Tasters, a new permanent event space near Kewalo Basin Harbor. On Saturday mornings, it hosts a flea market with curated vintage and retail vendors.
Maui
Time slows down on the Valley Isle, where lavender and dragon fruit farms sit in the foothills of HaleakalÄ, artists sell their paintings near the seawall in Lahaina Town, and resorts line the west side of the island.
Moon Shine
Escape to the Islands of Hawai’i
The Wo Hing Museum in Lahaina lights up with lanterns, harps, and Chinese teas and cakes for the Moon Festival, September 16–17. The annual harvest fete celebrates the history of Chinese immigration to Hawai‘i and its influence on island culture. There’s plenty of Cantonese food and cooking demonstrations throughout the weekend.
An Amazing Race
The annual Pailolo Challenge isn’t a crew race down a calm river. Teams of paddlers launch their canoes from D.T. Fleming Beach in Kapalua and traverse 26 miles of open ocean, ending at Kaunakakai Harbor on the neighboring island of Moloka‘i. Watch the opening ceremony on September 17, and visit Maui Brewing Company on September 16, when the crews check in.
Hawai‘i Island
The largest island in the chain is alive, literally: New land is formed daily by the lava flows from KÄ«lauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. The Big Island is also dotted with rocky coastlines, waterfalls, and rain forests—there are many ways to become one with nature here.
Bird’s-Eye view
Escape to the Islands of Hawai’i
Several birds that can’t be found anywhere else in the world call Hawai‘i home, like the bright red ‘i‘iwi (honey creeper), pueo (short-eared owl) and the nÄnÄ, a goose that is the state’s official bird. The inaugural Hawai‘i Island Festival of Birds September 24–25 marks the opening of the island’s new birding trail, which spans 90 miles from Kona to Hilo. Book a ticket for a guided tour.
Fresh from the Earth
Did you know there were cowboys in Hawai‘i years before America’s Wild West began? Parker Ranch in Waimea is one of the oldest ranches in the U.S., and you can learn all about the Big Island’s paniolo history at the Taste of the Hawaiian Range Agricultural Festival in Waikoloa on September 9. Sample pasture-raised meats and wild game, and meet local farmers and chefs.
Kaua‘i
The Garden Isle’s unbelievably green mountains and landscape is the Hawai‘i you’ve seen in movies. The beaches are rugged and rustic, the small towns charming and filled with history.
Dance Party
Escape to the Islands of Hawai’i
The island-wide annual Mokihana Festival hosts a week’s worth of hula performances, live Hawaiian music performances, and cultural events at various locations September 18–24. Don’t miss the Under the Palms at Wailua concert on September 20 and the three-day hula competition at Aqua Kaua‘i Beach Resort.
Get Chummy with Local Rum
Every Friday evening this fall, mixologists compete to be named Kaua’i’s best bartender at RumFire in PoÊ»ipÅ« by making a cocktail with locally made KÅloa Rum and a secret ingredient. Get in on the action and cast your vote, and you can also visit the distillery’s tasting room and company store housed in a former sugar plantation.
Escape to the Islands of Hawai’i
