Best Time to Visit Hawaii – Seasons, Cost, Weather, & More
Rightly called the Paradise of the Pacific, Hawaii is overflowing with natural beauty. From the dramatic volcanic cliffs to soft sand beaches, every corner of the archipelago is worth checking out. But when should you book your Hawaii trip – what’s the best time to explore the Hawaiian Islands?
The short answer: The months of April, May, September, and October are the most enjoyable when it comes to temperature and overall weather.
That being said, the best time to visit can be highly subjective. Some travelers are happy to visit among the holiday crowd, while some prefer traveling around in solace. Also, if you have a limited budget, you’d want to visit Hawaii when the price of airfare and accommodations are the cheapest. The perfect time to travel to Hawaii also depends on which island you wish to visit, as each one is different with its own unique charm and attractions.
It can be overwhelming to plan your trip with so many factors vying for your attention. This is where we come in. In this post, we have compiled everything you need to know to plan your ideal trip to the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaii Travel Seasons
Like any travel destination, Hawaii has two distinct seasons: low and high. “Low” season is when – as you can guess – the cost of the trip is at its lowest because the place is least busy or crowded. In Hawaii, low season stretches from mid-April to early June, and then again from September to mid-December.
“High” season usually refers to regular holiday periods when most people travel. Anyone in school or with a child in school can only manage to travel during summer or key holiday periods (like Christmas or 4th of July). Since this makes up for the majority of the population, traveling to Hawaii during these times is EXPENSIVE.
Low Season
The low season or off-season in Hawaii runs from mid-April to early June (late spring) and September to mid-December (fall) – honestly, we think it’s a paradox considering these are the absolute best times to be in Hawaii.
If you want to avoid the crowds, are looking to save money, or if you just want reliably great weather, this is the time to visit. Airfares and hotel rates tend to be substantially lower, and with a little bit of online legwork, you can find several good deals.
The only exception you should be aware of is the Golden Week which occurs in the last week of April and stretches through early May. Due to its close proximity to Japan, Hawaii is the go-to destination for Japanese tourists during this period when their four major holidays take place one after the other. If you’re planning to visit between the last week in April and early May, make sure to book your inter-island flights, hotels, and car rentals in advance.
High Season
It’s peak season in Hawaii from mid-December to March. Resorts are booked to capacity and prices are up, especially in the last two weeks of December and the first week of January. As spring break also falls during this period, Hawaii is jam-packed with families that descend on the archipelago to take advantage of the school holiday.
If you want to visit during the high season, make your flight, hotel, and rental car reservations at least three months in advance, if not more. Hundreds of thousands of people travel to Hawaii for popular holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the 4th of July, so expect to pay top dollar and rub shoulders with the crowds.
Summer
We understand how tempting it can be to decide to cool off on a stunning tropical beach in Oahu or Maui, but keep in mind that a large number of families have the same idea each year. From June to August, the summer-time crowds are everywhere in Hawaii, so don’t expect to find serious bargains until spring and fall. This is vital to keep in mind during these high gas and high inflation times.
Summer months are also the warmest here, with temperatures climbing into the 90s. In addition to heat, it can also get pretty humid on some of the islands, like Oahu. For those who want to, say, go hiking through the legendary black lava fields of the Big Island, the peak of summer in June, July, or August might not be the best time to do so.
The good thing about this weather though is that the surf is at its lowest. If you have small children or you want to learn how to swim or surf, the 80-degree water is really pleasant.
See Also: Black Sand Beaches on Hawaii’s Big Island
RELATED ARTICLES
Need a more detailed monthly breakdown of visiting Hawaii? We’ve got you covered. The below articles discuss each month in more detail.
Best Time to Visit Hawaii for Good Weather
In terms of weather, spring and fall are the best times to enjoy the Aloha State.
Spring marks the beginning of the “dry” season in Hawaii and you couldn’t ask for nicer weather. This is also usually when airfare, hotels, Airbnbs, and other rental prices start to drop. Flowers are blooming, locals are celebrating the fantastic produce, and the annual week-long Merrie Monarch Festival adds to the good time with music, dance, and arts. The May Lei Day is also celebrated during this period.
While it rains every day somewhere in Hawaii at any time of the year, it seldom rains here in spring.
The year-round temperature doesn’t vary much. The daytime temperatures in summer near the beach average between 84°F and 86°F, and the nighttime lows are typically about 10 degrees cooler.
Most water activities – swimming, surfing, diving – are better in the spring and fall seasons as the ocean is calmer and thus, safer. In the winter, currents are much stronger, waves are bigger, and storms make the weather even more unpredictable. If you are a water lover, March, April, and May (i.e, late spring) would be the perfect time to visit Hawaii. Fall (September, October, and November) is equally impressive for that fabulous weather, calm waters, and fewer crowds.
Best Time to Visit Hawaii on a Budget
The cheapest time to buy flight tickets and book accommodations and car rentals in Hawaii is during the low season when it’s much quieter.
As mentioned above, September through early December is the low of the off-peak season, and reduced demand leads to lower prices. The only exception is the Thanksgiving weekend since the military personnel based on the islands make travel arrangements with their family.
If you can’t get away in the fall, don’t worry, the months of April and May also offer a great opportunity to travel cheaply to Hawaii. Just avoid the last week of April and the first week of May (because of the Golden Week). The rest of these two months are always abound with great deals on everything.
Airfare
Flight ticket prices will vary, but they mostly depend on when you’re flying and where you’re flying from. Tickets from the West Coast are the cheapest at $350 – $475 per person, but we have seen even lower than that in the low season. East Coast to Hawaii tickets can be doubly expensive no matter when you fly, but you can still find some good discounts.
Here are a few tips to save money on flights:
Fly during the week: Weekday flights are not as in-demand as the weekend ones; you can save even more by taking a red-eye flight.
Book at least a month in advance: We highly recommend buying your tickets 30-40 days before the date of your departure.
Be flexible: Some Hawaiian airports are way cheaper than others; consider flying to Lihue (Kauai), Kahului (Maui), and Honolulu (Oahu) to save some more bucks.
Accommodations
The cost of your accommodations in Hawaii will vary depending on what kind of property it is – budget or luxury. You can stay in a $40/night hostel or a $300+/night hotel. Hotel prices usually don’t go below $160-$180 per night even during the least crowded times, but if you’re willing to make some sacrifices (like a room without an ocean view), you can save considerably.
Car Rental
Before the 2021 rental car shortage, it was easy to find a mid-sized or economy car to rent for $40. Now, with more people traveling again – and since rental car companies sold off most of their fleets in 2020 – the prices have increased to $75/day and more including taxes. You can probably find a cheaper deal by looking around and comparing prices. We mainly use Turo when looking for budget options for car rentals.
See Also: Do I need to rent a car in Maui?
Best Time to Avoid Big Crowds
April, May, September (the last two weeks) and November are the best times to avoid hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to Hawaii each year. Personally, we absolutely love late September and early October to explore the hidden gems as well as popular “touristy” spots in peace. With children back in school, you won’t find many families here this time of year.
The Most Popular Time to Visit Hawaii
Summer (June, July, and August) is the peak season that attracts the largest crowds, other than Christmas and New Year in winter of course. It is understandable, that when the weather is hot and muggy in most of the US, people seek relief at Hawaii’s beaches. Plus, schools are out so both vacationing families and locals are looking to the waters for some much-needed fun.
This is why summer is one of the priciest and busiest times to fly to Hawaii.
But hey, don’t take this to mean we are hating on the Hawaiian summers – not at all! Despite how crowded and expensive summer gets, the waters are at their calmest, making it perfect for snorkeling and swimming.
See Also: The 5 Best Snorkeling Places in Oahu
June and July are considered dry months so they don’t receive a lot of rainfall, which can be a blessing for some adventurers. This is also when waterfalls are at their weakest so you can take a ton of Instagram-worthy pictures.