Itinerary
- Day 1
Honolulu
You'll land at Honolulu Airport and grab your rental car, then drive over to your hotel in Waikiki. Five nights here gives you plenty of time to get a feel for Oahu without rushing around. After you check in, the rest of the day is yours to settle in, maybe grab dinner somewhere along the beach, and get acclimated to island time.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
- Days 2 - 5
Oahu
Oahu has a lot to offer depending on what calls to you. If you're into surfing or just want to hang out at the beach, Waikiki's the obvious choice. For history, Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial are powerful stops. Diamond Head gives you a hike with great views of Honolulu and the water below. The west coast is quieter if you prefer fewer crowds and want to see some smaller towns. Ka'ena Point on the far west, the North Shore's famous for surfing, and Kualoa Ranch has that Hollywood Movie Set Tour if you're interested. The Polynesian Cultural Center teaches you about different Pacific island traditions and cultures.
Optional Activities
- Surfing lessons on Waikiki Beach
- Visit Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona Memorial
- Hike Diamond Head volcanic crater
- Explore west coast (leeward side) of Oahu
- Hike to Ka'ena Point (westernmost point of island)
- Visit North Shore to watch big wave surfers (November-February)
- Polynesian Cultural Center visit
- Kualoa Ranch Hollywood Movie Set Tour
Landmarks/POIs USS Arizona Memorial Diamond Head Waikiki Beach Duke Kahanamoku Statue Ka'ena Point North Shore Polynesian Cultural Center Kualoa Ranch 
- Day 6
Honolulu to Lihue
Return your rental car at Honolulu Airport and head to the gate for Lihue. The flight takes about 40 minutes. Once you land on Kauai, the Garden Island, you'll pick up another rental car and drive to your hotel for a five-night stay. The landscape here is noticeably different from Oahu, with all that lush green vegetation everywhere. Settle in and get ready to explore a quieter side of Hawaii.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
- Days 7 - 10
Kauai
Kauai's natural scenery is the main draw over these next few days. Kayaking down the Wailua River is peaceful and scenic. Hanalei Valley shows you why rainbows feel at home here. Waimea Canyon reaches down about 1,000 meters and people call it the Pacific's version of the Grand Canyon. Koke'e State Park has roughly 70 kilometers of trails through green cliffs and valleys. The Na'Pali Coast is best seen from Kalalau Valley Lookout, or if you want something more dramatic, book a helicopter tour to see the cliffs from the air. Hanapepe is where you go for local art, galleries, and shops if you want to pick up souvenirs.
Optional Activities
- Kayaking on Wailua River
- Visit Hanalei Valley
- Explore Waimea Canyon (approximately 1,000 m deep)
- Hiking in Koke'e State Park (around 70 km of trails)
- View Na'Pali Coast from Kalalau Valley Lookout
- Visit Hanapepe art center - galleries, shops and restaurants
- Helicopter flight over Na'Pali Coast
Landmarks/POIs Wailua River Hanalei Valley Waimea Canyon Koke'e State Park Kalalau Valley Lookout Na'Pali Coast Hanapepe - Day 11
Lihue to Kona
Return your rental car at Lihue Airport and catch your flight to the Big Island, also called Hawaii Island or the Orchid Island. This flight's about an hour long. You'll land and pick up a new rental car, then drive to your hotel for a four-night stay. The Big Island feels different again, with volcanic landscapes and a different kind of scenery than what you saw on Kauai.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
- Days 12 - 14
Big Island (Hawaii)
The Big Island's known for its volcanic landscape and unusual natural features. A helicopter tour gives you a view of the volcanoes from above. Black lava beaches and waterfalls surrounded by wild orchids show off the island's contrasts. The Tropical Botanical Garden covers 16 hectares if you want to see more of the plant life. Parker Ranch, the largest privately owned ranch in America, tells you about ranching history here. Kona coffee comes from the volcanic soil and is considered some of the world's best. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes around, with about 240 kilometers of trails through volcanic craters, lava fields, rainforests, and lava tubes to explore.
Optional Activities
- Helicopter flight over volcanic landscape
- Explore black lava beaches
- Visit waterfalls surrounded by wild orchids
- Tropical Botanical Garden (16 hectares)
- Parker Ranch visit
- Kona coffee experience/tour
- Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Kilauea volcano exploration
- Hiking trails through volcanic craters, lava fields, rainforests and lava tubes
Landmarks/POIs Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Kilauea Mauna Kea Mauna Loa Parker Ranch Tropical Botanical Garden - Day 15
Kona to Maui
Return your rental car at Kona Airport and fly to Maui for the last part of your island tour. This flight takes about 35 minutes. After landing, you'll pick up another rental car and head to your hotel for a five-night stay. Maui brings a different vibe as you wrap up your Hawaiian adventure, and there's still plenty to see here before you head home.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
- Days 16 - 19
Maui
Start early and drive up to Haleakala volcano crater to catch the sunrise from the 3,056m summit. The drive takes you through different vegetation zones, so you'll notice the landscape changing as you go up. After spending time at the top, head down and make your way to Iao Valley for a hike through the lush greenery. Later, stop in Pa'ia, a historic art town on the north shore, then check out Ho'okipa Beach where you'll see windsurfers catching waves. By afternoon, start the Road to Hana, which is an 85km drive that can take around 4 hours with all the narrow bridges and hairpin turns along the way.
Included Activities
- Watch sunrise from Haleakala crater
- Drive through different vegetation zones to volcano summit
- Hike in Iao Valley
- Visit historic town of Pa'ia
- Visit Ho'okipa Beach
Optional Activities
- Road to Hana drive and exploration
Landmarks/POIs Haleakala Iao Valley Pa'ia Ho'okipa Beach Road to Hana Hana - Day 20
Maui
This morning you'll return your rental car after your overnight stay. If you want to stay in Maui longer, individual extension options are available, so you can arrange those separately if needed.
Optional Activities
- Individual extension
