Hawaiʻi has been a vacation destination for travelers seeking sun, sand, and surf for decades. In 2024, more than 9.7 million visitors visited the islands, inching close to pre-COVID arrival numbers. It may seem hard—if not impossible—to escape the crowds here, especially during peak travel seasons. But if you plan right, there are many ways to get off the tourist trail and experience a slower, more authentic Hawaiʻi, the place where I was born and raised.
I grew up in Honolulu—the state capital and its largest city—and have spent decades as a newspaper reporter and magazine writer traveling across the islands. I’ve sought out the best parts of the state, from dining at family-run restaurants with secret recipes to summiting every major peak on Oʻahu. (Tough job, I know.) I have been to each of the main eight islands except for Kahoʻolawe—yes, the privately owned Niʻihau, included—and yet, Hawaiʻi never ceases to amaze me.
You can experience this, too. Get out of resort areas, explore new neighborhoods, support locally owned businesses. Here are several ways to avoid the crowds and experience the Hawaiʻi I know and love.
Avoid summer and winter months
Many people travel during the summer from mid-June through August, and many other people want to escape winter in late December and early January by heading somewhere warm. No surprise, then, that Hawaiʻi sees the biggest influx of visitors during these two seasons. But thanks to year-round balmy temperatures—even the ocean temperatures remain between 73 to 80 degrees—Hawaiʻi is an ideal vacation spot any time of the year. Fall and spring (with the exception of spring break) draw fewer visitors and better deals on airfare, hotel rooms, and car rental rates.
The two quieter seasons offer unique experiences you can’t get any other time of the year, too. The prestigious hula competition, the Merrie Monarch Festival, is held in April in Hilo on Hawaiʻi Island. And the popular Hawaiʻi Food & Wine Festival boasts days of culinary events on Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island in October and November.
Fall is also the start of whale-watching season, which begins in November but peaks from January through March; tours leave ports on Maui and O‘ahu to witness migrating North Pacific humpback whales. And don’t forget to sample local fruits when they’re in season, including strawberries from February to April; lilikoʻi, or passion fruit, from June to December; and persimmon from September to November.
Via Gelato serves up ice cream sandwiches, gelato cake, and scoops in a variety of tempting flavors.
Courtesy of Via Gelato
Staying on Oʻahu? Get a rental car
It’s easy—and, yes, convenient—to book a hotel room in Waikīkī on Oʻahu and stay there. But not only will you be stuck in the island’s congested tourist hub, you’ll also be missing out on all the best parts of the island. While Oʻahu has the most extensive public transportation system of all the islands—with a robust city bus network and the state’s only bike-sharing program, Biki—renting a car is the best way to seek out less-crowded beaches, hole-in-the-wall eateries, and local haunts.
About three miles north of Waikīkī is the walkable neighborhood of Kaimukī, which boasts eclectic shops and restaurants. Try classic burgers at Boarded Up by Chubbies Burgers, hyper-local dishes like fresh-catch crudo with macadamia salsa at Mud Hen Water, small-batch gelato in flavors like black sugar or azuki at Via Gelato, or innovative (and acclaimed) Vietnamese phở or grilled duck and taro at the Pig & the Lady, which moved to the neighborhood in 2024. You could also peruse books by international and local authors at the friendly Da Shop: Books + Curiosities. Or head to Island-Boy for locally made products like the reef-safe Koa mineral sunscreen and whimsical artwork by Hawaiʻi Island artist Akiko Cutlip. The shop also hosts lei-making workshops that sell out quickly.
O‘ahu’s windward side (the eastern coast), meanwhile, boasts some of the island’s best beaches. While Lanikai Beach, with its view of the twin islets Nā Mokulua, has long lured beachgoers, nearby Kailua Beach, which spans 2.5 miles, is almost always less crowded and no less beautiful. Plus, parking is a lot easier here, especially with new rules prohibiting parking in the upscale neighborhood.
A few miles east is the rural town of Waimānalo, where you can still see people riding horses along the two-lane Kalanianaʻole Highway. (This is where former U.S. President and Hawaiʻi-born Barack Obama has a residence.) The beaches here are expansive and equally stunning—but with far fewer people, especially on weekdays.
Or avoid Oʻahu altogether
As the state’s most populated island, with the most direct flights from the U.S. Mainland, Oʻahu is where most visitors to Hawaiʻi tend to go—and stay. But if you really want to ditch the crowds, consider other Hawaiian islands, just a quick 30-minute flight away. (There are no ferries from Oʻahu to neighbor islands.)
Maui is the second most-visited island, luring travelers with its golden beaches, picturesque 64-mile Road to Hāna, and spectacular sunrises atop the dormant volcano Haleakalā with charming towns such as Kula and Makawao on its slopes. The deadly 2023 wildfires that destroyed Lahaina and killed at least 101 people have kept visitors away from the island, particularly West Maui, which includes the resort areas of Kāʻanapali and Kapalua. Hotels are still offering discounts to get visitors to return—and they slowly are—and to help boost the island’s economy.
Lee Anne Wong, a Maui resident and former Top Chef contestant whose Lahaina restaurant was destroyed by the fires, says right now is actually a great time to visit the Valley Isle: “Whether it’s the calm waters and sandy beaches of the west side or the cool, lush beauty of Upcountry on Haleakalā, Maui is an easy place to relax and unplug while still getting a taste of authentic Hawaiʻi.”
She recommends wandering around the small towns of Makawao, Kula, and Pukalani in Upcountry Maui. One of her favorite spots is Restaurant Marlow, run by Maui chef Jeff Scheer and featuring scratch-made Neapolitan sourdough pizzas and farm-to-table rustic fare. Then walk off lunch at the Makawao Forest Reserve, where you can hike beneath a forest canopy of fragrant pine and eucalyptus trees. The shaded 5.8-mile (round-trip) Kahakapao Loop Trail is the reserve’s most popular.
Kaua‘i Island is known for its wild nature.
Photo by Fominayaphoto/Shutterstock
Far fewer people travel to Hawaiʻi Island, the state’s largest and home to one of the world’s most active volcanoes, Kīlauea, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. In 2024, 5.8 million people visited Oʻahu; just 1.7 million traveled to Hawaiʻi Island. Sprawling over 4,028 square feet, this island—aptly nicknamed the Big Island—is larger than the other seven major Hawaiian islands combined, with 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones.
Kauaʻi, the oldest and most northern of the main islands, is known for its lush valleys, waterfalls, and postcard-perfect beaches. While Poʻipū on the island’s southern coast is packed with hotels and resorts—and, yes, visitors—there are lots of smaller towns you can wander around, like Kōloa, Hanapēpē, and Waimea, that are far less crowded. You can sail along the steep cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast, hike the dozens of trails in Kōkeʻe State Park and Waimea Canyon, or lounge on picturesque Hanalei Bay, made famous in the 1958 film South Pacific.
For true escapes, consider the island of Molokaʻi, about eight miles north of Maui. The small island has no stoplights, malls, or buildings taller than a palm tree. Lānaʻi, meanwhile, is about nine miles west of Maui and has only 3,367 residents and luxe resorts like Sensei Lānaʻi, a Four Seasons Resort that specialize in wellness. (You won’t find an Uber on these two islands, either.)
Stay in a boutique hotel
Every island—yes, even Lānaʻi—has big, luxe resorts with pools, restaurants, and shops. But if you want to escape the crowds, start with the accommodation. Smaller, boutique hotels have fewer rooms and ample charm.
One example is Haʻikū House in Upcountry Maui; this historic nine-bedroom estate sits on an expansive 20-acre lot with plenty of privacy to roam and relax. The adults-only, eight-room Hāmākua Hotel on Hawaiʻi Island opened in 2024 and sits on a 100-foot sea cliff along the rugged coastline; each room has a private lānai (balcony), larger ones have oversize soaking tubs overlooking the ocean. Waimea Plantation Cottages on the southwestern side of Kauaʻi features 61 unique cottages—once homes to plantation workers—on 27 oceanfront acres, which include a secluded black-sand beach.
Seek out hole-in-the-wall eateries
Food in Hawaiʻi is as diverse as its population, with restaurants serving up Thai noodles, super-fresh sushi, Vietnamese street food, and smash burgers. Hawaiʻi also has its own unique fare: dishes rooted in the Native Hawaiian culture, from succulent kālua pig (basically pulled pork cooked in an underground oven, or imu) to creamy haupia (a dessert akin to coconut pudding) to poi, the staple starch of Native Hawaiians made from mashing taro root.
One of the best places to try real Hawaiian food is Waiāhole Poi Factory, one of the few restaurants owned by Native Hawaiians. There are two locations on O‘ahu: one at Windward Mall and the original spot off Kamehameha Highway farther up the coast, which has a more rustic vibe. (It’s also where owner Liko Hoe can be found hand-pounding taro into poi.) Don’t skip dessert; the Sweet Lady of Waiāhole—warm kūlolo (a taro and coconut dessert) topped with a scoop of haupia ice cream—is a must. Pro tip: You can skip the line by ordering ahead online.
Hawaiʻi is also known for its okazuya, old-school Japanese delicatessens that serve local favorites like inari (cone sushi), nori chicken, and chow fun noodles. Local designer Allison Izu Song loves taking visitors to her favorite okazuya shops Fukuya Deli and Gulick’s Delicatessen on Oʻahu. “Things like musubi [spam and rice sandwich], fried chicken, and other small bites are something my family and I look forward to eating at the beach or park on the weekends,” she says. “You need to order early. They usually run out [of food] by lunchtime.”
Shop at locally owned businesses
Ditch the cheesy souvenir shops and find locally owned ones that support Hawaiʻi’s talented artisans. House of Mana Up, started by local entrepreneur Meli James, is a one-stop shop in Honolulu of curated, locally crafted products, from a detoxifying face mask with Hawaiian ingredients like taro and turmeric to tasty chips made from locally grown ʻulu (breadfruit).
On Maui, local artist Jaclynn Sabado-Eitel runs Paradise Now, a cute boutique in Wailuku filled with colorful art, apparel, and bath products sourced by local artisans.
Warehouse 3540 on Kauaʻi is a vibrant marketplace in an old pineapple canning factory. Inside this repurposed warehouse, more than a dozen locally owned businesses sell everything from artisan soaps to handmade clothing.
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has the Mālama Hawaiʻi Program to help visitors get involved in conservation.
Courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Mathieu Duchier
Volunteer in the community
One of the best ways to learn about a place—and to gain a greater appreciation for it—is by volunteering. And there are dozens of organizations in Hawaiʻi that welcome travelers to pitch in and help, whether it’s pulling invasive algae from the ocean or restoring a Native Hawaiian fishpond. The experience of giving back—or mālama—creates a deep connection between you and the place you’re visiting, to its history and culture.
The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority recently launched the Mālama Hawaiʻi Program, a site that houses the various volunteer opportunities around the islands. Some activities include restoring the dryland forest habitat in Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui, where endemic birds like Hawaiian stilt and coot nest, and helping to rebuild the rock wall at a historic 800-year-old Hawaiian fishpond with Paepae o He‘eia on Oʻahu.
When you find meaningful experiences where you learn more about the people, the cultures, and the place, you’ll leave the islands with a deeper connection—and more appreciation—than when you arrived. And you’ll likely want to come back.
This article was originally published in 2024 and most recently updated on February 10, 2026, with current information.
