Seasonal Activities

Surfing Season

The winter months in Hawaii bring the biggest waves, with the largest swells of the year occurring between late November until March, making Hawaii a surfing mecca. As you can imagine, pro surfers from around the world flock to Oahu's iconic North Shore. Pro and amateur surfing competitions are held during these months along some of Oahu's most famous beaches, including Pipeline, Sunset, and Haleiwa. 

Although Oahu hoards most of the surfing glory, large swells are found on the North and Northeastern shores of each Hawaiian Island. With winter swells steadily churning out 10 feet swells and up, spring time surfing offers more manageable waves for the average surfer plus the ocean has been emptied of all the pro's and their followers, leaving plenty of room for everyone else.

Whale Watching 

From late November until the end of March, droves of humpback whales journey from the cold waters of Alaska to the temperate waters of Hawaii to birth and nurse their offspring. Hawaii is one of the best locations in the world to watch humpback whales in their natural habitats, as they are most active during their mating season. Although whales can be spotted from every Island, the highest concentration of whales is found off the coast of Maui, with December thru February being the most active whale watching months. Even if you miss whale watching season, Hawaii has no shortage of water activities.

Hawaii International Film Festival

Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) is held each year on Oahu. The event takes place every year in October, with several viewing locations dotted throughout Honolulu and Waikiki. This East meets West event hosts a variety of films, mostly of US or Asian influence and is considered the premiere international film event in the Pacific.

Maui Film Festival

Maui Film Festival is a unique experience, with most of the event held outside on the Wailea Golf Course, part of Wailea Beach Resort. Maui Film Festival is usually held in the summer months, typically around late June. Although droves of people show up, this event has a personal feel to it and several well-known actors usually make guest appearances at the Film showings.

Big Island Film Festival

Every Spring, the Big Island hosts its annual Film Festival in Waikoloa, along the Kohala Coast of Hawaii. This 'talk story' event has several viewing locations in Waikoloa including Mauna Lani Resort and The Fairmont Orchid. The majority of BIFF films are Independent, short feature films. Every year, at least one family feature and one short narrative are FREE to the public. BIFF is usually scheduled in May.

Ironman

The ultimate endurance event. Every October, the Big Island hosts the Ironman World Championship where the top athletes compete, swimming 2.4 miles across open ocean, biking through 112 miles of lava rock terrain, and pushing themselves by foot the last 26.2 miles in an open run.

In addition to these seasonal and yearly activities, Hawaii has concerts, comedy shows, and loads of other events occurring all throughout the year. Check out our events calendar to see what's going on in Hawaii.