Jetting off to Hawaii on holiday is a tropical treat any time of year, but like most popular vacation destinations in the Northern Hemisphere, summertime is peak tourist season for the Aloha State. Kids are out of school, honeymooners are fresh off their June weddings, and if most of the nation is sweltering anyway, why not bake in a plumeria-scented paradise where sunscreen is needed, but a passport isn’t?
With spring in the air, now is a great time to think about summer — as in a much-needed vacation. If those plans involve Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island or a combination of Hawaii’s four major islands, this desirable destination has plenty that’s fresh to delight visitors besides a floral lei greeting at the nicer hotels.
So, let’s do some island hopping and check out what tourists will say “aloha” to at the start of their summer vacation before bidding “aloha” at the bittersweet end.
Oahu
Oahu lives up to its nickname of “The Gathering Place” as it attracts more than half of all visitors to Hawaii. Many of them will come as a family, if not multigenerational, but this summer Romer House Waikiki (romerhotels.com) is doubling down on its adults-only policy. A new “Escape to Waikiki” program offers a 30% discount on selected rates and music and wellness experiences designed to give grown-ups a mix of sensory activations ranging from late-night happy hours with live DJs to floating soundbaths, which involve listening to instruments making deep, overlapping vibrations during a guided mediation class while on a raft in the property’s heated pool — or in a lounge chair if that’s better for your chi. The property that boasts an urban surf lodge vibe also will offer tarot readings and hula classes, so if anything, hands will get a good workout this summer.
A sister property, Romer Waikiki at the Ambassador (romerhotels.com), just opened an instant neighborhood gem called Favorite Son. Nestled within a lush indoor-outdoor courtyard, this casual eatery provides an inviting space to enjoy square pizzas, sandwiches and other island-inspired comfort food, along with whimsical handcrafted cocktails.
Over at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort, the property’s iconic Rainbow Tower — the one with the dazzling 286-foot-high rainbow mosaic — has newly renovated rooms and public areas to welcome summer guests. Already one of the largest hotels in Hawaii with 2,860 rooms, Hilton Hawaiian Village (hilton.com) is adding 26 new units as part of the tower’s renovation.
An even bigger reno project has been completed at the former Ohana Waikiki East hotel a couple blocks off Waikiki Beach. Rebranded as the Outrigger Waikiki Paradise Hotel (outrigger.com), the 443-room property looks brand new after a $55-million extreme makeover that’s ready for its first summer. Decked out with newly installed local art, a fully remodeled pool and fitness center (with Pelotons) and located next door to a freshened International Market Place, Outrigger’s latest craft hotel has one thing that isn’t new, and that’s a good thing for fellow lovers of kitschy Polynesian decor: Teppanyaki treasure Tanaka of Tokyo looks pretty much the same as when the small family-owned chain first started in 1978, erupting onion volcano and all.
Visitors who long to surf can take classes this summer with world champion longboarder Kai Sallas, who just started offering surf lessons and hardcore clinics at the boutiquey Kaimana Beach Hotel (kaimana.com). The oceanfront Waikiki property also recently introduced Mahjong Nights that have guests doing tile work in the lobby. A new midweek happy hour program welcomes guests with craft cocktails and light bites between brunch and dinner service.
Surf lessons not in the ocean, but a manmade deep-water wave attraction are available at the Wai Kai Wave, part of a year-round playground named Wai Kai (waikai.com) that will see more social and recreational facilities opening this summer. A 52-acre lagoon offers such water activities as kayaking and stand-up paddling, with dining, entertainment and shopping also within the complex.
Maui
Maui’s newest hotel this summer isn’t another five-star resort, and that’s welcome news for those of us who can only dream about staying at the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Andaz or those other ultra-luxury properties that dot the Valley Island. A three-star Hampton Inn & Suites North Shore (hamptoninn.com) — Maui’s first-ever — is on schedule to greet its first guests in April. So, by the time summer hits, any kinks should be ironed out and rooms will still have that new-carpet smell. The location isn’t bad, either, situated close to must-see Iao Valley and Kahului Airport. Yes, they’ll have shuttle service.
A hotel built from the ground up offers some relief for an island that saw several inns burnt to the ground only two summers ago. West Maui continues to recover from the deadly and devasting wildfires that swept through Lahaina in August 2023. The touristy town’s historic district was leveled and is still mostly off limits, but rising from the ashes are three business that have recently moved some 25 miles down the coast. The amazing burgers Cool Cat Café served up on Lahaina’s Front Street before the disaster are now being plated in Kihei, steps from where former Lahaina neighbor CocoNene, a popular Hawaii brand for gifts and home decor, also has relocated. A few miles away, Kohola Brewery is banking on a strong summer to help reestablish itself as a local hangout and must-stop for beer enthusiasts, only now in Wailea. Kohala’s taproom is headed by Isaac Bancaco, a Maui native who was chef at Pacific’o, yet another Lahaina landmark that fell victim to the fires.
Royal Lahaina Resort and Bungalows (royallahaina.com), one of the OG properties in Kaanapali, is sporting a fresh look for summer thanks to a renovation that includes such new dining concepts as The Branches and Lahaina Noon. The appropriately named Branches is anchored under glowing lanterns hanging from a towering century-old ficus tree with a stunning 125-foot canopy, and features nightly live entertainment from local artists. Lahaina Noon serves up an elevated farm-to-table style menu and lively oceanfront vibes. A third oasis, Pineapple Moon, offers poolside relaxation with a side of Maui-inspired flavors.
Not to be outdone, Westin Maui in Kaanapali (westinmaui.com) is sporting a new social space called The Valley Alley. Perfect for getting out of the summer sun without ruining the fun, this indoor facility has an elevated bar and arcade that features TopGolf Swing Suites, duckpin bowling and a host of classic and VR games.
Back in Wailea, the tony town’s already impressive culinary scene is beefing up with the upcoming opening of Aurum Maui (aurummaui.com). The future restaurant at The Shops at Wailea is Aurum’s first expansion outside Colorado — its flagship, Aurum Food & Wine in Steamboat Springs, arguably has the mountain town’s best fine dining — and will be led by a chef and general manager who are Maui locals set on blending island-produced ingredients with Aurum’s signature “new American” cuisine.
Hawaii (The Big Island)
Situated on 62 acres of Hawaiian paradise on the Kohala Coast, sprawling Hilton Waikoloa Village (hilton.com) has just completed the first phase of renovation to its Palace Tower, which now offers a new room category that makes staying at the island’s most popular resort complex even more enviable. Palace Tower Grand rooms offer bright, island-inspired interiors with tropical hues, artwork created by local artists and brand-new furnishings.
Elsewhere on the Big Island’s west side, Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa (outrigger.com) is ready for summer with a $60 million renovation that includes a spiffed-up Voyager 47 Club lounge and a wow-factored 2,500-square foot Presidential Suite that features three private lanais with panoramic views of Keauhou Bay, a fully equipped kitchen and spa-inspired master bathroom. The property also has a new restaurant, Piko, that features flavors of the Kona Coast.
Kauai
The most tranquil of Hawaii’s four major islands looks primed for a relatively sleepy summer in terms of hotel openings, but a wave of exciting developments will be hitting the Garden Island next year including the reopening of the Coco Palms Resort as a Kimpton property.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This summer, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay (1hotels.com/hanalei-bay) is launching Wellness Journeys, four different multiday itineraries customized for each guest’s personal goals. Focused on holistic wellness and longevity, the resort is unique in that it was among the few in Hawaii purposely built around sustainability and wellness — not like most that have adopted these missions as grass-skirted cash cows.
Cruises
Although Hawaii makes up only 1% of the cruise market, more than 20 brands are sending ships to the islands this year for 50 cruises this summer alone. Half will be aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, which, being partially built in the United States and, thus, able to be registered here, is exempt from a law that requires other ships to make an international stop if the cruise begins or ends in an American port. The 2,150-passenger Pride of America (ncl.com) offers itineraries of seven or 10 days; each goes to the four major island with the longer sails making more overnight calls.
Among the more exciting itineraries this summer is a rare one that combines Hawaii and Alaska in a single roundtrip. The 28-day “Legendary Glaciers & Volcanoes: Alaska to Hawaii” voyage actually spills into fall by starting on Aug. 31 in Seattle. Holland America Line’s 1,964-passenger Westerdam (hollandamerica.com) will visit six ports in Alaska and British Columbia, including seldom-visited Valdez, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, before heading south to four ports in Hawaii, including an overnight call in Honolulu. Six sea days follow on the way back to the Pacific Northwest.