When cruising the Hawaiian Islands, you’ll want to book Hawaii shore excursions that best suit your own idea of time well spent in this blue-sky, deep-blue water Pacific paradise. The only thing you’ll have to worry about in paradise is deciding how to spend your island time with the many things to do in Hawaii during a cruise.
When your cruise ship docks at Hilo on the east side of the “big island,” that is, the Island of Hawaii, shore excursions booked in advance can whisk you from your ship to dream venues and exciting ventures that range from ziplining on the island’s longest course, passing over tropical river gorges, lushly flowing waterfalls, and gorgeous foliage, to journeying in an all-terrain vehicle to the top of Mauna Kea, one of the world’s highest peaks at 13,796 feet, and where you’ll visit the Keck Observatory, home to twin 300-ton telescopes.
Feel more comfortable at ground level? Enjoy a bracing bike ride through Volcanoes National Park.
On Kailua Kona, located on the leeward (west) coast of the “big island,” book Hawaii cruise excursions that take advantage of the area’s incredible natural wonders: snorkel with over 600 species of ocean wildlife in clear blue waters at top-rated destinations; walk in a clouded-shrouded native forest; taste and appreciate the most famous of the island’s home grown crops, Kona coffee, on a farm-to-table tour.
When your cruise docks at Lahaina, Maui, in addition to classic Hawaii shore excursions that include a luau and a Polynesian show, complete with dancers and Samoan knife and fire dancing, there are multiple opportunities for active adventures, from a hike through volcanic landscapes at Haleakala National Park, a rainforest and waterfall trek, and a chance to play a round of golf at Pukalani Country Club, (the name means “entrance to heaven) with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and West Maui Mountains.
Your adventures in Hawaii continues on the island of Oahu, where you can explore the island’s most visited site, the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center. Here, you can step back in time, viewing memorabilia, rare film footage, and exhibits that mark the fateful and historic day of The United States’ entrance into World War II.