Spending Christmas in Hawaii

If you, like Clark Griswold, find yourself staring out a window with dreams of a Mele Kalikimaka spent in a swimming pool, then you should look no more. Hawaii is your perfect Christmas destination. But believe it or not, there is so much more to do for the holidays in Hawaii than just sunbathe and enjoy the weather. Check out these five ideas to have your best Hawaiian holiday vacation.

See the Spectacular Lights

Each island has its own spin on the traditional Christmas light display, on Kauai you can check out the Festival of Lights, in Honolulu you can take a trolley tour, and while experiencing Maui, you can check out the decked out Banyan tree.

Find a Parade

Depending on what date you’re visiting many islands and cities have spectacular Christmas parades that can feature anything from ukulele carols to lighted participants strolling down a scenic parade route. If you are vacationing in early December, check out the Lights on Rice parade in Kauai. The Waianae Coast Christmas Parade or the Festival of Lights Boat Parade are Oahu events that take place in mid-December, and Waimea Christmas Lights Parade takes place on Kauai on December 23. Note: A complete list of parade events is too exhaustive to copy here, so be sure to check out the islands you will be visiting for more information.

Check out a Concert

There are more of these than we can list too, but some notable music events on Oahu include the Brothers Cazimero, Na Leo, the students of the Kamehameha Schools and the Honolulu Boys Choir. On Maui, you can check out Maui Concert Chorus, the Maui Youth Chorus, the Maui Symphony Orchestra, and the Maui Pops Orchestra.

Stargaze

In Kona on the Big Island, you can also check out the Imiloa Astronomy Center’s Mystery of the Christmas Star taking place December 7 through December 28 and discover a possible scientific explanation for the star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus.

Be a Beach Bum

After you have taken in all the holiday sights, there is no reason not to just kick back and enjoy a nice Mai Tai and rolling surf.‚  You can always just throw on a Santa Hat if it makes you feel more festive.