Season guide · Honolulu · United States
Honolulu in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Meowmeow10, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Peak season for whales and giant North Shore waves, with brief showers, holiday crowds and the year's highest prices. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 24 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 19°C (66°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 24
- Sea
- 24°C (75°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°C (81°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 8 | 11 h | 4/5 |
| February | 27°C (81°F) | 19°C (66°F) | 7 | 11.4 h | 4/5 |
| December | 27°C (81°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 9 | 10.8 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 27°C (81°F) against a yearly 29°C (84°F), and 24 of the year's roughly 82 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown (January or February)
- January: Sony Open golf tournament at Waiʻalae (usually January)
- February: POW! WOW! Hawaii mural festival in Kakaʻako (usually February)
- December: Honolulu City Lights at Honolulu Hale (usually December)
- December: Honolulu Marathon (usually the second Sunday of December)
- December: New Year's Eve fireworks over Waikīkī
Make the most of the weather
Viewpoint · East Honolulu
Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail
There is no shade at all; go early or late in the day with water and a hat.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Nature
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Zoo · Waikīkī
Honolulu Zoo
In Kapiʻolani Park at the Diamond Head end of Waikīkī, the zoo has an African savanna area, elephants, primates, reptiles and a children's petting zoo, all within walking distance of the beachfront hotels.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
Aquarium · Waikīkī
Waikīkī Aquarium
Pair it with the zoo across the park; together they make an easy family morning.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
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Garden · Chinatown
Foster Botanical Garden
Planted from the 1850s and now a city garden on the edge of Chinatown, Foster has towering tropical trees, some among the largest of their kind in Hawaiʻi, an orchid collection, palms and a prehistoric plant section, a quiet green refuge downtown.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Nuʻuanu
Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout
Hold on to hats and phones: the trade winds funnel through the pass and can be startlingly strong.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
Day trips in winter
- Polynesian Cultural Center (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — In Lāʻie on the northeast coast, this large cultural park presents the traditions of Hawaiʻi, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti and Aotearoa New Zealand through village demonstrations, a canoe pageant, a lūʻau and an evening show.
- Maui (About 40 minutes by plane, plus driving) — An early inter-island flight puts Maui within a day: drive up Haleakalā, relax on the beaches of Wailea or Kāʻanapali, or take a snorkel trip to Molokini.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Honolulu?
It is a trade-off: Peak season for whales and giant North Shore waves, with brief showers, holiday crowds and the year's highest prices. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Honolulu in winter?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 19°C (66°F), with about 24 rainy days over the season.