The Ultimate Hawaii Bucket List Vacation

As soon as I pop up and the soles of my feet make contact with my board, it feels like I'm weightless — like I'm flying. To my left, I catch the sparkle of Honolulu's skyscrapers glimmering against the sunlight. To my right, I admire the curvy silhouette of Diamond Head, a volcanic crater formed over 400,000 years ago. I'm surfing in Hawaii, one of the most incredible surf destinations in the world!

Gliding down the face of a wave at Waikiki is one of the most iconic experiences to have in Hawaii, and it's one shared by a long legacy of surfers. Most surf historians cite Hawaii as the birthplace of modern surfing, and there are few better places to learn than the friendly waves of Waikiki.

Waikiki has magazine-worthy waves. There's no shortage of spots to surf across all eight islands in Hawaii — fit for beginners and professionals alike. The North Shore of Oahu is home to the South Pacific's most powerful waves. Here, you can sit on the shore and watch experienced and pro surfers conquer big waves from the Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach, which is at its peak from November to February.

Just when I thought I'd mastered paddling an outrigger canoe in the calm bay of Honaunau, a small wave knocked me into the sea. Flipping an outrigger canoe is called a “huli” in Hawaiian. And once I learned how to right the canoe and climb back in, I discovered newfound freedom paddling along the island of Hawaii's coastline. Canoeing is Hawaii's traditional form of transportation, as Polynesians paddled through the South Pacific on double-hulled and outrigger canoes.

Exploring Hawaiian waters with a paddle in hand is one of the best ways to experience the islands, just as the first Polynesians once did. Multiple operators offer different paddling excursions, from guided paddling tours on board double-hulled canoes in Keauhou Bay off Kona (where it's common to spot manta rays and spinner dolphins) to family-friendly tours that teach Hawaiian history and mythology in an outrigger canoe off of Wailea Beach, Maui.

If there's one activity that needs to be on your Hawaii cruise bucket list, it's jumping into a nine-person outrigger canoe and riding the waves of Waikiki.

From the ink-black waters below, a manta ray swoops toward the ocean's surface with its mouth wide open, feasting on the plankton that have gathered under the giant bright light I'm hanging onto. I hold my breath as the manta ray glides within inches of me. Another manta appears, and they flip and twirl like ballet dancers. Every night, these manta rays feed at Keauhou Bay, and it's possible to witness them on a scuba diving or snorkeling excursion. Come daytime, the reef comes alive at Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park. This is a fantastic spot to see eagle rays, sea turtles and “humuhumunukunukuapuaa” — the Hawaiian state fish.

Elsewhere around Hawaii, snorkeling excursions will take you under the sea, where sea turtles, rays, eels, reef sharks and hundreds of fish dance around colorful coral reefs and underwater lava tubes. Molokai, home to Hawaii's largest fringing reef, is famous for its rays, sea turtles and moray eels. Molokai is a bit off the beaten path; a stretch of untouched nature that’s well worth the detour.

A land of fire and ice, the island of Hawaii is one of Earth's wildest landscapes. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is where you can witness land being created firsthand from the active volcanoes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The lands of the park are sacred and feature heavily in Hawaiian mythology as the park is home to Pele, a deity devoted to creation and destruction. Conditions change from day to day.

You might see a plume from the volcanic crater puffing steam into the sky like a cloud factory on one visit, and lava flowing into the sea during the next. At night, gaze into a pit of molten lava for otherworldly amber hues. The park also hosts a range of hiking paths, like the Kilauea Iki trail that traverses over a solidified lava lake. It's a blazing contrast to Hawaii's dormant and often snow-capped volcano of Mauna Kea.

Haleakala National Park is a must-add to your Maui bucket list as it’s home to a dormant shield volcano like no other. According to Hawaiian mythology, Maui, the Hawaiian deity, placed the entirety of the sun inside of the Haleakala volcano. Take a day trip to this park for ideal hiking and bird-watching. At night, the park's dark skies offer an opportunity to stargaze.

Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historical Park on the island of Hawaii is an important park. It's one of the most culturally significant sites in the archipelago. When an ancient Hawaiian broke a “kapu,” a sacred law, the punishment may have been death. If the lawbreaker could evade capture and take refuge in the borders of Pu'uhonua O Honaunau, they would be granted a new chance at life. A self-guided tour leads you through the park to discover fish traps, sacred temples called “heiau” and wooden carvings of ancient gods called “kii.”

While on the Oahu bucket list as part of your Hawaii vacation, visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial to learn about one of the most impactful moments in United States history, the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Visit the USS Arizona Memorial dedicated to the United States Navy service members and civilians who lost their lives. This event led to the country's involvement in WWII. Today, the memorial presents educational programs and commemoration events.

It may seem obvious that among all the adventure and exploration, you'll want to slow down and take full advantage of the sandy beaches accenting the islands' shorelines. Beaches in Hawaii range from barely-there slivers of sand in a hidden cove to swaths of enough sand to accommodate hundreds of towels with plenty of room to spare. Sand hues span the color spectrum, including black, light gray, white and even red and green.

Once you've had your fill of postcard-perfect beaches, retreat to a more unusual enclave — like the jet-black sand beaches of Honokalani on Maui or Punalu'u on the island of Hawaii. Leave footprints near the water that look like they're filled with Merlot on the sands of Kaihalulu Beach on Maui, which gets its rose-colored hue from oxidized iron in the sand.