Venture to Hawaii to enjoy miles of soft sand beaches, flamboyant tropical foliage, lush valleys, and picturesque waterfalls for your Labor Day weekend getaway. September weather in Hawaii is warm and dry. Best of all, you can visit major attractions without the crowds from the summer tourist season. When you stay at one of numerous Hawaii vacation rentals, you have easy access to fun recreational activities, awe-inspiring sightseeing, opportunities for relaxation, and special events. Check out the top Labor Day weekend getaway destinations in Hawaii.
1. Lihue, Kauai
Kauai is the northernmost large island in the Hawaiian archipelago, and Lihue, the government and commercial center, is on the southeastern shore. If you’d like to spend Labor Day weekend enjoying swimming, sunbathing, and water sports, head for Kalapaki Beach or Ninini Beach. Be sure to visit majestic Wailua Falls, which is set a few miles inland amidst tropical greenery. The Kilohana Estate offers you a tour of the grounds, gardens, and village of a vast sugar plantation by classic railway. To top off your Labor Day weekend, celebrate with a lavish buffet and the entertainment of fire dancers and hula dancers at the Luau Kalamaku.
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2. Hanalei, Kauai
The beautiful town of Hanalei, at the foot of emerald-green mountains on the north side of Kauai, is accessible only by a one-lane bridge. For a fun Labor Day weekend activity, take surfing lessons at Hanalei Bay with Hawaiian Surfing Adventures. Explore the spectacular waterfalls, valleys, and sea caves of the Napali Coast aboard a luxurious catamaran with Holo Holo Charters. Closer to town, swim and sunbathe at Black Pot Beach Park, explore the Hanalei River by kayak, and enjoy some relaxing fishing off the end of Hanalei Pier. The colorful shops in Hanalei town are great places to look for clothing and souvenirs.
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3. Honolulu, Oahu
Besides incomparable swimming, sunbathing, and water sports at world-famous Waikiki Beach, the Honolulu area offers a number of special events over Labor Day weekend. The Okinawan Festival at Kapiolani Park offers two days of live music performances, ethnic dancing, arts and crafts, activities for children, and mouth-watering Okinawan cuisine. At the annual Waikiki Rough Water Swim, competitors from all over the island launch out into open waters on one side of the beach and swim over two miles before finishing the race. Don’t miss the annual Onipaa Celebration, which commemorates the birthday of Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of Hawaii, at Iolani Palace in downtown Honolulu. This Labor Day event includes musical performances, dances, palace tours, and living history walks.
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4. Laie, Oahu
The lovely town of Laie, which lies on the northeastern shore of Oahu, offers swimming and sunbathing at Hukilau Beach and Laie Beach Park. Enjoy Labor Day weekend at the popular Polynesian Cultural Center, which features numerous diverse Polynesian villages set along a tropical stream. Activities include guided canoe rides, shopping in the Hukilau Marketplace, multicultural shows with singing and dancing, and festive luaus. For an unforgettable excursion, head south down the coast to nearby Kualoa Ranch, the filming site of movies such as Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, and other Hollywood hits, and take a movie tour.
5. Haleiwa, Oahu
Haleiwa is a charming town full of surf shops, art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants on the north shore of Oahu. Nearby are the world-famous surfing beaches of Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach, and Ehukai Beach, also known as the Bonzai Pipeline. In winter, the waves reach enormous heights, and Oahu’s north shore hosts international competitions with surfers from all over the world. However, in September during Labor Day weekend the waves are gentler and the beaches less crowded. It’s an ideal time to take some surfing lessons with Surf Hawaii Surf School, and try out the waves at these renowned locations.
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6. Lanai City, Lanai
Lanai City is the largest settlement on the small island of Lanai, also known as Pineapple Island, which lies west of Maui in the center of the Hawaiian archipelago. Lanai City features a group of boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants clustered around pleasant Dole Park. Labor Day weekend activities include hikes through eucalyptus and pine woods along scenic Monroe Trail, an excursion in an off-road vehicle to visit stunning Shipwreck Beach on the island’s north side, and relaxing swimming, sunbathing, and snorkeling at Hulopoe Bay on the south side. Don’t miss a visit to Puu Pehe, or Sweetheart Rock, a beautiful location steeped in island folklore.
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7. Lahaina, Maui
Lahaina is a beautiful historic whaling town on the northwestern shore of Maui. Among its attractions is one of the largest banyan trees in the United States, an intricate maze of trunks and branches that covers an entire city block. Lahaina is renowned for its many art galleries, which feature paintings, ceramics, woodwork, jewelry, and scrimshaw, the whaler’s art of ivory carving. Join Sea Maui aboard a 55-foot catamaran for a Labor Day weekend sightseeing and snorkeling tour. Alternatively, explore Hawaii’s gorgeous undersea world with Atlantis Submarines.
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8. Hana, Maui
The town of Hana, on the eastern coast of Maui, is the perfect place to spend a quiet, relaxing Labor Day weekend in a gorgeous tropical setting. The small town atmosphere is exemplified by Hana Ranch Store and Hasegawa General Store, where you find a welcoming local ambiance as well as unique souvenirs. Swim and sunbathe on the unusual black sand beach at Waianapanapa State Park. Don’t miss an excursion to Haleakala National Park to view 400-foot Waimoku Falls and the Pools of Oheo, where a series of waterfalls drop tier by tier into numerous pools.
9. Waimea, Big Island
The town of Waimea lies on rolling grasslands amidst spacious cattle ranches on the north end of the Big Island of Hawaii. Every Labor Day weekend, a rodeo with bull riding, barrel racing, roping, and other competitions takes place at Parker Ranch. The event culminates with a fascinating horse auction. For some relaxing fun in the sun, head for nearby Hapuna Beach State Park, which features one of the Big Island’s largest white sand beaches. Be sure to have a meal at Merriman’s Restaurant, whose owner is an award-winning chef.
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10. Hilo, Big Island
The city of Hilo on the eastern side of the Big Island features a thriving downtown with abundant museums and art galleries as well as breathtaking surrounding natural beauty. Take a relaxing Labor Day stroll through Liliuokalani Gardens, a vast landscape of flamboyant foliage, pagodas, rock gardens, lanterns, and fish ponds. Visit Wailuku River State Park, and hike to the breathtaking Rainbow Falls. Browse for art at the Eastern Hawaii Cultural Center and for fresh produce at the Hilo Farmers Market.
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