Visiting Honolulu in January: What to Know, Weather, and Events

Growing up in Honolulu and now returning annually to visit family, January has been my favorite time to visit Hawaii. In this post, I’ll share more details about why it’s so great and how to make the most of a January Honolulu trip.

Is January a good time to visit Hawaii?

Yes! Let it be known across the interwebs: January is a great month to visit Honolulu and Hawaii in general.

Winter is the time to visit the north shores of Oahu or Maui to watch world class surf on some of the world’s biggest waves. Or maybe you’re just looking to visit Hawaii in shoulder season when prices are lot more affordable than the holidays.

January is not only a good time to visit Hawaii, I’d say it might be the best time.

Here’s the top 3 reasons why you should visit Honolulu, Hawaii in January. I’ll expand on them in more detail below:

1) The weather: Typically, January sees some of the best weather. It’s well past hurricane season. It’s not hot and humid as it can get in the summer. And it’s not as rainy other months (i.e. February and March).

2) It’s a shoulder season: A week or two after the New Year, prices for all things (flights, hotels, car rentals etc…) drop significantly. If you are able to, try to delay your holiday travel to Hawaii until after the holidays. You’ll not only score better prices, but also fewer crowds.

3) Winter activities: I’m not talking about cold and snow activities. I’m talking about big wave surfing, whale watching, Honolulu city lights, New Year’s celebrations, and other festivals that only take place during this time of year.

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Quick note: this post is specifically about Honolulu in January because it’s what I know best. I grew up in this city and on the island of Oahu.

There are going to be some things that I mention that will relate to the entire State (i.e. the weather in January), whereas some things will be island-specific (i.e. Honolulu city lights). Wherever you’re considering visiting Hawaii, this post will be helpful.

What’s the weather like in Honolulu, Hawaii in January?

January features some of – if not the best – weather for visiting Hawaii, especially if you come from cold climates.

Typically during this time you’ll see average temperatures with highs in the low 80s (Fahrenheit) and lows in the 60s. It’s the temperate goldilocks time of year.

Summers in Hawaii can get really hot and humid, especially if there are no trade winds. Thankfully, you don’t ever have to worry about being so cold in Hawaii that you would need something like a bulky jacket.

If you’re like my family that still lives in Hawaii, anything below the 70s is considered too cold, lol.

Here are some other weather related questions you might have regarding visiting Hawaii in January:

Can you swim in Hawaii in January?

Yes! Swimming in Hawaii is year round, though it’s true that it might feel better to be in the ocean on really hot days compared to cooler days.

But remember, even on some of Hawaii’s cooler days, the water is still much warmer than, say, anywhere in California.

When is hurricane season for Hawaii?

When you’re considering weather and when to travel to Hawaii, you should definitely be aware of hurricane season which is typically June 1st through November 30th each year.

The hurricane forecast differs each year. Though hurricanes directly hitting the Hawaii islands is rare, the threat still exists annually. I still think it’s totally fine to travel during a hurricane season but if this is something you’re worried about, avoid summer and early Fall.

Will it rain in Hawaii in January?

Yes and no. Hawaii has a tropical climate. It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is — there’s always a chance it can rain.

Now how much rain and how often it might rain is a different question. January is not seen as a particular rainy, nor stormy month. Again, take that with a grain of salt.

Weather is finicky and with climate change, you never know, but typically, January is a good month to visit Hawaii if you’re looking for decent weather.

Ironically, February and March (sometimes April) have been known to be rainy months. May is hit or miss and then June through September are summer, drier and hotter months.

The only other months I would say rival to visiting Hawaii in January for weather are November and December as things start cooling down.

Is January considered a shoulder season to visit Hawaii?

Yes and no. It depends on what part of January you plan to travel.

I love being in Hawaii during the holidays but so does EVERYONE else. And I’m not just talking tourists.

Those of us that grew up in Hawaii want to be home to visit family and friends during the holidays, so we often visit during this time. It’s also an important time of the year where college students that leave Hawaii (and they leave in the tens of thousands) return back home too.

And yes, so many tourists from all over the world want to visit Hawaii during the holidays.

Because of the simple supply and demand issue, airplane tickets to visit Hawaii the last two weeks of December and the first week of January can be astronomically high.

For example: A one-way, non-stop ticket between Portland Oregon (our home airport) and Honolulu is usually about $400 per person. During the holidays, that same ticket is $1000 per person! That’s a one way fare!!!

But if you’re able to wait a little. Let all the tourists and returning family and college students leave the islands and then you’ll see better prices. Remember January is an amazing time to visit Hawaii so it’s not a true shoulder/low time to visit. It will just be a lot cheaper than visiting during the high holiday season.

What is there to do in Honolulu Hawaii in January?

Where to begin?! Let’s first talk about things to do in town and then things to do out of the city and in the country side.

If you’re visiting Honolulu (Hawaii in general), start with food. For local people, it always starts with food.

If you’re looking for a one-week itinerary for visiting Oahu, check out this helpful guide.

Visit a Farmer’s Market: We highly recommend the Kapiolani Community College (KCC) farmer’s market or Kakaako Farmer’s markets, both on Saturdays.

It’s a good place to try lots of different things and see the kind of food, vegetables, fruit, and flowers the island has to offer.

Checkout Chinatown: It’s a unique, interesting area. Check out the open markets. Lots of great, old school restaurants AND new school/modern restaurants are here.

Don’t expect it to be one of the nicest areas but if you’re looking for a cultural experience and are a foodie, this is a must visit place in Honolulu.

Get shave ice at Waiola’s: Many people will tell you to get shave ice on the North shore in Haleiwa. It’s a good recommendation. But my favorite is actually Waiola in Honolulu where the ice melts (and not crunches) in your mouth.

Don’t forget to try flavors you can’t get elsewhere like lychee and passion fruit. Want to eat it the local way? Get it with ice cream and sweet beans. If you know, you know.

Go on a hike! January is one of the best times to hike in Hawaii because of the weather.

In Honolulu there are beautiful hikes that range from easy like the Makapuu light house trail or Diamond Head crater, or more challenging ridge hikes along Oahu’s many valleys.

See this guide for more info about hikes we recommend on the island. 

Go to Hanauma Bay: I grew up going to this nature preserve and it’s worth seeing at least once in your lifetime. It’s one of the most special experiences where you can swim up close with marine life (not to mention just a beautiful bay and beach).

Is it worth doing over and over? I’ll leave that up to you.

What to See and Do Outside of Honolulu

Take a road trip: If you’re able to, drive around the island to see all of its beauty.

Pro tip: Go against the flow of daily traffic. Most people head towards Honolulu starting at 6am and you won’t see relief until after 9, maybe 10am. The same logic applies in the afternoon. Head back to Honolulu in the afternoon or evening if possible.

Remember, Oahu is a small island with almost a million people on it and almost everyone has a car. Traffic is bad no matter what time of the year, even in January.

Go whale watching: January is an incredible time as you’ll start to see humpback whales make their migratory journey to swim and hangout in our warmer water during the winter.

There are lots of boat tours specifically for this but if you’re lucky, you can also see them from shore with binoculars.

Surf or go watch surfers: If you’ve always wanted to surf, it’s worth paying for proper instruction and there’s lots of different places to do this around the island.

January can bring bigger waves, so check with professionals to see if it’s a good day/time to learn.Speaking of bigger waves.

Some of the biggest and best waves for professional surfers happens in January. It’s why the Triple Crown of Surfing takes place in January (Hawaii Pro, Vans World Cup, and Billabong Pipe Masters). These large events (or any big wave days) brings large crowds of tourists and locals who want to watch pro surfers.

Plan accordingly and expect traffic (and limited parking).

If you’d like to learn how to surf or are a beginner, please be cautious about where you surf and when. Make sure the waves aren’t forecasted to be big and watch out for box jellyfish warnings. We highly recommend taking a surf lesson or going with someone local who can teach you. Surfing and learning to surf is great but it really helps to have local knowledge with this activity. 

P.S. Surf lessons are one of the activities included in the Go Oahu card. (See our full review of this tourist pass here.)

Special Events in Honolulu (and Hawaii) in January

Here is a short list of events that generally happen each year. There will also be special events (new and old) that might take place in January. Use the State of Hawaii’s Tourism website to check for a list of events as the date of your travel nears.

Ringing in the New Year: There’s no place I’d rather be that celebrating New Year’s Eve in Hawaii. We did mention that it’s expensive to fly during the holidays, but if you’re able to, try to be in Hawaii by December 31.

Hawaii people love to celebrate, especially with fireworks. There are shows in lots of tourist areas but the real experience is all throughout the islands in neighborhoods where families gather and play their own fireworks.

Triple Crown of Surfing: If you love surfing, January is an amazing time to watch professional surfers on Oahu. There are 3 major surf competitions that make up the Triple Crown — Hawaii Pro, Vans World Cup, and Billabong Pipe Master.

Some of the best surfers in the world come to Hawaii for these events. If I had to choose one of the three to watch, it would be the Pipe Masters at Pipeline. This surf break produces one of the most amazing barrels which is why it’s so famous.

The Sony Open: For golf fans, the Sony Open takes place every January. It’s right outside of Honolulu near Waikiki so it’s pretty easy to get to.

Honolulu City Lights: If you’re one of those people that love Christmas lights, check out our Christmas light display at city hall in Honolulu. This is especially fun for families with kids. It usually stays up and running for the first couple of weeks in January.

Punahou Carnival: Ok, so technically this annual event takes place the first weekend of February. But, if you end up visiting Hawaii at the end of January and are in Honolulu that first weekend, plan on attending this 2-day event.

The Punahou Carnival is an annual fundraiser put on at Punahou school (K-12) campus by the school’s students, faculty, and parents. There are rides, games, and of course, lots of delicious food to try including their famous malasadas (fried dough coated with sugar).

What to pack for Honolulu in January

If you’re planning to visit Honolulu, or Hawaii in general, during this time of year, here are some things you may not have considered bringing:

• Light jacket: Something to keep you warm during cooler weather. A wind breaker and something that repels or withstands light rain would be ideal. You probably don’t need anything warmer.
• Sunscreen: Don’t get burned! You might think that with cooler weather you may not need to protect yourself from the sun, but you’d be wrong. Even overcast days can burn you. Find Hawaii-approved reef-safe sunscreens here.
• Hiking shoes: For most outdoor activities, walking around town, and of course, hiking. For your own safety, please don’t hike in slippers/flip flops. See this recommend guide for best hiking shoes to bring to Hawaii.
• Jeans/pants: I guarantee if you only pack shorts/skirts there will be one day in January in Hawaii you’ll wish you had longer pants. You just never know when the temperature will drop or you’ll be indoors in strong AC.

For our full list of packing recommendations, check out:
Our free Hawaii packing checklist

Conclusion: You should visit Hawaii in January!

As you can see, January is one of my favorite times to visit and be in Honolulu. Have you been to Hawaii and if so, when has been your favorite time to go? Let us know in the comments below. 

• See how much you can save with the Go Oahu all-inclusive pass
• Make packing easy with our free Hawaii packing checklist
• Download our free Honolulu Trip Checklist

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