Is a trip to Hawaii in your plans for February? If so, we’ve got you covered with all the best information to know to enjoy your vacation. Let’s dive in!
How is the weather in Hawaii in February?
Though February is smack dab in the middle of winter in Hawaii, you’ll definitely find delightful summer-like weather. For daytime high temperatures, you can expect roughly 80°F (or around 26 to 27°C). Nighttime temps will dip to the mid-60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is roughly around 18°C. Note that Kauai is tends to be just a couple degrees (F) lower than the other Hawaiian islands, which is perhaps driven by its more northern location. See our Hawaii weather guide for more details by island.
Regarding rain, February is not the rainiest month, but rainfall tends to be a bit above yearly averages. I wouldn’t let that deter you at all, though. From our experiences of traveling to Hawaii in February, rain rarely affected our vacations. In fact, we’ve enjoyed plenty of sunny days in February and the other winter months, too. To help “rain proof” your vacation, pack quick-drying clothes and shoes and carry a breathable, waterproof rain jacket or an umbrella. That way, you’ll be prepared in case you get caught in a rain shower.
A bit of rain is not entirely a bad thing. The above average rainfall levels mean that the waterfalls will have a heavier flow rather than just a trickle that can happen late in the drier summer season. Additionally, you may get a chance to see one of Hawaii’s famous rainbows after a rain shower.
What should you pack for a February vacation to Hawaii?
We’ve already mentioned how quick-drying clothes and shoes are important for exploring the beautiful Hawaiian Islands. What else do you need besides that, sunscreen, and swimsuits? You’ll want to pack for a warm, tropical environment. So, pack your favorite summer clothes. Just in case the weather feels “chilly” in the evenings, you might want to have a light sweater to pop on.
For many more recommendations on what to pack, see our Hawaii vacation packing guide. We cover more details about special items you’ll want to pack based on your activities and where you plan to sightsee. For example, if you want to go horseback riding, you’ll need to wear long pants and close-toe shoes. Another example is there are places that you might visit that are much colder than the beaches and you’ll want to pack warmer clothing for those environments. We cover those scenarios and much more in our comprehensive Hawaii vacation packing recommendations.
Hawaii ocean conditions in February
No matter what time of the year you visit the Hawaiian Islands, you must respect the power of the ocean. Ocean safety is extremely important to know.
In winter months, big ocean swells roll onto the north-facing shorelines of the Hawaiian Islands. The height and power of these giant waves are truly awesome to behold. Just keep to observing these huge swells from a safe distance. A great way to marvel at the big waves is by checking out a big wave surfing contest, for which the north shore of Oahu is famous. On Maui, Peahi (a.k.a. Jaws) is another spot to see the big waves.
When the waves are high on the north shore, the water tends to be calmer on the south shorelines. In general, water sports like swimming and snorkeling can still be enjoyed in February where and when conditions are calm.
Experts advise swimming at beaches with lifeguards. For snorkeling, I recommend you choose an organized-tour company as they are more informed of the safer spots and tend to keep an eye out for their snorkelers’ safety.
Festivals, celebrations and special events in February
With the Chinese Lunar New Year on February 17, you’ll find several celebrations around the islands, though they may be held on dates other than February 17. Two of the other biggest annual festivals in February are the Waimea Town Celebration in Kauai and the Waimea Cherry Blossom Festival in Hawaii (Big) Island. Here’s what’s noteworthy for February 2026.
Kauai
February 13-25: Kauai Quilt Show
February 14-21: The 49th Annual Waimea Town Celebration
Oahu
February 17, 21, 22 and 28: Cultural presentations for Chinese Lunar New Year at Royal Hawaiian Center
Maui
February 1: The annual exhibition Art of Aloha is held at the Lahaina Galleries at the Shops at Wailea.
February 1-22: Lahaina Food & Wine Festival
February 16: National Park Service offers free entry in celebration of Presidents Day.
February 20: Ke Kani Hone O Wailea, a free concert featuring the award-winning Hawaii recording artist, Amy Hanaiali’i
February 21: The 24th Annual Maui Chinese New Year Festival
Hawaii, the Big Island
February 7: The 33rd Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival
February 14-15: Pana’ewa Stampede Rodeo
February 16: National Park Service offers free entry in celebration of Presidents Day.
February 28: Lunar New year Celebration at Queens Marketplace in Waikoloa Beach Resort
February Seasonal Highlights
Humpback whales
The height of humpback whale season runs from January through March, which makes February an excellent time for whale watching. As you look over the ocean, scan the water and horizon for humpbacks as they come to the surface to breath. Sometimes, if you’re lucky you can observe behaviors such as fin and fluke slapping and the ever exciting breach.
You can see humpbacks from every island, however the best islands for humpback whale watching are Maui and Hawaii (Big) Island.
You can see the whales from the shoreline, however if you can get out on the water, it’s neat to observe the whales a bit closer. So, if you are going to Hawaii this February, we highly recommend booking a whale watching tour. (Our favorite whale watching experience was a tour with Maui Sailing Canoe.)
Massive north shore waves
As we’ve already mentioned, the big ocean swells roll in to the north-facing shores. The biggest ones can reach 50 feet and higher!
Snow
Though it’s often difficult to believe, Hawaii does get snow in the winter months. The snow is confined to the highest mountain peaks only — like Mauna Kea (Big Island), Mauna Loa (Big Island) and sometimes on Haleakala (Maui). It’s not unusual to see a snow-capped Mauna Kea in the winter months. The contrast in sunny beaches and snow-capped mountain peaks is marvelous to see.
Moon phases and night sky events
The moon is in it’s fullest phase on February 12. That should make romantic, evening strolls around Valentine’s Day even more special. For any sort of stargazing, the new moon is February 27th with a dark sky, you will see more stars.
Hawaii Stargazing in February
Hawaii is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. Here’s what’s happening in the sky for February 2026:
- February 1 – Full moon
- February 17 – New Moon
- February 19 – Mercury is at its greatest eastern elongation making it the best time to view the planet since it will be at its highest point above the horizon. Look for Mercury low in the western sky just after sunset.
What Hawaii tours and activities are not to be missed in February?
First, we make your vacation planning super easy with our tried-and-true Hawaii vacation itineraries. Those itineraries are designed to make sure you experience all the top highlights of each island, yet they can easily be customized to your interests.
Now, with February in mind, here are our suggestions for what to do especially for the month:
- With February being one of only three peak months for humpback whales, we highly recommend taking a snorkel, sunset, and/or whale watching tour to get a closer view of these majestic creatures. (Pro tip: during the peak of humpback whale season, just about any catamaran or boat tour practically doubles as a whale watching tour. So, for example, a snorkeling tour might also double as a whale watching tour.) Our favorite islands for spotting humpbacks are Maui and Hawaii’s Big Island. For tours, some of our favorite tour companies are:
- On Maui, Maui Sailing Canoe is excellent. Read about our Maui Sailing Canoe experience. For a bigger boat, we can also recommend Pride of Maui which offers these tours:
- Pride of Maui Elua Luxury snorkeling tour
- Pride of Maui Maxi Catamaran snorkeling tour
- Pride of Maui Elua luxury whale watching tour
- Pride of Maui sunset dinner cruise with Hawaiian hula
- On the Big Island, we like Mauna Lani Sea Adventures and Ocean Sports.
- On Maui, Maui Sailing Canoe is excellent. Read about our Maui Sailing Canoe experience. For a bigger boat, we can also recommend Pride of Maui which offers these tours:
- On Hawaii’s Big Island, Kilauea has been erupting in an incredible fashion with fountains of lava reaching heights of over 1,500 feet in the air. When these episodic eruptions happen, they generally last about eight to 10 hours give or take, so you need to be pay attention to the Kilauea updates to have an idea of when the next episode is anticipated. The eruptions have been occuring in episodes with days or weeks pause in between.
- With the winter swells rolling to the north shores, February make s a great time to see of them. Pay attention to the surf reports, which are usually given along with weather forecasts.
More information to help you make Hawaii vacation plans:
- Is this your first time visiting Hawaii? If so, check out our first-time visitor’s guide to the Hawaiian Islands.
- Don’t forget that reservations needed to access parks and other activities. Reservations are particularly important if you are visiting over a holiday, such as Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day holidays.
Sheila Beal
