What to know and plan for a Hawaii vacation in December 2026

If your travels bring you to Hawaii in December, you’re in for a treat. With warm weather and Christmas holiday cheer, December is an especially lovely time for a vacation to the Hawaiian Islands. Let’s explore all the best information that you should know for a December 2026 Hawaii vacation.

What’s Hawaii’s weather like in December?

While December 21st marks the official start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Hawaii’s tropical weather will look and feel like summer. Though the bleakness of winter has begun in the Northern Hemisphere, Hawaii is lush and green with flowers in bloom. To my amazement, I found that even poinsettias bloom outdoors in Hawaii.

You can expect the daytime high temperatures to average to about 82°F (or around 28°C) for Oahu, Maui and Hawaii (Big) Island. Kauai’s winter temps are typically a few degrees lower. Nighttime temps only dip to the mid-to-upper 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is roughly around 20°C. See our Hawaii weather guide for more details by island.

Don’t be too alarmed, but you should know that December is one of Hawaii’s rainier months. That doesn’t mean that it rains constantly, though. We’ve enjoyed plenty of beautiful sunny days in Hawaii in December. In fact, we’ve experienced far more sunshine than rain during our December trips to the Hawaiian Islands. Just be prepared for a passing shower by wearing quick-drying clothes and shoes and a breathable, waterproof rain jacket. (Read our article: Will it rain during my Hawaii vacation for more insights and advice.)

Hawaii ocean conditions in December

Ocean safety is something to keep in mind year-round when visiting Hawaii’s beaches. During the winter months, it becomes especially critical as massive swells crash onto the north-facing shores. The sheer height and power of these waves are breathtaking to witness— but they command respect. The safest way to enjoy them is from a distance, where you can marvel without risk.

For an unforgettable experience, consider watching a big wave surfing contest. The North Shore of Oahu is world-renowned for hosting these competitions, where elite surfers take on some of the planet’s most formidable waves.

When the waves are high on the north shore, the ocean tends to be calmer on the south shorelines. In general, water sports like swimming and snorkeling can still be enjoyed in December when and where 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 keep a safe eye on their snorkelers.

If you’re wondering if the ocean is warm enough for swimming in December, the answer is yes. You can expect ocean temperatures at about 75-ish degrees Fahrenheit. Learn more about ocean temperatures in Hawaii here.

Where to stay based on the weather of December

As previously mentioned, in December there’s an increase in rainfall levels. As such, my advice is to pay closer attention to where to stay in Hawaii to avoid rain.

No matter what time of year you visit, we always recommend making sure your beach accommodation has air-conditioning. The vast majority of Hawaii hotels have air conditioning. It’s the vacation rentals where you need to be more careful in your selection. If you are opting for a VRBO condo or other vacation rental, that’s where you have to be careful to check if your prospective vacation condo or villa has air conditioning. We’ve stayed in a couple of Hawaii vacation rentals without air conditioning and we really wished we had air conditioning. When searching for vacation rentals, look for filters that allow you to filter for rentals with air conditioning.

What should you pack for a Hawaii vacation in December?

Hawaii’s weather often feels hot and humid any time of the year — even in December. We recommend that you pack clothes that will help maximize your comfort. Based on our numerous trips the the Hawaiian Islands, here’s a cheatsheet of what works best:

What to pack for daytime wear for beach or sightseeing

These are the types of clothing that we wear most often during the day in Hawaii:

- Swimsuits (Bring at least two suits per person so that you’ll have a dry suit to wear each day.)
- Swimsuit cover ups
- Rash guard shirts
- Quick-drying, moisture-wicking tops with sun protection (Hanes makes a very affordable performance shirt that we probably have a dozen of between us. It’s their Cool Dri tops. They’re quick-drying, moisture-wicking and they have built in UPF 40 sun protection. I have even used the women’s long-sleeve version as a rash guard.)
- Other shirts, like t-shirts – We recommend wearing light colors that don’t absorb the sun’s warmth as much to help keep you as cool as possible.
- Quick-drying, moisture-wicking shorts, skorts, and/or trousers depending on your activities
- Rainproof, breathable jacket – for examples, for women, highly recommend this Columbia waterproof jacket, which is what I have. For men, this jacket by 33,000ft is a good, affordable option. For kids, this SaphiRose waterproof rain jacket has a lot of great features and is reasonably priced. If you are wondering why you should bring a rainproof, breathable jacket, see our article: Where do you need a jacket or coat in Hawaii?
- Hat or visor
- Sunscreen (See our recommended sunscreens for a Hawaii vacation. Note that you should use a sunscreen that’s Hawaii 104 Act Compliant, meaning that it’s made without Octinoxate and Oxybenzone. Additionally note that Maui County has banned the sale of chemical sunscreens.)
- Lip balm with sunscreen (Our favorite mineral-based lip balm is this water-resistant Burt’s Bees SPF 30 that comes in three tropical flavors.)
- For daytime shoes, we recommend flip flops for the beach and pool and close-toe, performance sandals for hiking and sightseeing. See our guide to the essential shoes for a Hawaii vacation.

What to pack to wear for evening/ dinner in Hawaii

For evening wear, you can leave the fancy clothes at home because Hawaii’s dress code is casual. Ladies might want to pack summer dresses or perhaps resort-wear tops with nice shorts, skorts, or trousers. For men, we suggest you pack summery shirts, like polos or short-sleeve button downs, along with nice shorts. If you have clothing with “Hawaiian prints” they’ll be perfect to wear on your Hawaii vacation.

For more expert packing tips we’ve developed from our many trips to Hawaii, see our Hawaii vacation packing guide. We provide many more packing recommendations, including specialized shoes and gear to bring for tours.

Natural occurrences in December in Hawaii

Big Waves

As we’ve already mentioned, the big ocean swells roll in to the north-facing shores. The big ones can reach 30 feet (9 meters) and even higher.

Humpback Whales

As the month of December progresses, more and more humpback whales arrive in Hawaii’s waters. If you have the time, interest and budget, plan to take a whale watching cruise.

Snow

A final natural occurrence that typically happens is that the highest mountain tops can get snow. Yes, that’s right, it does snow in Hawaii, but only on the very highest summits — 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.

Astronomy Events in December 2026

Hawaii is an amazing place for observing astronomy events. Here’s what’s happening this December:

December 4-17: Geminids Meteor Shower with the peak taking place the night/morning of December 13 and 14. See this link for more details.
December 9: New (no) moon will the the darkest night for observing the nighttime sky.
December 13-24: Ursids Meteor Shower with the night/morning of December 21 and 22 being the peak period period. See this link for more information.
December 23: Full moon

Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele in front of Honolulu Hale as part of the Honolulu City Lights displays

Special events for a December 2026 trip to Hawaii

Throughout the month of December, there are many special holiday parades, concerts and more. We list these events highlights by island.

Oahu Special Events & Performances

Throughout December: Kapolei City Lights (Note that this location is most convenient for visitors staying in Ko Olina.)

December 2: Holiday Brass performance at Cathedral of St. Andrew

Starting December 5: Honolulu City Lights is a beloved Honolulu tradition with large displays, a tall Christmas tree, and thousands of lights. The opening night with a parade is on December 5, but the displays will be available to visit through the Christmas holiday.

December 7: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – 2026 marks the 85th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Ceremonies are held at Pearl Harbor from December 6-8.

December 11: Hale’iwa Christmas Parade

December TBD: Festival of Lights Boat Parade in Hawaii Kai

December 13: Honolulu Marathon

December 24: Hawaii Bowl college football bowl game

Various dates in December near and on Christmas – Waikiki & Honolulu Christmas events, special things to see and do (Note that this page is in the progress of being updated as venues make their announcements.)

December 31 – Waikiki & Honolulu New Year’s Eve events (Note that this page is in the progress of being updated as venues make announcements.)

Maui Special Events & Performances

Various dates and show times from December 4-13: Makahiki

Various dates in December around the Christmas holiday time – Maui Christmas events and things to do. (Note that this page is in the progress of being updated as venues announce their events.)

December 31: Maui New Year’s Eve (Note that this page is in the progress of being updated.)

Kauai Special Events & Performances

We recommend you take a peek at the Kauai Festivals & Events calendar. We’ll highlight some of those events along with additional ones in this list.

TBD: Kauai Festival of Lights – Please check their website for updates.

December 4: Lights on Rice Parade

December 12: Annual Kauai Made Holly Jolly Holiday Fair

December 19: Annual Waimea Light Parade

December 31: New Year’s Eve on Kauai has been relatively quiet the past couple of years. Please check our Kauai New Year’s Eve page for events. We’ll update the page as events are announced.