Covers the six Hawaiian islands, Key West, Nantucket, Hilton Head, Fiji and Bora Bora, plus the passport rules for US citizens.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
December is the start of Hawaii's high season. Whales begin arriving, the North Shore surf season is in full swing, and the airlines add winter flights. The weather stays easy: highs of 76°F to 80°F (24°C to 27°C) and a sea of 78°F to 79°F (26°C) in our data. December is a little wetter than November on most islands, which helps explain why Maui's weather score dips from 9.8 to 9.3.
The real December variable is price. Our Maui page puts the highest rates in the December-to-April whale season, and our Oahu page says prices peak around the holidays. Christmas Day falls on a Friday in 2026, and so does New Year's Day 2027, which stretches both holiday weekends.
Score = 55% this month's weather + 45% the island's other five factors. How we score
| # | Island | Score | High °F | Sea °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maui | 8.6 | 80 | 79 | 2.6 |
| 2 | Oahu | 8.4 | 79 | 78 | 2.4 |
| 3 | Big Island (Hawaii Island) | 7.9 | 79 | 79 | 4.6 |
| 4 | Molokai | 7.3 | 80 | 78 | 1.9 |
| 5 | Kauai | 7.2 | 77 | 79 | 5.1 |
| 6 | Lanai | 7.0 | 76 | 79 | 2.4 |
1Maui leads December with 9 of 10 for beaches and things to do and a 9.3 weather score: 80°F highs, a 79°F sea and 2.6 inches (67 mm) of rain. Whales start to show in the channel off Kihei and Wailea, and the south and west shores stay swimmable while north swells build. It has 18 US nonstop airports, with American adding Chicago O'Hare from December 17, 2026. Kihei was $296 on our January 13 benchmark; holiday weeks are the island's peak rates.
2Oahu is second with a 9.2 weather score, 79°F highs and 2.4 inches (61 mm) of rain. Its beaches score 8 and it is the most crowded island here. It is the value pick for the holidays: Waikiki was $139 on January 13, 2027, and 28 US airports fly nonstop, with Boise, Spokane and Boston added for winter. December is big-wave season at Pipeline, and the Honolulu Marathon runs on December 13, 2026. Our Oahu page warns that prices peak around the holidays.
3The Big Island is third: an 8.2 weather score, with 79°F highs and a 79°F sea but 4.6 inches (116 mm) of rain at Kona. Things to do score 9 and it is the least crowded of the big islands, a real plus over the holidays. Kilauea has erupted in episodes since December 2024; check the USGS updates before you drive up. Kailua-Kona was $261 on our January benchmark. Seasonal winter nonstops add Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Salt Lake City.
4Molokai is fourth with the best December weather here, a 9.6 score: 80°F highs and only 1.9 inches (48 mm) of rain. Its beaches and things to do score 4 each, and its conditional verdict costs 0.4. That makes it a quiet Christmas on a working rural island, not a beach holiday. Whales pass off the south shore. Hotel Molokai was $328 on January 13, 2027, and Lanai Air flies from Honolulu at $169 one way. There is no ferry.
5Kauai is fifth. Its December weather score is 7.7, with 77°F highs and 5.1 inches (129 mm) of rain at Lihue, and its conditional verdict after Hurricane Lowell costs 0.4. Winter surf closes the north-shore swimming at Hanalei and Ke'e, so Poipu is the December base; ask whether your Poipu hotel has recovered from the storm surge. On October 19, 2026 Koke'e Road and most state parks were closed. Kapaa was $233 on our January date.
6Lanai is last. December weather scores 8.6, with the coolest highs here, 76°F, and 2.4 inches (61 mm) of rain. Its value score of 1.0 decides the place: the Four Seasons was $2,642 on January 13, 2027, our winter benchmark. Hulopoe Bay is worth a day. Take the Expeditions ferry from Maalaea, three crossings a day from $30, book both legs and allow for rough winter seas.
In this guide
Each island's score is 55% its December weather score and 45% the rest of its overall score: our editors' scores for beaches and things to do, plus access from the US, hotel value and crowding, with 0.4 off for islands our pages rate conditional. The weather score combines daytime high, sea temperature, rainfall and sunshine at the gateway airport. December carries no storm deduction; the hurricane season ends November 30. The weights are in how we score islands.
Winter is when the US mainland gets its extra Hawaii nonstops, according to the airport route tables on our island pages:
It is all domestic travel: a REAL ID or a passport is enough, and TSA charges $45 for ConfirmID if you arrive without either.
Whales. NOAA's humpback sanctuary says whales are seen from November through April, and it holds its shore counts in January, February and March, which it calls peak season. December is the early part of the season: you may see whales, but January to March is the safer bet if they are the point of the trip.
Surf. The North Shore season runs September to May, building to a January peak, per the University of Hawaii Sea Level Center. On Oahu that means watching surfers at Pipeline and Sunset, not swimming. Waikiki, Ala Moana, Wailea and Poipu are the December swimming beaches.
Marathon. The Honolulu Marathon starts at 5 a.m. on Sunday, December 13, 2026. If you are not running, plan Waikiki mornings around it.
Take Oahu if holiday prices are the problem or you want city lights and events over resorts. Take the Big Island if you want room to breathe in a crowded month; it has the least crowding of the four big islands. Take Molokai for a quiet Christmas, but only if you will not miss beaches.
Kauai is the one to check first. On October 19, 2026, Koke'e Road and most Kauai state parks were still closed after Hurricane Lowell. For other warm winter islands, compare the best islands in December and the Caribbean in December.
Breakfast, a deli lunch and water are included; tips are not. It is a long day in a van on a narrow road, and the sign-up page lists pickup at hotels or a Kahului meeting point, so check which applies to you.
Rating as shown on Viator
A snack and water are included but lunch is not, and Dole train or maze tickets are extra. It is a large-coach tour; a rental car covers the same loop at your own pace.
Rating as shown on Viator
Lunch and park entry are included; tips are not, and vacation rentals are not picked up. With a rental car the park pass is $15 to $30, but the round trip from Kona is long, which is what this tour saves you.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Yes, if you book early. Highs in our data are 76°F to 80°F and the sea 78°F to 79°F, hurricane season is over, and whales begin arriving. Holiday weeks are the most expensive of the year, and north-shore beaches get big winter surf.
Maui for a resort beach Christmas, Oahu for value and things to do without a car. Both rank first and second in our December scores. Molokai suits a very quiet holiday with few restaurants.
Sometimes. NOAA's sanctuary says whales are seen from November through April, but its peak-season counts are held in January, February and March. December sightings are early-season.
Sunday, December 13, 2026, starting at 5 a.m., according to the race's official site.
The airport and many hotels are, but on October 19, 2026 Koke'e Road and most Kauai state parks were still closed after Hurricane Lowell, with Haena reopened from October 15. Check the state parks notices before booking; our Kauai page has the details.
Further reading
