*This story was originally published on Dec. 12, 20218, and updated in December 2025.
Who says there’s no winter in Hawaiʻi?
Here are 12 ways to enjoy the winter season across the Islands.
1. See Sand-ta Claus at Sheraton Waikiki
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Santa Claus may still be working away in his workshop at the North Pole, but Sand-ta Claus has already arrived in the lobby of the Sheraton Waikīkī. The holiday-themed sand sculptures are an annual tradition at the resort.
2. Walk Through Norfolk Pine Trees at Helemano Farms
Walk through rows of hundreds of Norfolk pine, Murray cypress, Carolina cypress and Leyland trees at Helemano Farms in Wahiāwa, Oʻahu. This family-run farm has been growing Christmas trees you can pick out yourself since 2002.
READ MORE: Find a Charming Hawaiian Christmas Tree at Helemano Farms
3. Drive to the Visitor Station at Mauna Kea
Need the chill to make it feel like winter? Head to the Maunakea Visitor Station on Hawaiʻi Island. Located 9,200 feet above sea level, the temperature dips below 40 degrees during the day, even lower at night. It’s not unusual to see snow at the summit, which looms at 14,000 feet. (FYI, the visitor station will be closed at 5 p.m.—instead of 10 p.m.—through January 2019, due to an infrastructure project to better protect the natural, historic and cultural resources in the area.) ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/
4. Eat Shave Ice
There’s nothing that resembles snow more than Hawaiʻi’s iconic frozen treat: shave ice. The offerings from JoJo’s Shave Ice, with three locations on Kauaʻi, definitely taste better than packed snow, too, in a variety of flavors, from lychee to lilikoʻi to mango. Or opt for one of its popular combos, including Tropical Breeze with guava-, lilikoʻi- and mango-flavored shave ice atop a mound of macadamia nut ice cream and topped with a house-made haupia cream.
5. Ice Skate
Yes, you can actually ice skate in Hawaiʻi! Open since 1982, Ice Palace on Oʻahu—located about 10 miles west of Waikīkī near Aloha Stadium—is the state’s only full-service skating rink. There’s a snack bar offering pizza, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and, of course, hot chocolate. Even Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi has double-axeled here.
Held at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center, ’Twas the Light Before Christmas on Ice, presented by American Savings Bank, is back for its second year. You can wander around larger-than-life displays, sparkling light tunnels and an immersive room, and snap photos with Santa Claus. New this year, you can lace up your skates to glide across an 8,000-square-foot ice rink. The experience is open from Dec. 4, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026.
6. Buy Stollen Bread at The Kahala Hotel
The Kāhala Hotel & Resort serves traditional stollen, a German loaf-shaped cake-bread made with dried fruits and nuts. The hotel adds a bit of Hawaiʻi to this dessert by smothering the loaves with rich butter when they come out of the oven and sprinkling on Maui vanilla sugar.
7. Get a Festive Cocktail at a Speakeasy
Photo: Grace Maeda
AC Hotel’s retro speakeasy, Yours Truly, has transformed into a cozy holiday lounge. The hidden gem is serving holiday cocktails that are sure to help you get in the festive spirit, from the whiskey-forward Ginger Gentleman and the cinnamon-spiced Oh Pear Tree to the Jingle Java shots in tiny reindeer cups.
READ MORE: How to Navigate Oʻahu’s Latest Speakeasy
8. Drink Gourmet Hot Chocolate at Choco lea
It’s always a bit colder in Mānoa, a lush valley just 4 miles north of Waikīkī. So it’s the perfect location to sip gourmet hot chocolate. Choco lea, a charming chocolate shop, offers a decadent, European-style hot sipping chocolate. Sit outside for the full wintery effect.
9. See the Sunrise at Haleakalā
If you need freezing temperatures—and, why not, a great view—to make it feel like winter in Hawaiʻi, make the two-hour drive to the Haleakalā Visitor Center on Maui. At 9,740 feet, the temperature at dawn is regularly below freezing. At the very least, it’s about 30 degrees colder here than at sea level, so layer up. In winter, the sun rises as late as 6:55 a.m. And Haleakalā never disappoints: The colors in the sky are breathtaking.
(FYI, you need to make sunrise viewing reservations online, 60 days in advance of your visit, by calling 877-444-6777 or visiting recreation.gov.), nps.gov/hale.
10. Watch Santa Paddle on a Canoe
Santa Clause is ditching his sled for a canoe!
On Christmas Eve, you can greet Mr. and Mrs. Clause as they paddle into Keonepolo Beach in front of Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui—a cherished Maui tradition.
11. Catch Your Favorite Christmas Films
Head to the Hawaiʻi Theatre in Honolulu to catch Christmas classics. The 2025 lineup includes “It’s A Wonderful Life,” Miracle on 34th Street,” “Rise of the Guardians,” “Edward Scissorhands,” and “Frozen.”
12. Make a Hot Cocoa(nut) Drink
Add a little bit of Hawaiʻi—meaning coconut—into your hot chocolate during the holidays. Whisk 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder into ⅓ cup boiling water. In a saucepan, combine a 15-ounce can of coconut milk with ¼ cup dark brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Simmer and stir until the mixture is dissolved. Then whisk in hot cocoa and about ¼ cup of chopping bittersweet chocolate until smooth, then add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. You can top this with a meringue—to keep it lactose free—or whipped cream. (The recipe is from The New York Times.)
