These New Hawaii Activities Follow the Latest Travel Trends

Tourism trends are running the gamut in 2020, but there’s one constant among today’s travelers: People are looking for novel experiences. 

In response, Hawaii recently introduced an array of new pastimes that tap into specific fads. 

Check out these five unique additions to Hawaii’s activity scene, along with suggested markets to which they’re particularly well-suited. Across the board, they’re designed to enhance an island vacation.

Dolphin Splash With Sea Life Park, Oahu (Educational Tourism/Family Travel)
As multigenerational travel continues to grow in popularity, Oahu’s marine life park is answering with the new Dolphin Splash, which caters to clients as young as 3 years old. The 30-minute session also welcomes older guests who don’t feel comfortable with a fully submerged experience.

Standing knee-deep, participants learn how dolphins move through the water. After that, they have a chance to touch and feed the dolphins while trainers demonstrate basic hand signals.

Clients who want to make family memories might prefer booking the park’s Dolphin Encounter, where all ages share the thrills of interacting with the lovable sea creatures.

www.sealifeparkhawaii.com

E-Bike Tour With Bike Hawaii, Oahu (Adventure Travel/Sustainable Tourism)
Bike Hawaii’s headquarters is powered with 24 photovoltaic solar panels, so it only follows that the company now offers tours on solar-charged e-bikes. 

With a push from the electric assist, clients easily pedal 5 miles uphill into a mountain rainforest 1,600 feet above Honolulu, then cruise down the other side. Along the way, they breathe in the heady scent of eucalyptus and listen to the songs of tropical birds.

The group stops for upcountry photo opportunities of Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor and the Waianae Mountains. It’s perfect for clients seeking travel at once exhilarating and responsible.

www.bikehawaii.com

Happy Hour Tour With Tasting Kauai (Foodie Tourism/Instagram Travel)
Tasting Kauai’s new Happy Hour Tour isn’t just fun and delicious; it’s photo-worthy, too.

The two-hour affair begins with a trio of artisanal cocktails — created as guests watch — paired with appetizers showcasing island products at their peak freshness. As clients pick up culinary tips from the bartender and chef, they appreciate the flavors at hand. 

For a more hands-on experience, clients can try one of Tasting Kauai’s customized cooking classes.

www.tastingkauai.com

Hilo Chocolate & Waterfalls Tour With Hawaii Forest & Trail, Hawaii Island (Educational Tourism/Nature Travel)
This tour celebrates Hawaii Island’s eastside town of Hilo, a destination brimming with agriculture and dazzling scenery thanks to higher-than-average rainfall throughout the year.

First, guests go to a cacao farm for an interactive bean-to-bar experience. Clients learn about the chocolate-making process — from a peek inside a cacao pod to a lesson in fermentation — and they enjoy a lip-smacking chocolate tasting. 

Next, the group heads to a private, 120-foot waterfall for swimming, kayaking and munching a lunch made with local ingredients.

www.hawaii-forest.com

Makauwahi Cave Tour With Kauai ATV (Adventure Travel/History and Culture Tourism)
This four-wheel spree makes history and culture a gas as clients go off-roading to one of Kauai’s most fascinating attractions: a massive limestone cave that’s rich in ancient fossils and artifacts. 

Participants also find out about the more current history of the island’s south side, with stops to explore 19th-century sugar plantations and see famous movie production sites.

Other highlights of the four-hour tour include a look at a tortoise ranch, a walk through a spread of native Hawaiian plants and some easygoing catch-and-release bass fishing.

www.kauaiatv.com