Everything you need to know for a November 2024 Hawaii vacation: weather, festivals and more!

Are you headed to one of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands this November? If so, here, you’ll find just about every detail you need to know to make it a fantastic vacation.

What’s Hawaii’s weather like in November?

The weather is always nice and summery in Hawaii without the big temperature swings that most of North America and Europe experiences on a seasonal basis. You can expect the average daytime high temperatures to be roughly 84°F (28.9°C) with nighttime temps only dipping to about 70°F (21.1°C).

While the amount of rain in November is above average compared to the drier summer months, I wouldn’t expect rain to have much of an impact on activities. Theres an interesting weather phenomena in that most of Hawaii’s rain falls overnight. The advantage you’ll gain from the typical uptick in rain is that the waterfalls should be flowing nicely and you might even catch a rainbow.

Ocean temperatures are above average in November. You can expect temperatures at or just under 80°F.

What to pack for a Hawaii vacation in November?

As previously mentioned, you’ll want to be prepared for warm, summer-like conditions. So, quick-drying shorts, tee shirts, etc. will work nicely for daytime wear. A breathable, waterproof jacket would be good to bring (save space by wearing it on the plane) just in case you get caught in a rain shower. See more Hawaii vacation packing tips.

Festivals & Special Events for a November Vacation

There are two national holidays in November — Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. Hawaii offers a nice setting for both.

For Veterans Day, November 11th, look for special events across the islands. With several military bases on Oahu, most Veterans Day events happen on that island.

For the Thanksgiving holiday, November 28th, you can find many special menus at Hawaii restaurants. You’ll likely find traditional foods, such as roast turkey, but in some cases with a delicious Hawaii twist on some of the traditional Thanksgiving foods. As Waikiki is a popular destination for this holiday, we update this Waikiki Thanksgiving guide each year, which is a work in progress at the moment as most venues haven’t announced what they’re offering yet.

Beyond the two national holidays, there are some excellent festivals and special events that you might find interesting to include in your vacation itinerary. Here are the top events for this November.

Oahu

November 6th through 10th – Hawaii Food & Wine Festival

November 17 – 24 – Hawaii Woodshow

November 30 – Holiday Craft Fair

Hawaii, Big Island

November 1 to 10 – Kona Coffee Cultural Festival

November 16 – E Mau Ana Ka Hula – A Tribute to King Kalakaua

Kauai

November 2 – Eo E Emalani

November 24 – Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival – Kauai Style.

Maui

November 1 – 2 – Made in Maui County Festival

November 22 through December 24 – Hui Holidays

November 25 – 27 – Maui Invitational basketball tournament.

Natural occurrences in November in Hawaii

There are some wonderful natural occurrences that happen every November in Hawaii. First, the big winter swells start coming in. These are the world-famous 20-plus-foot-high waves that roll in onto the north-facing shores. These big waves attract professional surfing competitions, particularly on Oahu’s North Shore.

The big waves are incredible to see and leave it at just that — seeing them. Let the pros do the surfing on the big swells. See more about ocean safety in Hawaii.

Another neat natural occurrence is that more humpback whales start arriving into the sheltered waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Though the official whale watching season doesn’t start until mid-to-late December, if you keep your eyes peeled, you might see humpback whale activity.

By November, most of North America and Europe would have experienced the bleakness from the first frost. But, in Hawaii, flowers are in bloom and plants are green and vibrant and lovely.