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Golf
Hawaii is America's golf paradise with hundreds of courses including many world-class golf courses developed by the top golf course designers in the world including Robert Trent Jones, Jr., Jack Nicholas, Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer.

Hawaii is also the home to numerous PGA, Senior PGA and LPGA golf tournaments each year. If you're in Hawaii in January or February, you'll have the opportunity to see the professionals up close.

Golf is popular, and expensive, in Hawaii, especially at the resorts. Greens fees including shoes and club rentals average around $100 although discounts are available, especially if you are staying at the resort.

Be sure to make your tee time well in advance. On most courses, for a reasonable fee, your non-playing spouse or guest can ride along with you and appreciate the beauty of Hawaii.

Hiking
Opportunities abound in Hawaii for those who enjoy hiking. An excellent source for information on day hikes in Hawaii is a series of three small books by Robert Stone each focusing on one island - Kauai, Maui and Oahu.

Hiking on Kauai is one of the best ways to see parts of the island unseen from the roadways. Hikes in the Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park, to the Russian Fort Elizabeth, to Wailua Falls and along the Halemanu-Kokee Trail are very popular.

Maui offers the hiker numerous choices including hikes in the Iao Valley State Park, in the crater of Haleakala and along the Waikamoi Ridge Trail along the road to Hana.

The most popular hikes on Oahu are those to the top of Diamond Head and the hike to Manoa Falls. There are, however, many, less popular hiking trails available.

When hiking in Hawaii it is advisable to bring along a rain poncho, sunscreen, mosquito repellent as well as an ample supply of drinking water. The trails can often be slippery, so be careful.

Land Activities
Hawaii offers many opportunities for folks who want to get away from the beach and appreciate the beauty of the islands. Aside from the numerous attractions, which we will be discussing in a separate article, there is so much sheer beauty to see.

The easiest way for a visitor to explore Hawaii is to rent a car and drive. You can drive completely around each of the islands a day or two, but it's more advisable to select a specific itinerary or destination and devote the better part of day to that. On Kauai a drive to the Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific offers vistas like you'll only see elsewhere in the American West.

On Oahu, a drive to the scenic North Shore, especially when the waves are high and the surfers are out in numbers is particularly exciting. A day trip along Oahu's Leeward Shore is a worthwhile trip.

On Maui there are so many possibilities. You can drive along West Maui's rugged north shore, take a daytrip to Hana and beyond around the south part of East Maui. Of course a drive to the summit of Haleakala and Upcountry Maui is a must.

The Big Island of Hawaii offers numerous opportunities for day trips. Consider a visit to the Waipio Valley where you can ride horseback in a valley surrounded by a thousand foot cliffs, streaming waterfalls and a large black sand beach. Explore the amazing wonder of Volcanoes National Park and the Chain of Craters Road. Take a late afternoon trip along the saddle road and to the summit of Mauna Kea to watch the sunset and see the stars shine more brightly than you have ever seen them.

Water Activities
Sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, snuba or just plain swimming, Hawaii has it all.

Many tour operators on all of the islands offer combined sailing/snorkeling or sailing/swimming cruises. If you time your visit for November to March, you may also get to see some of Hawaii's winter visitors, the humpback whales. In fact, why not take a whale watching cruise and see these mammoth creatures close-up?

While each of the islands offers excellent water activities, Maui is perhaps best known for its excellent swimming beaches and superb snorkeling opportunities. A snorkle cruise to Molokini Atoll, off the coast of Maui, is one of the most popular choices.

On Oahu, Haunama Bay remains the most popular spot for snorkeling and snuba (a variation between scuba diving and snorkeling).

There is nothing more relaxing, and more breathtaking, than a sunset sail in paradise.

Many of the free publications available at the airports or on most street corners offer special discounts or even two-for-one specials on may water activities. Be careful, however, that the offer is not tied into a time-share presentation.