Updated: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 3:03 pm

Each year for the past 20 years, hula dancers in Hawaii have held the World Invitational Hula Festival to renew an appreciation of what it is to be Hawaiian. The annual festival attracts visitors from nearly 20 countries - including the continental United States - who seek to learn about the islands’ unique culture.

This year’s festival will be in Honolulu from Nov. 10 to 12, with performances beginning at 5 p.m. The festival of Hawaii’s dance, art, music, language, history and nature attracts thousands of visitors each year. Workshops the day before the festival begins educate visitors on all these aspects, as well as hula’s four main elements: air, fire, water/rain and earth/land.

While on the big island, hiking fans shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to hike up Diamond Head, the volcanic tuff cone that’s been named a national monument. A hike to the crater’s rim offers unparalleled views of Hawaii.

While in Honolulu, history buffs should be sure to visit the USS Arizona and Pearl Harbor sites. The cost of the Pearl Harbor tour includes round-trip airfare to the base, pickup from the airport, expert narration from a guide and admission to a variety of tours at the location.