Honolulu can take you weeks to discover it to the fullest.
Honolulu is definitely famous for its beaches – and yes, we’re gonna cover Waikiki in this list. The majesty of the ocean beholds great possibilities to keep your days out occupied.
From snorkeling with stunning coral reefs to parasailing and hiking to the hidden waterfalls in the jungles nearby, you name it.
In this ultimate breakdown, we recommend the 15 best things to do in Honolulu you can try on your first trip here.
1. Go Beach Hopping
Wondering what the “sheltered harbor” has in store for you? An extensive series of sun-kissed beaches with silky sand under the water wrapping a lush green landscape should be the first things to be recalled.
An ideal beach-hopping day in Honolulu brings you some of the most unique landforms southeast of Oahu island. From the well-sheltered bays to craters and ridges of volcanic origins, you name it.
Waikiki, undoubtedly the most talked-about beach destination in Honolulu, has earned its legendary status. It wraps the south shore of Oahu and beckons hordes of sun worshippers and surfers. There are tons of beachside restaurants along the coast with street entertainers spilling into the streets after sunset. Keep walking to the western end and you’ll see Kahanamoku Beach, the widest beach in all of Waikiki.
Drive east and you’ll encounter Kailua Bay. It’s a coastal town with the quiet Laikai Beach opening out to the bird-rich Mokulua Islands from afar. Its steady onshore trade winds give hardcore surfers, kayakers, and boaters the best time of their life.
For families with kids, the protected lagoon of Magic Island guarantees the best kind of fun. They have lifeguards on duty, lots of boat trips and helicopter tours to choose from, as well as a scenic park and plenty of water sports to engage in.
2. Conquer The Best Surf Spots
We’ve talked about Kahanamoku Beach above. But do you know it was actually named after Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, the most respected Hawaiian surfer? Thanks to him, Hawaii has earned its place a notorious spot on the map of the world’s best surf spots – and Honolulu is no exception.
While beginners like to stick to Waikiki Beach to embrace its steady onshore winds, you can look a bit further to Puaʻena Point Beach Park. This is the holy land for local surfers with lots of shades, surf lessons, and gear for rent.
Puaʻena Point lies at the outermost northeast corner of Haleiwa Harbor. You wanna wait for the clean northerly-angled swells to arrive to make the most of your ride.
Then we have the Banzai Pipeline of the North Shore. The famous barreling waves have made it one of the top surf spots in Honolulu. The most courageous surfers know for sure what Banzai Pipeline has in store for them when winter is around the corner. This is when huge swell breaks crash into the shallow reefs to create a marvelous scene to game up their skills. Therefore, Banzai Pipeline is also one of the most dangerous surf spots on earth.
At last, Ala Moana Bowl is second to none for summer surfers. May is the best time to surf here when clean waves arrive along with northerly offshore winds and consistently exposed reef breaks.
3. Go Snorkeling At Hanauma Bay
Dubbed Honolulu’s best snorkeling spot, Hanauma Bay has that charming cerulean color enfolding some of Oahu’s best coral and sea life underneath. You can bring your own gear or rent at the bay. All visitors will pay a reasonable fee to help the City and County of Honolulu protect marine life and assist the reef restoration.
Thanks to the mild waves, visitors of all ages are guaranteed a hassle-free time by the beach. As you wade in, be prepared to see yellow tang, angel fish, triggerfish, and butterfly fish coming to say hello.
There are plenty of well-kept washrooms uphill to freshen up after soaking in all that salt water. But if you’re too tired to walk anywhere, there’s a shuttle van at pinch pennies to take you there.
4. Take On The Best Hikes
The pleasantly warm tropics turns Honolulu into a year-round destination for ardent hikers, but late spring and early fall are believed to be the best time to hit the hikes.
Mānoa Falls Trail, Diamond Head, Kuliʻouʻou Summit, and ‘Aihualama Trail all take you to some of the most incredible landforms in the city. From spotting whales in the ocean to immersing in the views from the top of a summit, you name it.
The Mānoa Falls Trail doesn’t need more than an hour to complete its 1.6 miles. It’s moderately challenging as there are slippery rocks along the way but watch your steps and you’re all good. You’ll instantly feel the true Hawaiian vibe here as soon as you step into a dense forest of foliage and banyan trees.
To crank up the difficulty, pick Diamond Head! It’s not downright the end of the world to complete this hike but there are lots of stairs to work out on as you climb the crater. Diamond Head Crater is less than a mile but steep and strenuous with 560 feet in elevation gain. A 360-degree viewing deck is hidden on the top with a vast seascape all the way from Waikiki to Ko’olau Mountains.
Kuliʻouʻou Summit takes four hours to complete 4.6 miles. The challenging part lies at the narrow ridge walkways and the top is a bit windy but overall, it’s a great day out to spend your time here.
5. Go Parasailing Off The Coast
If not hanging out with the coral reef under the water, you can surveil the landscapes at 1000 feet in the air, from Waikiki Beach to Diamond Head and more.
Honolulu has plenty of great parasailing operators to help you get up there for a few minutes. They have gears and harnesses with proper lessons for you to buckle up.
You will take off and land from the boat to ensure a soft and dry experience from start to finish. If you’re faint-hearted, rest your worries as you can even choose to fly double or triple with your loved ones. Each flight lasts somewhere between six to ten minutes.
6. Get Real Close With Wild Creatures At Honolulu Zoo
Wondering how to spend two hours on a unique and meaningful day out? Check out Honolulu Zoo. It’s the only zoo in all of Hawaii and beholds great fun for the whole family!
Honolulu Zoo encompasses 42 stunningly-landscaped acres housing over 1200 animals. Think exotic birds like parrots talk behind the branches and black swans traversing the pond.
And do you know they even have some cute sloths there too? It’s an animal that’s three times stronger than you.
Then when you finally reach the African Savanna section, that’s where you find everything from penguins to hippos and aardvarks co-exist in peace.
Tickets:
| Adults (13+) | $19.00 |
| Children (3-12) | $11.00 |
| Infants (Under 2) | Free |
Address: 151 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815.
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7. Walk The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum
There’s no better way to commemorate the lives lost during WW2 in Hawaii better than the Pearl Harbor and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum. What’s so special about this submarine fleet that attracts over one million people every year?
Here you can feel the quiet service of the navy during wartime, from seeing the beds and torpedoes up close to the tiny kitchen facilities or soaking in the sea view from the top deck.
Each exhibit is extremely well-written that explains everything you need to know about how people lived on the submarine during a long-month tour back in the day. There are lots of students on their field trips and history buffs with their eyes glued on the artifacts.
Address: 11 Arizona Memorial Dr, Honolulu, HI 96818
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8. Learn History At The Pearl Harbor National Memorial
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial teams up with the USS Bowfin submarine to make some of the most iconic historical sites for you to learn about the infamous attack on the United States by Japan in December 1941.
The memorial is free to visit. However, you need to obtain a ticket to the USS Arizona Memorial Program to watch the documentary about the attack in the theater and get on the shuttle ship to enter the USS Arizona Memorial.
Tickets are available for reservations and we strongly recommend you book it in advance to dodge the crowd. Queues are outdoor and it’s not likely to thin out in minutes.
Once inside, you can roam free. The sunken ship can be spotted just out of the windows and you can even see the vestige of the oil leaks on the water.
Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Pl, Honolulu, HI 96818
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9. Explore Unique Cultures At The Polynesian Cultural Center
A cultural center is undoubtedly the best gateway to introduce a first-time visitor to the land he visits. And with such an exciting melting pot of cultures like Honolulu, its Polynesian Cultural Center should be the first place to have your attention. Six villages represent different island cultures, including Hawaiʻi, Fiji, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Samoa, Tahiti, and Tonga.
A trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center can easily eat half of your day with a pick-up directly at your hotel by the center’s driver. Upon entering, you’ll be welcomed with mouth-watering cuisines offered at the food trucks so pick anything that delights your palate.
The cultural shows are timed differently with music, fire juggling, and dance performances as well as various hands-on activities such as handcrafting goods out of coconut leaves or food tasting and playing traditional instruments.
The biggest hook here is a canoe through those villages before ending up with the thrilling evening show called HĀ: Breath of Life.
Address: 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie, HI 96762
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10. Be One With Nature At The Foster Botanical Garden
Looking for a place where forest bathing is smushed with a biology lesson? It’s time to check out the Foster Botanical Garden. Imagine a lush tropical space with no crowds and more trees. Some of those even date back to the 1850s.
Get ready to start counting how many types of trees you’ve spotted out of 10,000 flora varieties planted here.
Here the gardens are broken down into seven areas which they call “Garden Highlights”. These include The Conservatory, Outdoor Butterfly Garden, Palm Garden, Prehistoric Glen Cycad Collection, and Exceptional Trees.
To make the most of your trip here, opt for a self-guided tour with a map included so you can explore at your own pace.
Tickets:
| Adults | $5.00 |
| Hawaii Residents | $3.00 |
| Children 6-12 | $2.00 |
| Children under 5 | Free |
Address: 180 N Vineyard Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96817
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11. Check Out All The Culinary Treasures
Speaking of Honolulu food, we’re not just talking about poke and acai bowls or Kona coffee and poi donuts. The exciting blend of independent family businesses along with world-renown chains and big-box retailers turns Honolulu into a sprawling culinary scene worth trying.
Before jumping into our collection of the 19 best Honolulu restaurants here, let us give you a glimpse of what the island has in store for you.
The signature Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich at Fête has local foodies in awe for years. The queue here is barely easy to beat but it’s absolutely worth the wait to steal a seat at this quirky dining hole.
On the fancier side, La Vie serves iconic French cuisine with a spin. Grab some Foie Gras Mousse topped with baby beets and don’t forget that delightful Honoka’a Chocolate to cap off your night.
Last but not least, we don’t want you to forget a reservation with Senia where you can find never-before-seen bites like Smoked Ahi “Cigars” or Roasted Bone Marrow.
12. Taste The Best Chocolates And Cookies In Honolulu
It’s so unfair if you give yourself an adventure on the road but forget one for your taste buds. Now let us walk you into a little secret: Honolulu is dubbed as a heaven for chocolate lovers with a dense concentration of chocolate producers and retailers.
And when we talk about tasting chocolates in Honolulu, it’s not simply popping into a store, casting your eyes around the shiny glass display cabinets, and finger-pointing at a random bar for check-out.
We want you to fully immerse yourself in that tasting journey. Heavyweights like Manoa Chocolate and Lonohana Estate Chocolate have tasting rooms open for sampling and tours to their own cacao farms.
For the grab-and-go, See’s Candies is an old-school chain that has stood the test of time since 1921. They always have free samples at the ready and their dark chocolate-covered almonds clusters will have you wowed.
As we’re throwing snacks into the mix, let’s not forget the famous shortbread cookies in Hawaii. Honolulu Cookie Company is inarguably the best place to try the finest cookies in all of the city. Using local ingredients from the island, their world-renowned pineapple-shaped cookie is freshly baked and hand-wrapped to satisfy even the most demanding customers.
13. Stroll Around Chinatown
The Polynesian culture has defined Honolulu characters for centuries. But for the past 20 years, a new piece has been fit into the puzzle, creating an eclectic combination of the native Hawaiian and the immigrants.
Honolulu’s Chinatown has become an exciting off-beaten-path destination. Here you can keep up with the casual happenings like popping in a boutique and cafe or checking out iconic architecture like the vaudeville Hawaii Theater.
Meanwhile, the colors of real daily life lie further west where herbal stores, flower shops, and fish markets make a statement. The western neighborhood is also where generations of Asian immigrants settle, from Laotians and Vietnamese to Korean and Filipino. For that reason, it’s not hard to find beautifully crafted fusion cuisines tucked behind a colonial house or green oasis.
14. Enjoy A Retail Therapy With Honolulu’s Best Shopping Spots
In Honolulu, maxing out your credit card has never been more fun thanks to a multitude of shopping possibilities, from boutiques offering locally designed house dresses to hand-made arts and bespoke jewelry.
If you’re unsure where to go, Ward Village is the best place to be inspired. The massive shopping complex lies between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. You’ll find about five different malls here in proximity to one another.
Big fashion chains like Nordstrom are no stranger here. But beyond luxury department store chains is a series of dining spots you shouldn’t miss, especially when you come to Ward Centre and the Ward Gateway Center where they have famous craft beers and fish tacos.
Waikiki Beach Walk is another place with a dense concentration of high-end brand names like Gucci and Prada.
If you’re looking for locally grown produce and artisan goodies like coconut curry, fresh fruits, and crafts, try one of the farmer’s markets like the Manoa Farmers Market or Aloha Stadium Swap Meet.
15. Throw A Feast At A Traditional Luau
Throwing a feast like the locals – that’s when a sunset luau comes into play. On special occasions bringing a child to life or celebrating a notorious battle, the Hawaiians bring the best ingredients to the party to honor the plenty and blessing with loved ones.
Traditional foods such as taro, coconut milk, chicken, and octopus are the absolute must-haves on the table. And as the sun beams down, they have drums on while graceful Honolulu guys and girls flood to the stage. Right there, you’ll be stunned by their effortlessly captivating movements of the hula kahiko and hula auana against the dramatic sunset backdrop.
Honolulu is no short of incredible luau parties. You can choose to have a seat at the Polynesian Cultural Center Ali’i Luau or sign up for one at one of the beach resorts. Each luau is set in a unique theme so go over the comparison and take your pick.
We’ve talked about hiking above, but we actually have some more to recommend if you ever wanna hike further afield. Here are the best waterfall hikes in Oahu you shouldn’t miss. And whenever your empty stomach is rumbling, pick one out of these 14 best Waikiki restaurants to make yourself comfortable.