2 days in Honolulu

Day by day

1. Day 1: Waikīkī Beach and Surf lesson at Waikīkī

   Waikīkī Beach, Surf lesson at Waikīkī, Honolulu Zoo and Waikīkī Aquarium, then Chinatown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Waikīkī Beach

      The bronze statue of Olympic swimmer and surf pioneer Duke Kahanamoku stands by Kūhiō Beach, and outrigger canoe rides and surfboard rentals launch from the sand.

   2. Late morning

      Surf lesson at Waikīkī

      Surf schools on the beach run group and private lessons with soft boards, and most beginners stand up in their first session.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Poke

      Supermarket poke counters such as Foodland, which locals swear by, and specialists such as Ono Seafood on Kapahulu Avenue.

   4. Afternoon

      Honolulu Zoo

      In Kapiʻolani Park at the Diamond Head end of Waikīkī, the zoo has an African savanna area, elephants, primates, reptiles and a children's petting zoo, all within walking distance of the beachfront hotels.

   5. Late afternoon

      Waikīkī Aquarium

      It focuses on Hawaiian and South Pacific reef life, with jellyfish, giant clams, reef sharks and chambered nautilus.

   6. Evening

      Chinatown

      Buy a fresh lei on Maunakea Street for a fraction of the hotel price, then walk to Foster Botanical Garden nearby.

2. Day 2: Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) and Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial

   Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and ʻIolani Palace, then Sunset catamaran sail in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)

      A steep trail of about 1.3 km each way climbs from the crater floor through switchbacks, stairs and a tunnel to the summit, where an early-20th-century military lookout gives a sweeping view over Waikīkī, the city and the Pacific.

   2. Late morning

      Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial

      Oil still seeps from the wreck to the surface.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Plate lunch

      Rainbow Drive-In in Kapahulu, open since 1961, and plate-lunch counters and food trucks across the island.

   4. Afternoon

      Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

      Numbers are limited, and every visitor watches a short conservation film before going down to the beach.

   5. Late afternoon

      ʻIolani Palace

      After the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893, Queen Liliʻuokalani was later imprisoned in an upstairs room. Guided and audio tours show the restored throne room, royal bedrooms and the basement galleries of crown jewels.

   6. Evening

      Sunset catamaran sail

      Sit on the bow nets if you don't mind getting splashed; it is the best seat on the boat.

Before you go

• Diamond Head (Lēʻahi): Out-of-state visitors must reserve an entry time and parking online in advance through the Hawaiʻi state parks system.
• Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial: Reserve the free USS Arizona Memorial programme online in advance; a small booking fee applies and slots fill weeks ahead in busy months.
• Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve: Entry is by advance online reservation, released a couple of days ahead; the preserve closes on some weekdays, so check the calendar.
• ʻIolani Palace: Tours run at set times with limited numbers; book online ahead, especially for guided tours.

If it rains

• Swap in Bishop Museum (Kalihi): Start in Hawaiian Hall, then catch a planetarium show to learn how Polynesian voyagers navigated by the stars.
• Swap in Honolulu Museum of Art (Makiki): Have lunch in the museum café's courtyard, then look for the Hawaiian art galleries that most visitors skip.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 21–24 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Bus. TheBus runs frequent routes between Waikīkī, Ala Moana, Downtown, Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay, and slower routes around the island to the North Shore and Kailua.

More or fewer days

• One day in Honolulu
• 3 days in Honolulu
• 4 days in Honolulu
• 5 days in Honolulu
• 7 days in Honolulu

Questions travellers ask