4 days in Honolulu

Day by day

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

   Waikīkī Beach, Surf lesson at Waikīkī and Honolulu Zoo, then Sunset catamaran sail in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Waikīkī Beach

      Allow Half a day (free). Free hula shows are held at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound on several evenings a week around sunset.

   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

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Go in the morning when the animals are most active and before the afternoon heat.

   5. Evening

      Sunset catamaran sail

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

2. Day 2: Waikīkī Aquarium and Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)

   Waikīkī Aquarium, Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) and Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, then Chinatown in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Waikīkī Aquarium

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

   2. Late morning

      Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)

      Allow 2 hours (low cost). Book the earliest entry slot: the trail has little shade and the heat builds quickly by mid-morning. Bring water and closed shoes.

   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

      Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial

      Oil still seeps from the wreck to the surface.

   5. Evening

      Chinatown

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

3. Day 3: Battleship Missouri Memorial and Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

   Battleship Missouri Memorial, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail, then Waikīkī in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Battleship Missouri Memorial

      Allow 2 hours (mid-priced). Allow a full day for Pearl Harbor if you want the Arizona, the Missouri, the USS Bowfin submarine and the aviation museum.

   2. Late morning

      Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

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

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Loco moco

      Diners, drive-ins and local chains such as Zippy's, and on most plate-lunch menus.

   4. Afternoon

      Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail

      Allow 1.5 hours (free). There is no shade at all; go early or late in the day with water and a hat.

   5. Evening

      Waikīkī

      Beachfront bars with live Hawaiian music at sunset, plus clubs and late bars along Kalākaua and Kūhiō avenues.

4. Day 4: Day trip to North Shore and Haleʻiwa

   About 1 hour by car each way. Getting there: Car, tour or TheBus.

   1. Morning

      Travel to North Shore and Haleʻiwa

      About 1 hour by car (Car, tour or TheBus); about 55 km.

   2. Day

      North Shore and Haleʻiwa

      Drive through pineapple country to the North Shore for the surf beaches of Waimea Bay, the Banzai Pipeline and Sunset Beach, green sea turtles resting on the sand at Laniākea, garlic-shrimp trucks and shave ice in the plantation town of Haleʻiwa. In winter, watch big-wave surfers; in summer, swim and snorkel at Shark's Cove.

   3. Evening

      Back in Honolulu

      Dinner: try Spam musubi.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial and Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Waikīkī keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Ala Moana and Kakaʻako ($$$) suits shopping, food lovers and families. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 23–26 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.8 hours in December to 13.4 hours in June.

More or fewer days

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

Questions travellers ask