Free things to do · Honolulu · United States
8 free things to do in Honolulu
Honolulu without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DoD photo by: PH3(AW/SW) JAYME PASTORIC, USN, Public domain
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Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Honolulu without paying an entry fee: Waikīkī Beach, Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, Chinatown and Kakaʻako street murals are all free. Many Waikīkī hotels add a daily resort fee and parking charges on top of the room rate; compare total prices before booking.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 8
- Low-cost extras
- 5
- Cost level
- Very expensive
- Lowest hotel prices
- May and September–October
Free sights and experiences
Beach · Waikīkī
1.Waikīkī Beach
Free hula shows are held at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound on several evenings a week around sunset.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
Historic site · Pearl Harbor
2.Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial
No bags are allowed beyond the entrance, so bring only a phone and wallet or use the paid bag storage near the gate.
- Time needed
- Half a day with other Pearl Harbor sites
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Iconic
- Free
Neighbourhood · Chinatown
3.Chinatown
Buy a fresh lei on Maunakea Street for a fraction of the hotel price, then walk to Foster Botanical Garden nearby.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- History
- Shopping
- After dark
Neighbourhood · Kakaʻako
4.Kakaʻako street murals
Walk the side streets around Auahi and Pohukaina streets in the morning light, then stop at the SALT at Our Kakaʻako block for coffee.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Beach · Ala Moana
5.Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island
Come for sunset with takeaway poke from a nearby supermarket and watch the canoe clubs training offshore.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Couples
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Nature · Mānoa
6.Mānoa Falls trail
Wear shoes with good grip and bring insect repellent; don't swim in the pool, as stream water can carry leptospirosis.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Active
- Outdoors
Garden · Mānoa
7.Lyon Arboretum
Visit on the same morning as Mānoa Falls, which starts nearby, and come early before the afternoon showers.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · East Honolulu
8.Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail
There is no shade at all; go early or late in the day with water and a hat.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Nature
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Waikīkī | Waikīkī Beach | Half a day |
| Pearl Harbor | Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial | Half a day with other Pearl Harbor sites |
| Chinatown | Chinatown | 2 hours |
| Kakaʻako | Kakaʻako street murals | 1.5 hours |
| Ala Moana | Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island | 2–3 hours |
| Mānoa | Mānoa Falls trail and Lyon Arboretum | 1.5–2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| East Honolulu | Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail | 1.5 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Nature · Diamond Head
Diamond Head (Lēʻahi)
Book the earliest entry slot: the trail has little shade and the heat builds quickly by mid-morning. Bring water and closed shoes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
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Zoo · Waikīkī
Honolulu Zoo
Go in the morning when the animals are most active and before the afternoon heat.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
Aquarium · Waikīkī
Waikīkī Aquarium
Pair it with the zoo across the park; together they make an easy family morning.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
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Garden · Chinatown
Foster Botanical Garden
Combine it with a Chinatown walk and lunch; the garden is a 10-minute stroll from the lei stands.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Viewpoint · Nuʻuanu
Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout
Hold on to hats and phones: the trade winds funnel through the pass and can be startlingly strong.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
More ways to save
- Many Waikīkī hotels add a daily resort fee and parking charges on top of the room rate; compare total prices before booking.
- Beaches, the Kūhiō Beach hula shows, Chinatown, Mānoa Falls and the Makapuʻu lighthouse trail are all free.
- Supermarket poke counters and plate-lunch spots cost a fraction of beachfront restaurants.
- A HOLO card caps daily bus fares, and TheBus reaches Pearl Harbor and Hanauma Bay without a hire car.
- April–May and September–October usually have the lowest hotel rates of the year.
- Rent a car only for the days you leave Honolulu to avoid overnight parking charges.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Honolulu expensive to visit?
Honolulu is very expensive for most visitors, but 8 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Honolulu?
Waikīkī Beach: Free hula shows are held at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound on several evenings a week around sunset.