Outdoors · Honolulu · United States
8 best outdoor things to do in Honolulu
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Meowmeow10, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) and Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 17–20 hours across 5 areas; 5 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 5
- Time to see them all
- 17–20 hours
- Areas
- Waikīkī, Diamond Head and East Honolulu
Outdoors in Honolulu
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
Nature · Diamond Head
2.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
Nature · East Honolulu
3.Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Bring reef-safe sunscreen and your own snorkel gear if you have it, and never stand on the coral.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Beach · Ala Moana
4.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
5.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
6.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
7.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
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Zoo · Waikīkī
8.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
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Waikīkī | Waikīkī Beach and Honolulu Zoo | Half a day + 2 hours |
| Diamond Head | Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) | 2 hours |
| East Honolulu | Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail | Half a day + 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 |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 5 free, 2 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) and Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. The longest visit is Waikīkī Beach; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Diamond Head (Lēʻahi): Out-of-state visitors must reserve an entry time and parking online in advance through the Hawaiʻi state parks system.
- 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.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Waikīkī): Waikīkī Beach, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Waikīkī and Diamond Head): Honolulu Zoo → Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (East Honolulu): Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (East Honolulu and Ala Moana): Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail → Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 5 (Mānoa): Mānoa Falls trail → Lyon Arboretum, at least 3 hours.
The best months to be outside
- May: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 5 rainy days, quiet crowds. Dry, sunny and quieter than summer, with calm south-shore waters for swimming.
- June: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Hot and sunny with steady trade winds; summer family travel begins and south-shore surf picks up.
- February: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 7 rainy days, busy crowds. Humpback whale-watching is at its best; the North Shore can see huge winter swells.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Waikīkī — Beachfront hotels, surf lessons and Kalākaua Avenue under Diamond Head
More of Honolulu
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Honolulu?
Waikīkī Beach. Waikīkī's golden sands run about 3 km from the Hilton Hawaiian Village to Kapiʻolani Park, divided into sections such as Kūhiō Beach, with its sheltered swimming pools behind a seawall, and Queen's.
+Which of these are free in Honolulu?
Waikīkī Beach, Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island, Mānoa Falls trail, Lyon Arboretum and Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail.