Things to do · Honolulu · United States
20 best things to do in Honolulu
20 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: mar1865, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Honolulu are Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) and Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial. Of the 20 picks below, 8 are free, 4 work on a rainy day and 8 suit children. Allow about 6 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Waikīkī Beach
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- ʻIolani Palace
- Time to see the highlights
- 6 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waikīkī Beach | Waikīkī | Half a day | Free |
| Diamond Head (Lēʻahi) | Diamond Head | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial | Pearl Harbor | Half a day with other Pearl Harbor sites | Free |
| Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve | East Honolulu | Half a day | Mid-priced |
| ʻIolani Palace | Downtown | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
| Surf lesson at Waikīkī | Waikīkī | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Battleship Missouri Memorial | Pearl Harbor | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Bishop Museum | Kalihi | 3 hours | Mid-priced |
| Chinatown | Chinatown | 2 hours | Free |
| Honolulu Museum of Art | Makiki | 2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Kakaʻako street murals | Kakaʻako | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island | Ala Moana | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Mānoa Falls trail | Mānoa | 1.5–2 hours | Free |
| Lyon Arboretum | Mānoa | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail | East Honolulu | 1.5 hours | Free |
| Honolulu Zoo | Waikīkī | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Waikīkī Aquarium | Waikīkī | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Foster Botanical Garden | Chinatown | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout | Nuʻuanu | 30 minutes | Low cost |
| Sunset catamaran sail | Waikīkī | 1.5 hours | Mid-priced |
The 20 best things to do
Beach · Waikīkī
1.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. 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.
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)
Honolulu's landmark volcanic crater rises behind Waikīkī. 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.
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
- Book ahead
- Out-of-state visitors must reserve an entry time and parking online in advance through the Hawaiʻi state parks system.
- Iconic
- Views
- Active
- Outdoors
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Historic site · Pearl Harbor
3.Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial
The visitor centre at Pearl Harbor tells the story of the attack of 7 December 1941 through museum galleries and a film, followed by a short Navy boat ride to the white memorial that spans the sunken USS Arizona, where more than 900 of the crew members killed in the attack remain entombed. Oil still seeps from the wreck to the surface.
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
- Book ahead
- Reserve the free USS Arizona Memorial programme online in advance; a small booking fee applies and slots fill weeks ahead in busy months.
- History
- Iconic
- Free
Nature · East Honolulu
4.Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
A sheltered bay inside a volcanic crater on the island's southeast tip, Hanauma Bay is Oʻahu's best-known snorkelling site, with parrotfish, tangs and green sea turtles over the shallow reef close to shore. Numbers are limited, and every visitor watches a short conservation film before going down to the beach.
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
- Book ahead
- Entry is by advance online reservation, released a couple of days ahead; the preserve closes on some weekdays, so check the calendar.
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Iconic
Palace · Downtown
5.ʻIolani Palace
Completed in 1882 for King Kalākaua, ʻIolani Palace is the only royal palace on US soil and had electric lighting before the White House. 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.
Combine it with the Kamehameha I statue across the street and the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, a short walk away.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Tours run at set times with limited numbers; book online ahead, especially for guided tours.
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Experience · Waikīkī
6.Surf lesson at Waikīkī
Waikīkī's long, slow, rolling waves over a gently sloping reef made it the birthplace of modern surfing's revival, led by Duke Kahanamoku and the beachboys of the early 20th century. Surf schools on the beach run group and private lessons with soft boards, and most beginners stand up in their first session.
Book a morning lesson, when the wind is lighter, and wear a rash guard to avoid board rash and sunburn.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Active
- Kids
- Iconic
Museum · Pearl Harbor
7.Battleship Missouri Memorial
Moored on Ford Island near the Arizona, the USS Missouri is the battleship on whose deck Japan signed the surrender that ended World War II on 2 September 1945. Visitors explore the decks, the 16-inch guns and the surrender site; a shuttle bus runs from the Pearl Harbor visitor centre, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum is on the same island.
Allow a full day for Pearl Harbor if you want the Arizona, the Missouri, the USS Bowfin submarine and the aviation museum.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
Museum · Kalihi
8.Bishop Museum
Founded in 1889 in memory of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the state museum of natural and cultural history holds the world's largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artefacts. Its three-storey Hawaiian Hall has royal feather cloaks, carved images and a whale skeleton suspended overhead, and there is a planetarium and a science centre with a walk-through volcano.
Start in Hawaiian Hall, then catch a planetarium show to learn how Polynesian voyagers navigated by the stars.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Art
Neighbourhood · Chinatown
1.Chinatown
One of the oldest Chinatowns in the US, Honolulu's has lei-makers stringing flowers on Maunakea Street, the 1904 Oʻahu Market selling fish and produce, dim sum halls, herbalists and the restored 1922 Hawaii Theatre. In the evening, the cocktail bars and restaurants on Hotel Street and Nuʻuanu Avenue fill up.
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
Museum · Makiki
2.Honolulu Museum of Art
Founded in 1922, the museum's galleries open onto calm courtyards and cover Asian art, including thousands of Japanese woodblock prints, Hawaiian art and European works such as Monet's Water Lilies and van Gogh's Wheat Field. It is one of the best rainy-afternoon escapes in the city.
Have lunch in the museum café's courtyard, then look for the Hawaiian art galleries that most visitors skip.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Kakaʻako
3.Kakaʻako street murals
The warehouse blocks of Kakaʻako, between Ward Village and Downtown, are covered in large murals painted by local and international artists, many during the annual POW! WOW! Hawaii festival. Breweries, food halls and coffee shops have moved into the old industrial buildings around them.
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
4.Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island
Honolulu's main locals' beach has a long, reef-protected swimming area, shaded lawns for picnics and Magic Island, a man-made peninsula with a calm lagoon ideal for small children. At sunset, families and paddlers gather at the point for views towards Waikīkī and Diamond Head.
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
Just 15 minutes from Waikīkī, this trail of about 2.6 km round trip climbs through the rainforest of upper Mānoa Valley, past bamboo groves and banyan roots, to a waterfall of about 45 metres. The valley's frequent showers keep it lush and the path muddy.
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
The University of Hawaiʻi's arboretum covers about 78 hectares of rainforest at the head of Mānoa Valley, with paths through collections of Hawaiian native plants, palms, heliconias and ethnobotanical gardens of plants brought by Polynesian voyagers. Entry is by donation.
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
A paved path of about 3.2 km round trip climbs the dry headland at Oʻahu's eastern tip to views over the red-roofed 1909 lighthouse, the turquoise water of Makapuʻu Beach and Mānana (Rabbit) Island. From about December to April, humpback whales are often seen offshore.
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
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.
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
9.Waikīkī Aquarium
Opened in 1904 and run by the University of Hawaiʻi, this compact aquarium on the shore of Kapiʻolani Park is one of the oldest public aquariums in the US. It focuses on Hawaiian and South Pacific reef life, with jellyfish, giant clams, reef sharks and chambered nautilus.
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
10.Foster Botanical Garden
Planted from the 1850s and now a city garden on the edge of Chinatown, Foster has towering tropical trees, some among the largest of their kind in Hawaiʻi, an orchid collection, palms and a prehistoric plant section, a quiet green refuge downtown.
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
11.Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout
From a lookout on the Pali Highway, sheer green cliffs drop to the windward coast, with views across Kāneʻohe Bay and Kailua. In 1795, Kamehameha I's forces drove the defending army over these cliffs in the Battle of Nuʻuanu, a decisive step towards unifying the islands.
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
Experience · Waikīkī
12.Sunset catamaran sail
Catamarans launch straight off Waikīkī Beach for sunset sails along the coast, with Diamond Head and the hotel skyline turning gold behind you. From about December to April, humpback whales are often seen on morning and sunset trips.
Sit on the bow nets if you don't mind getting splashed; it is the best seat on the boat.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Battleship Missouri Memorial, Bishop Museum, Honolulu Museum of Art and Kakaʻako street murals |
| History | Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, ʻIolani Palace and Bishop Museum |
| Views | Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse Trail, Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout and Sunset catamaran sail |
| Outdoors and nature | Waikīkī Beach, Diamond Head (Lēʻahi), Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island |
| Food and markets | Chinatown |
| After dark | Chinatown and Sunset catamaran sail |
| With children | Waikīkī Beach, Battleship Missouri Memorial, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Bishop Museum |
| On a rainy day | ʻIolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Honolulu Museum of Art and Waikīkī Aquarium |
What to book ahead
- 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.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do 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.
+What can you do for free in Honolulu?
Waikīkī Beach, Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, Chinatown, Kakaʻako street murals and Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Honolulu when it rains?
Head indoors to ʻIolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Honolulu Museum of Art and Waikīkī Aquarium.
+What is there to do in Honolulu at night?
Chinatown and Sunset catamaran sail are best after dark.