With kids · Honolulu · United States
Honolulu with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Honolulu is one of the easiest beach cities for families: Waikīkī's Kūhiō Beach has sheltered pools, Magic Island has a calm lagoon, and surf lessons, the zoo, the aquarium and snorkelling at Hanauma Bay keep children busy. Pearl Harbor works best for older children. Top picks: Waikīkī Beach, Honolulu Zoo and Waikīkī Aquarium. Families usually base themselves in Waikīkī.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 8
- Best area for families
- Waikīkī
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- July and December
Best things to do with kids
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
Zoo · Waikīkī
2.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
3.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
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
Beach · Ala Moana
5.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
Museum · Kalihi
6.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
Experience · Waikīkī
7.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
8.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
Rainy-day ideas
- Bishop Museum — Start in Hawaiian Hall, then catch a planetarium show to learn how Polynesian voyagers navigated by the stars.
- Waikīkī Aquarium — Pair it with the zoo across the park; together they make an easy family morning.
Where families should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, beach, families and nightlife
Waikīkī
A strip of hotels about 3 km long between the Ala Wai Canal and the sea, Waikīkī has most of Honolulu's accommodation, from the Moana Surfrider of 1901 and the pink Royal Hawaiian to simpler hotels a few blocks back. Kalākaua Avenue runs along the beach with shops and restaurants, Kapiʻolani Park and Diamond Head close the eastern end, and the water is gentle enough for beginner surfers.
- Good
- Beach, restaurants and tours on the doorstep; Huge range of hotels; Walkable and lively in the evening
- Watch out
- Crowded and commercial; Resort and parking fees add up
- Nearby
- Diamond Head, Kapiʻolani Park, Kūhiō Beach, Honolulu Zoo
Family travel tips
- For small children, choose sheltered spots such as the Kūhiō Beach pools, Magic Island or the Ko Olina lagoons.
- Use plenty of reef-safe sunscreen and rash guards; the sun is strong even on cloudy days.
- Book Hanauma Bay and Pearl Harbor slots in advance and go early before the heat.
- Swim only at lifeguarded beaches and check the flags; currents and shorebreak can be strong.
- Many hotels offer children's clubs and lūʻau with family pricing.
Day trips for families
- North Shore and Haleʻiwa (About 1 hour by car) — 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.
- Kailua and Lanikai (About 30 minutes by car) — On the windward coast, Kailua Beach and neighbouring Lanikai have powder-soft sand and turquoise water.
- Kualoa Ranch (About 45 minutes by car) — A working cattle ranch set in the dramatic Kaʻaʻawa Valley below jagged green ridges, used as a filming location for Jurassic Park and many other films.
- Polynesian Cultural Center (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — In Lāʻie on the northeast coast, this large cultural park presents the traditions of Hawaiʻi, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tahiti and Aotearoa New Zealand through village demonstrations, a canoe pageant, a lūʻau and an evening show.
When to go with children
The best months overall are April–May and September–October. July and December are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Honolulu good for kids?
Honolulu is one of the easiest beach cities for families: Waikīkī's Kūhiō Beach has sheltered pools, Magic Island has a calm lagoon, and surf lessons, the zoo, the aquarium and snorkelling at Hanauma Bay keep children busy. Pearl Harbor works best for older children.
+What can kids do in Honolulu?
Waikīkī Beach, Honolulu Zoo, Waikīkī Aquarium, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve and Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island.
+Where should families stay in Honolulu?
Waikīkī: Beachfront hotels, surf lessons and Kalākaua Avenue under Diamond Head.