10 Best Things to Do in Honolulu

Equally popular with surfers, sunbathers, and fashionistas, Waikiki Beach is lined with high-rise hotels, picture-postcard palm trees, and hip waterfront bars. When you’re not sipping electric-blue cocktails on a breezy outside deck, you can cool off in the water or eat ice cream on the promenade. 

Parasols and loungers pepper the sand, while beach volley ball nets and surf gear shacks are to be found at regular intervals. After dark, don your orchid leis and hibiscus hair flowers and enjoy an authentic hula show with grass-skirted dancers, or party the night away at a pulsing local club.

This famous lagoon harbor is situated just 15 minutes’ northwest of Honolulu, next to the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. It’s steeped in WWII history related to the surprise attack by the Japanese, which occurred on December 7th, 1941. 

There are numerous naval attractions that you can visit here, including the USS Arizona Memorial, where the mighty battleship sunk and burned, and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, home of the famous USS Bowfin. When you’ve worked up an appetite, visit Restaurant 604, a waterfront eatery with remarkable views and a fine selection of freshly caught seafood.

The beautiful Waimea Waterfall lies in the lush valley of the same name, an hour’s drive from Honolulu, on the northern side of the island. It’s a popular and relatively easy 3.5-mile hike, and enjoyable for those who prefer not to walk too, thanks to a convenient tram car service. 

The hiking trail is flat and well-paved, with scenic botanical gardens, and a few historical sites dotted along the way. The waterfall is around 45 feet tall and you can swim in the pool underneath it. It’s also a fabulous picnic spot so why not take a poke acai bowl and enjoy the view?

Hike to Diamond Head, the remnant of an ancient volcano, where you can walk along its rim for exhilarating views. From the crater’s grassy top, take in the high-rise skyline of Honolulu city, bordered by the vast, blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. 

The trail wends its way across rocky terrain and paved concrete steps, making it a little challenging in places. It normally takes an hour to climb but the payoff is spectacular. It's no wonder it’s been deemed a U.S. National Natural Monument, so make sure you take your camera.

For seaside fun in a pristine setting, head to Hanauma Bay State Park. This glorious nature preserve, located on the south-eastern tip of Oahu, features a curved bay formed by a long-extinct volcano and a mesmerizing coral reef filled with kaleidoscopic fish and coral.

Naturally, it’s a snorkeling paradise, but you can also enjoy whale-watching, shark cage diving, and hiking and biking along scenic ridge trails and paths. Take the kids to learn more about the bay’s reef conservation efforts, as well as its impressive biodiversity, at the onsite marine education center. 

The 19th-century Iolani Palace, set in the heart of Honolulu, is the historic residence of Hawaii’s 2 ruling dynasties: Kamehameha and Kalakaua. This striking national landmark, built in American Florentine style, was restored in 1930 to its former glory. 

Today, you can roam through its regal halls and imagine how Hawaiian royals, like King Kalākaua and Queen Liliʻuokalani, once lived. Enjoy a self-led audio tour, or a guided trip with a Palace Docen, to better understand the significance of the place.

At Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden, you can experience the tropical beauty of the Hawaiian archipelago through its exotic collections of indigenous flora. Alongside this, global plant-life is represented across the park’s 400 verdant acres including Malaysia, India, Polynesia, and Africa.

Group tours are on offer, and if you enjoy fishing, there are complimentary bamboo poles. Camping pitches are made available between Friday morning and Monday afternoon. Keep an eye out for bright white cattle egrets, pretty blue java finches, and red-crested cardinals.

Aloha Tower is one of Honolulu’s most distinctive landmarks, built in 1926 to mark the city’s status as a major port. This retired lighthouse teeters over Pier 9, casting its gaze across the sapphire waters of the glittering Pacific and the bustling waterways of the Honolulu Harbor. 

Head to the top of the tower for breathtaking views, or admire the Gothic Revival and Art Deco craftsmanship that contributes to the building’s much-admired exterior. At ground level, meander through the Aloha Tower Marketplace, featuring shops, event spaces, and dining spots, including Barnes and Noble and The Old Spaghetti Factory. 

Ala Moana Center is the biggest mall in Hawaii, and the largest open-air shopping center in the world. Its easy-breezy design is spread over 4 unique levels and is enhanced with colorful koi ponds and tropical gardens, which really add to its exotic atmosphere.
 
Boasting more than 300 stores, dozens of restaurants, and a duo of food courts, shoppers flock to Ala Moana for its Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom department stores, as well as its international chains and local boutiques. You’ll even have a chance to enjoy local indigenous culture at the mall’s free hula shows, which are staged daily at 1 pm.

Diamond Head Luau is one of the best places in Honolulu to enjoy a traditional Hawaiian party with food, music, and dance. This flamboyant outdoor dinner theater overlooks the water, just west of its namesake crater, and delivers exceptional views of the rugged Oahu coastline.

After you’ve been greeted with refreshing Mai Tais and colorful leis, take in a theatrical display of fire dancers, rhythmic drummers, and Polynesian singers, before learning to hula dance. You'll love feasting on local dishes like Hawaiian Guava chicken, freshly-cut pineapple, Kalua pig sliders, and macadamia-crusted mahi-mahi.