Honolulu Travel Guide: Best Things to See and Do

After visiting Oahu many times, I thought I’d focus a post on Honolulu. If you’re planning to go, there’s a lot to see and do.

We usually stay near Waikiki Beach, but at some point you might want to explore beyond that. Some of our favorites include hiking, swimming, and exploring the sites, 

I’ll also tell you what to know from our experience and share photos from our adventures. This might help you plan your trip to Hawaii!

Outdoor Things to Do in Honolulu

I organized this post by outdoor things and indoor stuff later. Most of the things we’ve done have been outside.

If you want to do more indoorsy things, you can skip down.

Waikiki Beach

Honolulu, HI

First, let me start with the Waikiki area since you might stay there as a visitor. And you don’t have to stay in a beachfront hotel to enjoy the ocean. 

I’ve stayed at The Royal Hawaiian Resort and other hotels. Your hotel may offer activities and shuttles for guests. 

Either way, you can swim, stroll around the beach walk, and enjoy beautiful sunsets and views. Plus, there are many places to eat and shop within walking distance.

You could just stay right around here for your whole vacation. Guess what? I wrote a whole blog post about Waikiki, so you’ll want to check it out.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

Honolulu, HI

If you want to see more than Waikiki Beach, you might visit Hanauma Bay. This is a beautiful marine life preserve, not a beach park. 

You can still lounge on the sand and go swimming, but it’s not a beach like Waikiki. 

You do have to make reservations, and I was lucky to score us some. The website will let you book up to two days in advance.

I give you tips on getting a reservation on my Hanauma Bay post. People flood the website, and they sell out quickly.

You’ll learn a little about marine life and get to go in clear, blue waters. And if you snorkel, you may see exotic fish and even turtles.

Catamaran Tour

Honolulu, HI

There are many boat tours that’ll take you out on the ocean for a couple hours to swim and snorkel. Or just go for the ride like I did…

We went on a family-owned catamaran tour that took us near Turtle Bay, where we saw… turtles! And saw chocolate chip cookie fish… 

On our boat ride, we saw Oahu’s beautiful south shore. Our tour guide was great, and we had a lot of fun out on the ocean. 

Although I consider myself a good swimmer, I don’t like open ocean swimming, so I stayed right on that boat.

Perhaps I watch too many movies like Jaws. Ha! 

They have other tours, including a sunset tour. This is a different experience from watching the sun go down at the beach.

I wrote a blog post about our little adventure sailing in the catamaran, so you can check it out.

Halona Blowhole

Hanauma Bay, HI

When I first heard of the Halona Blowhole, I imagined water shooting up high in the sky. But I’ve had to wait a while to see it blast off.

There is a lookout point by the highway, but people jump the fence to get closer despite the warning signs.  Rough waters swirled and smashed against the rocks over there.

I was surprised to see quite a few people swimming in these waters with no lifeguard! Just beware in this area, you could get swept up and pushed into the open ocean. 

Whether or not you see the blowhole blast off, the views are breathtaking! So, if you’re passing through the area, you might as well stop. 

Diamond Head State Monument

Honolulu, HI

Chances are you’ve seen Diamond Head Crater while staying in Honolulu, but maybe you didn’t know what you were looking at. 

If you see Waikiki’s skyline, you’ll notice a big mountain of land off to the side. Well, that’s Diamond Head, and you can hike it to the top.

And you’ll see beautiful views up there! It’s so worth it.

But, alas, you must make a reservation for this too. I made ours a month in advance, so if you plan ahead, you’ll want to do this.

I wrote a blog post all about our hike up the crater and what to expect when visiting.

Makapu’u Lighthouse Hike

Honolulu, HI

If you want to see more beautiful coastline views, the Makapu’u Lighthouse hike will not disappoint. Plus, you don’t have to make a reservation!

We hiked on a nice paved trail and enjoyed views along the way. If you come at the right time of year, they have viewpoints to see whales. 

From a distance, we saw the historic Makapu’u Lighthouse on the side of a hill. It was a treat to hike and enjoy such beautiful views in Hawaii.

I wrote a blog post about our hike and what to expect. The view is one of the prettiest things to see in Honolulu.

Ka’ena Point State Park

Honolulu, HI

If you travel all the way north and west in Oahu, you’ll run into Ka’ena Point State Park. This is such a quiet, secluded place on the island.

You will need transportation to get there. It’s far from bus stops, so you’ll have quite a walk if you take the bus.

Here we saw waves crashing against the shore at the sandy beaches. Then, we found a small cave to explore.

It’s worth driving there to bask in nature. I wrote a separate blog post about it, so check it out before you go.

Monoa Falls Trail

Honolulu, HI

I was looking forward to this hike because it ends with a waterfall. I’ve been on many hikes in Hawaii but had held off on this popular one right in Honolulu.

Popular is right—we found many people here. The parking lot was nearly full, and you can’t park on the side of the road. 

When we went to Monoa Falls Trail, it was November and rainy. I didn’t have my good hiking shoes with me, so I was leary.

But I saw people walking around barefoot and in flip-flops. Oh dear…

So we started the hike, but it was very muddy. I mean, so muddy… Like Slip ’n Slide adventure kind of muddy…

So, we didn’t do the whole hike to the falls because I had to turn around. I’ll return on another trip and write a blog post about it. 

Indoor Things to See in Honolulu

Here are some indoor and partly indoor stuff to check out. If you know Oahu, you can find many rainy days!

I cover more indoor things to do, like shopping and dining, in my Waikiki post.  

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Honolulu, HI

Now, Pearl Harbor is one of the most popular attractions on the island. If you want to learn more about World War II and honor those who fought in it, you’ll want to visit.

I’ve been here a couple of times and learned more each time. They have interactive displays, short films, and tours. 

You can easily spend hours at the memorial. And before you spend time here, you’ll want to check out my blog post before visiting.

I tell you about my experience and what to expect. I also cover making a reservation to the USS Arizona and visiting other memorials in the area. 

Honolulu Museum of Art

Honolulu, HI

Certain hotels will give you complimentary admission to the Honolulu Museum of Art. I’ve visited a couple of times and enjoyed my stay.

It was a lovely experience to see contemporary art here. On one visit, they had a beautiful live dance performance in the courtyard.

I loved walking through and seeing all the exhibits. I’ve typically spent a couple hours on my visits, but you can certainly spend more time.

Many people gathered in the open-air cafe, talking and relaxing. By the way, you don’t have to pay the museum fee to eat there. 

Bishop Museum

Honolulu, HI

Can I tell you how much I enjoy going to the Bishop Museum? I’ve learned so much about Hawaiian history here. 

It’s a cultural and heritage museum about the people of Hawaii. You can also get complimentary access to the Bishop Museum from certain hotels in Oahu. 

They have exhibits and displays about the different island cultures that make up Hawaii. You can find huts, tools, artwork, and many pictures of tribal life.

There is also a planetarium that you can check out. The museum is open daily, and I can spend a few hours wandering around whenever I visit.

Chinatown

Honolulu, HI

If you go downtown Honolulu, you’ll find Chinatown. We went here because we heard this is the place to get the best poke around.

I don’t eat poke, so I can’t speak on it. However, the foodies in my group said it was some of the best they’ve ever had.

We also walked around the area and found a few people shopping for souvenirs. There are many markets, restaurants, and temples as well.

Travel Notes

The weather can vary depending on the season. When I visit in the summer, it’s hot. In the winter, there are trade winds and rain.

So bring comfortable walking shoes, a sunhat, and water. 

Now, I’ve been to Oahu many times and even stayed for long bouts. With all the things to see, you’ll want to pace yourself.

Be sure to grab a map so you can plan ahead. Traveling around the island takes time. 

Plus, some of these places are closed on certain days. I like to draft a schedule with a list of options for each day.

You may need transportation to reach some of these areas. The Honolulu bus system and ride-share might be options.

We always rent a car because we like to drive around and explore. You may not need a car if you plan on hanging out at the beach the whole time.

Check with your hotel to see if they have a shuttle. Many hotels provide shuttle service to many of the popular destinations.

Final Thoughts

When we travel to Honolulu, we find many things to keep us busy. My relative who lives on the island joked that I have seen just about everything there. Ha! 

Perhaps I’ve seen a lot, but I have so much more to explore. And as I discover more, I’ll update the blog.

More Travel Adventures

I have more related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out.

• If you’d rather stay around Waikiki, I’ll tell you about places to check out.   

• For more exploring, I cover things to do in Oahu.

• I’ll also tell you where you can see beautiful views in Hawaii. Just about everywhere!

• If you plan to hop over to Maui, I hiked above the clouds at Haleakala National Park.

I’d love to hear your travel stories!

Originally published: March 13, 2025