What are the top things to do in Honolulu?

Waikiki Beach and Duke Kahanamoku Statue, Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial, Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, and more. Paste your own list into Tripsapien and it checks each place's hours, closures, and booking pressure for your exact dates.

Which neighborhoods should I explore in Honolulu?

Waikiki, Downtown and Capitol District, Chinatown and Arts District, Ala Moana and Kakaako. Tripsapien groups your places by neighborhood so each day stays in one or two areas instead of zig-zagging.

When is the best time to visit Honolulu?

January, February, March balance comfortable temperatures with fewer rainy days. Pick your month below to see that month's events, public holidays, and seasonal timing.

Will the places on my list be open when I'm in Honolulu?

Tripsapien checks each place against the exact dates you're in Honolulu and flags closures, limited hours, and sell-outs before the trip.

Honolulu Hawaii

Things to do in Honolulu

By Tripsapien Research / Updated May 20, 2026

Honolulu is Oahu's south-shore capital, where Waikiki hotels, Downtown government blocks, and Chinatown markets sit between the Pacific Ocean and the Koolau ridgeline. The traveler frame is compact but varied: Waikiki carries the beach-and-resort stay, Downtown and Chinatown hold the royal and merchant history, and Manoa-Makiki and Eastern Honolulu lead into volcanic craters, gardens, and reef coves.

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About Honolulu

City overview

Food & drink

Honolulu meals move between poke bowls, kalua pork, loco moco, saimin, plate lunch, malasadas, and shave ice without leaving the south shore. Chinatown markets, Helena's Hawaiian Food on North School Street, Leonard's Bakery on Kapahulu Avenue, and the KCC Farmers Market near Diamond Head give the city its best low-friction food map.

Top sights

Ranked for suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.

Map of Honolulu with pinned top attractions (1 through 10)

1
Waikiki Beach and Duke Kahanamoku Statue
4.6★ · 4,887
Waikiki was a 19th-century royal retreat before its hotels made it Hawaii's best-known beach district. The Duke Kahanamoku bronze statue stands beside Kalakaua Avenue, a short walk from the Royal Hawaiian Center and Kuhio Beach hula mound.
2
Pearl Harbor National Memorial and USS Arizona Memorial
4.8★ · 26,843
The white memorial designed by Honolulu architect Alfred Preis opened in 1962 above the USS Arizona, which sank during the 7 December 1941 attack. Boats leave from the visitor center about 18km west of Downtown Honolulu and 30 minutes by car from Waikiki.
Reserve the Navy boat program ahead; same-day standby seats disappear early during school holidays.
3
Iolani Palace
4.6★ · 5,931
King Kalakaua opened this American Florentine palace in 1882 with electric lights, telephones, koa staircases, and a throne room for the Hawaiian Kingdom. The palace is in the Capitol District, across King Street from Kawaiahao Church and the Hawaii State Capitol.
Wikipedia

Show 7 more sights

4Bishop Museum
5Honolulu Museum of Art
6Diamond Head State Monument
7Ala Moana Center and Ala Moana Beach Park
8Kawaiahao Church
9Foster Botanical Garden
10Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design

Neighborhoods

1
Waikiki
Dense, beach-facing Waikiki is the hotel base for most visitors, with Kalakaua Avenue, Kuhio Beach, the Royal Hawaiian Center, and Diamond Head views packed into a walkable grid.
2
Downtown and Capitol District
Downtown Honolulu feels civic and historical, with Iolani Palace, Aliiolani Hale, Kawaiahao Church, and Honolulu Harbor clustered around King Street.
3
Chinatown and Arts District
Chinatown mixes lei stands, noodle shops, produce markets, bars, and galleries around Maunakea Street, Hotel Street, and the Hawaii Theatre.
4
Ala Moana and Kakaako
Ala Moana and Kakaako are the practical in-between districts, anchored by Ala Moana Center, Magic Island, SALT at Our Kakaako, and murals near Cooke Street.
5
Manoa and Makiki
Manoa and Makiki climb into cooler valleys behind Downtown, with the University of Hawaii, Lyon Arboretum, Manoa Falls trailhead, and Punchbowl crater nearby.
6
Kapahulu, Kaimuki, and Eastern Honolulu
Kapahulu and Kaimuki hold local restaurants and bakeries inland from Waikiki, while Kahala, Hawaii Kai, Hanauma Bay, and Makapuu Point stretch the city toward the windward coast.

Day trips

55km / 1h by car from Waikiki via H-2 and Kamehameha Highway
Haleiwa and the North Shore
Surf towns, shrimp trucks, Waimea Bay, and winter waves make the North Shore the classic Oahu contrast to Waikiki. Parking pressure is high at sunset and on major surf-contest days.
25km / 35-45min by car from Downtown Honolulu over the Pali Highway
Kailua and Lanikai
Windward beaches, the Mokulua islets, and Kailua town cafes sit beyond the Koolau ridge. Go early because Lanikai street parking and beach access are intentionally limited.
38km / 45min by car from Waikiki via H-3 or Pali Highway
Kualoa Ranch and Kaneohe Bay
The Kaaawa Valley film-site tours, Kaneohe sandbar views, and ancient fishponds show the green windward side of Oahu. Reserve ranch activities ahead in summer and December.

Getting around

TheBus and HOLO card cover Waikiki, Downtown, Ala Moana, Pearl Harbor, and the airport, while Skyline rail currently helps only the western airport-to-Kapolei side. Walking works inside Waikiki and Downtown, but a rental car or rideshare is faster for Diamond Head dawn hikes, Hanauma Bay reservations, and windward-coast day trips.