The Best Things to do in Honolulu + Top Tips for Visiting Pearl Harbor
The 10 Best Things to do in Honolulu, O’ahu, and everything you need to know about visiting Pearl Harbor.
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Any visit to Hawaii will most likely start at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, the main airport in the Hawaiian islands. Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and the gateway to the Hawaiian archipelago. Known for its hip neighbourhood Waikiki, which has several great surfing beaches and an oceanfront designer shopping scene, Honolulu lies in the south of Hawaii’s most popular island, O’ahu. There’s more to do in Honolulu than Waikiki though, and any visit should also include a trip up the volcanic Diamond Head crater, as well as a visit to Pearl Harbor. We’ve collated all our tips on visiting Pearl Harbor in this article, as well as the best things to do in Honolulu, so you can plan the perfect itinerary for your Hawaii trip, whether you have 1 day or more.
Time needed: 2-4 days.
When to go: September-November – off-peak means less crowds, cheaper prices and the weather is still great.
Weather: Consistently between 19°C-30°C with barely any rain and a hot, dry climate.
Language: English & Hawaiian.
Currency: American Dollar.
How to get around O’ahu
Getting around O’ahu by taxi can be quite expensive, so we’d recommend you hire a car. Car hire is available at the airport through all major car hire companies and Discount Hawaii Car Rental is a great website for price-comparison before you book. The advantage of hiring a car is that you have complete freedom to go where you want, when you want. The disadvantages are that pick up and drop off can eat into your sightseeing time and a lot of downtown Honolulu is very residential so can be slow to navigate and difficult to find parking.
If you only have a short time in Honolulu, we’d recommend taking the bus, which is a lot cheaper than hiring a car. Yes, you may be constrained by a timetable and will lose sightseeing time waiting at the bus stop, but it’s going to be less time than trying to find parking in Waikiki and a lot cheaper than car hire. TheBus is the public bus transportation service on the island of O’ahu and you can find details on routes and prices on their website.
Things to do
1) Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is the site of the devastating attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II, which caused the death of 2,403 Americans as well as the injury of many others and triggered the US to formally enter the war. There are 4 main things to do at Pearl Harbor: the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin Submarine and Aviation Museum.
Most trips start at the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites Visitor Center. This is the gateway to Pearl Harbour. From here you can access the USS Bowfin Submarine, museums and memorial, as well as the boat to the USS Arizona Memorial and shuttles which run every 15 minutes to the Battleship Missouri and Aviation Museum.
If you have limited time, just do the USS Arizona Memorial. The ticket includes a 20 minute film, US Navy Ship Shuttle to and from the Memorial and time on the Memorial.
How to get tickets for Pearl Harbour
Tickets are released in 3 waves:
- Online, 8 weeks before
- Online, 1 day in advance
- In person, on the day
You can book online at recreation.gov to make sure you get the time slot you want. But don’t worry if you’re more last-minute, as it’s easy to get a ticket on the day too. On-the-day tickets typically sell out by mid-morning so it’s recommended you arrive at 7:00 to get tickets for the 8:00 tour, which is usually much quieter too.
Alternatively, you can book onto a tour of Pearl Harbor. Guided tours include return transport from Waikiki, a knowledgeable guide and your entry tickets. Pearl Harbor can also be visited as a combination tour with other Honolulu highlights.
How to get to Pearl Harbor
Many operators offer tours to Pearl Harbour, but they’re completely unnecessary as it’s easy to get to and has a lot of informative exhibitions and information boards you can learn from when you’re there. Tour guides can’t go on the USS Arizona with you anyway, so you’d basically only be paying for the transport.
If you’ve hired a car, you can drive to the Visitor Center car park, which is free. Or take bus 20, 45, 52 or A, which all stop outside the site on Kamehameha Hwy.
A guided tour includes your transport, often picking you up from the door of your hotel. A Honolulu Day Tour with Pearl Harbor is a great way to combine visiting Pearl Harbor with other iconic Honolulu attractions.
No bags of any kind are allowed into the site, but you can take a water bottle, wallet and camera (and lockers are available to rent at the entrance).
Be aware that restorations are often carried out during off-peak seasons, which may mean you can’t disembark at the USS Arizona Memorial. Strong winds can also cancel the boat rides altogether, so if this is important to you, research beforehand if it’s going to be open to tourists.
From Pearl Harbour you can drive or take the 20 or 42 bus to Waikiki, stopping at Kapi’olani Regional Park. From here you can pick up lunch from Tucker & Bevvy and pop into The Cookie Corner for pudding. This vibrant neighbourhood is a popular surfing spot and known for its designer shops and city-side beaches.
2) Downtown Waikiki Beaches
A few of the best beaches in O’ahu include Queens Beach, Kūhiō Beach and Waikiki Beach. Framed by high-rise hotels and featuring great waves and safe-swimming areas, this golden strip is great for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. Look out for the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue on Kalakaua Ave, a 9-foot bronze sculpture which honours the Hawaiian Olympic champion and ‘father’ of international surfing.
3) Royal Hawaiian Center
For some retail therapy, visit the Royal Hawaiian Center. Just a short walk from Waikiki Beach, this upmarket shopping centre specialises in fine jewellery, gifts and luxury timepieces. It also features signature restaurants serving international cuisine, as well as an open-air food court.
4) Diamond Head
Diamond Head, known to Hawaiians as Lē’ahi, towers over downtown Waikiki. This dormant volcano gets its name from the 1800’s, when British sailors were fooled by the glittering stones embedded at the top of the crater. No diamonds have ever been found, but the site is now a State National Park.
To get there drive, or take the number 23 bus from Kuhio Avenue towards Diamond Head to the Diamond Head State Monument. Walk through the tunnel to reach the crater where the Diamond Head Trail begins. The hike is 0.8 miles each way and ascends 170 metres (560 ft). There are several lookouts on the way, providing sweeping views of Honolulu and the 300,000 year old crater. There is a small entrance fee and parking costs $5 per vehicle. Alternatively, you could book a Diamond Head Guided Tour, which includes a guided hike, lunch and stops at Halona Blowhole, Tropical Farms Macadamia Nuts, The Kahuku Sugar Mill, Haleiwa Beach Park and the Dole Plantation, where you can try the infamous Dole Whip.
Couples should consider booking a Diamond Head Cruise with Drinks and Appetizers. Watch the sunset on a relaxing catamaran cruise from Honolulu to Diamond Head, with cocktails on an eco-certified tour. A romantic experience, this is one of the best things to do in O’ahu.
Pro-tip: Climb early in the morning to watch the sunrise. The temperature will be cooler and the trail quieter too.
5) Ala Moana Center
The Ala Moana Center is the largest open-air shopping mall in the world and one of the best things to do in Honolulu. It features more than 350 shops and restaurants and has one of the largest collections of luxury retailers in the world.
6) ‘Iolani Palace
The ‘Iolani Palace was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaii beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani under the Kalākaua Dynasty. The palace was built in 1882 and is now a museum which you can tour to gain insight into how Hawaiian royalty lived. ‘Iolani Palace can be visited on a combination tour with Pearl Harbor and highlights of Honolulu.
7) Go Whale Watching
Hawaii is on e of the best places in the world for whale watching. Join a 2 hour eco-friendly Boat Cruise off the west coast of O’ahu for a chance to acrobatic humpback whales, as well as dolphins and other wildlife. Relax aboard a spacious catamaran with complimentary sodas, chips, and cookies, as you keep a look out for these gentle giants of the sea. Tours run from December to May
8) Spot dolphins and snorkel
It’s illegal to swim with spinner dolphins in Hawaii, but you can ethically experience them up close on an eco-friendly West O’ahu Snorkel Tour. Sail the turquoise waters of Hawaii’s coast, heading along O’ahu’s picturesque coastline. Keep your eyes peeled for the playful Spinner Dolphins, who often put on acrobatic displays of agility. Then don your mask and snorkel and experience Hawaii’s colourful coral reefs. All your gear is included, as well as breakfast and lunch and a professional guide.
Read next: Ethical Wildlife Tourism in Hawaii
9) SCUBA Dive or Snorkel
There’s nothing in the world like exploring the world underwater and there’s no better place to learn than the warm, clear waters off O’ahu. Join an O’ahu Discovery Scuba Diving for Beginners to have your fist taste of diving with a certified guide. Certified divers can choose between different destinations, including a Wreck & Reef Scuba Dive, Shallow Reef Scuba Dive and a Night Dive Adventure.
Those who aren’t keen on diving should consider a Turtle Canyon Guided Snorkeling Tour. Giving you the opportunity to swim with ethically swim with turtles, this tour includes your gear, guide and drinks and snacks.
10) See Honolulu from above
There’s no better way to see Honolulu than on a Scenic Helicopter Flight. Choose a flight with doors-on or door-off and experience Hawaii as a bird does for a unique perspective of O’ahu’s cities and coasts. Iconic sights you’ll see include the North Shore’s Banzai Pipeline, the Chinaman’s Hat, Makapu’u Lighthouse, the Sacred Falls, Kaneohe Bay, USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.
Interactive Honolulu, O’ahu, Map
Use the tab in the top left corner to filter things to do in Honolulu.
Read next:
The Thorough Guide to Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i
The Thorough Guide to Hilo, Hawai’i
The Thorough Guide to Snorkelling on Big Island, Hawaii
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