07
2 hours
Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail
Makapuʻu Point
Makapuʻu Point is the easternmost point of the island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.
- Must see
- Viewpoint
City guide · United States
Honolulu
Honolulu is the urban centre of Oʻahu, with Waikīkī, Downtown and the south shore forming the principal visitor base. Pearl Harbor lies west, while the Windward...
Photograph · Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
1,865
Places
- Suggested stay
- Not recorded
- Getting around
- Walk, TheBus, Biki, shuttle or car
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Honolulu is the urban centre of Oʻahu, with Waikīkī, Downtown and the south shore forming the principal visitor base. Pearl Harbor lies west, while the Windward Coast, Central Oʻahu, the Leeward Coast and the North Shore are separate island regions rather than city neighbourhoods. Keep city days focused on Honolulu and treat farther Oʻahu sites as planned excursions with their own transport time.
Checked 2026-08-26
Practical information
- Language spoken
- English is the principal language; no federal official language
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +1
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- United States dollar (USD)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 911
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type A and B · 120 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- Water quality is regulated locally; check the current notice for the destination
Planning a visit
September · September in Honolulu, Hawaii has mean high 31.4°C, mean low 23.6°C, rainfall 17.8 mm, and 6.9 rain days. Low rainfall keeps the month's warmth manageable for planned stops. September supports a full day of outdoor stops in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- January: good time to visit
- February: good time to visit
- March: good time to visit
- April: best time to visit
- May: best time to visit
- June: best time to visit
- July: best time to visit
- August: best time to visit
- September: best time to visit — current month
- October: best time to visit
- November: good time to visit
- December: good time to visit
- Best time
- Good time
- Viable with trade-offs
- Difficult conditions
Sources
- worldweather.wmo.int Checked 2026-08-28
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
19 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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08 1 hr 30 minPearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum occupies historic hangars on Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor. The museum preserves and interprets aviation history related to the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor and broader Pacific aviation heritage.
- Must see
- Museum
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09 1 hr 30 minHonolulu Museum of Art
The Honolulu Museum of Art
Honolulu Museum of Art is Honolulu’s principal public art museum, connecting Hawaiʻi, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the Americas.
- Must see
- Museum
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10 1 hr 30 minShangri La Museum
Shangri La
Shangri La is Doris Duke’s former Honolulu estate, now a museum devoted to Islamic art, culture, and design.
- Must see
- Museum
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11 2 hoursKoko Head
Koko Crater Railway Trail
Koko Head is a prominent tuff cone on the southeastern coast of Oahu, Hawaii, near Honolulu. The landform rises above the Pacific shoreline and forms part of the Koko Head District Park area.
- Must see
- Activity
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12 2 hoursKaʻiwa Ridge Trail (Lanikai Pillbox)
The Kaʻiwa Ridge Trail, widely known as the Lanikai Pillbox Trail, is a hiking route on Oahu's windward coast near Kailua. The trail leads to former military observation structures called pillboxes, situated on a ridge above Lanikai.
- Must see
- Activity
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13 2 hoursWaimea Valley
Waimea Valley is a cultural and botanical site on Oahu's North Shore. The valley holds significance as a Native Hawaiian place of residence and worship, with archaeological evidence of past habitation.
- Must see
- Activity
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14 2 hoursWaimea Bay
Waimea Bay is a prominent beach on Oahu's North Shore in Hawaii. The bay is internationally recognized for its powerful winter surf, which has played a central role in the development of big-wave surfing.
- Must see
- Activity
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15 1 hr 30 minWashington Place
Washington Place is a historic residence in Honolulu, Hawaii. Built in the 1840s, it served as the home of Queen Liliuokalani, the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and later became the official residence for territorial governors.
- Must see
- Museum
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16 1 hr 30 minHānaiakamālama
Queen Emma Summer Palace
Queen Emma Summer Palace, known locally as Hānaiakamalama, stands in Nuʻuanu Valley as a historic residence with deep ties to Hawaiian royalty.
- Must see
- Museum
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17 1 hr 30 minU.S. Army Museum of Hawaii
United States Army Museum of Hawaii
The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaiʻi is a military-history museum housed in the former Battery Randolph at Fort DeRussy in Waikiki, Honolulu.
- Must see
- Museum
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18 1 hr 30 minUSS Bowfin
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum
The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum is a Pearl Harbor-area museum focused on the history of the United States submarine service. Its central companion is USS Bowfin, a World War II-era submarine preserved as a memorial and exhibit.
- Must see
- Museum
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19 2 hoursSea Life Park Hawaii
Sea Life Park
Sea Life Park Hawaiʻi is a marine park and education attraction at Makapuʻu Point on Oʻahu’s southeastern coast. Its oceanfront setting places marine-animal exhibits and educational experiences between the Pacific Ocean and the Koʻolau Range.
- Must see
- Entertainment venue
How the city is laid out
Waikīkī occupies the south shore east of Downtown Honolulu. Downtown contains the civic and historic core, while Ala Moana sits between them and Diamond Head marks the eastern end of the main urban visitor strip. Pearl Harbor is west of the centre. Beyond Honolulu, the island divides into Windward, Central, Leeward and North Shore regions, each requiring deliberate travel rather than an extension of a city walk.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Walk within Waikīkī and compact parts of Downtown, then use TheBus, shuttles, taxis, rideshares or a rental vehicle for longer trips. Biki bike share serves Honolulu and Waikīkī, while island attractions outside the urban core can require substantially more travel time. Public transport reaches many cultural and scenic sites, but check current routes and the return schedule before committing to a distant Oʻahu excursion.
Checked 2026-08-26
Common questions
How many days should I spend in Honolulu?
A fixed stay length is not recorded. Separate Honolulu and Waikīkī sightseeing from excursions to Pearl Harbor, the Windward Coast or the North Shore.
Is Waikīkī the same as Downtown Honolulu?
No. Waikīkī is the main resort district on the south shore, while Downtown contains the civic and historic core farther west.
Can I get around Honolulu without a car?
Yes. Walking, TheBus, Biki, shuttles, taxis and rideshares cover the main urban areas. A car can be useful for dispersed island destinations outside Honolulu.
Is the North Shore part of Honolulu?
No. It is a separate Oʻahu region and requires a planned island journey. Do not treat it as a quick extension of a Waikīkī walking day.
Where does Biki operate?
Biki is Honolulu's bike-share system and serves Honolulu and Waikīkī. Check the current station map before relying on it for a specific route.