Hawaii is a spectacular island that can offer a special experience. You will not find in any other destinations in the United States.
This island paradise is big in size that has a little bet of everything, making your experience on the island unforgettable.
With that being said, you might get overwhelmed with all the choices, so we narrow the list to the best things to do in Honolulu.
You might learn something or two about our trip in Honolulu, Hawaii and plan your one to two weeks itinerary to Hawaii.
The Weather For Honolulu, Hawaii, And The Best Time To Visit Hawaii:
Hawaii’s beauty is breathtaking. It is a perfect holiday vacation and couples’ destination. What makes it a perfect getaway is that you can visit for any occasion or during any season.
The weather in Honolulu, Hawaii is warm all year long, so you can enjoy water activities and quality time at the beach in any season. When it is the cold weather of winter, and you are craving a summer feel, Hawaii has you covered.
We have a guide on the best time to visit Hawaii in general. It basically covers Honolulu and the rest of the islands in Hawaii.
How Much Does It Cost To Travel To Honolulu?
- A round-trip cost range is between $500 to $800 – – depending on the season and time of the year.
- Hostel costs range between $70 to $100 per night.
- Food can be expensive, so make sure to spend your money wisely. On average, the person spends 24$ per day.
Brief:
I was hesitant to go, but I am glad we did. I was not disappointed. I am glad we made that decision. In this blog, I am going to show my journey in Honolulu, Hawaii, and why it was the best decision we ever made.
This article may include my experience staying in Oahu, Hawaii for a week with some travel life hacks and tips that allow you to roam around the island with confident about your budget.
We stayed in Honolulu City located on the island of Oahu’s South Shore. It is the Capital of Hawaii. As far as the view in Honolulu, Hawaii, it is breathtaking. My eyes could not believe what I saw.
The beach and nature aligned to make such an incredible picture. We went there during the winter, and the weather in Honolulu, Hawaii was warm.
Life Tips: Therefore, it is important to look up the weather for Honolulu, Hawaii, or any other places before visiting. It could help you prepare and make better decisions in terms of where to stay and activities.
The Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel:
- We stayed in The Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel, which was the cheapest and also close to Waikiki Beach. They offer a variety of cheap tours. Every day of the wake is a different tour and the price ranges between $10 to $30 for each tour.
- A hostel is a great option for Solo travelers. It is an opportunity to make new friends from all over the world. The staff and people are very friendly, so that makes it much easier to make friends even for introverts.
- The top roof has an open Patio where people hang out and play some games. Sometimes, they have Pizza night there.
- You do not need to worry about breakfast and WIFI because they are already provided and included with the hostel accommodation price. The breakfast usually consists of fruit waffles, toast, and coffee.
- The beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel costs 73$ per night, which is cheaper than a hotel.
Some Of The Most Fun Things To Do In Honolulu:
It is time to mention the best places we visit there and the best things to do in Honolulu.
1- Waikiki Beach: (Waikiki Means Spouting Water):
Just Waikiki Beach alone has a lot of activities that you can do, and it is crowded at any time of the year. You can spend all day there.
What is even better is that it is only about 8 minutes away from The Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel. You can walk there. Shops are on the way. You can stop to buy snakes, or anything beach-related.
If you like to do things instead of sitting around, then there are a lot of activities that you can do. You can practice solo surfing or take lessons, bodyboarding, Snarking, play volleyball by the beach, exercise, or walk around and enjoy the beautiful views.
If you want to relax, you can lie down and get sun tanning, listen to people playing the Ukulele, watch street shows, or hang out by the local coffee.
My favorite relaxing spot in the area by Waikiki Beachside Bistro. Where I ordered a garlic shrimp and enjoyed the beach views.
Shopping Tips:
Be on the lookout for the pickup Brochures at the airport and also when walking around the beach. You can find coupons that offer some discounts. – Shopping is all over. ABC store has almost everything you need as a tourist from food, clothes, beach gear…etc.
Don’t fall for the 50% off tour stands. Most of them are not, and you can find them cheaper if you book them directly at the actual location of Waikiki Beach or your hostel/hotel.
Ma Rukame Udon, Honolulu:
Ma Rukame Udon is a must-visit restaurant when traveling to Hawaii. It is one of the cheapest resultants in Waikiki Hawaii.
You can get a bowl of noodles as cheap as $3.75, and the food is delicious. Make sure to go there earlier because the line most of the time is long.
Transportation Tips:
Tip One: you should not drive there as it is hard to find a parking spot. You could spend all day looking for a parking spot. You should consider walking there, but if you live too far, you can get a Lyft, take a trolley, or a bus.
Tips Two: Waikiki Trolley (Pink line) only costs $2.00 and takes you from Waikiki Beach to Ala Moana Center. If you have a JCB credit card, then you can ride for free.
Things To Brings To Waikiki Beach:
1- Umbrella
2- Sunscreen Cream
3- Towel
4- Snorkeling gears (optional)
5- Swim sweat
6- Volleyball ball (optional)
2. Diamond Head: Dormant Volcano And Iconic Landmark:
Diamond Head is a volcanic Tuff cone that’s one of the volcanic series in Hawaii. It is estimated to be around 500000 to 400000 years old.
Hike Into The Crater Of Diamond Head:
- The Diamond Head hike is about a 45-minute walk. Up top of the mountain, the view is amazing, and it is worth it. You only pay one dollar for entrance, but if you have a car, you will need to pay $5 for parking and entrance. It is also a good idea to go there before sunrise or sundown.
- Do not forget to bring water with you.
- The feeling you get once you reach the top and see the beautiful Honolulu and Waikiki beaches are such rewarding scenic for the eye to see. After an energy excursion hike, the breeze on top gets your soul on.
Travel tips: it might get slightly hotter than the rest of Honolulu, so it might be a good idea to dress in light clothes and bring a towel.
3. North Shore (Oahu) – Banza Pipeline:
Being on the North Shore is a dream come true, and I am lucky enough to experience what it is like. The wave is critically steep, which makes it a perfect spot for surfing.
There are about 4 surfing competitions that happen every year: pipe Masters (Board Surfing), Bolcorn Pipe Pro, The BA Pipeline Pro (bodyboarding), and the Pipeline Bodysurfing classic.
If you are not there during the competition, you can still watch locals surfing daily. It is fascinating how they can surf and fight through the made waves. It is nothing like I have seen before.
4. Waimea Bay, North Shore:
Waimea Bay is another great spot on the north shore. It is located in a community called Haleiwa by the Anahulu River.
It also hosts some surfing contests as well. In Waimea Bay, the wave can reach up to 100 feet. It has the highest waves the human eyes have ever seen, which makes it any surfer’s greatest challenge.
5. Hanauma Bay: Turtle Beach Resort:
It is located on the North shore of Ohau Island. is a nature preserve with a beach and Green Sea Turtles. You can see the turtles in the shallow water near the reef.
One thing to keep in mind is that it is illegal to touch turtles. You can take a picture but do not go too close. The preserve is made from an extinct volcano.
You can also see crabs and other sea life animals. Do not be afraid to dip your feed in the water and explore the environment. You can also snorkel there and swim among them but do not teach them because it is not allowed.
Travel Tips: they have only an hour of parking and a lot of time it gets crowded. Thus, make sure to get there early. (open hour: 6:00 am). It is easier to find a spot after lunch hours.
6. Lanikai Pillbox Hike:
It is a short hike that takes about 20-30 minutes, and the view is amazing. Along the walk, you can see Lanikai community and Lanikai beach. The tranquility of the beach can make your travel to Hawaii surely memorable.
Do not forget to bring your surfboard and your swimsuit because you might want to splash yourself in the water or enjoy a sunrise hike in Oahu.
Travel Tips:
- One-hour roundtrip hike with great views of Lanikai Beach and Kailua
- Steep trail, narrow in some areas with a steep drop-off
- Trail leads to two pillboxes (bunkers)
- Popular hike can get crowded especially on weekends and holidays
- Street parking along Kaelepulu Drive
- Not much shade – bring water and sunscreen
- No facilities, no restrooms here.
Conclusion:
I hope you enjoy our little trip on the island of Hawaii. In this article, we focused only in the top things to do in Honolulu, specifically in Oahu.
I really enjoyed the trip, and I am sure you will, too. Please, leave your comment and let us know about how it went. We would love to hear your experience.
We also have articles that might gain your interest, such as the best hotels on the Big island, exploring the options of the Hawaiian Food in Honolulu, the best zip lining in Oahu, and the best time to visit Hawaii.
You can learn about snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, scuba diving in Maui, hikng to waterfalls in Maui, or the best hotels in Maui in separate blogs.
Leave a Reply