Nestled in between rugged cliffs to the north and beaches to the south on the island of Oahu, somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, is Honolulu, Hawaii’s largest city.

The population of the metro area is just shy of 1 million residents, and though the entire city is not very large, even without leaving the city area, there are so many opportunities of places to go and things to see.

While there are many different things to do in Honolulu depending on your interests, here are 11 attractions that I think everyone who visits Honolulu should include on their itinerary.

Do you need a place to stay in Honolulu? Click here for great deals on accommodation.

What to do in Honolulu
Hanauma Bay

1. Hanauma Bay

On the very east side of Honolulu, near an area of town called Hawaii Kai, is Hanauma Bay, one of the most famous places on the entire island for snorkeling.

The bay, sunken into a crater with a gorgeous stretch of golden sand, is a nature reserve and marine sanctuary.

When you arrive at Hanauma Bay, you’re normally required to watch a short video about the marine life and the preservation of it, and you can then take the short 5 minute hike to the bottom of the crater to get to the beach and get in the cool clear water.

If you’re interested in snorkeling while you’re in Honolulu, Hanauma Bay is the place to visit.

Open hours: Wednesday through Monday from 6 am – 6 pm , closed every Tuesday
Entrance fee: $1 parking, $7.50 per person, and if you don’t have your own mask and snorkel, you can rent it from them at the steep price of $12.50
Local tip: If you have your own car and are willing to wake up early, you can arrive at Hanauma Bay from after 6 am and before 7 am, for free parking and free entrance. It’s legal, and you save a lot of money on the entrance fee!

Honolulu attractions
Walking around Chinatown

2. Honolulu Chinatown

Like all Chinatowns in the world, Honolulu’s Chinatown is an always bustling, energetic market section of the city.

It’s not quite as chaotic at Chinatown in Bangkok or Manila, but even though it’s small, it still has that same thrilling rushed market feel to it.

The smell of fruits and vegetables and the aroma of fresh fish and meat fill the air in Honolulu’s Chinatown, just as they do in other Chinatowns around the world. You’ll find great prices on produce, and you’ll find the fruits and vegetables you need to make whatever type of Asian food you want.

I even saw a fresh (not frozen) pile of durian when I was walking around last time!

Along with fresh market foods to purchase, there are also an abundance of delicious restaurants throughout Honolulu’s Chinatown. Within Maunakea Marketplace you’ll find Filipino and Thai food, and on the outskirts of Chinatown you should not miss Char Hung Sut – a takeout restaurant that sells legendary Hawaiian style Cantonese dumplings and baozi (manapua).

Exploring and eating through Chinatown is one of the top attractions in Honolulu.

Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii
Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii

3. Diamond Head

If you love to get outdoors, do some exercise, and enjoy stunning panoramic views, hiking is one of the best things to do in Honolulu.

There are quite a few good hikes right in the Honolulu area, some of them a bit outside of the city limits, but others are right in the city.

Diamond Head is the iconic former volcano that stands proud at the far eastern side of Waikiki, and is often an emblem of visiting Honolulu. The volcano provides a great backdrop to all your beach photos from Waikiki, but the view is even better when you’re on the very top of it.

The Diamond Head crater was formerly used as military base on Oahu, but is now open to the public for recreational use. The hike is just under a mile in length, and takes about 20 – 30 minutes to reach the summit.

At first the trail is easy, then you come to a series of switchbacks where you start gaining elevation, and finally towards the end, you pass through a military tunnel, go up a few flights of stairs, and emerge through a bunker.

The views of Honolulu are great!

Open hours: Daily from 6 am – 6 pm
Entrance fee: $5 per carload (this includes parking), or if you park outside and walk in (or take the bus / Waikiki trolley) the entrance fee is $1 per person.
Local tip: After climbing Diamond Head, make sure you stop at Diamond Head Market, just down the road from the hike, for a snack or plate lunch. They are especially well known for their blueberry scones, with are big and delicious.

Stand up paddleboarding in Hawaii
Stand up paddleboarding in Hawaii

4. Ocean Sports

Hawaii is one of the world’s headquarters when it comes to surfing and other ocean water sports. The climate is great, the water is cool but not too cold, and the waves, depending on which beach you go to, can range from small to huge.

The north shore of Oahu is especially famous as one of the world’s greatest surfing destinations, but right in Honolulu you’ll find some great spots to surf, bodyboard, stand up paddleboard, or any other ocean sport you’re interested in.

Waikiki, Ala Moana Beach Park, Kakaʻako, Diamond Head, and Sandy’s are all great places to take to the water and enjoy whatever water board sport you love, all without leaving Honolulu.

Waikiki Aquarium
Waikiki Aquarium

5. Honolulu Zoo / Waikiki Aquarium

Located on the east side of Waikiki is the Honolulu Zoo. The zoo is spread out over 42 acres and is home to 905 different animals, most of the them natives of tropical climates. Don’t miss the komodo dragon or the orangutan!

Along with the diversity of different animals at the Honolulu Zoo, the grounds are also neatly designed with many different lush tropical gardens, showcasing a variety of native Hawaiian plants and flowers.

The Waikiki Aquarium is just down the road from the Honolulu Zoo, and while it’s quite small, it’s a good place to learn about the local marine life in the oceans of Hawaii, and a chance to see the playful Hawaiian monk seals.

Especially if you have kids, visiting both the zoo and the aquarium in Honolulu makes for a fun day activity and attraction in the city.

Open hours: Zoo from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm daily, Aquarium from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Entrance fee: Zoo – $14, Aquarium – $12

Iolani Palace
Iolani Palace

6. Iolani Palace / Downtown Honolulu

Iolani Palace is a historical landmark in downtown Honolulu that was originally built in 1879 by King Kalakaua. The palace was constructed in an effort to make Hawaii become more prestigious and more recognized as a nation throughout the world. It was initially known as Hale Alii, but King Kamehameha V changed the name to Iolani.

The palace is now open to the public for both self and guided tours. The first and second floors include a series of elegant greeting rooms like the Grand Hall, the Throne Room, and the Blue Room. The second floor of the Iolani Palace is home to the King’s private suites, and also the famous Queen Kapiolani’s suite.

The palace is beautifully restored and decorated with luxurious interior designs and furnishings. For a peek into the history of royal Hawaii, Iolani Palace is well worth a visit.

Also, when you’re in downtown Honolulu, be sure to check out the other important buildings in the area like the Hawaii State Capitol.

Address: Located in downtown Honolulu on the corner Of King St. & Richard St.
Open hours: Monday – Saturday from 9 am – 4 pm, closed Sunday
Entrance fee: Self tour – $14.75, Guided tour – $21.75

Hiking Manoa Falls
Hiking Manoa Falls

7. Manoa Falls

While Diamond Head and Koko Head, two amazing hikes in Honolulu, are dry hikes, Manoa Falls is a lush green jungle hike.

It’s actually not so much of a hike, but more of a 20 – 30 minute walk through the dense tropical forest with a pretty nice waterfall at the end of the trail.

Hiking Manoa Falls is a good chance to stretch your legs and see some of the beautiful plants and trees of Hawaii. Though there’s a sign and rope around the pool at the bottom of the waterfall with a warning to be cautious of falling rocks, many people take a quick refreshing swim in the beautiful water.

Entrance fee: They charge $5 for parking, but if you park down the street and are willing to walk a bit to get in, you can avoid the fee all together.

Waikiki, Honolulu
Waikiki, Honolulu

8. Waikiki

Occupying a long stretch of the coast on the south shore of Honolulu, is the famous area of town known as Waikiki. It’s the main touristy area of town where there’s a sea of high rise hotels and resorts that line the beach, nearly all the way from the Honolulu Zoo to Ala Wai harbor.

Even if you’re not staying in Waikiki, you can still visit the area, take walks along the beach, go shopping or dine at one of the many restaurants. For breakfast be sure to stop by the well known Eggs ‘n Things restaurant, and you’re looking to taste some awesome local Hawaii style food right in Waikiki, here’s a place you’ll want to eat at.

Also, right next to Waikiki is Honolulu’s largest shopping mall known as Ala Moana Center, a gigantic shopping destination. You’ll find mostly designer and higher end stores, but there are also plenty of other stores to browse around and many restaurants to eat at. Ala Moana is the epicenter of shopping in Honolulu.

Local Tip: Also for a great beach, located right in Honolulu, and a little away from the main touristy section of Waikiki, check out Ala Moana beach park. The beach is great for swimming, or for taking walks and exercising. I often go there to jog.

Plate lunch in Hawaii
Plate lunch in Hawaii

9. Local Hawaii Food

As a person who travels to eat, food is always a part of my list.

But Hawaii holds a very dear spot in my heart for its food because Hawaii is where I learned to love food from the beginning.

My mother, being from Hawaii, my grandfather having been a Chinese chef in Honolulu all his life, and like just about everyone else on the islands, myself and my relatives… we just love to eat.

Sampling the diverse selection of food available in Honolulu is an always entertaining activity that is guaranteed to satisfy your belly.

One thing you should for sure try is Hawaiian food. You can either head to Helena’s, a famous Hawaiian restaurant, or I tried the Hawaiian plate from People’s Cafe which was excellent. Make sure you try laulau, kalua pig, and poi, a taro paste which is the staple of Hawaiian cuisine.

For other local Hawaii food make sure you try poke, plate lunches, a loco moco, and SPAM musubi, just to name a few.

If you love Asian food as much as I do, you’re going to love everything there is to eat in Honolulu. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and a few Thai restaurants are scattered throughout the city.

Things to do in Honolulu
Visiting Pearl Harbor

10. Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona

Pearl Harbor, and more specifically the USS Arizona, is not so much an attraction in Honolulu, but rather a memorial.

It was on the morning of December 7th, 1941, when Japanese aircraft made a surprise bomb attack on the US ships anchored in Honolulu’s Pearl Harbor. During the deadly attack, many lives were lost, and many ships were destroyed. It was after this attack, when the US declared war on Japan and entered into World War II.

When you arrive at Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial, you get a ticket with a time on it. When it’s your turn, you meet your group and first watch a 30 minute film which explains the history of what happened at Pearl Harbor – I thought the video was concise and provided good insight into the memorial.

After the film, you board a ferry for a short 5 minute ferry ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, which is a white platform that floats above the sunken ship. You spend about 15 minutes on the platform, respecting the location and the events that happened right there years ago.

Also, on the Pearl Harbor compound you can visit the USS Bowfin, for a chance to tour a WWII submarine.

Open hours: Open daily from 7:00 am – 4:30 pm (programs to USS Arizona memorial are from 8 am – 3 pm)
Entrance fee: Free, but if you enter the USS Bowfin it’s $12 per person
Local tip: You can reserve a ticket online, and then just show up an hour before your time to get your ticket and confirm your spot. Otherwise, if you can’t get an online reservation, just walk in, and you’ll be able to get a ticket, which will usually be for a couple of hours from the time you get it. So the last time I went, I got my tickets at about 10 am, and then went to eat a marvelous Hawaiian lunch at Alicia’s Market, and then came back just in time for my 12:45 pm tickets. Another thing you can do is walk over to the theater, and wait there, and sometimes you can get in early because of the no-shows.

Honolulu attractions
Honolulu Fish Auction

11. Honolulu Fish Auction

The Honolulu fish auction is like a mini version of Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, and I believe it’s the only live tuna auction in all of the United States.

Go in the morning for a chance to see the auction in action. The crew moves from fish to fish quickly and the process happens quite quickly, but there are many rows of fresh fish, so there’s plenty of time to watch the auction take place. A few minutes in the fish auction room and you’ll be dying for some sashimi.

Whether you’re a fish lover or not, visiting the Honolulu fish auction is a pretty cool local activity to check out, and few people who visit Honolulu take advantage of it.

I think, along with eating, the fish auction is one of the most interesting and fun things to do in Honolulu for free.

Address: Located at Pier 38. You can click here form more details.
Open hours: It’s good to visit in the morning from about 6 am – 8 am
Entrance fee: Free
Local tip: Make sure you wear closed toe shoes to the fish market, and also bring a jacket as it get’s quite cold inside.

Conclusion

Hope this gives you some great ideas about a few of the best things to do in Honolulu. Everything listed here, you can do right in the city without leaving Honolulu.

No matter if you’re interested in history, shopping, relaxing on the beach, or doing outdoor adventure activities, Honolulu has something (probably many things) you’re going to love.

And whatever you do when you’re in Honolulu, don’t forget to eat lots of delicious food!

Are you looking for a place to stay in Hawaii? I often book my accommodation when I travel on Booking.com.

72 comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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  • Pat Lawlor

    2 years ago

    Very informative,thanks

  • Paulo Yvonny

    2 years ago

    Thank you so much for your site, it’s been quite helpful… I was in charge of the majority of the tasks!

  • High Rated Gabru

    3 years ago

    WONDERFUL!!! Please keep it up.

  • vishal kaushik

    3 years ago

    Thanks your blog has been really useful…I did most things!

  • lalalala

    3 years ago

    these places are awesome!

  • sankar singh

    3 years ago

    amazing write up along with picutres.

  • oop

    3 years ago

    fuck yo homey dead lol

  • Corey

    6 years ago

    I also enjoyed these all fabulous and interesting things during my last journey and have a joyful time with my friends. I hope so that your shared information would be useful for all visitors which who have a plan to go there in coming up days.

  • Lea Samples

    7 years ago

    All of these are great suggestions, but I’d also highly recommend going to a luau. There are some good ones in Honolulu and the food is crazy delicious!! You also get a ton of it for your money. 🙂

  • Moana Blu

    7 years ago

    Yeah if you like Hawaiian food from the main land then you NEED to come have some of the real stuff!! Great read!

  • Silvia

    7 years ago

    Thanks your blog has been really useful…I did most things !

  • Cal

    7 years ago

    Hello,
    We are a family of four traveling to Honolulu for a week soon and we love hiking (not extreme), food and culture. Any tips or websites you can recommend would be appreciated.

  • meah ang see

    7 years ago

    these are great tips and i’ve been looking at rates updates on other sites. headed there mid oct for a conference and have arranged to have 3 free vacay days 🙂 . i hope you could help me with some of my questions:

    in your recommendations below, you said better to rent a car. what is the average rate for daily rental?
    I’m currently looking at the Go Oahu Card website, and it seems many of the sites i want to go to seem to include shuttle service. i’ll need to compare just getting the card vs doing it all myself with a car rental or the trolley.

    would you have any off the beaten track recommendations?

  • Barbara Bozeman

    8 years ago

    I landed a lucky break and am “forced” to spend 3 weeks in Honolulu. Even that amount of time isn’t enough to experience everything…and frankly most of what you suggest is right up my alley. As a photographer, I like the more interesting behind the scenes opportunities. Now I’m excited about the fish market. As a veteran, I of course will pay my respects at the USS Arizona. And a lower level foodie…I too, look for the culinary ops. I’m a dedicated Korean food hunter and love trying local cuisines everywhere I go. This is very exciting. Thanks for the tips!

  • adrian edie

    8 years ago

    things I can see from my own vehicle

  • Martin

    8 years ago

    Hello, i just wanted to thank you for your great list, im a young man from Denmark, i always loved Hawaii, loved learning about there culture, food everything you name it!.
    and this summer me and my girlfriend gonna visit Hawaii (Waikiki) and my stormach turns 360 then i think about it! can wait to taste musubi! so thank you, THANK YOU!
    btw sorry for my bad spelling, hope you understand it anyways.

    Mahalo!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Martin, great to hear from you, awesome that you love the culture in Hawaii, and that’s awesome news that you’ll be visiting soon. Hope you have an amazing trip, and enjoy the food!

    • misty

      8 years ago

      Hi mark, we are planning a trip to Honolulu 2018, but trying to look into things early. We have a disabled daughter that is in a wheelchair type stroller. Any activities u can think of that will work for us?

  • Kyler Brown

    8 years ago

    I really appreciated this article because my wife and I are planning a trip to Honolulu. I’ve never been there before, so we’re trying to figure out what things are fun to do. I too am excited for the food, and the opportunity to find places to eat at. Thanks for sharing this!

  • shane

    8 years ago

    hi mark ,
    my family and I are traveling to ko olina in may 2016 for a week . any sugestions for food up there, mom and pop places are ok as are other .

    thanks shane

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Shane, I’m not too familiar with that area. You might try Poke Stop.

  • lama

    8 years ago

    I m trying to go this june but I m alone don’t have friends to go with me so I feel lil scared by my self going to Hawaii and I don’t even know where to go in Hawaii I mean which place to be on vacation? I need hepl:) I want to be there for one week

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Lama, glad you’re thinking about visiting Hawaii. I’ve really spent time in Honolulu, with is the main city. But you could also think about going to Maui or Kawaii?

    • Steph

      3 years ago

      Your cred just went down brah. It’s Kauai or Kaua‘i, but I prefer Big Island of Hawai‘i, just because of the presence of the volcano.

  • Petra

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark,
    just found your suggestions for Hawai. They are great, thank you for that.
    I think about moving to Honolulu for abt. 3 to 4 months living with a host family and learning English in a school there. Do you thing staying there for such a long time is worth it or shall I better look for another destination (there are many more like New York, Chicago, Miami, Auckland, Toronto,…..) Would be great to hear from you soon.

    • Petra

      8 years ago

      of course it is thinK…. 😉

  • Ramesh Nair

    8 years ago

    Hi,
    I am planning to be in Honolulu for only a couple of days – So what would be the best places that I should pick from this list and visit? Any suggestions?

  • Monica

    8 years ago

    I just booked my first trip to Hawaii and I can’t wait to get there after reading your very informative list!
    this will be a surprise trip for my husband and he loves to hike, I know we will have a great time there and now I have a better idea as to what to do when we get there 🙂
    Thank you!!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Great to hear that Monica, hope you have an amazing trip to Hawaii!

  • Dio

    8 years ago

    Awesome article.
    Going to be there for the first time this Holiday season.
    Anything special we should be aware of?

  • Dio

    8 years ago

    Mark,
    Great article. My family are going to be there for the Christmas and New Years. Anything special we should be on the lookout for?
    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Dio, glad you’ll be going to Honolulu. Hmm, not sure of anything special that’s different during the holidays, but mostly just enjoy some good poke (raw fish). Hope you have a great trip!

    • jay

      8 years ago

      Hey Brian, it’s a bummer that Mark couldn’t suggest that you take in the Honolulu City Lights Parade and visit the display over at Honolulu Hale during the holiday season, it’s a a great FREE activity that anyone can enjoy! Also, if you are up for some walking, the larger hotels have beautifully decorated Christmas trees to admire (also free). I’m wondering if Mark is even from here.. ‘nothing special’?? really? auwe (and Mark, you should update the article to reflect the cost of the fish market, since not everyone reads the comments)
      Aloha~!

  • Wayne

    8 years ago

    Thank you for your list. interested in the fish auction. Do you have to take a tour to visit the fish auction? Is it only Saturday?

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Wayne, you’re welcome, glad it’s helpful. Unfortunately it looks like the fish auction may have changed a little and they might only do paid for tours on Saturday (http://www.hawaii-seafood.org/auctiontour/), it’s been about a year since I’ve been there myself. But I think this is what they’ve gone to.

  • WT

    9 years ago

    Hi Mark,

    I see your article was written about 1 1/2 yrs ago. I just clicked on the link you provided for the Fish Auction. http://www.hawaii-seafood.org/auctiontour/ says tours are by reservation only: $25 for adults, $20 for kids. Not free as you suggested–perhaps it was still free in 2014, and they just recently started charging because the immense popularity of the tours could certainly be an added revenue source? If the “free” part is for some observation outside of these formal tours, could you please tell us where/how? If not, perhaps this description needs to be updated with the current admission prices.

    Thanks,
    Wendy

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hi Wend, thank you for the information. Hmm, I will try to make some contacts and see if it’s only available to enter as a tour now, but that would be something new. Previously was freely open to the public. Thank you for the letting me know.

  • Lisa

    9 years ago

    I enjoyed reading this very much! I’ve lived in Hawaii for a little over a year now and everyday I still can’t believe I live here! There are a few places I still have to visit on your list. One of my favorite things to do on this island are the farmers’ markets, especially the KCC Farmer’s Market. It’s located at the foot of Diamond Head on the Kapiolani Community College’s Campus on Saturday’s from 7:30am to 11:00am. You’ll find a lot of local produce, as well as, delicious foods from local businesses. I hope you visit Hawaii again soon! 🙂

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hey Lisa, so cool to hear you’re liv in Hawaii. Thank you for the extra suggestion about the KCC Farmer’s Market!

  • Mikaela

    9 years ago

    I will be on Pearl from 23 Jul to 7Aug. Anything specific going on during that period? I usually am there during Feb.
    Thanks!!

  • Joe

    9 years ago

    I will go Honolulu from August29-Sep02. I will follow your 11things to do in Honolulu. Thank you for your post.

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Thanks for reading Joe, glad this is helpful.

  • Simon

    9 years ago

    Awesome article! I’m heading to Hawaii in three weeks, and I can’t friggin wait to check out some of these places. I’ll be staying in Waikiki, but hopefully I’ll find time to get out and explore a little bit more of the island. Although it’s not the end of the world if I don’t have time 😉

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hey Simon, cool to hear you’ll be going to Hawaii soon. Hope you have an amazing trip!

  • Faisal Bawazir

    9 years ago

    Thank you so much i guess you are about to make my visit look amazing and adventures, well i guess you explained everything i look for, i’m so thankful for your time and effort to make Hawaii for people awesome. Well, i am coming to Honolulu on 29th of this month, and i want to know if i can use buses for most of places you mentioned is it good idea? plus how the weather would be like? because my first reason is to have a great sun shine.

    Thanks again

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hey Faisal, great to hear you’ll be going to Hawaii soon, hope you have an amazing trip. I don’t have much experience with the bus system, but there’e good information and routes online. Hope you have a fantastic trip!

  • Stephan Moushian

    9 years ago

    Thank you for the interesting article on Honolulu. We will be visiting for the first time in mid February 2015, for a week and I was wondering if it is worth renting a car in Honolulu or is there a good public transportation system to get us to the sightseeing points.

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hi Stephan, thank you for reading. It’s probably best if you can rent a car when you’re in Honolulu, it will be much easier to accomplish many things. There is a good bus system, which I don’t have much experience with personally, but I think it will get you to main areas or roads, but not off the beaten road. So if you can, I would recommend renting a car. Have a great trip.

  • Michelle

    9 years ago

    I am so excited about finding this list of things to do in Honolulu. I’m going to visit my son in June/July before he is deployed. This will be my first time on the island as well as my first time flying. :/ I can’t wait to see the things you have listed and some of those in the comments as well. Thanks for sharing you travels and recommendations.

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hi Michelle, great to hear from you, glad this is helpful. Hope you have a wonderful time visiting Hawaii!

  • Vanessa

    9 years ago

    What a coincidence to have found this page by you! (I was googling things to do in Honolulu) My BF and I enjoy all of your YouTube videos and tend to get very hungry when watching them! Anyways, I will be heading to the island in March and I will definitely check out some of those places on this list. Where exactly is Manoa Falls located? And by any chance would you know if you can still go snorkeling in Hanauma Bay if you don’t know how to swim?

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Hi Vanessa, good to hear from you, thanks for reading this post. Manoa falls is located in the Mano valley, near the University of Hawaii campus, but further back into the mountain. From Waikiki it’s about a 20 minute drive or so. As for Hanauma Bay, it’s pretty necessary to be swimming because the water goes pretty far out, but that being said, maybe if you keep to the shoreline it’s alright. Hope you have a great trip.

  • Doreen Gordon

    9 years ago

    The most beautiful of all creation. What a beautiful Island! Everyone needs to visit at some time to ee the masterpiece God carve out with his words of power.

    • Mark Wiens

      9 years ago

      Thank you Doreen, I agree with you, it’s a masterpiece of an island.

  • TravelnEpicure

    10 years ago

    I used to live in Honolulu, not too far from Pearl Harbor and the stadium. I agree with the Musubi for food. It’s truly a Hawaiian treat. As far as other places to visit, if you are a war/history buff, aside from Pearl Harbor also visit the Punchbowl Memorial. North Shore also has some great places to visit. Anyhow, thanks for posting this. It brought back wonderful memories of our time in HI.

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hey, cool to hear from you, glad you love musubi too. Thanks for the extra recommendation!

  • Nuntiya

    10 years ago

    We love Hawaii and try to visit every year. I had never heard of the Honolulu Fish Auction before and thanks to your post, we are reserved on a tour in April. We’ll let you know how it goes.

    BTW, I love your website. It always makes me hungry!

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hey Nuntiya, good to hear from you, glad you love Honolulu too. Yah, it’s not a well known attraction, but it’s really interesting, I enjoyed visiting. Let me know how it goes!

  • Shereen

    10 years ago

    I’ve never been to Honolulu but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. Sometimes it’s when you’re traveling and need suggestions they can be hard to find. Great list.

    Do you have any suggestions on when is the best time to visit the Diamond’s Head?

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hey Shereen, thank you for commenting. As for Diamond Head, a good time to go s around 7 am – big Japanese tours will often go at about 6 am, and other come at about 8 or 9 am, so 7 am is kind of an in-between low time, and still cool outside.

  • Jen

    10 years ago

    Great tips! Is love to visit Hawaii. My sister is heading there next week for a few weeks so I will for sure be passing this onto her.

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hey Jen, great to hear from you, hope you can visit soon, and hope your sister enjoys her visit!

  • Marina

    10 years ago

    Do you know Bradley’s family from DRC/Nairobi?
    Thanks:)

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hi Marina, hmm, no doesn’t sound familiar to me. Do they still live there, or do you know when they lived there?

  • Brian

    10 years ago

    We’re big fans of Honolulu and have done everything on your list.

    Honolulu’s Museum of Art is also worth a stop. It’s one of the better “small” art museums we’ve seen in the US and we’ve visited over 100 of them. We’d also throw in a trip to the Byodo-In temple, which I think is still technically in Honolulu. It’s a replica of a 900 year old Buddhist Temple in Kyoto Japan and is one of the coolest things we’ve seen on the island.

    Such a great place. Thanks for the reminders.

    • Mark Wiens

      10 years ago

      Hey Brian, great to hear from you and glad you love Honolulu too. Thank you for the other excellent suggestions for Honolulu!