HONOLULU IN 72 Hours

Honolulu, on the island of Oahu’s south shore, is the capital of Hawaii and gateway to the U.S. island chain. The Waikiki neighborhood is its center for dining, nightlife and shopping, famed for its iconic crescent beach backed by palms and luxury high-rise hotels, with volcanic Diamond Head crater looming in the distance.

Tourist-Sites relating to the World War II attack on Pearl Harbor include the USS Arizona Memorial.

 If you're looking for a high-energy vacation, Oahu is it. It is also the most populous and busiest of the Hawaii Islands. Honolulu is a shopper’s paradise, with luxury boutiques. Honolulu compared to all the other islands is the top choice in after-dark entertainment including elegant wine bars, nightclubs, and open-air bars with live music. 

Visiting the Hawaiian Islands means many visitors usually pass at some point through Honolulu.

Below is a 72-hour itinerary for the active traveler:

• Arrive at Honolulu airport and transfer to your hotel.

  • <Where to stay> Best location for accommodations is in Waikiki. <Map of Waikiki>

  • Note: A new extended-stay hotel (Homewood Suites by Hilton) is opening at the airport in 2025.

• Best ways to get from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki:

  • Shuttle service: Go Waikiki Shuttle & Tour and Roberts Airport Services.

  • Car Rental: is worthwhile if your planning activities outside of Waikiki to other parts of the island. It gives you freedom to leave whenever you want, avoiding bus or shuttle schedules.

  • Uber & Taxi: slightly more expensive than other options.

  • Public Transportation: for budget travelers willing to navigate transport with luggage, the bus from the airport charges a nominal fee for a one-way ride. You can access the bus from the airport’s upper level, Main Terminal Diamond Head.

• Travel Guide: Oahu Revealed, The Ultimate Guidebook.

  • Map of Oahu.

Highlights:

• Waikiki - high-rise hotels line the shore. A vibrant neighborhood known for its popular surf beach. Designer fashion stores line Kalakaua Avenue and nearby streets, and the area buzzes after dark with waterside cocktail bars, fine dining and Kuhio Beach hula shows.

  • Waikiki Trolley - a great way to see the top attractions in Oahu.

  • A car rental is good to have outside Honolulu, but in town with the Trolley you are free from worries with traffic, parking and driving!

  • The Waikiki Trolley offers one (1) and four (4) day hop-on hop-off sightseeing tours in Honolulu, from your Waikiki hotel.

• Visit Pearl Harbor Memorial-a U.S. naval base near Honolulu that was the scene of the devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on December 7, 1941. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded.

  • Learn more (▼) about Pearl Harbor.

  • There are various tours to choose from. Tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial are available at www.recreation.gov. 

    • Tour times are offered daily every 15-minutes from 7:30am to 3:00pm.

    • For Last Minute Visitors - Over 1,300 FREE USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL WALK-IN TICKETS are available daily on a FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED basis at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

  • Map of Pearl Harbor.

  • Visit the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. 

  • How do I get from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor without a car? Take the #42 or the #20 bus from Waikiki and the bus will drive drop you off at the Pearl Harbor entrance. Bus stop:Arizona Memorial.

• Climb up to Diamond Head and get a great view of Honolulu.

  • Diamond Head Trail is a rewarding hike, offering a 360-degree view from the top. It might appear to be a challenging all-day climb, but this hiking trail is deceiving, as it only takes about 50 to 60 minutes to reach the 760-foot summit. The hike itself is 1.5 miles round trip.

  • All out-of-state visitors must now have an advanced reservation to enter Diamond Head State Monument. <reservations>

  • Getting there:

    • Bus: take Bus 23 from Waikīkī to the Diamond Head Monument stop, then walk inside the crater.

      • Use the local bus app “DaBus2” for exact routes.

    • Waikīkī Trolley: Diamond Head is a stop along the Waikīkī Trolley route, an easy jump-on, jump-off option for those staying in Waikīkī.

• Explore Waikiki Beach- it covers nearly two (2) miles of coastline! It stretches from Duke Kahanamoku Beach being the largest section, to a small hidden section that sits in front of the Outrigger Canoe Club, near Diamond Head.

• Read more (▼) about Oahu beaches.

• Snorkeling Hanauma Bay - is the most famous of all Hawaii's snorkeling beaches because of its high fish population, calm shallow water, & white sand. <reservations now required>

  • FAQ’s about Hanauma Bay.

• Discover the North Shore - Surfing is king here. In the winter, the Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay North Shore offer some of the best surfing in the world. Waves can top 40 feet.

  • While on the North Shore visit the historic surf town of Haleiwa.  The town has become the social and artistic hub of the region. Here you’ll find surfers fueling up on shrimp or other delicacies at one of the town’s abundant food trucks before hitting the famous beaches. 

• Enjoy Hawaiian Shave Ice - is an ice-based dessert made by shaving a block of ice. The ice shave ice in Hawaii is often flavored with local ingredients such as guava, pineapple, coconut cream, passion fruit, lychee, kiwi fruit and mango.

• Fly in and out of different islands – Maximize your time on the islands by flying into one island and out of another.

Climate Guide:

• Historical Weather Data.

• On average, the temperatures are always high...80's during the day, 60's at night.

• Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in December through February.

• Big Island has dry periods from May through September.

• The warmest months are June, July and August.

• The coolest months are December through February.

• In general, the rainfall is greater in the Windward side of the islands.

• The rainy season does NOT impose a real issue to visit the Hawaiian Islands.

• Monthly beach water temperatures.

• Sunrise/Sunset times.