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.
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Below is a 72-hour itinerary for the active traveler:
Arrive at Honolulu airport and transfer to your hotel.
Where to stay: To enjoy it most, Waikiki is the top choice for lodging due to its density of dining and nightlife.
Depending on traffic, it takes 25–30 minutes from the airport.Note: A new Homewood Suites by Hilton is planned for 2027, 1 mile from the airport.
✈️ Fly in and out of different islands – Maximize your time on the islands by flying
into one island and out of another.Best ways to get from Honolulu Airport to Waikiki:
Shuttle service: Go Waikiki Shuttle & Tour and Roberts Airport Services.
🚗 Car Rental: Only worth it if you’ll visit parts of the island beyond Waikiki.
Parking Fees: Most Waikiki hotels charge $40–$60 per night for parking. Better to use public transit or Uber
in Waikiki and anywhere in Honolulu.Use Day-Only Rentals. You can rent a car for daytime trips (like the North Shore) and return it before
the costly overnight rate applies.
Public Transportation: travelers with only carry-on luggage can take the airport bus for a small one-way fee.
Board it on the airport’s upper level, Main Terminal, Diamond Head.
Honolulu has very bad traffic. If you use the bus or a rental car, be aware that rush hour (6:00–9:00 AM and 3:00–6:30 PM)
can add a lot of travel time.Visitors & locals now use "HART" (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit) for rail or simply the official "Transit" app.
Travel Guide: Oahu Revealed, The Ultimate Guidebook.
Map of Oahu.
Highlights:
DAY 1
Waikiki - Tall hotels dot the shore. It’s a lively neighborhood famous for its popular surf beach. Designer shops line Kalakaua Avenue and nearby streets. At night, the area hums with waterside cocktail bars, fine dining, and hula shows at Kuhio Beach.
Waikiki Trolley -an easy way to visit Oahu’s main sights. The Waikiki Trolley offers 1- and 4-day hop-on, hop-off tours
from Waikiki hotels.A rental car is handy outside Honolulu, but in town, the Trolley saves you from traffic, parking, and driving worries.
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.
DAY 2
Visit Pearl Harbor Memorial - a U.S. naval base near Honolulu hit by a surprise Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.
Over 2,400 Americans, including civilians, were killed, and about 1,000 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. Reservations open 8 weeks in advance.Tour times are offered daily from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm.
For Last Minute Visitors - The National Park Service now uses recreation.gov
for reservations. Walk-ins often mean waits of over four hours or no entry at all.Pearl Harbor has a “no bags policy” (including purses and camera bags).
You must pay to store them in a locker.
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 - this hike is rewarding with a 360-degree view at the top. It looks tough, but it only takes 50 to 60 minutes to reach the 760-foot summit. The total hike is 1.5 miles round trip.
⚠️ All out-of-state visitors must now have an advanced reservation to enter Diamond Head Monument. <reservations>
Parking spots are tied to your time slot; if you miss your window, you may be denied entry.Getting there:
Bus: take Bus 23 from Waikīkī to the Diamond Head Monument stop, then walk inside the crater.
Waikīkī Trolley: Diamond Head is a stop along the Waikīkī Trolley route, an easy jump-on, jump-off option for
those staying in Waikīkī.
DAY 3
Hanauma Bay: Hawaii’s Premier Snorkel Cove - it’s Hawaii’s most famous snorkeling beach because of its many fish,
calm shallow water, and white sand. <reservations required>. ⚠️ Hanauma Bay is closed on Monday and Tuesday.Reservations often sell out within 5 minutes of opening (at 7:00 AM HST, two days prior).
FAQ’s about Hanauma Bay.
Read more (▼) about Oahu beaches.
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.
On the North Shore, visit the historic surf town of Haleiwa. The town is now the region’s social and arts center.
Here you’ll see surfers eating shrimp and other local foods at one of the town’s abundant food trucks before
hitting the famous beaches.
Enjoy Hawaiian Shave Ice - a dessert made by shaving a block of ice. In Hawaii, shave ice is often flavored with local ingredients like guava, pineapple, coconut cream, passion fruit, lychee, kiwi, and mango.
(EXCLUDING AIRFARE)
$$$ USD for two (2) people
Budget: $1,100
Moderate: $1,300
Luxury: $1,800 +
Average cost:
Search for your hotel
🌤️ Climate Guide:
On average, the temperatures are always high - 80s during the day, 60s at night.
Most rainfall (rainy season) is seen in December through February.
Honolulu 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 on the Windward side of the islands.
The rainy season does NOT pose a real issue for visiting the Hawaiian Islands.
