Honolulu 5-Day Itinerary

Honolulu · 5 days · 24 places

1. Royal Hawaiian Center
Best time: Afternoon · Admission: Free to browse — Free hula and lei-making classes on some days / In the heart of Waikīkī — a good break
2. International Market Place
Best time: Evening · Admission: Free to browse — A mall around a giant banyan tree, with free evening shows at times / Right on Kalākaua Avenue
3. Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Free — The father of modern surfing, often draped in leis / In the middle of Waikīkī Beach
4. Waikīkī Beach
Best time: Morning or sunset · Admission: Free — Gentle waves ideal for surf lessons / Friday-night fireworks off the Hilton in some seasons (check)

1. Diamond Head State Monument
Best time: Early morning (your booked slot) · Admission: Paid · timed reservations required for non-residents — Entry and parking must be reserved online in advance / About 1.5 hours round trip with almost no shade — water and a hat
2. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve
Best time: Morning (your booked slot) · Admission: Paid · online reservation required — Reservations open about two days ahead and go fast; usually closed Mon–Tue / You must watch an education video first — don't stand on the coral
3. Halona Blowhole Lookout
Best time: Afternoon with some swell · Admission: Free — Waves shoot up through a hole in the lava rock / Never go past the safety railing
4. Sandy Beach
Best time: Afternoon (to watch) · Admission: Free — The shorebreak is extremely dangerous — avoid swimming / Come to watch expert bodyboarders

1. Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a unit of the National Park System of the United States on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Wikipedia
Best time: Early morning · Admission: Memorial free · some sites paid — No bags allowed (paid storage) — bring just a wallet and phone / Reserve USS Arizona Memorial tickets online in advance
2. USS Arizona Memorial
Best time: Morning (reserved time) · Admission: Free (small reservation fee) — A boat takes you to the memorial above the sunken ship — reservations required / A place of remembrance — keep quiet
3. Battleship Missouri Memorial
Best time: Daytime · Admission: Paid — See the deck where Japan's WWII surrender was signed / Reached by shuttle to Ford Island
4. Iolani Palace Wikipedia
Best time: Tour times (morning) · Admission: Paid · book ahead — The only royal palace on US soil — seen on tours / Closed some days — check first
5. King Kamehameha I Statue
Best time: Any time (quick stop) · Admission: Free — The gilded statue of the king who unified Hawaii / Draped in giant leis on Kamehameha Day in June
6. Ala Moana Beach Park
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Free — Calm water popular with locals for swimming / Across from Ala Moana Center

1. Dole Plantation
Best time: Morning · Admission: Free entry · maze and train paid — Famous for Dole Whip pineapple soft serve / A stop on the way to the North Shore
2. Haleʻiwa Town
Best time: Lunch · Admission: Free to browse — The North Shore's surf town — shrimp trucks for lunch / Famous shave-ice shops too
3. Laniakea Beach
Best time: Afternoon · Admission: Free — Sea turtles haul out to rest here — keep at least 3 m away (touching is illegal) / Roadside parking is risky — use designated spots
4. Waimea Bay Beach Park
Best time: Summer morning (swim) · winter (watch the surf) · Admission: Free — Calm in summer (the jump rock is popular); huge, dangerous waves in winter / The parking lot fills fast
5. Sunset Beach Park
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Free — True to its name — and home to world-class surf contests in winter / Stay out of the water when the winter surf is up

1. Nuʻuanu Pali Lookout
Best time: Morning · Admission: Parking paid — Extremely windy — hold on to hats and loose items / Sweeping views of Oʻahu's windward cliffs
2. Kualoa Ranch Wikipedia
Best time: Your booked tour time · Admission: Paid · tours by reservation — Film-location tours (Jurassic Park and more) by bus, UTV or horseback / Book popular tours ahead
3. Byodo-In Temple
Best time: Morning · Admission: Paid (small fee) — A replica of Kyoto's Byōdō-in set against green cliffs / You can ring the temple bell
4. Kailua Beach Park
Best time: Morning · Admission: Free — Clear, calm water — some kayak out to the offshore islets / Parking is tough at weekends
5. Lanikai Beach
Lanikai Beach or Kaʻōhao Beach is located in Kaʻōhao, a community in the town of Kailua and on the windward coast of Oʻahu, Hawaii. Wikipedia
Best time: Sunrise · Admission: Free — Accessed by narrow paths between homes — no restrooms or parking (park in Kailua and walk) / Famous for sunrise over the twin islets

These courses are compiled from public sources. Hours, prices, and closing days can change — check official info before you go.