Things to Do in Honolulu, Hawaii (2025): Best Free & Family Picks, Weather & Sunset Times

The Best Things to Do in Honolulu

The neighbor islands of Hawaii have become more popular in recent years with many flights bypassing Oahu, home to Honolulu and Waikiki Beach with direct flights to Maui, Hawaii (the Big Island), and Kauai. But don’t let that fool you.

There are still a multitude of reasons to spend a few days in and around Honolulu to experience the international flavor of Oahu and its fascinating not-to-be-missed tourist sites.

Of course, Honolulu and Waikiki offer everything that you might expect in Hawaii. Palm trees, spectacular mountains, sparkling blue waters, and incredible weather that never gets too hot or cold. You can figure on highs in the 80s and lows in the 70s most of the time, with light misty showers possible coming off of the mountains later in the day.

Honolulu’s weather is nothing short of spectacular, with the rare exception of a storm moving through the region. November through February tend to be the wettest months, though it is rare to have a total washout.

12 of Our Favorite Spots in and near Honolulu

Diamond Head State Monument - Prominently overlooking Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, and the coastline, this iconic 475-acre park offers hiking and amazing views from high above. The crater of the iconic volcanic “tuff” is shaped like a saucer. The 0.8-mile long trail is considered moderate to difficult to hike with numerous switchbacks, but the climb which rises 560 feet from start to finish is well worth the effort.

Waikiki Beach

Imagine beautiful white sands, turquoise waters, and a gentle surf right in the heart of the city. Waikiki is a Honolulu neighborhood that is home to dozens of towering hotels, condominiums, shops, restaurants, and incredible people watching. Stroll the soft sands, learn how to surf, cool off in the sparkling waters, or just spread a towel, take a seat, close your eyes, and listen to the local sounds that are oh so soothing. We can’t think of a better way to enjoy the incredible weather that Honolulu and the Aloha State offer year-round. And it’s FREE! (REMINDER: Be sure to lather up with plenty of sunscreen!)

Polynesian Cultural Center

Located an hour north of Honolulu (35 miles), this wonderful cultural attraction is popular with visitors from around the world. Six Polynesian countries/states are featured in Polynesian Cultural Center: Hawaii, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, and Aotearoa (New Zealand), with visitors exploring a village dedicated to each. Daily activities include traditional music and dance performances, cultural demonstrations, and a myriad of hands-on options. For years guests have raved about the evening luau and the “HA: Breath of Life” show. The PCC is easily reached via rental car or one of many direct tours that depart from Waikiki every day. There’s no need to rent a car for your entire stay at Waikiki, and it’s easy to rent a car for the day with rental counters located in many hotel lobbies.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

As one of Hawaii’s most popular snorkeling places, Hanauma Bay requires advance reservations that can be confirmed online. The $25 entry fee per visitor aged 13+ is well worth it, as the park is limited to just 1,400 daily visitors and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. The parking lot ($3) fills up quickly, so plan for an early arrival. The marine life and extensive coral makes this a jewel for both locals and visitors to relish. The beach area is surrounded by a lush park, making Hanauma Bay the perfect place to spend the day. And for those who may be wondering what Hanauma means, in the native Hawaiian language ‘hana’ means ‘bay’, and ‘uma’ means curved. Curved bay, which is exactly what this spectacularly beautiful nature preserve is.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific

Commonly known as the Punch Bowl National Cemetery due to its location at the Punchbowl Crater in Honolulu, this military cemetery honors men and women who served the United States in the various armed forces. Admission to the cemetery is FREE. Visited by millions annually and one of the most popular attractions on Oahu, the cemetery is the final resting place for more than 53,000 service members and their family members. Of those killed in action, many are from the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, World War II battles in the South Pacific, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. The view from high atop the Punchbowl Crater is considered the best vista of Honolulu including downtown, Waikiki, Diamond Head, as well as Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Pearl Harbor is the most visited tourist site in all of the Hawaiian Islands. More than two million people come here each year to learn about the “Day of Infamy” and the surprise Japanese attack on the naval base on Dec. 7, 1941. The death toll of 2,403 was the largest number of people killed on U.S. territory until the 9/11 attacks in 2001 in New York City and Washington, D.C. Pearl Harbor features multiple sites of interest including the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, the USS Oklahoma Memorial, the Battleship Missouri Memorial, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Plan a minimum of a half-day visit to Pearl Harbor. The Pearl Harbor website is the most complete source of tour and transportation options and should be utilized in advance of your visit.

Honolulu Zoo

Occupying a little more than 40 acres of Kapiolani Park in Waikiki adjacent to Diamond Head State Monument, the Honolulu Zoo is one of the best family options that is walkable from most hotels. Visitors will find areas dedicated to amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles that are found throughout the islands. Be sure to check out the zoo’s two-hour guided Twilight Tours that take place after closing hours.

Waikiki Aquarium

With nearly 1,000 daily visitors, the Waikiki Aquarium is clearly one of the best places to visit in Honolulu. An institution of the University of Hawaii for over 100 years, this fascinating facility is the second-oldest public aquarium in the U.S. and is home to more than 3,500 organisms and 500 species of animals and marine vegetation. Ideally situated on the Waikiki shoreline, the building is adjacent to a vibrant, living coral reef. If coastal ecosystems and the effects of climate change on them is of interest, this is the place for you.

Chinatown Historic District

Often overlooked by visitors, spending a few hours in Honolulu’s Chinatown can make for a fun and unique afternoon experience. Check out the historic Hawaii Theater, take a stroll through the Maunakea Marketplace, which is perfect for foodies with colorful exotic fruits, Chinese herbs, and freshly made noodles being made right before your eyes. The people-watching is top-notch in Chinatown, and the enormous array of small shops selling wares not only from China, but other Asian nations including the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea is a wonderful place to pick up inexpensive gifts to take home. Of course, the food stalls, dim sum shops, and mouth-watering Asian restaurants here offer some of the best food on Oahu. Located just to the west of Honolulu’s downtown, it’s easy to get here via the hop-on-hop-off Waikiki Trolley.

Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA)

Preparing to celebrate its centennial in 2027, HoMA boasts a permanent collection of more than 55,000 artworks covering 5,000 years of history. Featured collections include Asian art, paintings and decorative arts from the U.S. and Europe, a highly regarded assortment of 19th- and 20th-century art, as well as Asian textiles. Also represented are various works from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. The museum is housed in two iconic buildings in downtown Honolulu and is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Bishop Museum

The history, culture, and environment of Hawaii and other Pacific islands are the focus at, officially, the Bernice Pauahi Bishop/State of Hawai’i Museum of Natural and Cultural History. That’s a lot to wrap your thoughts around, so simply think about history, science (with a planetarium), the immense Pacific Ocean, and the plants that are native to the region. Permanent and constantly changing exhibits fascinate visitors from around the globe, making the Bishop yet another incredible experience for a day away from the water.

Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center

From its ideal location on the waterfront between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki to the incredible exhibits geared towards kids of all ages (that includes adults), time spent at this fun, educational museum is time well spent for the entire family. There are plenty of hands-on activities, films, and interactive exhibits to keep young minds active and inquisitive for several hours. Everyone loves learning about rainforests, fish in the local seas, their hometown, the world and cultures around us, rainbows, and the incredible human body.

What Can I Do for FREE in Waikiki?

Now that’s a great question. Here are some of our favorite activities in Honolulu, at Waikiki, and on the island of Oahu that won’t cost you a dime:

Waikiki Offers Dozens of Fantastic Hotels

As a major resort destination, it certainly comes as no surprise that Waikiki, as the heart of Hawaii’s tourism business, offers more than 35,000 rooms to accommodate visitors. While there are a few hotels of note scattered about the island, the overwhelming majority of the hotels are in Honolulu/Waikiki. Hotel options range from the enormous Hilton Hawaiian Village with 3,300 rooms in multiple towers, to smaller, locally owned properties that aren’t quite as energetic. Whatever you’re looking for, from comfortable 3-star to luxury 5-star properties, Travelated should be your first and only stop for the best choice of hotels at the lowest prices.