Staying in Waikiki without a car limited me to what I could see on O’ahu, so if I had a chance to visit again, I would definitely rent a car and stay outside of the tourist hub of Waikiki.  Still, the lack of a car made me get creative with finding spaces where I could enjoy the beach from the comfort of some shade.  

One morning, I walked along the beach walk south to Kiamana Beach.  The beaches are pretty quiet before 10:30am, and people take advantage of the higher tide to snorkel the reefs just off the coast.

Just next to Kiamana beach is the defunct World War I Memorial Natatorium. Opened in 1927 as an open air salt water pool, it honors the 10,000 men and women that served in World War I. Unfortunately, it has been closed since the 1980s and is slowly falling apart, but the architecture of the structure is nice to see. 

The beaches get busier the closer you are to the Waikiki hotel strip, and only the beaches next to the hotels have easy access to swimming – the rest have coral reefs that make regular swimming hard.  Since I didn’t bring my snorkel with me on my morning walk, I remembered to bring it later in the day; however, even though I was able to skim above the coral, the water was really shallow and I was worried about hitting the coral the whole time. Besides harming the coral, there are also lots of sea urchins that make touching the coral dangerous. 

Coming from the dead of winter to the bright sun of Hawaii, sunburns were a worry of mine, but with the trees lining the walkway behind the beach and parks across the walkway at points, it was easy to find shady spots so that I could relax into the beach time.

Waikiki beaches are busy even into the evening as people head there to savor sunset strolls and Hilton Hawaiian Village’s Friday night fireworks. One evening a rare monk seal even joined the crowds (with only 1,600 monk seals left, they are one of the most endangered animals in the world). 

Evenings in Waikiki also means live performances. From the free hula shows and concerts on the beach or in the shopping plazas to ukulele lessons and private luaus or Polynesian dinners, there are opportunities almost every night to experience a cultural performance. I enjoyed a Hōlei Music Performance (Hawaiian folk music) and a Hula show at the Royal Hawaiian Cultural Center .

I used the public bus system to check out the Saturday farmer’s market at Kapiʻolani Community College (KCC) and the neighboring Diamond Head Crater hike. 

Diamond Head State Monument was formed from a volcanic eruption over 300,000 years ago. In the early 1900s it became a military fire control center; the remnants of the four tiered artillery room serves as the summit of the hike. While the hike is only 1.8 miles round trip, there is a 560 foot elevation gain and over 100 stairs, so it definitely gets the heart pumping. The summit offers expansive views of the Waikiki coastline and the less developed southern end of the island.  FYI, as a non-resident, you have to reserve a hiking time ahead of time & if you drive, you have to additionally reserve a parking spot. I saw many people getting turned away at the entrance because they didn’t have a reservation. 

I also used the public bus system to access the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor, and while it was a straightforward route, because of the time it took to get there, I would recommend taking a taxi instead. 

Entrance to Pearl Harbor’s visitor center, including a small museum and film about the site, is free; however, in order to see the USS Arizona memorial, you need to take a ferry across the bay. While tickets are in essence also free, they fill up weeks before, so I would highly recommend securing one online for just $1. 

The ferry ride over to the memorial also gives a nice view of the USS Missouri and USS Bowfin Submarine, which are also docked in the harbor.  

The memorial floats above the sunken ship which serves at the final resting place for 1,177 Marines. The top of the sunken ship can be seen breaking the water on either side of the memorial. The glimpse of the American flag waving against the bright blue sky through the white ceiling trusses of the memorial reminded me of the lives lost in service to the country. The service men’s names, including their shipmates, who have chosen to be buried with them under the sea, are etched in the farthest room of the memorial. 

On the way home from Pearl Harbor, I decided to get off the bus in downtown Honolulu to grab some lunch and explore the city. After the crowds at Waikiki and Kona (on the Big Island), I was surprised at how quiet Honolulu was. I think because it was a weekday in early January, students were still on winter break and people were at work.

The liveliest area of the city was Chinatown. I found my way through a busy Maunakea Market Place to a tucked away food court offering over a dozen food stands and a small courtyard.  

After lunch I spent a little time walking around before catching a bus back to Waikiki. This part of Honolulu is also the Arts District. Centered around the 1922 Hawaii Theatre the area features large Art Deco architecture, local boutiques, and some small art galleries. 

One thing I appreciated about Hawai’i – not just here in Honolulu, but many places – is the community focus of local businesses. For example, outside of exhibiting local artists’ works and offering a performance center, Arts at Marks Garage offers a “Make n Take” corner for local artists.

Based on my January 2026 visit.