Waikiki has a rich history prior to being the world-famous paradise location that it is today. Waikiki was once a swampland, which was used for irrigation. This location was also the site of a historical battle, when Kamehameha I arrived from the Big Island to fight the Hawaiian people of Oahu, which led to a negotiation and Kamehameha I gaining control of both Oahu and Kauai. Europeans would later come upon Hawaii. This would spiral into the illegal annexation of Hawaii by the United States, resulting in an influx of foreign visitors to Waikiki for vacation. Now, Waikiki has 10 million visitors per year. With so much to do in Waikiki, it can be difficult deciding what would be the best things to do here. Here is a comprehensive list of the top 10 things you should do during your stay in Waikiki!
1. Go to the Beach
Being in Hawaii and not visiting a beach would be criminal. Waikiki beach is great for this for convenience’s sake, as every hotel in Waikiki is at most three blocks away, meaning it is very much a walkable distance to the beach, anywhere you are staying. Because of this, the beach can be a bit packed. This is where we recommend another beach in Waikiki, Kaimana Beach. This beach does not have the picturesque view of Waikiki that every tourist would usually expect, but it is still in Waikiki and far less packed in comparison.
2. Fireworks
Every Friday, Waikiki experiences a fireworks show off the coast, presented by Hilton Hawaiian Village. The best way to experience this is by joining our Waikiki Sunset Party Cruise. Here, we depart from Kewalo Basin Harbor, which is located right outside of Waikiki. The captain then takes everyone out to sea, where we get to experience the beautiful sunset of Waikiki. We then stop off the coast of Waikiki, where the onboard DJ plays live music, and everyone can party and drink the night away with the select drinks available from our bar! At the end of the night, before returning, guests get to experience the beautiful fireworks that are being shown from the shore of Waikiki.
👉 Learn more about our Waikiki Sunset Party Cruise here →
3. Try Local Food
Hawaii is rich in many different cultures from around the world. This can be reflected in Waikiki, as there are so many different places to eat. You can try local food or Hawaiian food.
Local Food
Local food and Hawaiian food are two different categories of food that you should keep in mind during your stay in Hawaii. These types of food tend to be foods that were introduced or created here by immigrants during the plantation era. These foods would have origins mainly from Japan, the Philippines, China, South Korea, Portugal, and Hawaii itself. The immigrants not only would bring dishes from their home countries, but they would also bring their cooking techniques and ingredients, allowing all the cultures to influence each other and create the “local” dishes we all love and enjoy today. Some examples of local dishes are meat jun, spam musubi, loco moco, saimin, and plate lunches.
Hawaiian Food
Hawaiian food, on the other hand, is food that originates from Hawaii, from the Hawaiian culture, before the immigrants in Hawaii. It is important to distinguish this, as Hawaii and the Hawaiian people have their own unique culture. Some Hawaiian foods you can enjoy during your time in Hawaii include kalua pig, lau lau, poi, poke, and haupia!
4. Experience Hawaiian Culture
We highly recommend experiencing Hawaiian culture during your stay in Hawaii. There is a plethora of culturally Hawaiian experiences you can have.
Luaus
One of these would be experiencing a luau. A modern luau derives from the independent days of Hawaii, when they would celebrate special occasions, such as childbirth, with large feasts featuring Hawaiian food and some form of entertainment, such as hula and music. In comparison, modern-day luaus are very similar, where it is a means of celebration for special events. You also continue to see similar entertainment as before, such as hula and music. But there are some differences. With the evolution of Hawaii over time, there have been many changes to the culture overall, leading to many changes.
This can be seen in luaus, how originally, it was exclusively Hawaiian food, but now you can see a bunch of local foods that were influenced by the many different cultures that have influenced Hawaii, on top of the original Hawaiian foods. Some local foods that you can expect are chicken long rice, shoyu chicken, rice or fried noodles, etc. On the other hand, Hawaiian foods that you can see are kalua pig, poke, poi, squid luau, and haupia. When it comes to entertainment, it stays relatively the same, but in modern luaus, there is one new aspect that was not originally a part of the culture, and this would be the fire dances. This dance is common practice in modern-day luaus, with a dancer having a stick or pair of poi(weighted balls) on a string, on fire, and twirling them as a performance art.
Bishop Museum
Bishop Museum is a famous museum in Hawaii that was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop, in honor of his wife, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who is the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty. The Bishop Museum is home to the largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific cultural artifacts and natural history specimens in the world. Here you can surround yourself and become more familiar with Hawaiian culture and history within the Hawaiian hall.
5. Visit the Zoo and Aquarium
The Zoo and Aquarium are great places to visit, especially if you are visiting with children! Not only can you see a variety of animals, but you can also see local animal life and learn about the local life of Hawaii and its history.
6. Turtle Snorkeling
Turtle snorkeling is a unique experience that many people do during their stay in Hawaii. You can join our Turtles and You tour, where we go off the coast of Waikiki to go snorkeling with wild sea turtles! Here, we also depart from Kewalo Basin Harbor, where the captain takes everyone to Turtle Canyon. Turtle Canyon is a very famous spot where you can find an abundance of marine life and sea turtles living within this ecosystem, accompanied by the vibrant coral reef.
👉 Learn more about our Turtle Snorkeling Tour here →
7. Sunset
Sunsets are a beautiful sight and an experience everyone should have during their stay in Hawaii. You can view a beautiful sunset from the beach of Waikiki! We also recommend a location that is right outside of Waikiki called Magic Island, where it is very popular for tourists and locals alike to come and visit, as the sunset here is magnificent.
8. Shop
Waikiki is packed to the brim with many different places to shop. One of the main attractions in Waikiki is the International Market Place, where you can find an assortment of things to do. For example, you have a variety of stores, whether it is luxury products, local shops, or everyday brands that you can usually find. They also have many dining locations you can check out. They even include entertainment, from live hula shows, to mini golf and a claw arcade! On top of this, right out of Waikiki is Ala Moana, the largest open-air shopping center, home to more than 350 shops and restaurants to explore!
9. Try local cafes
Kona coffee, a type of coffee that originates from the Big Island of Hawaii, is very popular worldwide! It is unique in the sense that it has a fruitier and almost chocolate-like taste! Most coffee shops in Hawaii tend to sell this type of coffee, since it is very popular among tourists and locals alike. Some popular local cafes that we would recommend trying in Waikiki are Kona coffee purveyors, Shoreline cafe, and Honolulu Coffee Co!
10. Go to local events
Experiencing local events is highly recommended! Before your stay in Hawaii, you can check out any major events that are occurring in Hawaii. These local events can vary drastically, such as locally inspired events, such as the Spam festival, some sort of market supporting local creators, such as farmer markets, or the Royal Hawaiian Band Performances. On the other hand, there are also unconventional events that you could also experience, such as whale watching, which is only possible from around December to April, Oktoberfest, or any other unique event that is happening during your time of stay. There is also a popular location that many people go to daily to experience local and international talents, whether that be music or comedy shows. This place is called Blue Note, a premier live music venue located in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort.
Experiencing Waikiki to The Fullest
Waikiki is full of adventure, from turtle snorkeling in the beautiful waters of Waikiki, to relaxing and taking a stroll, and shopping in the many shopping locations that Waikiki has to offer. If you are interested in more travel tips in Hawaii, then check out our travel tip blogs below!
👉 Explore more travel tips here →
