Our most recommended things to do in Waikiki

Surf Lesson with the Curvy Surfer Girl & Waikiki Locals

1. Surf Lesson with the Curvy Surfer Girl & Waikiki Locals

Enjoy an accessible surfing lesson suitable for beginners with Waikiki locals and Elizabeth Sneed, founder of the Curvy Surfer Girl movement. Catch your first wave in a relaxed and friendly environment as you learn more about Waikiki's rich heritage. Join Elizabeth and the local beach boys and girls of Waikiki for a morning surfing lesson right on Waikiki Beach. Learn to ride the waves with passionate local instructors who have a deep appreciation for surfing as an intangible part of local culture. Learn the basics of surfing in a relaxed and accessible environment, or refine your skills on the surfboard. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the beach as you catch your first wave. Afterward, take a short stroll with your guide through the lobby of the Outrigger Hotel which features photos and information about the historical context of surfing. Make your way to the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and learn more about the father of surfing. Finally, finish off your experience in true Hawaiian style with some refreshing Hawaiian Shave Ice or Dole Pineapple Whip. You will also receive a special nut lei souvenir as a memento of your experience. Your guide, Elizabeth, is the founder of the Curvy Surfer Girl movement, which is a community committed to wider representation in women's surfing. She has been living in Waikiki for several years and continues to lead the women's surfing movement of body diversity and positivity.

Oahu: Afternoon Glass Bottom Boat Tour in Waikiki

2. Oahu: Afternoon Glass Bottom Boat Tour in Waikiki

If adventure is what you seek, join this daily boat tour. Enjoy the beauty of Hawaii’s South Shore as you head out from the slip in the Kewalo Basin Harbor and head toward Lē’ahi. Discover the underwater world while staying dry with the glass-bottom boat. Aboard the Haleiwa Queen, enjoy the clear view of the Pacific Ocean floor as you cruise over live tropical reefs and one of Hawaii’s shipwrecks. Keep an eye out for honu sea turtles, eels, reef sharks, dolphins, and schools of tropical fish, all from the deck of the vessel through the glass bottom boat viewports. Experience a unique perspective of Honolulu, above and below the surface.

Oahu: Pa'ina Luau Waikiki at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort

3. Oahu: Pa'ina Luau Waikiki at Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort

Explore the history and beauty of Hawaii at the Pa'ina Waikiki Luau at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort. Enjoy Hawaiian music, hula, a delicious buffet, and a show highlighting the beauty of Polynesia. Watch a hula honoring Hawaii's own Queen Liliʻuokalani. Marvel at the traditional dance and an all-new original hula show. Learn about Polynesian culture in a laidback, welcoming experience in the heart of Waikiki. You will be given a traditional Hawaiian lei greeting, then you are free to enjoy lei-making demonstrations, and music and dance performances. You may even want to get yourself a temporary Polynesian tattoo. Choose between enjoying only the show or indulging in a prime rib buffet dinner. VIP guests can also enjoy premium seating and 2 cocktails. After the show, which includes a spectacular fire knife dancing finale, you have the chance to meet the cast and have photos with your favorites.

Oahu: Waikiki Trolley Hop-on Hop-off All-Line Pass

4. Oahu: Waikiki Trolley Hop-on Hop-off All-Line Pass

Your Great Hawaiian Adventure is Just A Stop Away! There’s more to Hawaii than just the sights, and the Waikiki Trolley can take you to places beloved by locals and visitors alike. From soaring mountains that meet the sea to historic landmarks and even exciting shopping and dining venues, the choice is literally up to you. Blue Line: Sights and Tastes of the Oahu. With its coastal sceneries and delicious local dining stops, the Blue Line invites you to discover the best of Waikiki’s natural beauty and culinary delights. Take a breathtaking tour of Oahu’s southwestern shore on the way to Sea Life Park and enjoy some of the island’s local favorites at Kahala Mall, Diamond Market & Grill, or the ever-popular Rainbow Red Line: A Story of Hawaii's rich cultural past and modern present Hawaii has its own story to tell those who are interested in listening. This is where the Red Line shines. This line takes you through Hawaii’s cultural and historical past, from the time of kings and queens through its importance in WWII and even the cultures that influence it to this day. Truly, a Hawaiian vacation is incomplete without jumping aboard the Red Line. Green Line: Visit Diamond Head from Waikiki. Our newest and most unique line takes you to Diamond Head and KCC Farmers’ Market from convenient stops around the Waikiki area. It’s the easiest way to visit this world-renowned landmark! Pink Line: Hawaii's Iconic Shopping and Dining Hawaii is the epicenter of the Pacific, and it shows: Asian cuisine mingling with popular American comfort food, high-end fashion alongside popular streetwear that suit everyone’s comfort and style. You can find all these throughout Waikiki, but your Hawaiian vacation isn’t complete without a visit to Ala Moana Center–Hawaii’s Center–where all things shopping and dining collide into a truly Hawaiian experience. So much so that Ala Moana isn’t just for visitors–it’s a popular shopping mall for locals as well.

Pearl Harbor: USS Arizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri

5. Pearl Harbor: USS Arizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri

Visit Pearl Harbor and discover what really happened on that fateful day in 1941. Benefit from guaranteed access to the USS Arizona Memorial and board the Battleship Missouri on Ford Island. Start with a convenient pickup from Waikiki and travel in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle to reach Pearl Harbor. Once there, your guide will escort you into the Pearl Harbor Visitor's Center and give you specific instructions on how to make the best of your visit. Explore the visitor center and the accompanying “Road to War” and “Attack” exhibit galleries that display pictures and recovered items from the events which transpired at Pearl Harbor and WWII. Then, watch a short film explaining the fateful day and its significance. Followed by a boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, the final resting place of the ship's 1,177 crewmen. Take a short break for lunch and grab some refreshments from the snack shop or food truck, then set out to discover the USS Battleship Missouri. Visit the battleship lovingly known as "Mighty Mo". After fighting in the last year of the war with Japan, Mighty Mo served as the location where Japan would sign the official surrender documents. It also offers a glimpse into what life at sea was like aboard a battleship. On the way back to Waikiki, enjoy a quick drive through the city to check out the National Cemetery of the Pacific and Historic Honolulu City.

Oahu: Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial & Honolulu City Tour

6. Oahu: Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial & Honolulu City Tour

Hear fascinating stories on this tour of Pearl Harbor and downtown Honolulu. Witness the key sites and memorials to the 1941 attack, and experience the island's wartime history. Begin this tour with pickup in Waikiki. Travel first to Pearl Harbor and ride the navy launch to the USS Arizona Memorial. Visit the sombre monument above a sunken battleship from the day of the attack. Explore the memorials to the many groups who lost their lives, and pause to reflect at the wall of remembrance. Return to your waiting van for a historic tour of downtown Honolulu. Your expert guide will explain what it was like to live on the island during wartime. See sights including Iolani Palace, the State Capitol, King Kamehameha Statue and Aloha Tower as you learn about the fascinating history of this historic place.

Oahu: Waikiki Turtle Canyons Cruise and Snorkel Excursion

7. Oahu: Waikiki Turtle Canyons Cruise and Snorkel Excursion

Experience the magical underwater world of sea turtles. Dive under the waves with a snorkel and see the rainbow of tropical fish. Connect with the wide array of stunning marine life on this immersive tour. Start off with a cruise along the coast, where you can potentially spot spinner dolphins and humpback whales during the wither months. Once at the Turtle Canyons, you’ll get a brief lesson on snorkeling and your snorkeling equipment.  Snorkel alongside the sea turtles and tropical sea life under the supervision of a certified lifeguard, returning to the boat whenever you please to relax with complimentary refreshments.

Oahu: Group Surfing Lesson in Waikiki Beach

8. Oahu: Group Surfing Lesson in Waikiki Beach

Join us for Surfer Girl Academy's most popular surf lesson. Get the best value for top-notch instruction and supervision from lifeguard-certified instructors. The group lesson pairs individuals in a ratio of no more than 4:1 for every surfer to surf instructor. The lesson is for those who simply want to feel the thrill of surfing. The lesson entails a 20-30 minute dry land instruction on the basics of surfing along with general ocean safety and directions on how to stand up on the surfboard properly. Actual water time will consist of over 70 minutes after the land instruction is complete.

Waikiki: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, & Honolulu Tour

9. Waikiki: Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, & Honolulu Tour

A trip to Hawaii isn’t complete without a visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Center and the USS Arizona Memorial, let us take you there! With us you’ll: - Get picked up direct from your Waikiki hotel - Get a briefing of the facilities prior to entrance - Watch a 23-minute documentary on the Attack at Pearl Harbor - View the exhibits galleries “Road to War” and “Attack” - Shop at the National Park Gift Shop. - Skip long wait lines for the USS Arizona Memorial* - Take an informative tour of Downtown Honolulu and Hawaii's political hub - See the following sites: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, the State Capital, Washington Palace, Iolani Palace, and the King Kamehameha Statue. - Have a delicious lunch, don't forget to add it on! *Tickets to the USS Arizona are guaranteed for our tour. Boats however, are controlled by the US Navy and may be canceled due to poor weather or other safety concerns. Tour operator has no control of boat departures.

Oahu: Waikiki Parasailing

10. Oahu: Waikiki Parasailing

Soar above the vibrant city of Oahu on a peaceful but exciting parasailing trip. Take off from the scenic Waikiki Beach and take in views of the island's golden sand beaches, turquoise waters, and cityscape. You'll even catch a unique glimpse of Diamond Head from a privileged perspective. Enjoy a truly introspective experience by flying away from the hustle and bustle of the area. All the noise from the boat and the city will cut away as you ascend, leaving you and your flight buddy in your own bubble of paradise. Make the most of your Hawaii holiday and experience Oahu in a unique way. Seize this incredible opportunity to go parasailing in the company of a professional team, providing all the necessary instructions and high-quality equipment to keep you safe at all times.

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What people are saying about Waikiki

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 5,058 reviews

This experience was amazing and I highly recommend it! I’ve told all of my friends and family that this is a must do activity for any vacation to Oahu. Our crew Brandon and Ford were so kind, knowledgeable, helpful, and made the entire experience that much better. They had complimentary water, they took photos, answered questions, and we even got the chance to see a turtle and a mother and baby whale. The boat was clean, safe, and had cool music and lights! It was also my boyfriend’s birthday and the crew made sure to go out of their way to make his day, everyone was so friendly, they even played a birthday song for him. I’m so grateful I booked this sunset cruise and will definitely be back! Thank you Brandon and Ford!

My daughter and I had a great time snorkeling with sea turtles and looking for dolphins. We did see some whales. We will return another day to see about those dolphins. The crew was fantastic!! Fresh pineapple was a treat! This was probably our best memory from the trip. We highly recommend.

This was a trip my daughter choose. It was so awesome. We actually got to see a breaching whale. The captains of our boat were great and very personable. I would recommend this trip for sure.

Fantastic way to see the island. We had a really memorable flight and experience

I had never been parasailing so first timer. It was perfect.