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Aloha from Honolulu! Here’s a secret about this trip: we actually wanted to go to Japan for our babymoon — but it was just too far along in the pregnancy for that flight, so Honolulu it was. And honestly? The Japanese food on O’ahu is so incredible that it scratched the itch completely. Between the uni bowls, the fresh musubi, the tonkatsu, and the soufflé pancakes, this turned into one of the best food trips I’ve ever taken.
This is my full local’s guide to the best things to do in Honolulu — the iconic must-dos, the two most beautiful scenic drives on the island, and (my favorite part) an entire Japanese-leaning food guide of the exact spots we loved.
A quick 2026 heads-up on getting there: the nonstop Austin–Honolulu flight is no longer running (Hawaiian merged with Alaska and cut the route in 2025), so from Austin you’ll now connect through Seattle, San Diego, or the West Coast. Build in an extra travel day.
KOKO TIP: Rent a convertible. Driving the coastline up to the North Shore with the top down was one of the highlights of the whole trip.
Table of Contents
Before You Go: What to Reserve in Advance in 2026
This is the biggest thing that’s changed for O’ahu, and it’ll make or break your trip if you don’t plan for it. Three of the island’s most popular spots now require advance reservations — and they sell out:
〰️ Diamond Head: Out-of-state visitors must reserve entry and parking online ahead of time at gostateparks.hawaii.gov. Don’t just show up.
〰️ Hanauma Bay: Reservations open online only, two days in advance at 7am HST, and go FAST. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
〰️ Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona Memorial): The memorial is free, but you need a timed reservation ticket through recreation.gov — book the moment they release, weeks out.
For dinner, add one more to the list: Tonkatsu Tamafuji takes reservations up to three months in advance and they go quickly (more on that below).
Koko’s Honolulu Food Guide
The reason to come. We ate our way across the island and this Japanese-heavy list is the part of the trip I still think about. Grouped by meal so you can plan around it.
☕ Coffee
Kona Coffee Purveyors — the line is super long but the coffee is SO good, and the pastries are incredible. Do not miss the sesame kouign-amann. The line dies down after 11am if you want to skip the wait.
🍳 Breakfast
Musubi Cafe IYASUME — opens at 7am and makes each piece fresh to order. Grab several and walk them over to Waikiki Beach to eat with your toes in the sand. The teriyaki spam and eel-egg spam are the moves.
Aloha Kitchen — a mom-and-pop cafe with the sweetest staff and incredible fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes. One of my favorite breakfasts of the trip.
Leonard’s Bakery — the iconic Portuguese bakery specializing in malasadas, made fresh to order. A must-visit. Get the macadamia and guava.
🍤 Lunch
Totoya (とと家) — the uni bowls here were our FAVORITE spot on the whole trip; we went twice. If you love uni, do not skip this.
GOHAN — billed as the only fresh-musubi restaurant in Hawai’i, and it’s sooo good.
Sato Seafood — hand rolls with impossibly fresh fish.
Marugame Udon — the wildly popular Japanese udon spot where they make the noodles fresh right in front of you. Worth the line.
🍜 Dinner
Tonkatsu Tamafuji — the best meal we had. Try to make a reservation three months in advance; if you can’t, do a walk-in like we did. It was about an hour wait and sooo worth it.
Aburiya Ibushi — a small neighborhood izakaya with excellent grilled meats and ramen. Exactly the kind of cozy spot we’d have looked for in Japan.
🍧 Dessert
Waiola Shave Ice — my favorite shave ice shop of the trip. Get the mango. (Shimazu Shave Ice and Matsumoto Shave Ice on the North Shore are the other two worth hitting — Shimazu is cash only.)
MATCHA Stand MAIKO — I loved the matcha soft serve here.
Fujiya Hawaii — old-school spot for butter mochi and stuffed daifuku.
Kansai Yamato Cafe — the mochi shop to know.
KOKO TIP: For a Japanese-grocery fix, stop by Mitsuwa Marketplace or Marukai — great for snacks, bento, and souvenirs to bring home.
The Best Things to Do in Honolulu
Waikiki Beach
You have to see Waikiki at least once — one of the most famous beaches in the world and the birthplace of modern surfing. Busy, yes, but the sunset with Diamond Head behind it is worth it.
KOKO TIP: On Friday nights, the Hilton Hawaiian Village puts on a free fireworks show around 7:45pm — a perfect end to a beach day.
Hike Koko Head (Koko Crater Railway Trail)
Everyone recommended this hike but nobody warned me it’s a real-life StairMaster! It’s 1,048 railroad ties straight up an abandoned railway — about 990 feet of climbing — with an incredible view of Honolulu at the top. Go early, bring water, and be careful on the way down.
7604 Koko Head Park Rd, Honolulu
Kaka’ako Farmers Market
Saturdays 8am–12pm. Stop by any of the local fruit stands and buy ALL the fruit — most sell precut, and it is unbelievably sweet. One of the most quietly perfect mornings you can have on O’ahu. While you’re in Kaka’ako, wander the arts district for its incredible murals.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
A moving, essential piece of American history. The USS Arizona Memorial floats above the sunken battleship where more than 1,100 sailors are still entombed. Add the Battleship Missouri and USS Bowfin if you have time.
KOKO TIP: Book your free timed ticket through recreation.gov well ahead, and note no bags are allowed.
Sunset Sail off Waikiki
A sunset catamaran sail is the low-effort, high-reward move — drinks in hand, the skyline and Diamond Head glowing behind you. We did the Na Hoku II sunset sail and it was the perfect romantic evening.
Diamond Head State Monument
The classic crater hike — about 1.6 miles round trip, moderately steep, with a payoff view over Waikiki. Reserve entry and parking online in advance (required for out-of-state visitors), and go early.
Kualoa Ranch
Kualoa has something for everyone — ATV raptor rides, the Jurassic Valley zipline, e-bikes, horseback tours, and movie-set tours (you’ll recognize the valley from Jurassic Park). On my first trip we did the Secret Island Beach Adventure, a ferry across to a private beach for kayaking and paddleboarding.
49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kāne’ohe · Book here
Dole Plantation
A fun, kitschy stop on the way to the North Shore — the pineapple garden maze, the train tour, and (obviously) a Dole Whip. Easy to pair with a North Shore day.
Drive #1: The East & Windward Coast
One of the most beautiful drives on the island — hug the coastline from Hawaii Kai up the windward side. Here’s the route we took, in order:
〰️ Hawaii Kai Lookout — first big coastal view.
〰️ Lanai Lookout & Halona Blowhole — dramatic lava rock and, when the surf’s up, a natural blowhole shooting seawater into the air.
〰️ Halona Beach Cove — the tiny hidden “Eternity Beach” tucked below the blowhole lookout.
〰️ Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail & Tide Pools — an easy paved walk with sweeping views (and whales in winter).
〰️ Waimanalo — gorgeous, calmer beaches.
〰️ Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden — about 40 minutes out, free entry, and stunning against the Ko’olau mountains.
〰️ Byodo-In Temple — a breathtaking replica of a Japanese temple with hundreds of koi (another little taste of the Japan trip we didn’t take).
〰️ Adela’s Country Eatery — order the lechon and pork belly.
〰️ Waiahole Poi Factory — old-school local spot for kūlolo and poi.
Drive #2: The North Shore
A full North Shore day is one of the best things you can do on O’ahu. In winter, watch pro surfers take on massive waves; in summer, those beaches turn calm and swimmable. Our stops:
〰️ Waimea Bay Beach Park — we did our maternity shoot here; a beautiful, quiet beach.
〰️ Laniakea Beach — the famous “Turtle Beach” — you can almost always spot honu resting on the sand.
〰️ Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck — the pilgrimage spot for garlic shrimp and rice.
〰️ Hale’iwa Bowls — the acai bowl stop.
〰️ Saylor’s Hale’iwa — right next door for coffee and matcha.
〰️ Hale’iwa Fruit Shack — a local fruit stand that is sooo good.
〰️ Matsumoto Shave Ice — the legendary Hale’iwa shave ice institution.
Where to Stay in Honolulu
Prince Waikiki
I stayed at Prince Waikiki on my first trip and loved it so much we came back for the babymoon. It’s on Waikiki Beach and it’s the only hotel where every single room is oceanfront — waking up to that harbor and ocean view every morning was breathtaking. I loved the infinity pool overlooking the harbor, and the lobster fried rice with truffle at 100 Sails downstairs is a must.
100 Holomoana St, Honolulu · princewaikiki.com
Frequently Asked Questions About Honolulu
How many days do you need in Honolulu?
Four days is enough to hit the Honolulu highlights plus one of the scenic drives. To do both the windward coast and a full North Shore day at a relaxed pace — plus all the food — I’d give it 5–6 days.
Do you need a car in Honolulu?
For Waikiki alone, no — it’s walkable and TheBus is cheap. But to do the two coastal drives, the North Shore, and the food spots spread around the island, rent a car (and if you can, make it a convertible).
What’s the best time to visit O’ahu?
O’ahu is great year-round. April–May and September–October bring good weather and smaller crowds. Winter is peak season, whale-watching, and North Shore big-wave season; summer is best for North Shore snorkeling and calm water.
What should you not miss eating in Honolulu?
The Japanese food — uni bowls at Totoya, fresh musubi, tonkatsu at Tamafuji, soufflé pancakes at Aloha Kitchen — plus malasadas at Leonard’s, shave ice at Waiola, and garlic shrimp on the North Shore. Come hungry.
SEE ALSO: 5 Top Things To Do In Maui, Hawaii
