🌅 The 5 Best Oahu Sunset Dinner Cruises [2024 Reviews]

Millions visit Oahu every year because they want to see the most beautiful place on Earth. This experience is magnified when you enjoy an Oahu sunset cruise.

There are few things more spectacular than a sunset across the Pacific as seen from a ship sailing in the ocean around Oahu. Add a meal, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable evening.

I’ve selected 5 top-rated Oahu dinner cruises. Read my reviews below and see which Oahu sunset cruise suits your tastes.

Be sure to see our other reviews of Oahu Luaus, Pearl Harbor Tours and Whale Watching Tours.

Best Sunset Dinner Cruises in Oahu

Oahu Star Casual Sunset and Show Cruise Waikiki Sunset Cocktail CruiseFriday Night Fireworks Dinner Sail from Waikiki Beach

Best Dinner Cruise

Best Evening Cruise

Best Luxury Cruise

editors choice
Oahu- Waikiki Sunset Appetizer Cruise
Departure:1 Aloha Tower Dr, HonoluluHotel pick-up or aboard Honi Olani in Kewalo Basin HarborPort Waikiki Cruises Beachfront Kiosk, Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort
Start:5:30 PM5:30 PM5:35 PM
Duration:2 hours1½ hours2 hours
Includes:Dinner, live entertainment, appetizers, and one signature Mai TaiAppetizers, 2 alcoholic beverages, and licensed barAalcoholic beverages, buffet dinner, and fireworks display

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking


Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Oahu Sunset Dinner Cruises For 2024

  1. Best Dinner Cruise: Oahu Star Casual Sunset and Show Cruise
  2. Best Evening Cruise: Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise From Oahu
  3. Best Luxury Cruise: Friday Night Fireworks Dinner Sail from Waikiki Beach
  4. Best Party Cruise: Waikiki Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment
  5. Best Budget Cruise: Friday Night Fireworks Sunset Dinner Cruise From Oahu

If you would like some ideas of other things to do, please see our list of the Top 15 Things To Do In Oahu and Top 10 Things For Couples.


Oahu Sunset Dinner Cruise Reviews

1. Best Dinner Cruise: Oahu Star Casual Sunset and Show Cruise

Oahu- Waikiki Sunset Appetizer Cruise

Tour Highlights at a Glance:

  • Departure Point: 1 Aloha Tower Dr, Honolulu
  • Departure Time: 5:30 PM
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Includes: Dinner, live entertainment, appetizers, and one signature Mai Tai

This is the best Oahu sunset cruise for anybody who enjoys live music and beautiful scenery while they eat.

Choose between standing out on the deck and feeling the ocean breeze in your hair or retiring to the cocktail lounge to admire Oahu’s beautiful shoreline through expansive windows.

You’ll be served Asian and Polynesian influenced appetizers. Feast on a delicious steak and crab dinner along with fresh local tropical fruits on skewers.

While you eat, you can appreciate the views of Waikiki Beach, the magnificent volcanic cone of Diamond Head, and Oahu’s southern shoreline.

While eating, you can listen to live music performed by accomplished local musicians. You also have the opportunity to chat with your fellow passengers and make new friends.

But the highlight of your evening will be the sublime sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

As the sun sets below the horizon, watch out for the legendary green flash across the ocean waves. This is a meteorological phenomenon where part of the sun changes color at sunset or sunrise.

This effect is due to the refraction of sunlight that is most significant at the angle where the sun “hits” the water.

Since there’s nothing to cause an early sunset, like a hill or buildings on the land, the green flash is most common across oceans where the angles are best and visibility is clear over a long distance.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


Other Experiences You May Enjoy:


2. Best Evening Cruise: Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise

Oahu: Waikiki Sunset Cocktail Cruise

Tour Highlights at a Glance:

  • Departure Point: Hotel pick-up or aboard Honi Olani in Kewalo Basin Harbor
  • Departure Time: 5:30 PM
  • Duration: 1½ hours
  • Includes: 1½-hour cruise, appetizers, 2 alcoholic beverages, and licensed bar

If you love beautiful and dramatic scenery, this is a fantastic Oahu cocktail cruise for you. Sailing aboard a 53-foot catamaran, you can admire the famous volcanic cone of Diamond Head from the ocean.

When greedy British sailors first saw Diamond Head, they mistook the calcite crystals in the sand for tiny diamonds. While this might not be true, the natural wealth of Oahu’s shoreline is undeniable.

So, relax on this luxury catamaran and see the stunning silhouette of Oahu as European visitors saw it in the early 19th century. As well as admiring the shoreline, keep an eye on the ocean.

During winter, humpback whales from Alaska flood into the warm waters around Hawaii to procreate and calve. Sea turtles and dolphins are also often seen in the ocean near Honolulu.

While waiting for the sun to set, sip the 2 complimentary alcoholic beverages included in the sunset cocktail cruise price. If you really want to let your hair down and celebrate, you can purchase further drinks to your heart’s content.

However, ensure you eat plenty of the supplied pupus. These tasty Hawaiian-style seafood and meat appetizers will line your stomach and prepare you to party the night away.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


3. Best Luxury Cruise: Friday Night Fireworks Dinner Sail from Waikiki Beach

Oahu: Friday Night Fireworks Dinner Sail from Waikiki Beach

Tour Highlights at a Glance:

  • Departure Point: Port Waikiki Cruises Beachfront Kiosk, Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort
  • Departure Time: 5:35 PM
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Includes: 2-hour cruise, alcoholic beverages, buffet dinner, and fireworks display

This is the best Oahu dinner cruise for couples who want to celebrate their relationship with a romantic cruise and a bang.

Drink unlimited non-alcoholic beverages or indulge in some of the imaginative alcoholic cocktail combinations available from the ship’s bar.

The Spirit of Aloha is a luxury modern catamaran that will sail you out into the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific and enable you to admire the beautiful shoreline of Oahu.

Keep your eyes open for the whales, dolphins, and sea turtles that are often visible in the seas surrounding the ship.

While waiting for the sun to set, sit back and enjoy delicious island food inspired by indigenous Hawaiian cuisine and Asian influences.

Why not try Salisbury steak with crisp onion garnish and caramelized sauce, mahi-mahi with diced tomatoes and ginger butter, and assorted cream puffs and mini cheesecakes.

The sunset over the Pacific is the highlight of this romantic cruise. With so little light pollution and clear tropical skies, prepare to have your breath stolen away by the sky’s beauty.

And once night has fallen, the entertainment continues. Sip cocktails from the licensed bar and admire the Friday fireworks display reflected across the ocean.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


4. Best Party Cruise: Waikiki Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment

Oahu: Waikiki Sunset Dinner Cruise with Live Entertainment

Tour Highlights at a Glance:

  • Departure Point: Hotel pick-up
  • Departure Time: 5:00 PM
  • Duration: 2½ hours
  • Includes: 2½-hour cruise, live Hawaiian music, and island food

If you love live Hawaiian culture and music, this is the best Oahu dinner cruise for you. Relax aboard an all-new powerboat and admire the majestic form of Diamondhead looming over the Pacific while a chef creates island food just for you.

After you board, an onboard musician will perform island tunes that are broadcast all around the boat on surround-sound speakers.

Setting out, take the opportunity to admire the athletic surfers along Waikiki Beach and the impressive scale of Diamond Head, the extinct volcano that dominates Honolulu’s skyline.

Then turn toward the Pacific and watch out for turtles, dolphins, and whales.Once out at sea, your delicious dinner of island food will be served.

The meal is prepared by Elmer Guzman, a renowned local chef. You’ll be treated to appetizers, island cuisine, and a sweet dessert.

Following your meal, watch the sunset and a traditional Hawaiian hula performance. If you take the cruise on a Friday, you’ll be treated to a spectacular fireworks display over Waikiki Beach.

Watch the dual effect of colorful explosions in the sky reflected upon the water below. As you cruise back toward shore, admire the glittering skyline of Honolulu.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


5. Best Budget Cruise: Friday Night Fireworks Sunset Dinner Cruise From Oahu

Oahu: Friday Night Fireworks Sunset Dinner Cruise

Tour Highlights at a Glance:

  • Departure Point: Hotel pick-up or 177 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu
  • Departure Time: 5:15 PM
  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Includes: 2-hour cruise, buffet meal, welcome drink, sunset, and a fireworks display

This is a fantastic cruise from Oahu for anyone who wants an unforgettable and romantic evening. It’s perfect for a honeymooning couple or people celebrating their wedding anniversary.

Enjoy a delicious meal, experience a breathtaking sunset over the Pacific, and then watch an amazing fireworks display. You’ll be welcomed aboard The Majestic with a drink.

During your cruise, you can admire Oahu’s stunning coastline and watch out for some of the impressive marine wildlife found in its waters. The dining room features panoramic windows so that you won’t miss anything while you eat.

Your meal will feature local fruits and vegetables, freshly caught seafood, and Japanese inspired entrees. The licensed bar is open so you can sip the cocktail of your choice. Go on! Be adventurous. You’re on vacation.

The Majestic also features a dance floor and live traditional entertainment. After you’ve finished your meal and watched the sunset, you can dance away the night and enjoy a spectacular fireworks display.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


Oahu Travel Guide

best oahu diner cruise

 

Although Hawaii has been a US State since 1959, it still feels like another country. Oahu is the most popular of the Hawaiian islands, hosting many of its iconic attractions.

Where else in the US can you visit not just one but two genuine royal palaces?

Whether you’re most fascinated by volcanic features like Diamond Head, the abundance of marine life in the surrounding ocean, or local traditions like lei greetings and luaus, you’ll find something amazing to see and do in Oahu.

Airports & Entry

For most visitors, the only practical means to get to Oahu is by air. There are no ferries from the continental US to Hawaii.

However, you can opt to join a cruise to Hawaii from Vancouver, San Francisco, or Los Angeles.

By Air

Hawaii’s main airport is Honolulu International Airport in Oahu, which is also known as Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Most visitors to Hawaii arrive here, and the airport handles over 21 million passengers a year. By air, you can reach Oahu from almost anywhere in the world.

If you compare the price of flights on a ticket site like Skyscanner, you’ll find one-way flights from LA for as little as $232, from NYC for $367, and from London for $484.

As one of the 30 busiest airports in the US, Honolulu offers all the facilities you’d expect inside a large airport.

International flights land at Terminal 2, which is the main terminal sometimes referred to as the Overseas Terminal.

You’ll find most of the food outlets, stores, and other services in Terminal 2. All 3 terminals of the airport are linked by the Wiki-Wiki shuttle bus service.

You can reach central Honolulu or Waikiki from the airport by shuttle bus, public bus, taxi, or hire car. Some hotels offer a free shuttle bus service.

Shuttles are the easiest economical option, costing around $16 one way. The public buses are cheaper, but they’re slow and don’t allow luggage. Taxis usually charge between $40 and $45.

Cruises

Cruises from the continental US depart from Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Canadian cruises depart from Vancouver.

The shortest duration of such a tour is 11 days from Vancouver, but that would involve 5 days at sea and 5 in port.

A 14-day cruise from LA consists of 9 days at sea and 4 in port. If you want to reach Oahu by cruise liner, you’ll sacrifice half your vacation to just getting there.

But the biggest disadvantage of taking a cruise over flying is that a cruise will typically only spend one day in each port.

You won’t have enough time to adequately explore Oahu or any other Hawaiian island.

Planning Tips

Oahu is arguably the most interesting of the Hawaiian Islands to visit, boasting many of the top attractions in the state. Here are 5 tips to help you plan your visit.

Tip #1: If you love whales, go in winter

Every winter, humpback whales migrate from Alaska to the waters around Hawaii to mate and calve.

If you want to see whales breaching the surface, come to Oahu and go on a whale watching tour between December and April.

Between 10 and 12 thousand whales gather in the nearby ocean. You can often see them from the beaches, and they are known to circle small boats that approach their pods.

If you’re not interested in whales, the best time to visit Oahu is between September and November.

There are fewer crowds in the shoulder season, and accommodation prices can be cheaper. The fall isn’t as hot as summer but not as busy as winter.

Tip #2: Explore beyond Honolulu and Waikiki Beach

Many visitors to Oahu don’t travel far from their hotel in Honolulu, but many of the island’s more interesting attractions are further afield.

During your stay, make sure you explore some of the more unusual and remote attractions Oahu has to offer. A great to check some areas few people see is by taking an ATV tour.

Tip #3: Book Oahu accommodation and tours in advance, especially during winter

Oahu is a popular destination, so accommodation and tours are sometimes fully booked well months ahead.

To ensure you get the room you want and tickets for the tours you’re interested in, book in advance.

Tip #4: Pack smart clothes and raincoats

Because Oahu has a tropical climate, you’ll spend a lot of time in shorts and T-shirts. However, occasional heavy rainstorms do occur, especially during the summer months.

For that reason, you might want to pack a light raincoat.

And, if you plan to attend any special events in the evenings, such as a traditional luau, or you want to visit a plush cocktail lounge for a romantic evening, then ensure you pack some more formal clothes for such occasions.

Tip #5: Buy traditional local craft souvenirs

You’ll see “authentic Hawaiian crafts” in gift shops around the island, but many of the carvings and traditional clothes are actually “made in China”.

However, there are several arts and crafts stores around the island that specialize in locally produced goods.

For example, check out Na Mea Hawaii, 1200 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu.

Na Mea Hawaii is a store where you can buy books written by and about Hawaiian people, original art, crafts, and cultural products.

Restaurants & Eating Out

Oahu is an island where the indigenous Polynesian inhabitants boast an uninterrupted cultural history. This means it’s a great place to sample authentic Polynesian food.

But the vast numbers of immigrants who have settled here from Asia, Puerto Rico, and Mexico add to the rich cultural mix.

Oahu is also a great place to eat traditional Korean, Japanese, and Mexican dishes.

Seafood

Because it’s an island, you’ll find lots of seafood dishes in Oahu. Poke is a popular traditional delicacy. Poke is similar to sashimi but the fish is presented in chunks instead of slices.

Monchong is marinated and grilled, deep-water fish. And opakapaka is baked, grilled, or steamed crimson snapper.

If you want to sample traditional poke, check out the Highway Inn in Waipahu. This renowned, award-winning restaurant has served authentic Hawaiian food since 1947.

The Highway Inn also has branches in Kaka’ako and inside the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.

Luau

A popular Polynesian cooking technique is using an earth oven called an imu. Any dishes cooked this way are described as luau.

Luau parties are actually named after this kind of food because it is often served at Hawaiian parties.

A popular luau dish is laulau, which features fish, chicken, or pork wrapped in taro leaves.

These wraps are slow-cooked for hours until the meat grows tender. The resulting delicacy has a smoky taste.

For hand-wrapped laulau, again head over to the Highway Inn in Waipahu. While there, also check out the smoked meat loco moco with mushrooms over brown rice. Delicious!

Taro

In Oahu, taro is the staple food source. This versatile root crop is often found crushed down into poi, a steamed or baked paste.

Poi is thick and tastes a little sour because of the fermentation that occurs during preparation.

For the best hand-pounded poi, check out the Waiahole Poi Factory on the Kamehameha Highway north of Kahaluu.

Here you can not only eat delicious poi in their restaurant, but you can also attend Hawaiian traditional food demonstrations and tastings. You can also enjoy laulau here.

Asian Food

Honolulu Kitchen in Waipahu, despite its name, is a great place to taste traditional Asian dishes, such as Sichuan pork eggplant, furikake garlic chicken, and kung pao chicken.

Manapua (cha shao bao) are popular all over the island, and Honolulu Kitchen serves a broad variety from spicy, deep-fried Korean style to traditional steamed manapua.

If you enjoy Korean dishes, Sara’s Café (Jun Café) on Beretania Street in Honolulu is popular with the locals. It has a reputation for good-quality, affordable Korean meals.

But if it’s authentic sushi you desire, check out Sushi Sasabune on South King Street in Honolulu. It’s highly rated on both TripAdvisor and Google.

Desserts

Kulolo is a traditional pudding made from steamed taro, sugar, and coconut milk. You won’t be surprised to hear that you can taste it at the Highway Inn.

Breadfruit is often eaten as a dessert, served steamed, baked, deep-fried, or boiled.

You’ll also love Haupia, a delicious pudding made from coconuts. You can sample haupia, fresh apple bananas, pineapples, and kulolo at Haili’s Hawaiian Food in Honolulu.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Nightlife on Oahu is focused around Honolulu and Waikiki. Typically, the night doesn’t get started until sunset.

Bars

With so many tourists here ready to have a good time, Hawaii’s capital is blessed with lots of great bars.

Check out Buho Cantina, a swanky rooftop bar and Mexican restaurant in the Waikiki Shopping Plaza that features panoramic views of Waikiki.

It’s a great place to watch the sunset and start the night. Or if you’re looking for something more upscale, head over to the Halekulani Hotel.

Inside, you’ll find Lewers Lounge, where you can sip cocktails in a plush environment while listening to live jazz.

This is one of those places where they won’t let you in wearing flip-flops and T-shirts.

Nightclubs

If you’re looking for a lively nightclub where you can dance to live music and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, you’ll love The Republic.

This popular club is centrally located opposite the famous Ala Moana Shopping Center. They feature regular concerts and special events.

Nearby is the more upmarket The District. You must be 23 to get inside. They feature a broad dance floor, a VIP section, 3 bars, and live DJs.

Alternatively, check out Addiction Nightclub inside the Modern Honolulu Hotel. Addiction features a stunning light show, with 40,000 lights to light up your dance moves.

Luau and hula hoops

While you’re in Hawaii, it would be a shame not to experience some of the traditional evening entertainments.

You can enjoy a FREE traditional torch lighting, Hawaiian hula show, and blowing of the conch shell at around sunset on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Go to the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound near the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Hotel.

The show starts at 6 pm November through January, 6:30 pm February through October, and lasts for an hour.

If you want a fun-packed evening of laulau food, drinks, traditional songs, and epic stories, go to a traditional luau.

At a luau, you can experience a lei greeting and eat traditional cuisine cooked in an imu while watching indigenous performers perform traditional acts.

At the best luaus, you’ll see locals dressed in authentic Hawaiian clothing and performing Ha: Breath of Life, one of the most famous traditional epic sagas.

There might even be brave fire-knife dancers and fire walkers. Just don’t stand too close.

There are several venues where you can enjoy a luau, such as the Germaines Luau and the Paradise Cove Luau.

Adventure

If you love adventure, especially adventure outdoors, Oahu is your place! Whether it’s an parasailing adventure, a zipline adventure tour or a horse back riding tour, Oahu has something for everyone! If you have the extra money, a doors off helicopter tour of Oahu Island is an unforgettable experience.

Getting Around

If you’re staying around Waikiki, many great attractions, bars, entertainment venues, and restaurants are within easy walking distance.

However, if you’re staying elsewhere on the island, or want to explore the island, you probably ought to hire a car.

Walking

The major urban area around Honolulu and Waikiki features pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. You’ll also want to explore the beaches in this area on foot.

When walking any great distance, remember to take a light raincoat. Rain showers are always a possibility, especially during summer.

Biking

Cycling is a great, eco-friendly way to cover longer distances. It’s faster than walking but still provides you with the freedom to stop wherever you want and explore.

Bicycles and mopeds are easy to hire around the island.

However, if you’re headed anywhere hilly, or you want to visit other towns, you must make sure everyone in your group is fit enough to go the distance.

Hotel shuttles

Many of the larger resorts and hotels provide shuttles to help you reach the beach and major attractions around the island. These are often complimentary.

However, some hotels charge for their shuttle services, and often those services are limited. Before you set off for the day, ensure you know what your hotel shuttle is going to cost and the timetable.

The Bus

The public bus service in Oahu is literally called The Bus.

There are mixed opinions about The Bus, with some travelers finding the service great for getting around the island, but others complaining about crowding and slow services.

The Bus does provide 93 routes around the island with an astounding 4,200 stops. You can go anywhere on The Bus!

You pay cash on the bus or purchase a bus pass. You can buy a 1-day pass on the bus for $5.50.

When traveling, keep an eye out for your destination. To stop The Bus, you must pull the cord in advance.

For information about ticket prices, concessions, maps, and schedules, visit The Bus website.

Waikiki also has a trolleybus service with stops along Waikiki Beach. Trolleybuses are great fun for short journeys in the immediate area but useless for really exploring the whole island.

Car hire

If you want the freedom to travel anywhere whenever you want, you can always hire a car. It’s a lot more expensive than purchasing a 1-day bus pass, but you will get places quicker.

You can easily hire a car at the airport, though some rental companies require drivers to be over 25.

However, note that parking in Honolulu and Waikiki is difficult.

Traffic all around the island gets congested during the busy winter months. And speed limits are lower than in the continental US and strictly enforced.

Tours

Because of the problems with parking, congestion, and navigation, you’ll find it easiest to explore the island on a tour where the tour operator provides the transport.

You won’t have the same flexibility as when you rent a car, but you’ll get where you need to go with less hassle.

Taxis and Uber

Taxis in Oahu can be expensive, and they’re difficult to find outside of the main urban area. Hailing taxis isn’t common practice in Hawaii.

However, Uber and Lyft can often offer more affordable solutions to your travel problems.

Accommodations

Most accommodations for tourists in Oahu are found in Waikiki. But you can also find a range of accommodations in Leeward Waianae, along North Shore, and Windward East.

Honolulu

Premier hotel brands, such as Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Sheraton, are found around Waikiki.

Business-class hotels are clustered around the downtown and airport areas of Honolulu.

Prince Waikiki is the top-rated hotel in Honolulu on TripAdvisor and is also highly rated on Booking.com and Google.

Prince Waikiki is a modern and stylish luxury hotel with an infinity pool, wall-to-ceiling windows, and a popular rooftop bar.

If you’re working to a tight budget, you can also find cheaper hotels in this area.

The Inn On The Park in Waikiki offers low rates and free parking, which is useful if you intend to rent a car.

And the Ambassador Hotel is also affordable, though it does have relatively low ratings on both Google and TripAdvisor.

Leeward Waianae

The Makana Valley area contains a luxury resort, championship golf course, and a few vacation rentals.

The Hawaiian Princess Resort is highly rated and offers great surfing conditions in a much quieter setting than Waikiki.

North Shore

This area mainly offers B&Bs and vacation homes, though there is a major resort at Turtle Bay.

The Turtle Bay Resort is situated in a stunning location on a peninsula overlooking the bay. If you love snorkeling and turtles, it’s a great place to stay.

Windward East

This is a residential area, and the accommodations in this area are mainly vacation homes.

Weather

The weather in Oahu doesn’t fluctuate much over the year. There are really only two seasons: winter and summer. Most of the rain falls during the summer.

And there is only around an hour’s difference in sunrise and sunset times between midsummer and midwinter.

Generally, the leeward (west) side of the island is drier than the windward (east) side. This is why the eastern coast is greener than the west.

The hurricane season is from June to November, though bad hurricanes are rare.

The coldest winter month is February, with an average daily high of 780F and a low of 630F. By May, temperatures have risen to an average high of 810F and low of 670F.

August is the hottest month of the summer, with an average high of 850F and a low of 710F. By November, the average high drops to 810F and the low to 680F.

Attractions

Oahu boasts many iconic attractions that make it the most visited of the Hawaiian Islands.

Royal Palaces

Honolulu boasts 2 authentic royal palaces!

The more sumptuous of the 2 is the Iolani Palace. It was built in 1882 for King Kalakaua and became the official residence of the Hawaiian Royal Family.

In recent years, the palace has been lovingly restored. Docent-led tours of the grand halls and opulent rooms are available.

Queen Emma Summer Palace (Hanaiakamalama) was built as a summer retreat in 1857.

This house is a museum filled with displays of the personal possessions of Queen Emma, her husband King Kamehameha, and their son Prince Albert Edward.

You can enjoy a self-guided or docent-guided tour of this royal residence.

Pearl Harbor

While you’re in Oahu, it’s only polite to pay your respects to the servicemen who lost their lives to defend your freedom here during WWII. The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor draws 1.8 million visitors each year.

The USS Missouri (WWII battleship) and USS Bowfin (WWII submarine) are permanently anchored in the harbor.

You can explore these nautical relics and learn about sailors’ lives during the war. You can also visit the Pacific Aviation Museum.

Diamond Head

You can’t not notice Diamond Head while you’re strolling along Waikiki Beach. The Diamond Head Trail is a great way to explore the volcanic cone that dominates the Honolulu skyline.

Although there are some steep sections, and it looks daunting, the hike to the summit is easier than it looks. It only takes between 40 to 60 minutes for the average hiker.

From the top, you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean.

Waimea Falls

This waterfall at the back of the Waimea Valley is relatively easy to reach. The 15-feet waterfall is surrounded by botanical gardens, and you’re allowed to swim in its plunge pool.

The Waimea Falls trail is only ¾ miles long. Your whole family can follow the paved path that passes important archaeological sites to reach the waterfall.

And if your walk leaves you hungry, you can find the Na Mea Ono Snack Bar at the visitors center.

Waikiki Aquarium

Your whole family will love the Waikiki Aquarium. Inside you’ll find 3,500 species of marine life native to Hawaii, including crabs, jellyfish, sea horses, octopus, squid, sharks, and seals.

You’ll find the aquarium across from Kapiolani Park near San Souci Beach. It’s a great place to see all of Hawaii’s marine life in one place.

Polynesian Cultural Center

This is a great attraction for anyone fascinated by Hawaiian culture.

The center demonstrates traditional music, dances, food, and other traditions. But it’s not only limited to Hawaiian culture.

The center features 7 separate villages each representing a different region of the South Pacific. You can learn about all Polynesian cultures at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

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The Waikiki Sunset Appetizer Cruise From Oahu is our Editors Choice for the best Oahu sunset dinner cruise

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Richard Remick

Richard is a co-founder, co-owner, and the chief editor of the World Guides to Travel website. He contributes expert content relating to outdoor adventures and activities. After graduating from the DeVry Institute of Technology, he worked in IT for over 20 years before deciding to escape the office and dedicate the rest of his life to travel and participation in active outdoor pursuits. With a passion for the great outdoors, Richard spends a lot of time in Colorado. There he enjoys skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, cycling, hiking, and camping. When at home in Florida, he is most often found in the water. He loves water sports such as paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. He is a certified scuba diver. His outdoor adventures are not confined to the continental US. Richard is an avid traveler who flies up to 10 times a year and has visited 18 countries. Because of his wealth of knowledge and experience, Richard has been invited to contribute articles to many outdoor-focused websites, such as Florida Rambler, and has been profiled on travel websites such as JohnnyJet.
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