Things to do in Oahu › Places
Places to visit on Oahu
Updated October 30, 2026 Entry and hours: official park pages; transport: TheBus and attraction websites
Your USS Arizona Memorial reservation sets the time at Pearl Harbor; Diamond Head's crater trail needs a separate slot. Hanauma Bay's reef slots open two days ahead; the North Shore is roughly an hour away with winter surf and calmer summers. Kualoa Ranch runs valley tours; the Polynesian Cultural Center has an evening show and closes Sundays and most Wednesdays. Compare entry costs and hours alongside transport from Waikiki for these six places; beaches have their own page.
Which place for you
Best for one day, for a family, or without a car
An early Diamond Head slot leaves you time for Hanauma Bay later, provided you also have a preserve reservation. Nonresident adults pay $5 at the crater and $25 at the reef, plus parking and Hanauma's 2.35% online fee. Hanauma closes Mondays and Tuesdays; choose Wednesday through Sunday.
The Polynesian Cultural Center has village activities for your afternoon, with a show in the evening. Village tickets cost $94.95 per adult and $75.96 per child aged 4 to 11. Your village ticket doesn't include dinner or the show; the center closes Sundays and most Wednesdays.
TheBus 42 from Kuhio Avenue reaches Pearl Harbor, where your visit can cover the free national memorial and its exhibit galleries. Choose the Ewa Beach via Arizona Memorial bus; reserve your boat program separately for $1. Wind can cancel the boat trip even when you've reserved.
6 places
Places on Oahu worth a day
All times are HST; your journey from Waikiki needs to fit around the entry slot. Choose your main stop first and leave time for the drive or bus ride before adding another place.
Pearl Harbor
Free entry, Arizona ticket $1
Pearl Harbor National Memorial pairs exhibits on the attack with the boat trip to the USS Arizona Memorial. Your reservation covers the program; it doesn't include the paid ships and museums nearby.
Diamond Head
$5 entry, reserve a slot
Diamond Head State Monument's summit trail climbs from the crater floor to coastal views through old military defenses. Your arrival time matters: you must reach the gate within the first 30 minutes of your booked period.
Hanauma Bay
$25, closed Monday and Tuesday
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve has a reef close to shore and an educational video before you reach the water. Your slot isn't a parking space; you can still find the lot full when you arrive.
North Shore
About an hour from Waikiki
Haleiwa is the North Shore's stop for food and shops on the way to Waimea Bay. Winter changes the plan: waves and currents can make swimming dangerous even close to shore.
Kualoa Ranch
Tours from $59.95
Kualoa Ranch is a working cattle ranch where guided tours reach the valleys used as film locations. Your tour sets the route: you can't treat the film sites as grounds to explore freely on foot.
Polynesian Cultural Center
From $94.95, closed Sunday
The Polynesian Cultural Center pairs village activities in Laie with dinner options and an evening show. Your package matters: the entry price covers villages only, while dinner and show access cost extra and prices vary by date.
Compare
Oahu places at a glance
| Place | Entry | Hours | How you get there |
|---|---|---|---|
Pearl Harbor
Free entry, Arizona ticket $1 |
Free; USS Arizona Memorial reservation $1 per person | 7 a.m.-5 p.m.; boats 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | TheBus 42 from Kuhio Avenue; $7 parking |
Diamond Head
$5 entry, reserve a slot |
$5 per nonresident; $10 per car; reservations required | 6 a.m.-6 p.m.; last entry 4:30 p.m. | TheBus 2 or 3; 2L weekdays; Green Line trolley |
Hanauma Bay
$25, closed Monday and Tuesday |
$25 ages 13+; children and Hawaii residents free | Wed-Sun; entry 6:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; out 4 p.m. | Roberts bus includes entry; $3 parking; no TheBus inside |
North Shore
About an hour from Waikiki |
Free beaches; Waimea Valley $26 per adult | Lifeguards 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | TheBus 52 or 60 from Ala Moana Center; car |
Kualoa Ranch
Tours from $59.95 |
Tours from $59.95/adult, $39.95/child aged 3-12; before tax | 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily | Free parking; TheBus 60; $30 round-trip shuttle plus tax |
Polynesian Cultural Center
From $94.95, closed Sunday |
Villages from $94.95/adult, $75.96/child aged 4-11; prices vary | 12-9 p.m.; villages 12:15-5:30 p.m.; Sundays/most Wednesdays closed | Drive 60-75 minutes; TheBus 60; $28 round-trip Waikiki coach |
Fees and hours from the official pages of each place; distances by road from Kuhio Beach in Waikiki, measured along OpenStreetMap roads.
More
The beaches, the tours and the surf
Eight beaches with the lifeguards, the parking and the season of each shore, by distance from Waikiki.
Oahu tours and activitiesSixteen lists of tours that reach these places, with the prices and the catch of each.
Oahu surf and weatherThe waves at three buoys right now, the 7-day forecast and the weather by month.
Good to know
People also ask
- What are the best places to visit on Oahu?
Pearl Harbor suits a history day. Diamond Head gives you a crater climb. Hanauma Bay is for time on the reef.
The North Shore suits a drive with beach stops. Your season decides whether swimming belongs in the plan. Kualoa Ranch has guided film-site tours. The Polynesian Cultural Center has village activities with packages that add dinner or the evening show.
- Do you need reservations for Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay and Diamond Head?
Nonresidents need Diamond Head reservations; Pearl Harbor's grounds don't. Arizona tickets cost $1 per person including infants; they open at 3 p.m. HST 56 days ahead and again the day before. Hanauma slots open at 7 a.m. HST two days ahead; walk-ins are limited. You can reserve Diamond Head up to 30 days ahead.
- How far is the North Shore from Waikiki?
Haleiwa is 34 miles (55 km) from Waikiki by road. The drive takes roughly an hour before you add stops. Traffic can make it longer. Your beach choice adds distance too.
Take H-1 west and H-2 north toward Haleiwa. TheBus 52 reaches Haleiwa from Ala Moana Center. Route 60 follows the windward coast and continues past the northern beaches.
- Is Kualoa Ranch worth it?
Yes if you want guided access to film locations in the valleys. The 1.5-hour Movie Sites & Ranch Tour costs $59.95 per adult before tax.
That tour covers films beyond Jurassic Park. Choose the 2.5-hour Jurassic Adventure Tour for the Jurassic Park locations. You can't explore the valleys on your own.
- What can you do on Oahu without a car?
You can reach Pearl Harbor on TheBus 42 from Waikiki. Diamond Head works on Route 2 plus a walk. You still need the monument's entry reservation.
Take Route 60 from Ala Moana Center for Kualoa Ranch or the Polynesian Cultural Center. Their paid shuttles also serve Waikiki. Hanauma Bay doesn't have TheBus service into the preserve. A transport package includes entry.