5 Best Hikes Near Waikiki, Honolulu, Oahu, HI – 2024
A Hawaii vacation conjures up visions of lazing on Waikiki Beach, or water activities like surfing and snorkeling.
But there’s a lot more to Oahu! Ditch the car and enjoy the natural beauty of this tropical paradise on your own two feet. Hike!
Oahu has some beautiful trails, and we’ve curated 5 of the best hikes near Waikiki that will give you a flavor of all the island has to offer! These are the top 5 must-do Waikiki hikes!
Whether you’re a first time visitor to Oahu or you’ve been here a few times, these trails near Waikiki are easily accessible and the hikes never get old!
Looking for fun excursions for your Oahu itinerary? Consider a snorkeling tour at Turtle Canyon, where Hawaiian green sea turtle sightings are very commonplace!
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Hiking Gear Checklist
Many of Hawaii’s hikes are demanding, make sure you are well equipped and well prepared. Here’s what we typically take with us:
- Water Bottle: I hate plastic bottles, and with opaque bladders you can’t see if it is moldy inside. We use this Hydro Flask water bottle – light, stainless steel, wide mouth (you can add ice), with double-wall vacuum insulation (greatly refreshing for hikes in summer). You can also get it with a Flex Straw Lid!
- Hiking Shoes: My preferred hiking shoes are the medium range Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Hiking Shoe (men’s, women’s, men’s mid), great for Hawaii’s trails through mud and streams. My wife loves her high-end Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX Hiking shoes (men’s, women’s), also waterproof.
- Sunscreen: Hawaii’s sun can be harsh. Avoid sunburn with sunscreen compliant with Hawaii’s 104 Reef Act. The Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Sunscreen Spray, moisturizing with Vitamin E, is our go-to when we travel to Hawaii. Apply liberally and regularly!
- Trekking Poles: Great for hikes that involve climbing, both going uphill and downhill, and on trails that are wet, muddy and slippery! Improve your footing with this collapsible, high-end Black Diamond Trail Cork Trekking Poles, available for men and women.
- Headlamp: Planning a sunrise or sunset hike? Hiking in the dark is no fun, especially on many of Hawaii’s rainforest or ridge hikes. We love these two headlamps: the budget Black Diamond Spot 400 Headlamp and the premium Petzl Actik Core Headlamp, with many features.
Best Hikes near Waikiki, Honolulu
1. Diamond Head Crater Trail (Best Views Hike near Waikiki)
Probably no other natural feature dominates Oahu’s skyline as much as Diamond Head, the remnants of an ancient volcano.
Prominently visible from the tourist hub of Waikiki, after snapping photos of it from the beach, you must be wondering what kind of views you’ll get from the top.
Absolutely gorgeous! No wonder the Diamond Head Crater Trail hike is on every visitor’s Oahu bucket list, especially the first timers.
We’ve been to Oahu many times, but always made it a point to take this hike.
Though we considered this hike relatively easy, and our younger kids accompanied us without any issues, the trail is classified as moderate in difficulty. The climb up is steep, and includes multiple sets of stairs.
Hiking this trail requires careful planning, refer to our detailed Diamond Head Summit Trail guide!
Or, you can skip all the hassle and hike Diamond Head as part of a tour. I recommend this Diamond Head Hiking and Oahu Island Experience feat. North Shore tour that includes the convenient pickup from many locations.
>> Check pricing and availability on the 5-star rated Diamond Head Hiking and Oahu Island Experience feat. North Shore tour now!
2. Manoa Falls Trail (Best Rainforest & Waterfall Hike near Waikiki)
What’s a visit to Hawaii without seeing rainforests and waterfalls? The Manoa Falls Trail hike offers you both!
A relatively easy and short hike through a rainforest that captures every shade of green imaginable, and with every inch of space occupied by plants vying for sunlight!
You’ll see native Hawaiian trees like the towering koa and ohi’a lehua that form the rainforest canopy, and dense ferns and vines that form the understory.
And with the jungle and many streams, you’ll see some stunning Hawaiian birds, though you may only hear the beautiful songs from the secretive ones.
Manoa Falls at 150 feet is one of the tallest waterfalls on Oahu, and is at its most majestic flow after heavy rains!
Consult our Manoa Falls Trail guide if you are planning to take this hike!
If you don’t have a car or are looking for a guided experience, you can consider two tours:
- Manoa Waterfall Hike with Healthy Lunch Included From Waikiki which includes pickup, lunch and a tour guide.
- Manoa Waterfalls Hike with Local Guide for just the guided experience.
The nearby Lyon Arboretum is worth a stop (reservations are required, but hey, its free!), where you can explore gardens to learn more about Hawaiian plants and birds.
What we loved the most was the ethnobotanical garden that featured among other things the 27 plants (called canoe plants) brought to Hawaii by the ancient Polynesians!
3. Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail (Best Coastal Hike near Waikiki)
While rainforest hikes are spectacular for the abundant greenery, coastal hikes are equally spectacular for the stunning Pacific Ocean views, and the most popular of the coastal hikes near Waikiki is the Makapuu Lighthouse Trail.
The Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail was our favorite hike when we were vacationing with parents and smaller kids, one of the best easy hikes on Oahu!
Being on the tip of the southeastern corner of Oahu, hikers often come early or late evening for sunrise and sunset views.
Viewing telescopes at strategic locations on the trail are great for spotting spinner dolphins and migrating humpback whales (in winter).
We didn’t even have to scour the ocean surface, there was a crowd of onlookers pointing excitedly at a pod of breaching spinner dolphins when we were hiking. Our kids just loved the spectacle of the dolphins spinning in the air!
You can’t enter the beautiful Makapu’u Point lighthouse, but you can take photos from the trail of this iconic landmark!
For details on the hike, consult our Makapuu Lighthouse Hike guide.
If you don’t have a car, consider a tour or a shuttle service:
- Sunrise Hike at Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail which includes hotel pickup for a self-guided sunrise hike.
- Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail and Shuttle Service which provides hotel pickup for self-guided hikes.
4. Koko Crater Railway Trail (Best Workout Hike near Waikiki)
Exercise on your vacation? Even the thought of a workout may give you the shivers!
We felt just like you, but what if you could club it with phenomenal views? The hike up to Koko Crater summit is exactly that: a climb up 1048 steps!
The steps are just a euphemism for the rehabilitated remnants of a railway track that serviced the summit during the world war, and they start off with a gentle incline and build up to a relatively steep climb.
While definitely hard, and not for you if you have weak knees, we did it, and we are not spring chicken anymore! We took our time, and set out early morning to beat the heat.
The payoff is incredible views from a height of 1208 feet above sea level, and a tremendous sense of accomplishment!
Best time to hike the Koko Head Trail? Early morning or late evening, sunrises and sunsets are amazing!
Consult our detailed Koko Head Trail guide to plan this hike.
5. Hanauma Bay Ridge Trail
If you have members of your group hiking Koko Head Trail and that hike proved to daunting for you, I recommend the nearby Hanauma Bay Ridge Trail hike as an alternative, much easier option!
In fact, all of you can park at the Koko Head Trail lot and split up, based on your preference.
If none of you are snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, then you should use the Koko Head parking or street parking (Hanauma Bay requires advance reservations and a bunch of other mandatory stuff).
The Hanauma Bay Ridge hike takes you on a trail overlooking Hanauma Bay, a world-famous snorkeling spot, and the initial section is paved and easy for most beginning hikers.
The views of the bay are absolutely stunning!
Towards the end, the trail becomes a dirt loop trail and is meant more for adventurous hikers.
If you’re planning to snorkel as well, I recommend you book a tour like the Hanauma Bay Snorkeling tour to simplify the process.
Map of the Best Hikes near Waikiki, Honolulu, HI
The map of the best hikes near Waikiki, Honolulu, shows locations of the trails, and please expand the map to get directions and parking information.
Book a Guided Oahu Hiking Adventure
Excited about hiking in Oahu but haven’t hiked in Hawaii before? This guided hiking adventure is a great way to get started.
It’s customizable to your interests and abilities, and a local guide that’s familiar with the terrain will accompany you. Plus, round-trip transport is included.
You can pick two short hikes or a longer hike, and your guide can suggest specific hikes if you don’t know which ones you want to try.
>> Check pricing and availability on this customizable Oahu hiking adventure now!
Best Oahu Tours
Have you booked these popular Oahu tours and excursions yet?
Love snorkeling? This Turtle Canyon snorkeling excursion from Waikiki lets you frolic with colorful fish and Hawaiian green sea turtles. Hands down the MOST BOOKED Oahu snorkeling tour: turtle sightings are guaranteed!
The most popular luau in Oahu, Paradise Cove Luau has a 4.5 rating on Viator with over 3.5K reviews. The tour includes pick-up from your Waikiki hotel, pre-dinner games, arts, and crafts, a delicious meal, and an award-winning show.
Based in Waikiki but want to see more of the island? This full-day Oahu Circle Island Tour includes Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Haleiwa, the Dole Plantation, and more!
Pay your respects at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor! This popular Pearl Harbor tour includes boat tickets and round-trip transport from Waikiki.
A super popular Oahu North Shore excursion, this Oahu shark cage dive allows you to observe wild sharks in the open ocean from the safety of a cage! It’s a THRILLING Oahu adventure for your bucket list.
We have a detailed guide to the top Oahu tours and excursions if you are in the midst of planning your itinerary for the island.
Renting a Car in Oahu
If you want to explore more of the island of Oahu on your vacation, you should get a rental car.
Oahu’s popular attractions are spread over the island: the windward coast, the North Shore, and Ko Olina are great places to explore beyond Waikiki (or the greater Honolulu area).
While Oahu does have public transport options that are better than the other islands, a car offers a lot more flexibility and time savings.
We always use Discover Cars to book Oahu car rentals. They search across a variety of rental car companies, both budget and brand, to offer you the best deals, AND they offer free cancellations. Plus, there are no hidden fees.
>> Check availability and prices on Oahu car rentals now!
Honolulu Airport-Hotel Shuttle
If you are not planning to get a rental car at Honolulu Airport, consider booking shuttle transport in advance!
This shared shuttle can be canceled up to 24 hours from the date of service. It serves hotels in Waikiki and Honolulu and then back again to the airport the day you leave. It’s convenient and inexpensive, and saves time and hassle!
>> Check prices and availability for shared round-trip airport transfer in Oahu now!
Staying in Ko Olina? Consider this round-trip airport transfer instead!
Where to Stay in Oahu
Honolulu (Waikiki in particular) offers a large number of hotels and resorts, along with shopping and dining options. Most visitors to Oahu choose to base in Honolulu at least for a part of their stay.
While many of the large chains have a presence if you are looking to use your memberships, Honolulu also has several unique boutiques to consider.
Our faves include Halekulani for a splurge stay, the Lotus Honolulu for views of Diamond Head, and The Laylow for its awesome location.
Want more room to spread out or looking to stay elsewhere on Oahu? You will find VRBO listings all over the island!
On previous trips to Oahu, we have stayed in VRBO rentals in Waikiki as well as on the North Shore and the east coast and we’ve found the choice and quality great.
>> Look for an Oahu vacation rental on VRBO now!
More Oahu Travel Inspiration
Planning a trip to Oahu? Check out our other in-depth Oahu travel guides for help finalizing your Oahu itinerary!
Start by discovering the best things to do in Oahu. We also have a detailed guide to Oahu’s North Shore, a round-up of things to do on the east side of Oahu, and the best things to do in Ko Olina, on the west coast of the island.
If you ar planning a short first visit to the island, we have the perfect day-by-day 3 days in Oahu itinerary for you!
Of course you’ll want to learn about all the exciting things to do in Honolulu, Hawaii’s capital, and Waikiki, the touristic core of Oahu. We also have an article on the best places to eat in Waikiki!
Check out our guide to the best beaches in Oahu, and a round-up of the best beaches on the north shore of Oahu. Also read about must-visit Oahu waterfalls and botanical gardens in Oahu you have to visit.
Oahu is home to so many must-visit landmarks! Check out our in-depth article on how to visit Pearl Harbor, and our guides on the beautiful Waimea Valley in Oahu and the spectacular Byodo-In Temple.
Want to enjoy the thrill of observing sharks in the wild? Check out our article on shark cage diving on Oahu’s North Shore!
Discover the top places to go snorkeling in west Oahu, where you will find a long coastline with lovely beaches, and tips for snorkeling Kaneohe Sandbar on the island’s east coast as well as the super popular Hanauma Bay.
And if you love marine life, also check out our complete guide to (respectfully!) see and swim with dolphins in Oahu, and the best spots to snorkel with turtles in Oahu.
For hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, we have a round-up of the best Oahu hikes, and if you are looking to exclude the harder Oahu trails, a guide to the best easy Oahu hikes.
Find out how to do the iconic (and VERY popular) Diamond Head Hike near Waikiki for exceptional views. We also have a guide to the very popular Manoa Falls Trail in Honolulu.
More advanced hikers will want to read up on the Koko Head Hike, a long set of stairs leading to expansive views.
Learn where to go for the best sunsets in Oahu, whether you want to hike or enjoy watching a colorful Hawaiian sunset without working up a sweat.
We also have a guide to the best sunrise hikes in Oahu, one of which is the spectacular Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail in the southeastern part of the island. The Lanikai Pillbox Hike is another wonderful sunrise hike on Oahu!
If you are a garden enthusiast, check out our detailed guide to the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, our article on the unique Koko Crater Botanical Garden, and our guide to Foster Botanical Garden!
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