Honolulu is the capital city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It is an exotic vacation spot with incredibly beautiful beaches, mountains, and natural scenery. We went to Honolulu before having kids and returned there recently with both of our children, it is a fantastic choice for a family vacation with all types of fun activities and things to do.
Our Top 5 Tips for Travel with Kids to Honolulu
#1 Kualoa Ranch
Kualoa Ranch is about a 45-minute drive from Wikiki Beach (a popular beach and tourist area to stay in). In our opinion(and our children’s), this is one of the best(if not the best) places to go to with kids on the island of O’ahu.
Kualoa Ranch is a private natural reserve best known to tourists for its beautiful and scenic valleys that have been used as a filming location for many movies including the Jurassic Park movies. Our kids are huge fans of the Jurrasic Park movies so they loved seeing the movie sites and objects used in the movies.
Activities on the ranch include movie set site seeing tours on buses, UTV, and tours on horseback is also an option. Other fun activities include boat tours around Kaneohe Bay and ziplining.
#2 Waikiki Beach
Honolulu has some of the most incredible beaches in the world and there are better options for less crowded and pristine beaches but Waikiki beach is probably the most well-known and easily accessible beach in all of Hawaii.
The beach is within walking distance of many major hotels, popular restaurants, and shops and has incredible views of the Dimond Head crater. This beach has lots of character with monuments, and decorative art and its rolling waves are a popular spot for those who want to learn how to surf. We made multiple trips from our hotel across the street to Waikiki and it is a very good family option for beach days.
#3 Diamond Head
Diamond Head is probably the most picturesque volcanic formation in all of Hawaii and the hike up to the top is a very popular tourist activity. We had done this hike once before having kids and were not sure if it would be suitable to do with two kids under ten years old. However, we decided to give it a go and our kids did quite well on the hike up to the top where the summit offers incredible, birds-eye views of the Honolulu skyline as well as its beautiful shores.
The hike up to the top of Diamond Head takes about 45 minutes to reach the summit and parts of it can be challenging due to the incline and elevation. The hike back down is considerably less strenuous and took us about 30 minutes to complete. There are plenty of opportunities to rest along the trail with lookouts and benches. With two kids, we took our time on the way up and that certainly helped make the hike easier. Key tips for this hike are to wear light, comfortable clothing, wear a hat/baseball cap and also having water bottles as you will get thirsty.
#4 Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor holds historical significance because of the surprise Japanese attack on the U.S. Naval Base that lead to the United States entering World War II. The attack caused major loss of life, structural damage and is an event that has major memorial significance, especially for Americans.
What kind of appreciation and experience kids will have at the Pearl Harbor attractions is to some extent dependent on their age. For example, it was much easier to explain to our nine-year-old what had happened at Pearl Harbor than to our four-year-old. However, there are activities for people of all ages to enjoy.
The USS Arizona Memorial is the most famous monument of Pearl Harbor but the premises have four sites with historical significance. The USS Battleship Missouri, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and the USS Bowfin Submarine are the other three sites that can be explored.
There are packages available to do all the sites with one ticket or to do them individually. The tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial are technically fee but you have to secure them by getting to the site early in the morning or reserve one online. These tickets do go quickly so it’s best to secure them online for the date you are planning to go to Pearl Harbor.
We decided not to get the package for all the sites but instead strolled the free areas as well as got tickets for the USS Bowfin Submarine. Keep in mind that children under four are not allowed at some of these sites(including the USS Bowin). The walkthrough of the submarine was a cool experience but if you or your kids are claustrophobic then this might not be the best choice out of the options available.
#5 Food in Honolulu
Food on the Hawaiian islands is diverse and unique given the background and influence of many different cultures that are represented in the local population.
A few recommendations we have for things to try and places to eat in Honolulu include Hawaiian shave ice, a local dish called loco moco, and a very popular spot to get malasadas(Portuguese donuts).
Hawaiian shave ice is a desert where blocks of ice are shaved all different types of flavored syrup are poured over the ice to make for a smooth, delicious treat that is very popular on the Hawaiian islands. There are several famous places in Honolulu for shave ice, our favorite is Waiola Shave Ice. Our kids became big fans of shave ice after having it several times while in Hawaii, it’s a must-try!
Loco moco is a distinct, contemporary Hawaiian dish. There are many variations of this dish but the base foundation in most versions is white rice topped with a hamburger patty and gravy. Many restaurants in Honolulu serve this dish. We had it at a restaurant called Cheeseburger in Paradise and it was quite good. Other restaurants famous for loco moco include the Rainbow Drive-in.
Many kids(and adults) enjoy high-quality donuts. Lenord’s Bakery is a local icon and is famous for its malasadas, which are Portuguese-style donuts that don’t have a hole. This bakery often has a line going out the window. They have a few other bakery items on the menu but the malasadas are delicious and worth the wait in line!
Bonus tip: There is no shortage of transportation and tour options available in Honolulu but we highly recommend renting a car because there are so many nice beaches and picturesque scenery to explore. Having the freedom and control to go to and stop at places along the way helps, we stopped and took pictures at so many beautiful places that we would have missed if we didn’t have a rental car.
