5-Day Hawaii Itinerary

Fly into Honolulu (HNL) and transfer to Waikiki

Take a shuttle, rideshare or taxi about 30 minutes to Waikiki; skip the rental car for now.

Check in and get your bearings

Settle in and walk Kalakaua Avenue to pick up snacks, sunscreen and a poke bowl.

First swim at Waikiki Beach

Wade into the gentle water near Kuhio Beach Park with Diamond Head on the horizon.

Sunset and hula on the beach

Watch the sunset from the sand and catch the free hula show at Kuhio Beach when scheduled.

USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Use your Recreation.gov reservation for the film and Navy boat to the memorial. No bags allowed.

Battleship Missouri or the Aviation Museum

Stay for the deck where World War II ended, or the hangars on Ford Island.

Iolani Palace and Chinatown

Tour the only royal palace on US soil, then wander Honolulu's Chinatown for lei shops and noodle counters.

Surf lesson or sunset mai tai in Waikiki

Take a late-day surf lesson or toast the sunset at a beachfront bar.

Hike Diamond Head crater

With a reserved early slot, climb to the rim for views over Waikiki and the coast.

Drive to Haleiwa on the North Shore

Pick up a rental car for the day and drive about an hour north through pineapple country.

Big waves at Waimea Bay, Sunset Beach and Pipeline

Watch winter surf from the sand, see turtles at Laniakea and grab lunch from a shrimp truck.

Shave ice and sunset in Haleiwa

Cool off with shave ice in Haleiwa town, catch sunset at a North Shore beach, then drive back to Waikiki.

Inter-island flight from Honolulu to Kona

The flight to Kona (KOA) takes about 45 minutes. Pick up a rental car; you will need it here.

Check in on the Kona coast

Base yourself in Kailua-Kona or Keauhou for the next three nights.

Historic Kailua Village and Ali'i Drive

Walk past Hulihee Palace and Mokuaikaua Church, then have a coffee tasting from a Kona farm.

Manta ray night snorkel

Board a sunset boat and float above giant mantas feeding under the lights.

Snorkel or kayak Kealakekua Bay

Join a morning boat or guided kayak to the Captain Cook Monument, one of Hawaii's richest snorkel spots.

Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park

Visit this restored place of refuge with carved wooden ki'i and royal grounds by the sea.

Black sand at Punaluu Beach

Drive the south coast and look for green sea turtles resting on the black sand. Don't take any sand.

Evening at the Kilauea summit

Check in to Volcano Village and, if Kilauea is active, watch the glow from a park overlook.