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If you’re planning a short Hawaii vacation, you definitely want to spend a few days or more in Waikiki. This bustling neighborhood on the fringes of Honolulu is easily accessible with direct flights from the USA (or Australia), so it makes for the perfect family vacation destination if you have a week or less. There are many things to do in Waikiki with kids, from hitting the beaches and learning to surf, to watching hula shows and visiting the Honolulu Zoo.
We spent several days in Waikiki during our two-week family vacation in Hawaii, and our kids loved it just as much as we big kids! It’s also a top USA destination for teenagers. If you’re wondering what to do in Waikiki and need attractions to keep every member of the family entertained, then keep reading.
Waikiki at a glance 🔍
- Accommodation options: Waikiki has many family-friendly resorts and boutique hotels for between $130-$250 USD per night, depending on the season
- Getting around: Waikiki is quite walkable in the downtown area, but you can also take the bus network and the Waikiki Trolley for longer distances.
- Unmissable sights: Waikiki Beach, of course, as well as hiking up to Diamond Head, visiting Pearl Harbour (with older kids) and snorkeling in Hanauma Bay.
- Money saving tip: You can save money by staying off the beachfront, choosing a vacation rental with a kitchen so you can save money on eating out.
Looking to reserve an apartment in Waikiki? Click here to browse.
Things to do in Waikiki With Kids
Hike Diamond Head
The Diamond Head walk was at the top of our Hawaii bucket list. And considering the number of people on the walk when we did it, I think it’s at the top of everyone else’s list of things to do in Waikiki too.
While I loved the walk and the extraordinary views, the crowds were a little intense for me. In hindsight, we should have woken up early and hiked before the sun came up so we could catch the sunrise and avoid the people. We arrived to do the Diamond Head walk at about 8.00 am. Next time, I’d get there at the park’s opening time of 6:30 am.
It’s an easy walk to do with the kids. The trail looks hard and steep, but there are a lot of switchbacks, making it easy. Be sure to take the 900 steps and follow in an anticlockwise direction to ease the flow of traffic.
Allow for at least 90-minutes to complete the walk. You can also walk to Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach. With kids (depending on their age), I think this will be too much. If you have older children, then maybe. Instead, you can catch an Uber or a bus (we caught the bus) to the bottom of the park entrance and then walk in from there.
After the walk, head down to Bogart’s Café & Espresso Bar for one of their iconic smoothie bowls. Bogart’s is another 25-minute walk from the Diamond Head State Monument, so if your kids are tired, you could catch an Uber instead of walking.
Take a Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tour
We went back and forth on whether to do a tour of Pearl Harbor, the world’s most iconic World War II memorial. Would the girls appreciate it? Is it worth the expense? Relaxing on the beach for one more day sounds so good.
I’m so glad we decided to go; it really is a must-visit. It was a fantastic educational experience for our kids, and I was so impressed with how they behaved and what they learned.
It’s the first time they have experienced anything to do with war. They were very respectful, listened attentively, and absorbed the memorial and the meaning behind it.
“Mummy. Why would people do something like this to each other?” Kalyra’s face was scrunched up in confusing trying to seek answers to questions adults fail to give. Their innocence highlighting the insaneness of a hateful, fearful, adult world.
I did my best to explain this insanity to Kalyra, emphasizing how important it is for each of us to practice peace, love, and kindness in our everyday lives so we can allow that light to guide our collective decisions.
Savannah, our highly sensitive child, burst into tears while watching one of the videos explaining what happened. I welled up beside her. It gave me a lot to think about and offered new insights into US culture.
You can visit the grounds and museum before catching a boat over to the Arizona Memorial, the ship that sunk and is now the tomb for 1,102 of the 1,177, most of them as young as 18 and 19. So heartbreaking. It was a beautiful memorial. So many visitors pass through there every day, and everyone was so quiet and respectful.
Seven decades later, oil still leaks from the fuel tanks of the sunken hull of the USS Arizona. Little drops of oil bubble up from the surface and dance across it. They are known as the black tears of the USS Arizona.
Free tickets to the Arizona Memorial are released each morning at 7 am. Get there early and be prepared for long waits. You may even miss out on the tickets.
As we were short on time and without a car, we decided to join a tour with Discover Hawaii to Pearl Harbor, which is not cheap – it costs close to $290 USD for a family of four with taxes. It was expensive, but I found it worthwhile. The tour passed through Honolulu for a quick driving tour. I enjoyed the commentary and stories from our guide.
I would also recommend visiting the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum if you have older kids, which is a great place to get a vivid idea of what the battlefield would look like.
Alternatively, check out this half-day tour and full-day tour, which both come highly recommended AND include skip the line tickets. They were booked out when we were in town, so plan ahead if you can.
Spend a day at Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach is stunning, even when it’s busy; you can’t argue with it. Looking down from the room, the beautiful blue water was crystal clear, and you could see the reefs stretching all along the coastline.
Waikiki Beach is kind of split into three sections. The most impressive part of the beach is the section leading to that imposing view of Diamond Head. It draws your eye to its ribboned lion’s head from every perspective – the hotels lining the promenade, people swimming in the ocean, and out on sea looking back at the Waikiki and Honolulu skyline.
Further east toward Diamond Head is the family-friendly Kuhio Beach section. It’s out of the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, and there’s a sea wall protecting swimmers from the force of the ocean’s waves – the perfect place for young children to swim. Kuhio Beach is quite pretty with the palm trees and offers a beautiful view of Diamond Head.
Waikiki Beach is now one of my favorite city beaches in the world. Rumor has it that some of the grains have come all the way from Australia to help fill the beach. Yep, Waikiki Beach is actually manufactured. But who cares? It’s gorgeous, and it’s a beach!
At the western end of Waikiki and in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, you have Kahanamoku Beach. This curved section of beach features a breakwater and pier with coral running between them. It provides a nice swimming area that is relatively safe for kids, and there’s plenty of space on the sand to lay your towel for sunbathing.
The middle section of Waikiki Beach – in front of The Royal Hawaiian Resort – is the busiest section and where you’ll find a lot of water sports and some of the popular beach restaurants like Duke’s Waikiki. And it’s right near the main shopping area of Waikiki along Kalakaua Ave. Either way, a day on the beach is one of the best free things to do in Waikiki with kids, unless you partake in water sports.
Splash Around at Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon (at Hilton Hawaiian Village)
No trip to Waikiki is complete without getting out on the water. We enjoyed spending an afternoon splashing around in the five-acre saltwater lagoon next to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. We enjoyed playing with the water toys, and it was the first time for the girls to go on a paddle boat. Savannah loved taking control of the driving! Kalyra loved perfecting a cartwheel on the stand-up paddleboard (SUP) – how does she do that?
And I loved taking Savannah for a ride on the SUP board. I could stay out there all day.
The views out to Waikiki Beach and the rainbow tower were beautiful. Craig enjoyed taking the photos and videos before sneaking out for some solo paddleboarding.
Attend a Polynesian Luau
I was worried the Starlight Luau at the Hilton Hawaiian Village was going to be a bit kitsch and over-touristy, but I actually loved it. One of my favorite memories of our Hawaii trip was when Savannah got a tattoo (a henna tattoo, of course) from one of the male performers who happened to look just like Maui from Moana. She was convinced it was him, and she was smitten. The look on her face was priceless. I think it’s a memory she’ll never forget.
I enjoyed the dancing and music from the show. It showcased the stories and culture from the different Polynesian islands, which gave a good insight into their differences and similarities.
This was our second night in Hawaii, and I knew from them I’d love the spirit of the Hawaiian people. I’m keen to explore more of Polynesia now. You also enjoy a buffet dinner at the Luau and a couple of free drinks – mai tais here you come!
Take a Surfing Lesson
One of the best things to do in Waikiki with kids is learning to surf. The waves at Waikiki Beach are well-formed and the perfect place for the kids to learn to surf. With clear waist-deep water and gentle waves, they’ll be standing up in no time.
There are several operators spanning the beach offering group or private lessons, or you can simply hire a board yourself and just go for it. Kalyra didn’t want a lesson, preferring to hire a board and play around with Craig. She learned how to surf in Australia and loves it. She slipped right back into it and had a ball. Tragically, we lost our GoPro Hero 4 while catching the action.
If you plan on spending several days surfing in Waikiki or further afield in Hawaii, it might even be cheaper to buy your own foam surfboard and then sell it when you are done.
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Not actually in Waikiki, but close enough to visit for a half-day trip, is Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. This is one of the best and most famous places to go snorkeling in all of Hawaii, located 30 minutes east of Waikiki.
This beautiful cove was once a volcanic crater and has clear blue waters and lively reefs full of colorful fish. You can rent masks, snorkels, and fins or bring your own.
This is a well-known place to see marine life, specifically sea turtles, though no wildlife sightings are guaranteed. I can pretty much guarantee you’ll at least see some colorful tropical fish. If you are not confident with snorkeling, or just want to be led around, you can join a guided snorkeling tour.
Open every day except Tuesdays! Entrance fee is $25 per person (kids 12 & under are FREE).
HOT TIP: Go early. Get there around breakfast time, as this place gets crazy busy, and there are only 300 parking stalls. Plus if you wait till mid-morning or lunch time, the water gets churned up, which affects visibility in the water.
Watch a Waikiki Sunset
Probably one of the most relaxing things to do in Waikiki with kids is to grab a patch of sand or sit in one of the restaurants on the beach to enjoy a Waikiki sunset. We even had a good view of it from our balcony at the Hilton Waikiki Beach hotel. Sunset is also a good time for a walk along the beach down the Hilton Hawaiian Village end of Waikiki Beach.
Shop at Waikiki Beach Walk
A relatively new development in Waikiki is the Waikiki Beach Walk, a shopping mall in the heart of Waikiki. It was built in 2007, and offers some world-class shopping, dining options, and entertainment.
Waikiki is known to be a shopper’s paradise, and it’s easy to see why after visiting this mall. It’s full of eclectic boutiques and locally-owned stores, offering local products and artisan handicrafts. If you want to get a gift or souvenir to take home, this is where you’ll find it.
There are also a lot of restaurants here; we ate at the Yard House, and on the night we visited, they had free hula hoops for kids (small donation if you feel like it). It’s a great way to entertain the kids for an hour. They will love it. Go here for a current list of events and entertainment.
Check Out Free Hula Evenings
On Waikiki Kuhio Beach, you’ll find a beautiful free hula show. It’s really a lovely setting with the sounds of the ocean mixing in with the Hawaiian music. The show includes authentic Hawaiian music and hula performances as well as a torch lighting ceremony. It’s offered every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights, weather permitting. You’ll find the show at the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound near the intersection of Uluniu and Kalakaua Avenues – add it to your free things to do in Waikiki with kids list!
Go Underwater on the Atlantis Submarine
I’ll admit, I was nervous getting into the submarine as I’d never been on one before. The Atlantis Submarine submerged to 120 feet underwater, so it was a little scary. But it was awesome. I’m not a scuba diver, so I thoroughly enjoyed getting an insight into the underwater world.
The submarine cruises by several intentionally sunken ships and airplanes to help create new artificial reefs. We saw coral growing, sharks, lots of fish, and turtles.
It was another one of the educational things to do in Waikiki with kids, as Savannah loved using the chart to discover which fish was which. It was also cool to see the submarine pop up out of the water and submerge from the deck of the transport boat.
Visit the Dole Plantation
Another day trip you can take from Waikiki is to the Dole Plantation on Oahu’s North Shore. The Dole Plantation is half museum and half amusement park. It’s where you can learn all about the history and cultivation of pineapples in Hawaii and also ride the Pineapple Express land train. There’s also a maze and garden, and be sure to try a delicious pineapple Dole whip ice cream!
Places to Eat in Waikiki
Anyone traveling with kids will know that finding a place to eat if the hardest part of family travel! A hungry kid (or parent) is a grumpy one, right?! Waikiki is a great foodie city, with so many culinary treasures to explore. If you have fussy eaters or just want to have a few restaurants on hand that you know are good, here are some places we personally ate at.
Goofy Café & Dine
Right behind the Hilton Hawaiian Village and upstairs in a little shack on the main road is the Goofy Café. Alerted to us by another Instagram friend and by Tripadvisor, it was our first breakfast in Waikiki and a bloody good one. Chocolate acai smoothie bowls. What a way to start the day! I was happy Kalyra embraced it as well. They were cheap compared to Australia.
Barefoot Beach Cafe
An Instagram friend (I hate saying the word follower) shared this tip with us as a place to eat. The Barefoot Beach Cafe is like a beachside kiosk. Turn up barefoot and in your cossies and order a quick, cheap and easy lunch. It was our first time trying Poke, a traditional Hawaiian dish that food trends around the world are embracing. We ordered the spicy and Hawaiian poke and have discovered a fresh, light, tasty, and healthy dish. The poke was $9.
Yard House Restaurant
We loved this find on the Waikiki Beach Walk. We were looking for something casual and a more American bar feel, so we could watch the Tar Heels win the Final Four match of the NCAA Basketball tournament.
TripAdvisor alerted me to the Yard House Restaurant, and it was exactly what we were looking for and the type of place we’d often hang out in watching games with our mates in Raleigh, North Carolina.
My quinoa salad was ginormous and delicious. The kids’ meals were fantastic, they had gluten-free beer and great prices compared to many of the other Waikiki restaurants – definitely one of the best places to eat in Waikiki.
Heavenly Island Lifestyle
As the name suggests, you’ll walk out of Heavenly Island Lifestyle with a floaty air of contented happiness. Healthy, innovative, and delicious food with a funky Hawaiian-Asian fusion vibe. I loved it the minute we walked in, especially because Jack Johnson was playing. I’m in Hawaii now.
The green curry I had for dinner was one of the best I have ever had, and their smoothies are nutritionally dense and yummy! H.E.A.V.E.N.L.Y….if a healthy start is important to you, this is one of the best breakfasts in Waikiki.
Tiki’s Grill & Bar
We didn’t make it here for sunset drinks (suggested by others), but Tiki’s Grill & Bar is located in the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel and mixes a fun island vibe atmosphere with delicious food and nice open-air seating overlooking Waikiki Beach.
At the time, we were staying at the Hilton Waikiki Beach and wanted something family-friendly and within an easy walk. We ended up going to this place twice, and my fave dish was the venison burger. Live music is on offer here, and there’s a good Keiki (children’s) menu, and the staff were always friendly with our kids. One of the best Waikiki beach restaurants.
Highway Inn Kaka’ako
The Highway Inn is known for its authentic Hawaiian food and is one of the best places to eat on the island of O’ahu. We stopped in here on our way to the airport and grabbed breakfast on the run. It was just by chance that we spotted it while driving past. The food was delicious and massive.
I ordered two pancakes for the girls to share with my Aussie hat on. They arrived supersized. It would have been equivalent to a serving of at least six pancakes back home. My Kimchi fried rice was spicy and delicious, and was big enough to cover me for lunch and dinner.
Bogart’s Cafe & Espresso Bar
Our blogger friend Johnny Jet suggested to us that Bogarts Café & Espresso Bar made the best acai bowls ever, and we just had to try them. So we did, and they were GOOD.
Our kids also tried their pancakes, and they are ginormous and enough for your kids to share. Another thing we are getting used to is the size of US meals, especially pancakes. Kalyra gave a thumbs up for their hot chocolate, and Craig for their green smoothie.
Arvo Cafe
Around the corner from Highway Inn was an awesome discovery as I made the mad dash to get my coffee. I was first alerted to something Down Under going on when I spied Vegemite toast on the menu.
As I was chatting about it to the owner, the name clicked with me – Arvo is short for Australian in Aussie slang. The owner told me the concept behind the café was created by her Aussie brother-in-law. The Arvo Café had a bustling atmosphere. The word has gotten around that the coffee (and the food from what I could see) is good.
Mac 24/7 Bar & Restaurant
Fancy a pancake? Located inside the Hilton Waikiki Beach hotel, the M.A.C. 24/7 Bar + Restaurant serves modern American cuisine infused with the culinary diversity that makes Hawaii special, and killer pancakes! M.A.C. 24/7’s claim to fame is its Pancake Challenge.
Featured on the Travel Channel show Man vs. Food, the Pancake Challenge consists of eating three 14-inch pancakes topped with either blueberries, walnuts and chocolate chunks; pineapple, coconut and macadamia nuts; or cinnamon streusel with vanilla glaze. Open 24 hours a day and seven days a week!
WONUTS at TR Fire Grill
What time is it?…WONUT time! What’s a wonut? Well, it’s a cross between a waffle and a donut. The friendly bellboy upon check-in at the Hilton Garden Inn enthusiastically shared many local tips with us, one being we must try the wonuts downstairs at the TR Fire Grill. Our kids could hardly contain themselves and pestered us until we gave in and let them at it for dessert one evening.
LuLu’s Restaurant
Lulu’s Restaurant is a lively restaurant and bar, also located right on Waikiki beach, close to Tiki’s and handy if you’re staying towards the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. Again, we walked here from the Hilton Waikiki Beach. They do breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and every evening there’s live entertainment, plus they have big screen TVs for watching the sports with the food being American dining – our wings were great! Might not be the quiet place you’re looking for if you have toddlers, but family-friendly enough for our kids aged 9 and 5.
Places to stay in Waikiki with kids
Finding suitable accommodation in Waikiki is obviously important when you’re researching a family trip to Hawaii. Below are some hotels in Waikiki and nearby Honolulu that we loved!
Hilton Hawaiian Village
The Hilton Hawaiian Village is the best kid-friendly hotel in Waikiki and had everything we needed for a family break – a chance to unwind from jet lag and slip into our new full-time family travel lifestyle. This place is huge with 5 towers, and we barely stepped outside the resort doors.
With 5 pools, waterslides, a five-acre saltwater lagoon full of water toys, the white-sand Duke Kahanamoku Beach, and a Luau, there wasn’t much reason to.
Our kids loved this resort. Just make sure you drag yours outside to experience Waikiki. Trust me, it is tempting to just stay in and lap up the facilities.
We stayed in the Rainbow Tower as guests of Hilton Hawaiian Village and Hawaii Oceania Tourism. This tower has extraordinary views of Waikiki Beach.
Video Review of Hilton Hawaiian Village
Apartment in Ilikai Hotel
Save on resort fees and choose to stay in this beautiful apartment in the iconic Ilikai Hotel & Luxury Suites, right next to the Hilton. Apparently, Elvis stayed here, though it’s been renovated since his stay. The hotel is steps away from the beach and has views of the fireworks shows every Friday night at 7:45pm!
Each luxury condo home is situated on a high floor with beautiful views and has an open floor plan. It has a living area, full-size kitchen, private bathroom, and balcony. Sleeps 4 with a max limit of 6 guests.
Hilton Garden Inn
If you want to be centrally located in the heart of Waikiki, the Hilton Garden Inn is an excellent value. We stayed for two nights as guests of the hotel and enjoyed the proximity to the beach, shopping, and restaurants. This hotel has modern rooms, and our balcony had impressive views of the ocean.
It’s an easy two-block walk to the main section of Waikiki Beach, and across the street is the International Market Place – an open-air shopping mall. And one of the best coffees we had in Waikiki was also across the street at Kona Coffee Purveyors (they also have delicious pastries!) And if you’ve had enough of the beach, there’s a rooftop pool with a sundeck.
Downstairs is the home of Wonuts and the Holoholo Café & Market. It’s also an easy walk to Heavenly Island Lifestyle cafe, and the nighttime view is impressive!
Hilton Waikiki Beach
Towards the Diamond Head end of Waikiki Beach, we enjoyed staying for two nights at the Hilton Waikiki Beach, which is quieter than central Waikiki but still an easy walk to everything.
Again, there’s a rooftop pool and bar on the 10th floor, and being close to the family-friendly Kuhio Beach section of Waikiki is handy for families – a protected area for swimming, and it’s just a two-block walk.
Our ocean view room was great for sunset and city views, and you’re just over a mile from Diamond Head Monument. We walked everywhere, but the Waikiki Trolley and bus have stops in front of the hotel.
M.A.C. 24/7 Restaurant & Bar downstairs was reasonably priced for Waikiki, and it’s an easy walk to Tiki’s Bar, Lulu’s, and Kona Coffee.
Other hotels we liked the look of:
Getting around Waikiki
Waikiki is easy to get around by foot, bus, or Uber. You don’t need a car, but if you plan to explore other parts of Honolulu, you will find hiring a rental car is a better use of your time and budget. Waikiki is a very walkable area, as most of the attractions, hotels, shops, and restaurants are within a short distance of each other.
Oahu also has an extensive bus system called TheBus, which is a convenient and affordable way to get around the island if you want to go further afield and don’t want to drive yourself. A day pass costs only $7.50, for adults and $3.50 for kids, and buses run frequently throughout the day. You can download DaBus2 app to track buses in real time.
Another popular way to get around, and also more fun, is by bike. Biki is a bike-sharing app that allows you to rent a bike for short trips around Waikiki. There are Biki stations located throughout the city, and rides are priced per minute.
There’s also The Waikiki Trolley, a hop-on, hop-off bus that takes you to all of the major attractions in Waikiki. This is a great option if you want to see a lot of things in a short amount of time. There are four different trolley lines, each with a different route. You can view the routes and their stops here.
Lastly, you can always take a taxi or ride-sharing service like Uber and Lyft, which are available in Waikiki. I don’t recommend these as they can be expensive, especially during peak times, but if you need to get somewhere quickly or if you don’t want to deal with public transportation, this is also an option.
Final Thoughts
Our trip to Waikiki was my first time visiting Hawaii, and I wasn’t expecting to like Waikiki Beach much after our time on the Big Island. I had this idea that it was just a city beach, and overly popular with tourists, and it would be chaotic and crowded. Never assume anything.
I was wowed as soon as I walked into our room at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and saw the view. It’s one of the best hotel views I’ve ever had.
We arrived for two days at the beginning of our Hawaii vacation, and I knew straight away we had made the right choice, and I felt settled back into our “soul home”. After exploring the Big Island and Maui, we returned for another five days at the end of our Hawaii adventures to explore more of this neighborhood and Oahu.
It was an incredible vacation and one we remember fondly, and still talk about. We’re definitely going to be back, but what about you? Has this guide helped you plan your visit and given you some ideas for what to do in Waikiki with kids? Let us know in the comments.
Tours and Activities in Waikiki
Browse tours and activities in Waikiki on Get Your Guide!
More Hawaii Travel Tips
Planning to visit other Hawaiian islands? Check out these other guides…
What are you most excited to do in Waikiki with your kids? Let us know in the comments!
