Hawaii, United States
New hotels in Waikiki
Honolulu's beachfront neighborhood on Oahu's south shore, a two-mile curve of named beaches between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific, and the birthplace of modern surfing.
Now open in Waikiki
No verified openings in Waikiki yet.
Coming soon in Waikiki
No confirmed openings ahead in Waikiki for now.
Iconic hotels in Waikiki
Waikiki
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa
Waikiki's original hotel, the Moana opened in 1901 with Hawaii's first electric elevator and a telephone and private bath in every room — extraordinary luxuries for the time. Its beachfront courtyard banyan became the stage for the radio show Hawai'i Calls, broadcasting the sound of the islands to the mainland from the 1930s onward.
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Waikiki
The Royal Hawaiian
Built in 1927 in Spanish-Moorish style on 15 beachfront acres once home to Hawaiian royalty, the terracotta-pink Royal Hawaiian earned its nickname, the "Pink Palace of the Pacific," almost immediately. Its original Mai Tai Bar, opened the same year, remains one of Waikiki's classic beachfront gathering spots.
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Waikiki
Halekulani
What began in 1907 as a small beachfront residential inn — its name, Hale Kulani, meaning "house befitting heaven" — was rebuilt from the ground up in 1984, a $115 million project by Californian architect Edward Killingsworth centered on an octagonal lobby and an orchid-patterned glass-tile pool.
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Waikiki
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser began building his Hawaiian Village in 1955 on the site of the old Niumalu Hotel, adding a geodesic-dome showroom in 1957 that NBC broadcast live to an estimated 20 million viewers nationwide. Conrad Hilton later bought a half-share in the resort, lending Waikiki's largest beachfront property its present name.
Learn more →Waikiki is not its own town but a neighborhood of Honolulu, on the south shore of Oahu, wedged between the Ala Wai Canal and roughly two miles of Pacific coastline. It is where modern surfing was popularized in the early 20th century, largely through Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, whose statue now stands on the beach that bears his name, and it remains lined with more hotel rooms than anywhere else in Hawaii — though we do not yet track any of them individually on this site. This guide covers Waikiki's beaches, streets and things to do while that editorial coverage builds out.
What to do
A day or weekend in Waikiki
Waikiki is compact enough to see much of it on foot. Start with a surf lesson or a swim at Kuhio Beach, the most protected and beginner-friendly stretch thanks to a partial breakwater, then walk Kalakaua Avenue, the beachfront boulevard lined with shops, street performers and the historic Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotel buildings. Spend an afternoon at Kapiolani Park, a 500-acre green space at Waikiki's Diamond Head end that holds the Honolulu Zoo and the Waikiki Aquarium, and hike Diamond Head itself in the early morning — the crater's rim trail requires an advance reservation for non-residents and gets hot fast once the sun is up. Close the day with a sunset catamaran sail off the beach, a Waikiki tradition since the mid-20th century.
A full week on Oahu
Waikiki works well as a base for exploring the rest of Oahu. Set aside a morning for Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona Memorial, a short drive or bus ride west, and a day for Hanauma Bay, a protected volcanic bay east of Diamond Head with some of Oahu's best snorkeling (reservations required, closed Mondays and Tuesdays). A day trip to the North Shore adds Oahu's famous winter surf breaks and laid-back small towns like Haleiwa, while an afternoon in Chinatown, downtown Honolulu, offers a different pace entirely — historic markets, galleries and some of the city's best-regarded restaurants.
Areas of Waikiki
Diamond Head end
The quieter, more residential end of Waikiki, anchored by Kapiolani Park, Kaimana Beach and the base of the Diamond Head hiking trail. It sits a short walk from the busiest stretch of Kalakaua Avenue but feels noticeably calmer.
Central Waikiki
The core of Kalakaua Avenue, including Kuhio Beach and the Royal Hawaiian and Moana hotel buildings, is Waikiki's busiest stretch — the densest concentration of shops, beach activity and street performers.
Ewa end (Fort DeRussy)
The western end of the beach, including Fort DeRussy Beach and Kahanamoku Beach, is generally calmer than central Waikiki and sits closest to Ala Moana Center, one of the largest open-air shopping malls in the United States.
Kuhio Avenue corridor
Running parallel to and one block inland from Kalakaua Avenue, Kuhio Avenue is Waikiki's dining and nightlife spine, with a different, less beach-focused character after dark.
Frequently asked questions
Is Waikiki a separate city from Honolulu?
No. Waikiki is a neighborhood within Honolulu, on Oahu's south shore, not a separate municipality — a common point of confusion for first-time visitors.
What hotels does this guide track in Waikiki?
None yet. Waikiki holds one of the highest concentrations of hotel rooms anywhere in Hawaii, but our editorial team has not yet verified and published any openings here individually — check back as coverage expands.
Which Waikiki beach is best for beginner surfers?
Kuhio Beach, thanks to a partial breakwater that keeps the water calmer, is the most commonly recommended spot for first-time surf lessons in Waikiki.
Do I need a reservation to hike Diamond Head?
Yes, for non-Hawaii-residents: the Diamond Head State Monument trail requires booking an entry time online in advance, and parking is limited, so an early-morning slot is worth reserving ahead of a trip.
What is within walking distance of Waikiki Beach?
Kapiolani Park, the Honolulu Zoo, the Waikiki Aquarium and the base of the Diamond Head trail are all within walking distance of central Waikiki, along with Ala Moana Center a bit further toward the Ewa end.