Confession time: we are not city people. I can hear some of you gasping and scoffing right now, and that is okay. We know what we like, and spending our valuable vacation time seeing a dozen museums and dealing with city traffic is not it. Whenever we travel, we purposefully limit our time in cities. We choose a few key historical or cultural points of interest in a city and spend the rest of our time discovering the natural beauty in the surrounding an area.
So, the day trip that we planned around Honolulu actually involved very little time within downtown Honolulu. There is so much to see nearby that we squeezed a little bit of history, modern culture, and nature all into one day trip, and we still had time for a luau at our resort that evening. Check out the details below on our visit to Pearl Harbor, the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, and our family hike to Manoa Falls as well as info on where to find some mouth-watering malasadas (Portuguese fried pastries) and whether hiking Diamond Head is worth the effort.
What to Do Near Honolulu
Pearl Harbor
One of the hardest but most important lessons parents can pass on to their children is an understanding of the ugly parts of history. Winston Churchill is often credited with the famous quote: “those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” As our children grow older, we intend to do our best to teach our children to learn from history and, most of all, see the value of human life and show compassion in times of strife and animosity.
It was a difficult decision to bring our children (ages 2 and 4) to the memorial at Pearl Harbor, not just because of the atrocities they might be exposed to in the exhibitions but because we wanted to ensure that we gave the proper respect to the site and memory of the many lives lost on December 7, 1941. We knew it would be difficult for them to maintain the silence requested on the boat ride and at the USS Arizona memorial itself. However, since we had grandparents with us who had been to the memorial before, we were able to leave the kids with them to have a rest and a treat from the snack shop while we waited in line for the ferry.
- Remembrance and Contemplation Circles: We started off our visit with a walk along this path by the harbor featuring some informational exhibits and maps of the port depicting targets that were attacked that day and honoring lives that were lost.
- Exhibitions: There were two exhibition galleries focused on events leading up to and during the attack. We only walked through one of them since we were working with the limited attention spans of our little guys. This provided a good opportunity to explain the events at a basic level to our 4-year-old.
- Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater: The theater shows a 23-minute film twice each hour. We chose not to view the film to save some time and opted to head straight for the memorial after viewing the exhibition. Families with older children and/or more time to dedicate to this site might find the film worthwhile.
- USS Arizona Memorial: The check-in for a ferry ride to the memorial is located right next to the theater. A visit to the memorial takes 45 minutes, not including the wait in line. This time includes the ferry ride to and from the memorial as well as some time spent at the memorial itself. Part of the battleship is still visible above the surface, and the memorial is directly above the sunken, unsalvageable remains. We could see the boat very clearly from the memorial platform and even saw the oil still leaking from it. The ship leaks an estimated 2 quarts of oil a day. The memorial lists the names of over 1,000 crew members who died when the ship exploded under the attack from Japanese bombers. Rangers ask that visitors maintain silence while on the memorial to honor their memories. This part of the site may be the least suitable for families with very young children. As mentioned above, our kids stayed on the mainland during this portion of our visit with their grandparents who had been to the memorial previously.
Getting There:
From Honolulu or Waikiki, Pearl Harbor is about northwest on H1 or H201. The drive may take as little as 20 minutes during low traffic times, but Honolulu rush hour traffic can get pretty packed, so it may take up to an hour.
From Aulani and Ko Olina, the drive may take 25-35 minutes on H1.
From Haleiwa in the North Shore, the drive may take 35-55 minutes on H2.
Tips for Visiting Pearl Harbor:
Pearl Harbor has a strict no bag policy. They do not allow any concealed bags bigger than 1.5″ x 2.25″ x 5.5,” including purses, handbags, diaper bags, camera bags, backpacks, etc. It is serious, y’all. They do, however, allow clear bags, like Ziploc bags. So, if you have a baby or toddler, we recommend putting a few diapers, wipes, and any other essentials in a clear zipped bag. If you have a medical condition that requires a concealed bag, you should let security know right away, and they will screen it, but they will only allow medical necessities in the bag. They do have a paid locker storage area clearly marked near the entrance; however, at the time, prices were not clear on the website.
Strollers are allowed in the main area, but they are not permitted on the ferry to the USS Arizona memorial, but baby carriers are allowed on the boats and at the memorial.
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet and Marketplace
Three days a week Hawaii University’s Aloha Stadium transforms into an outdoor marketplace with hundreds of local vendors. You’ll find everything from clothing, souvenirs, art, and handcrafted ukuleles to fresh fruit, shave ice, and seafood. The swap meet is a microcosm of all things Hawaii, and it is a great place for your family to experience the diversity within Hawaiian culture. We recommend allotting an hour and a half or two to walking around, browsing the stalls, and trying some food. Parking is cash only and per person. It was $2 for 12 and up or $1 for locals and active military personnel. When we went, they were open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, but check their website for up-to-date details.
Is Diamond Head Worth It?
One of the big things we had planned to do was hike Diamond Head, the famous volcanic cone located just southeast of Honolulu, often pictured in picturesque photos of the south coast, rising in juxtaposition to the massive resorts of Waikiki. The family we traveled with had been to Diamond Head just a few years before, so we expected to be able to park and hike without issues. However, when we arrived, signage and rangers informed us that we needed advanced reservations to hike the trail, and they turned us away at the gate. It turns out that the number of hikers was getting up to 6,000 in one day, so the Department of Land and Resources implemented this regulation to limit out-of-state visitors and preserve the environment from erosion.
While the reservation requirement is completely understandable from an environmental perspective, it does present some challenges for visitors that may not make this site worth the effort. You can reserve a 2-hour hiking window and pay for entrance and parking up to 30 days in advance on the Hawaii State Parks website. You must arrive within the first 30 minutes of your time slot, or it may be cancelled without a refund. Check out the Department of Land and Resources website for updated pricing and the state park website to make reservations.
TRAIL TIP: Be aware that the Diamond Head trail has some challenging uphill sections with stairs and a 560-ft elevation change, so the difficulty of the trail may also be an important determining factor for deciding whether your family should visit.
Since we were unaware of the reservation policy, we couldn’t hike Diamond Head on the day we planned. We did look into making a reservation for the following day, but spots were limited, and we decided that it was not worth the effort for us since we were about to head to Volcanoes National Park and see an active volcano. However, we hope the information above proves helpful if Diamond Head is a must for your family.
Manoa Falls
When our plans to hike Diamond Head flopped, we did some last-minute searching for other hiking options in the area and came across Manoa Falls. Though it was a completely spontaneous decision, it turned out to be a real gem! The trail passes through a lush rainforest with massive vine-covered trees and ends at the 150-ft waterfall. The scenery is absolutely stunning from beginning to end.
Hiking: The trail is 0.8 miles from the trailhead by the main parking lot to the falls and 1.6 miles roundtrip. There are a few challenging uphill stretches, and the path is rocky in some areas and can be muddy as well. Expect to allot 1-2 hours for this hike depending on your family’s pace.
Getting There: Manoa Falls is a 15-20 minute drive north of Waikiki on H1.
Parking: There is one main parking lot at the trailhead and additional parking further along the road. There is a cash-only parking fee. It was around $7 a car for non-residents at the time of our visit.
Tips for Visiting: Bring insect repellent! The mosquitos were horrendous. Hiking shoes or boots with good traction are a must due to the muddiness of this trail. Although we did see some people in the pool at the base of the waterfall, note that park authorities discourage swimming because of leptospirosis contamination.
What to Eat in Honolulu
Malasadas: We packed light snacks for lunch on our day trip because we wanted to save room for dinner at the luau we had scheduled the same evening. So, we did not try any of the amazing restaurants in the area, but we did prioritize one food stop in particular: Leonard’s Bakery. These sweet, fluffy Portuguese donuts are famous in the area. How did Portuguese donuts even end up in Honolulu? It all started in the 1880s when a Portuguese couple immigrated to Maui to work in the sugar cane fields. In 1946, their son, Leonard, and his wife moved to Honolulu and started his own bakery. Malasadas were traditionally made in Portugal to celebrate Shrove Tuesday, but on the suggestion of his mother, Leonard’s bakery made some, and they have been making them for locals and visitors to Honolulu ever since.
Leonard’s has a few locations around Oahu, but we checked out the original store on 933 Kapahulu Ave. They had a variety of filled malasadas, so we tried a few. These did not last long! 10/10 recommend!
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