#1 Waikiki Beach
Nineteenth-century Hawaiian royalty used to come to the Honolulu neighborhood of Waikiki to relax and surf, just as scores of tourists do today. That's because this area's famous ... Read more »
M Swiet Productions / Getty Images
#2 World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument
Located northwest of downtown Honolulu in the Central Oahu region of the island, the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument is home to the USS Arizona Memorial ... Read more »
Glowimages / Getty Images
M Swiet Productions / Getty Images
#4 Surfing
It's no secret: Oahu is home to some of the world's best surfing spots. Every winter (when surfing conditions are at their best), professional surfers from across the ... Read more »
mattpaul / Getty Images
#5 Diving & Snorkeling
The Hawaiian Islands boast 1,200 miles of coral reef, so it's hardly surprising that two of Oahu's most popular activities are snorkeling and scuba diving. Dive into ... Read more »
John Seaton Callahan / Getty Images
#6 Kailua Beach Park
If you like to kite surf or windsurf (or watch others participate in the sports), head to Kailua on the Windward Coast and find a perch at Kailua Beach Park ... Read more »
skyseeker / Flickr
#7 Diamond Head State Monument
Hawaiians call it Le'ahi, geologists call it a tuff cone (consolidated volcanic ash), 19th-century British sailors called it Diamond Head. Whatever you call it, this unique crater was created ... Read more »
Art Wager / Getty Images
#8 Koko Crater Trail
Stretched across nearly 2 miles of Koko Crater in the Windward Coast region of Oahu, this hiking trail features more than 1,000 steps made from abandoned railroad ties. At ... Read more »
andyKRAKOVSKI / Getty Images
#9 Battleship Missouri Memorial
Launched in 1944, the USS Missouri (or "Mighty Mo") is best known for hosting a meeting between Allied and Axis representatives that led to Japan's surrender and the end ... Read more »
jcarillet / Getty Images
#10 National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
In ancient Hawaiian times, the Punchbowl Crater was used for human sacrifices. Now, it's the final resting place for men and women who served in the U.S. military ... Read more »
Yusuke Odada/a.collectionRF / Getty Images
#11 Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail
Less than 6 miles northeast of the Koko Crater Trail lies the 2-mile-long Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail. Easier to trek than the one at Koko Crater, this free trail ... Read more »
Andriy Prokopenko / Getty Images
#12 Honolulu Museum of Art
In 2011, the Honolulu Academy of Arts joined forces with the Contemporary Museum to create the Honolulu Museum of Art. Together, this museum and its sister property, Spalding House, feature ... Read more »
kernsandcairns / Flickr
#13 USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
Like the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park sits in Pearl Harbor within view of the World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. This ... Read more »
Glowimages / Getty Images
#14 Manoa Falls
This approximately 100-foot-tall waterfall, which sits 5 miles northeast of downtown Honolulu, is easily accessible. All you need is proper footwear, insect repellant, drinking water and the stamina to hike ... Read more »
LanaCanada / Getty Images
#15 Iolani Palace
Built in 1882, this 10-room historic house and museum details the reigns of King Kalakaua and his sister, Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii's final monarchs. It is the only official state ... Read more »
gregobagel / Getty Images
#16 Ala Moana Center
There are many places in Honolulu to put down some cash and pick up some souvenirs, but none are as extensive as Ala Moana Center. Located northwest of Waikiki Beach and ... Read more »
riNux / Flickr
#17 Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum
If you want to find out more about Hawaiian history and culture, then head to the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. Named after the last descendant of the Kamehameha royal family ... Read more »
Jimmy Smith / Flickr
#18 Shangri La
The American tobacco heiress Doris Duke spent her winters living in this opulent oceanfront home near Diamond Head State Monument. She began building it in 1937 and then spent nearly ... Read more »
Graeme Wood / Flickr
