We got married in June 2018 and spent on honeymoon in Hawaii! Our Hawaiian honeymoon was 15 days on 3 different islands: Oahu, Maui, and Kauai! If you want more details about our trip and our advice, you can read more here. Enjoy our Hawaiian honeymoon itinerary!
Table of Contents
Day 1: Start of our Hawaiian Honeymoon
Flying from Boston to Honolulu
We got married on Saturday and flew out early morning Monday from Boston. We left Boston at 6:14am EST that headed to Dallas, the flight was roughly four hours and fifteen minutes. There, we had a layover and got on a flight to Honolulu at 11:15am CST. Our flight from Dallas lasted about eight hours and we landed in Honolulu around 2:30pm HST (Hawaii time).
Rental Car and Hotel
Driving is the best way to get around the Hawaiian islands, so we rented a car on each one. At the Honolulu Airport, there are car rental shuttles outside of baggage claim that bring you to the car rental area. There was a long line, so plan time for that!
After picking up our rental car, we drove to our hotel, the Trump International Hotel Waikiki. Depending on traffic, it can take twenty to fifty minutes. Parking is only valet parking and cost $34 per night with in and out privileges. To learn more about the awesome service and location of the hotel, click here.
Exploring Waikiki
Our first stop for our Hawaiian honeymoon was Waikiki! We walked down to Waikiki beach and then down Kalakaua Avenue which is known as the “heart of Waikiki” and the main shopping area. We headed back to the hotel and ate at Wai’olu Ocean Cuisine. The view was amazing from there, we watched the sunset and had some sushi!
Day 2: Oahu, Waikiki & Iolani Palace
Waikiki Beach
We naturally woke up at 5am because our bodies were still on EST time (which we were basically the whole trip) and so we walked down to Waikiki Beach. Waikiki Beach is world famous and is a great place to learn to surf or go swimming; it offers rentals and is lined with hotels and restaurants. It is a two-mile stretch that is actually made up of several small beaches (Waikiki, Fort DeRussy Beach, Duke’s Beach, Kuhio Beach, and Queen’s Surf Beach).
After a few hours at the beach, it was only 8am but we were starving! So we Googled best breakfast in Waikiki. We found Waikiki Beachside Kitchen; it’s actually part of a hostel on Lemon Road and we discuss it more in this blog post here.
Liliha Bakery
Following breakfast and the beach, we showered and changed at the hotel. We then got our rental car from the hotel valet, and drove to Liliha Bakery. They are known for their “coco puffs” and malasadas. On our way to downtown Honolulu, we stopped by to try some tasty treats!
Downtown Honolulu & Honolulu State Art Museum
After the bakery, we drove to Downtown Honolulu and parked the car in a private parking garage at Alii Place (1099 Alakea Street). It costs $3 for the first two hours and then $1.50 for each additional half-hour. The entrance to the Alii parking garage is on the right side of Alakea Street between King Street and Hotel Street. We wondered around for a bit to find a spot to eat lunch. Ending up at L&L Hawaiian BB, a Hawaiian chain, we ate Hawaiian plate lunches with rice, chicken, and veggies.
Then we visited the Honolulu State Art Museum. Admission is free and the museum is located on the second floor of the No. 1 Capitol District Building. It displays contemporary art from Hawaiian artists and has rotating exhibits.
Iolani Palace
We booked our tickets in advance for the Iolani Palace. The Palace was the royal residence of the Hawaiian monarchy. There is a welcome introductory video to watch in the Iolani Barracks on the Richards Street side of the palace. We did the audio tour and some of the extra audio jump-offs; we also explored the exhibition area in the basement. This was one of my favorite stops on our Hawaiian honeymoon.
When we finished with the Palace, we walked over to the King Kamehameha Statue in front of City Hall, which is across the street from Palace. King Kamehameha was the founder of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the statue is famously used in shots for Hawaii 5-0.
Evening in Waikiki
That evening, we drove back to Waikiki and spent the night there. We ate a late dinner at Mahaloha Burgers at Pa’ina Lanai Food Court at The Royal Hawaiian Center. Later we got ice cream at Henry’s Place.
Day 3: Oahu, Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
On the third day of our Hawaiian honeymoon, we woke up early and drove to Pearl Harbor. From Waikiki, the drive takes between 20 to 40 minutes. Pearl Harbor took most of our day. One important tip: NO BAGS ALLOWED. We got there early and waited for it to open at 7am; the parking lot fills up early on; here’s some information on parking. We purchased in advance the “Passport to Pearl Harbor” ticket, so we could see everything.
USS Arizona Memorial
You need a timed ticket for the Arizona. Our timed ticket for the Arizona Memorial was originally for 2pm, but when we checked in at Pearl Harbor at 7am, we asked if there was an earlier slot and got tickets for the 8am instead. The audio tour for the USS Arizona was included with our ticket, so we listened to that until 10 minutes before 8am when we told to line up.
The USS Arizona Memorial program includes a 23-minute documentary in theater, a US Navy boat ride to the memorial, time at the memorial, and the boat ride back. The Memorial was closed when we visited, so boat ride took us around the Memorial and a volunteer narrated.
| Recommended Time: Allow an hour and 15 minutes |
USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park
Located adjacent to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, it takes about an hour to tour both the USS Bowfin Submarine Tour and its Submarine Museum. The USS Bowfin sank 44 ships in nine war patrols and became one of the most decorated submarines for WWII. The audio tour is included with admission to the USS Bowfin and our ticket included admission.
| Recommended Time: Allow 1 hour on site |
Battleship Missouri Memorial
A 10-minute shuttle ride from the Visitor Center to Ford Island is included in the ticket price. The shuttle leaves from 7:30 am to 4pm. It brings you to the “Mighty Mo,” which was the last WWII American Battleship built and the last to be decommissioned. The surrender of the Japanese on the deck of the Missouri brought WWII to an end and remains one of the most impressive highlights in her illustrious, 50-year career that spanned three wars. It was included with our ticket.
| Recommended Time: Allow at least 2 hours on site |
Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor
Located on Ford Island, you will also need to take a free shuttle from the Visitor Center or from Battleship Missouri. It is the largest military aviation museum in the Pacific, with helicopters and aircraft spanning from WWII to the Gulf Wars. There is a free self-guided audio tour included with admission, and our ticket included admission.
| Recommended Time: Allow at least 2 hours on site |
Food in Pearl Harbor
There is a small snack shop with sandwiches and drinks. The nearby USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park has a small cafeteria with soup, nachos, and hot dogs. There is a restaurant at the Pacific Aviation Museum, and the USS Missouri Battleship has a lunch truck. We ate at the Pacific Aviation Museum.
Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Center
The new Pearl Harbor Virtual Reality Center is located in the courtyard of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and offers three Pearl Harbor VR tours: “Walk the Deck of the USS Arizona Before the Attack”, “Witness the Attack on Battleship Row” and “Experience the USS Arizona Memorial.” It was included with our ticket.
| Recommended Time: 20-30 minutes to do these three VR Tours |
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center Museums
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center has two exhibit galleries, “Road to War” and “Attack.” It is recommended that you see the exhibits before embarking to the USS Arizona memorial and admission is free.
Dinner in Downtown Honolulu
That evening, we ate at Shokudo Japanese Restaurant. Read more about it here.
Day 4: Oahu, North Shore
Haleiwa
The next morning, we stopped by Leonard’s Bakery for malasadas at 5:30am and then drove up to the North Shore of Oahu. After malasadas, we drove to Haleiwa Town, which took about an hour and ten minutes. Then we stopped for breakfast at Café Haleiwa and then stopped at Matsumoto’s Hawaiian Shave Ice. Then we drove to Turtle Beach.
Turtle/Laniakea Beach
Turtle Beach, Laniakea Beach, is relatively small and has no signs indicating its location. To get there, drive the Kam Highway just outside of Haleiwa. The parking area is near Pohaku Loa Way. Look for plenty of cars parked alongside the highway. It was roughly a 6 minute drive from Haleiwa Town.
Waimea Bay Park & Waimea Falls Park
Then we drove 6 minutes from Turtle Beach to Waimea Bay Park, which has a small paved parking lot. We parked and enjoyed the beach; we went snorkeling and saw some sea turtles! After swimming, we drove across the road to the Waimea Falls Park which is a one-mile stroll through lush botanical gardens that leads up to a waterfall.
Following that, we stopped at a food truck on way to Banzai Pipeline, called North Shore Tacos in Pupukea.
Ehukai Beach (Banzai Pipeline)
Ehukai Beach Park, also known as Banzai Pipeline, is well-known for its world class surfing and giant waves. It can be hard to find, since there are no descriptive signs, and the (free) parking area is quite small. You are better off looking for Sunset Beach Elementary School and then look for the parking lot across the way.
We stayed at the beach watching surfers and some extreme boogie boarders, but we did not swim as the surf was still too rough even in the summertime when they are milder.
Romy’s Kahuku Prawns Shrimp Hut
Our next stop was Romy’s Kahuku Prawns Shrimp Hut for a classic Hawaiian North Shore shrimp plate. While we were waiting for our food, we crossed the road to go to the Kahuku Farms’ Farm Cafe. Read more about it here.
Kahuku Farms’ Farm Cafe
While waiting for Romy’s, we walked over to Kahuku Farms’ Farm Cafe and ordered an acai bowl from the farm. We brought it back with us to eat at Romy’s. Then we drove back via the east side of the island.
Evening in Waikiki
In the evening, we relaxed at the hotel and then walked around Waikiki. We ended up eating a late dinner at Fisherman’s Tacos, which is part of Pau Hana Market Waikiki. Then had ice cream at Henry’s Place. We went to Henry’s Place several times on our Hawaiian honeymoon.
Day 5: Oahu, Diamond Head, Waikiki, & Fireworks
Diamond Head
The next morning, we woke up early to drive to Diamond Head, which took about twenty minutes from our hotel. Around 6:30am, we started our hike up Diamond Head. We wanted to start early in the day so that it wasn’t too hot during our climb. Diamond Head is a volcanic tuff cone and its entrance is off Diamond Head Road between Makapu’u Avenue and 18th Avenue, Honolulu. The trail entrance is next to parking lot and it costs $5 per car.
Rainbow Drive-In and Waikiki
Then we stopped for breakfast at the Rainbow Drive-In. It is cheap and delicious, read a little more about it here. After that, we drove back to Waikiki, relaxed at the hotel, and went to Waikiki Beach again. Later, we got dinner at Noi Thai Cuisine and then got ice cream at Henry’s Place.
Friday Fireworks
We brought our ice cream down to Fort DeRussy Beach, which is about a five minute walk from our hotel, to watch fireworks. Every Friday, the Hawaiian Hilton hotel shoots off fireworks!
Day 6: Oahu, Hanauma Bay & Traveling to Maui
Hanauma Bay
The next day, we woke up early and drove to Hanauma Bay, about thirty minutes away. We got there right at 6am when it opened and went snorkeling for a few hours. Then we drove back to the hotel, and on the way, we stopped at Leonard’s MalasadaMobile for breakfast. We returned to hotel, showered, and checked out.
| Tip: If you arrive before 7am, you can park and enter the park for FREE! |
Flying from Honolulu to Maui
We finished the first leg of our Hawaiian honeymoon on Oahu and headed to the airport, which took roughly twenty to forty five minutes by car. Then returned our rental car and boarded our inter-island flight from Honolulu to Maui, which took about forty five minutes.
Car Rental and Condo
Next, we picked up our rental car in Maui. The Maui airport car rental shuttles are located on the walkway, just past the end of the Baggage Claim area. Car rental shuttles stop behind the car rental building. Then we drove to our condo rental that we got through VRBO. It was in the condo, the Aston Mahana and was roughly an hour and twenty minute drive. After checking in, we went to a local grocery store to pick up food to cook in the kitchen at the condo.
Lahaina
Later we drove into the town of Lahaina and explored Front Street, the main road. We explored the town, including the famous Banyan tree and the waterfront area. After, we at dinner at Lahaina Sushi Ko. Then we got shave ice at Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice.
Day 7: Maui, Road to Hana
Road to Hana Tour
On the first full day in Maui for our Hawaiian honeymoon, we woke up early, cooked our breakfast, and then ate on our own waterfront lanai. Then we were picked up by our Road to Hana tour in our lobby around 6:35am. The tour was about 12 hours between all the driving from Ka’anapali and the many stops on the winding road. It was a great tour company and well-worth it to not have to drive this crazy but gorgeous road! It took us to several stops including:
- Waianapanapa State Park (black sand beach)
- Aunt Sandy’s Banana Bread
- Waleakalā National Park (Pools at Oheo Gulch)
- Palapala Ho’omau (small church)- burial site of Charles Lindbergh
- Numerous waterfalls and other stops!
Dinner
We ordered pizza from Pizza Paradiso Mediterranean Grill, which was across from our condo, and ate it out on our lanai.
Day 8: Maui, Beach & Luau
Beach and Relaxing
Today was a relaxed day that we spent in our condo and on the beach in front of the Aston Mahana. We made lunch at the condo and enjoyed a calm day during our Hawaiian honeymoon.
Old Lahaina Luau
That evening, we went to the Old Lahaina Luau. It has free parking on site with an overflow lot across the street. Our check in time was 6:15pm and it ended around 9:15pm. It was a buffet dinner with entertainment and a hula show. It was traditional hula, so no fire dancing, but it was amazing,.
Day 9: Maui, Molokini Snorkeling
The next day, we woke up early and drove about an hour to Kihei Small Boat Ramp for our snorkeling excursion. We booked the earliest excursion at 7am and needed to check-in by 6:30am.
Snorkeling Molokini Crater
The excursion that we booked was with the Redline Rafting Company for their Molokini Crater and South Maui Snorkeling Tour. Leaving at 7am, we were one of the first boats to arrive at the Crater, which has over 180ft visibility! If it isn’t too rough, you can also snorkel the back wall; when we visited, it was too rough, but our boat went back there and then returned to the front side.
We also went by the South Maui coastline, including La Perouse Bay, and stopped in area to snorkel with sea turtles! Breakfast and lunch were included in the price. It lasted until 12pm.
Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop and Lahaina
On the way back from Kihei to Kaanapali, we stopped at Leoda’s Kitchen and Pie Shop. We had driven by it several times and finally decided to stop. It was delicious and we highly recommend stopping for some dessert! After relaxing at our condo, we drove back to Lahaina and explored Front Street again. We got a fast casual dinner at Lahainaluna Café and then got some Shave Ice at Ululani’s.
Day 10: Traveling to Kauai & Fourth of July
Flying from Maui to Kauai
The next day, we packed up our suitcases and started heading to the airport, which was roughly an hour drive. Our flight left from Maui at 2:25pm and landed in Kauai around 3:15pm, so a forty-five minute flight. Then we picked up our rental car and drove to our hotel.
Hotel
We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa in Poipu. It had free self-parking included in the resort fee, so we parked and then checked-in. The resort is very large with several acres of pools, including a saltwater lagoon. It was the Fourth of July and the resort had several activities and performances. We explored the resort and ate a dinner of sushi on site at Stevenson’s Sushi and Spirits.
Day 11: Kauai, Na Pali Coast & Poipu
Na Pali Coast by Boat
The next morning, we left around 6am to drive to the check in spot for our Na Pali Experience Boat Tour. Lasting from 7am to 12pm, the boat ride brought us along the Na Pali coast. Our boat was small with only 6 passengers and we were able to go into sea caves and really explore the coastline. It was one of the highlights of our Hawaiian honeymoon; absolutely stunning and so much fun! We went snorkeling with sea turtles, saw dolphins, and got to experience this wonder of the world!
Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center
After our boat ride, we drove to Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center and got some garlic shrimp, shave ice, and honey toast.
Spouting Horn and Poipu Shopping Village
Then we decided to drive and visit Spouting Horn. It is a natural blowhole that spouts ocean water high into the air, sometimes up to 50 feet. Then we drove over to Poipu Shopping Village and tried Puka Dog. It was delicious! Puka dogs are buns that have hole (puka) in the center, then tropical relish and sauces are inserted, then the hot dog.
Relaxing at Resort
We then drove back to the resort and relaxed in the pools. There is a beach, but the surf is very rough on Kauai and decided to stay in the massive lazy river and connecting pools. We ate a late dinner at Dondero’s, an Italian restaurant at the resort. We ate outside on the lanai and it was a beautiful spot.
Day 12: Kauai, North Shore
When we went on our Hawaiian honeymoon, there was still a lot of damage from the flooding of previous months. Tourists could not go further than Hanalei and certain roads were still closed. Otherwise we would have visited Ke’e Beach, Tunnels Beach, and others.
Hanalei
On our day to explore the North Shore, we woke up early and drove an hour and half to Hanalei. As mentioned above, this is the furthest that we could go. We walked around Hanalei town and ate breakfast at the Village Snack Shop & Bakery. Then we drove down to Hanalei Beach.
Secret Beach/Kauapea Beach
After Hanalei Beach, we drove to Queen’s Bath and tried to park. There was a huge line for a few parking spots, so after waiting for several minutes, we decided to continue on. Our next stop was “Secret Beach,” also known as Kaupea Beach (it’s address is 2868 Kalihiwai Rd, Kilauea, Hawaii, 96754). This was a difficult beach to get to, thus the name “Secret beach.”
We drove around lost for a while before we found the dirt road off of Kalihiwai Road. You drive down the dirt path, park, and then descend a very steep path for about a 1/3 mile. The beach was beautiful, but the surf was rough, so we didn’t swim. You can see Kilauea Lighthouse from the beach.
Relax at Resort & Bubba’s Burgers
Following time at Secret Beach, we drove back to Poipu and relaxed at the resort. Around dinner time, we drove back to the Kukui’ula Village Shopping Center and ate dinner at Bubba’s Burgers- Poipu. Bubba’s is a local Kauai restaurant chain. Many celebrities eat there when filming on Kauai and Colbie Caillat used to work there in her youth!
Day 13: Kauai, Secret Falls & Helicopter Tour
Kayaking to Secret Falls
The next morning, we woke up early for a 7am Kayak to Secret Falls excursion. We checked in around 6:30am, and met up with our group. Driving over to a boat ramp, we unloaded our kayaks and started paddling up the Wailua River. After kayaking for roughly an hour, we landed and then hiked inland to a waterfall, Secret Falls. We had time to swim and play in the waterfall before hiking and kayaking back. It was absolutely amazing to swim in this magnificent waterfall. Another highlight of our Hawaiian honeymoon!
After kayaking, we drove to the town of Kappa. We ate lunch at Bubba’s Burgers and then got some shave ice at Ono Ono Shave Ice.
Helicopter Tour of the Island
Then we had our big splurge for our Hawaiian honeymoon, a helicopter tour! We didn’t book until the day before, but we decided to go with the Jack Herter company for their Doors-Off Helicopter Tour. Checking in forty-five minutes before our flight, we then were driven to the airport and went on an hour tour of the island by air. We saw the Na Pali Coast again, but high above, and also passed over Waimea Canyon, waterfalls, and lush forest. We got to see the North Shore by air, which we couldn’t do by car thanks to flooding.
In the evening, we drove back to Poipu and went to Bangkok Happy Bowl Thai Bistro and Bar for dinner.
Day 14: Kauai, Waimea Canyon
Waimea Canyon
We stopped for breakfast at Kauai Kookie Bakery & Kitchen. Then we started driving up Waimea Canyon. Going up Waimea Canyon Drive, we stopped at various lookouts and the Kōkeʻe Museum. On the way back down, we drove down Kokee Road. We also drove by the Captain Cook Statue in Waimea and drove through Historic Hanapepe town.
Relax at Resort
Then we drove back to the resort and relaxed there once again. At 6:30pm, we had dinner reservations at Tidepools at the resort. This restaurant was absolutely fantastic! We had some delicious octopus, steak, lobster, and dessert!
Day 15: Kauai, Resort Time & Flight
This was our last day of our Hawaiian honeymoon. We woke up and drove to breakfast at the Anuenue Café and then relaxed in the pools at our resort. We were able to check out and store our luggage with the hotel. Then when we were done with the pool and ready to head to the airport, we got our luggage out. The resort has a building where you can shower and change after checking out, so we did that.
Then we drove to Kapaa and walked around the town. We stopped for shave ice at Wailua Shave Ice and then ate sushi for dinner at Kintaro Japanese Restaurant.
Flying Home
After dinner, we drove to the airport and dropped off our rental car. We went through airport security and flew out on a 10pm flight. There was a layover in Phoneix and then went onto Boston.
Thanks for reading our Hawaiian Honeymoon itinerary!
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