Top 13 Things Must Do Things in Honolulu, Hawaii On Your Next Vacation

These are the top 13 things that are considered must-dos and must-sees when visiting the beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii.

Honolulu, HI, USA / little plant/Unsplash

Visiting Hawaii can be one of the most rewarding, but also most challenging vacations to plan. It's unique culture and beautiful views can make it hard to nail down exactly what must be done to get the most out of a single trip.

To help narrow things down a bit, here is a list of 14 things that many people consider 'musts' around Honolulu and the surrounding nature:

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

A preserved home for different species of sea animals such fish, turtles and more. They run a tight ship here, but it is worth it for the wonderful views and unique looked at well preserved nature.

Waikiki Beach

One of the most famous beaches in the world. It stretches on for about two miles and has plenty to do along it. An entire vacation could be planned for just this beach.

Diamond Head

While at Waikiki, you can get a great view of the Diamond Head crater. The volcano itself provides a great view in the background of the area, but is worth making a trip to visit itself.

Manoa Falls

One of the coolest views that Hawaii has to offer. This 150-foot fall waterfall is not safe to swim in, but it is a marvel that must be seen.

Iolani Palace

This used to be the residence of the rulers of Hawaii. Back in 1978 it became a museum. It is still the only royal palace on United States soil.

Where to go for...

Snorkeling: Tunnels Beach. Beautiful water with a wonderful rocky view overlooking the shore. A perfectly calm and ideal place to go snorkeling.

Scuba Diving: Mala Wharf, Maui. Hosting great views of both marine life and underwater wreckage. It's a spot that is great for all levels of divers.

Parasailing: Kona Coast, Big Island. Take advantage of the beautiful volcanic coastline that Kona has to offer. Dolphins, turtles and humpback whales are regularly seen.

Whale Watching: Au'au Channel, Maui. While whales can be seen all around Hawai'i, this is supposedly the best location in all of the world for viewing the animals.

Surfing: North Shore, Oahu. While Waikiki Beach is probably the most popular surfing spot, the north shore offers some of the best breaks in the world.

Pearl Harbor National Memorials

This one site offers memorials of USS Arizona, USS Utah and USS Oklahoma. They show an exclusive film about the events of the day as well as offer extensive information and remembrance surrounding the monumental moment in history.

Chinatown, Honolulu

One of the oldest chinatowns in America, different hole-in-the-wall restaurants and shops are sure to make for an interesting day.

Kakaʻako

A great place to spend a night as one of the more contemporary areas that Hawai'i has to offer.