Free Things to Do on Oahu, Hawaii

Last Updated on September 8, 2026 by Tori Pines

A vacation to Hawaii just sounds expensive, so it probably is, right? Wrong!  Hawaii doesn’t have to be expensive because there are so many amazing free things to do on the island.  Get some ideas from my list of the best free things to do on Oahu, create a trip only doing free activities, or sprinkle them into a trip to balance some of your expensive adventures.  But no matter what you do, you have to rent a car.  This is non-negotiable and will allow you to access all of the free activities, and really see the beauty of the island and experience the culture.  Now, on to the fun stuff!  

1. Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Located on the southern central side of the island near the airport is this super special historical memorial, and one of the best free things to do on Oahu.  Pearl Harbor National Memorial is the site of the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.  Visiting this site does not require a reservation, but it is definitely recommended, especially so you don’t have to wait around until there is availability.

It is completely free to enter, but will cost $1 per person if you reserve a spot in advance.  Make sure to check the website in advance, because they will occasionally close access to the USS Arizona due to weather and/or other reasons.  We were super bummed because we had reservations while we were there, but the docks had been damaged and they shut down access just a few days before our visit.  You can also visit the Battleship Missouri while you are in the area, but this does require a separate ticket and is not free.

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2. Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden

Photographers and Instagrammers, perk up now!  This is the place that you want to go for the most epic Hawaii foliage, mountains and florals!  The 400 lush acres are located on the eastern side of the island, and are a perfect stop on the way to Kualoa Ranch or the Polynesian Cultural Center.  It is open from 9am until 4pm and is completely free to enter.  The most famous Insta-pic, as far as I’m concerned, is located here; but they do monitor this famous road and don’t let people stop along the road for this photo.  We unfortunately weren’t able to go on our trip, but I would highly recommend checking it out and see if you can manage to get this famous photo!  If you are able to, send me a message with the details!!

3. Oahu’s North Shore

This area alone is worth visiting but there are also so many cool places to visit, fun things to do and delicious food to eat while you are here. And there are several free things to do on Oahu in just this one area!

Haleiwa

With so much to tell you, I guess I will start with the town of Haleiwa.  This little beach town is perched along the north shore, directly where the highway leads from Honolulu.  It is a very easy drive to get there and only takes about 45 minutes from Waikiki.  The town has some yummy little restaurants like Haleiwa Joe’s and Haleʻiwa Beach House or Kono’s for fabulous breakfast burritos.  Then, checkout North Shore Marketplace for a handful of cute shops and art galleries.

Dole Plantation

Next up on the North Shore is The Dole Plantation, home of the famous Dole Whip…I mean a pineapple farm.  Honestly, I only came here for the dole whip.  Did I have it for breakfast? Absolutely.  Would I recommend that you come here just for the Dole Whip? Ten times over 🙂

Need I say more?  I, along with millions of Disney fans alike, have a dangerous obsession with Dole Whip.  I even make it at home on occasion.

The Dole Plantation is where the Dole company grows their beautiful golden pineapples, and is completely free to visit.  They have some attractions that you can pay for if you want, including a train ride, maze and a garden tour but they also have some free gardens in which to wander and learn, a huge gift shop, and DOLE WHIP!  Okay, I’m done, I promise.  But seriously, go getcha some.  This would be a super great spot to take kids – give them something other than beaches and pools for a little while – but the activities are not exactly great for adults.  We walked around, learned a little about pineapples, ate our dessert and left. Definitely worth the trip, but not something you need to plan loads of time for.

And more!

A few other things to check out – Bonzai pipeline, if you are interested in surfing, especially in the winter when the waves are huge you can catch some surfing competitions here.  We did not go but make sure to do your research before you do.  I have heard there are some back roads that you have to take where many people get their cars stuck, even in jeeps and trucks, so be careful!  Another thing that the North Shore is known for is the turtles who sunbathe on the beaches.  Turtle Bay and Laniakea Beach are great spots for your best chances for turtle spotting!  And of course, beautiful and much more secluded beaches all along the coast for you to find and explore.

4. Waikiki Beach

Easily the most popular free thing to do on Oahu, Hawaii is Waikiki Beach.  It is indeed touristy for a reason, the views are beautiful, waves are great for surfing, and there is so much to do and food to eat.  We stayed right in the heart of Waikiki at the Sheraton Waikiki, and I highly recommend it.  Just look at the view from our balcony!!!

The beach is about 2 miles long and has hotels and restaurants located all along the sand.  The beach itself is always packed, the water is warm and clear and there are hundreds of surfers sitting out on their boards from before the sun rises until after it sets.

Staying in the heart of Waikiki means walking to everything you will ever need, breakfast, lunch and dinner, surf lessons, boat rides, and of course, lots and lots of shopping.  This area is great for all types of people, young couples, families, solo travelers, retired folks, and anyone else vacationing to the island.

5. Lanikai Beach

Lanikai Beach is likely the second-most popular beach in Hawaii after Waikiki.  If you haven’t heard of it, you probably have at least seen pictures.  It’s the iconic beach with the twin islands right off the coast.  It makes for the perfect tropical photo, proving you are indeed in Hawaii and not just the many beaches of boring old Florida. Just kidding, Florida is wonderful, it’s just not Hawaii. if you know what I mean.

This beach is located on the eastern coast of the island in a residential area.  There is lots of street parking close by, however they often restrict the times you can park here to help reduce the traffic for the locals who live here.  When we visited in 2021 you could not park there Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4pm, but it appears that the rule changes often.  We arrived right at 4 and enjoyed some afternoon time at the beach.  Just be sure to check the rules in advance, or take the bus there!

The beach itself was pretty quiet and felt extremely local.  There were people with dogs, and no huge beach set-ups.  Mostly just people walking and running along the water, and kids running around laughing.  It made us feel like we lived on the island for a few sweet hours.  All that to say, I highly recommend you visit this beach.  Bring a towel and your camera, snap some insta-worthy pics and take a nap on the beach.  Oh, and there is also an amazing hike to check out just off the beach that ends at a mountain top looking over the islands!

6. Ko’olina

The other area of the island where many tourists stay is called Ko’olina.  Located on the western side of the island, this area is typically much more expensive and laid back.  There are not nearly as many places to stay or things to do.  However, it is definitely a wonderful option if you want a more relaxed atmosphere, and is awesome if you have young kids.  The Disney Aulani Resort is located here, so even if you don’t stay in this area, you might want to visit to check it out!  The Ko’olina area is known for the lagoons; man-made areas where the ocean creates little pools.  It makes the waves much safer for kids and the water even warmer!  A great part of this area are the walking paths along the beach, perfect for family strolls and watching the sunset.

7. Whale Watching

This is only going to be applicable for people visiting the islands from December 15 until May 15.  We went to Hawaii in September on our first visit, so were unfortunately not able to see any whales.  But the second trip was in February and we had the opportunity to see several! There are some great spots to view them from land including Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail, Hanauma Bay, or the DIamond Head area.  If you want to spend a little dough, you can take a whale watching tour by boat as well!  These tickets can range from $40 to $200 for most tours and vary depending on length of time, size of the boat/group, and other various amenities.

8. Sunrise Hikes

Hikes should be an important part of any Hawaii vacation, but I urge you to do at least one sunrise hike specifically.  And it is much less miserable than you think thanks to the time change.  Most people from the mainland wake up really early, especially the first few days as your body adjusts, so you might as well use that early wake up call to catch the sun rise!  Plan enough time to drive to the hike, hike up and get in position before the sun starts to rise.  My favorite tip for hiking is to use the “All Trails” app to help find trails, read reviews, see photos and find ones that are a good distance, incline and time length for you.

9. Koko Crater Tramway Trail

There are many hikes you can do on Oahu, and one of my favorites is the Koko Crater Tramway Trail.  This is located on the east side of the island about 30 minutes from Waikiki. The hike is only 1.6 miles out and back, but it 885 feet of elevation gain.  If you aren’t sure what that means, its basically like climbing straight up…kidding…but man, it felt like it. 

The really cool part about this trail is that you are climbing along old railroad ties up the side of the mountain. If you decide to follow my suggestion and go for sunrise, the parking lot will likely not be open yet. There is plenty of street parking in the neighborhood right outside the gate, but be courteous and don’t slam your car doors, people are sleeping! Make sure you don’t leave any valuables in the car just to be safe. When we hiked, there were others on the trail but not many, we probably saw 10 groups on the way up. 

The hike only takes about 45 minutes to get to the top, even with several stops to catch your breath. It is HARD, especially if you have any trouble breathing, but completely doable if you stop every few minutes to rest.  For me, it was an awesome challenge and I was so proud when I made it to the top. Hang out up top as long as you would like before you head down. By now there will be hoards of people climbing up, but they didn’t get to see the beautiful sunrise like you did!

10. Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail

Another amazing hike option is the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail, which features the best views of the bright blue ocean, a pretty lighthouse on the coast and whales if you are visiting in the winter!  This trail is paved, and perfect for strollers and wheelchairs. This being said, it is still 2.5 miles and 500 feet of elevation gain, which is still quite steep.

However, there are several great lookouts along the way, so even if you can’t make it up all the way, it is the perfect option to just do what you can handle.  Many families do this hike because you can bring strollers!  We loved the incredible sea views all along the way and were so glad we took the time to check this one out.  After the hike, stop by Kona Brewing company or one of the other restaurant options on the marina.

11. Snorkeling

For snorkeling to be “free” you do have to come with your own snorkel gear (which is what we did and I highly recommend it!!). You can show up to any beach, jump in the water and see what you can find!!  Most places are completely free to access. Some have lots of wildlife hanging out there.  Some of these include: Electric Beach, Aweoweo Beach Park and Shark’s Cove.  As always, be extremely careful and only go in the water if conditions are safe.  Things can change at any moment and become dangerous. Don’t forget to pack your snorkel gear and checkout my list of what else you need to pack for your Oahu vacation!

12. Kualoa Ranch

Kualoa Ranch can be very expensive if you take some of their tours, but you can visit some of the property for free!  It’s is basically a huge piece of land on the North East side of the island that has epic scenery and many different tour options.  The ranch is also known for being a prime movie and TV set location where they have filmed the Jurassic Park movies, 50 First Dates, Hawaii Five-0 and many, many more.

There are some amazing tour options that can be fun and informative, but it can definitely be worth visiting without buying a tour if that doesn’t work for your budget.  The entrance to the property is beautiful on its own, sitting just between the ocean and the jagged coast line.  You can visit the gift shop (full of Jurassic Park themed items) or say hello to the farm animals.  The China Man’s Hat (famous island formation off the coast) sits right there, and you can chill at the beach and park area right across the street from the entrance to Kualoa Ranch.

And that’s a wrap for my list of free things to do on Oahu!  Please, please check out some of these amazing spots and tell me all about your experiences!!  If you need any additional help planning your dream trip to Hawaii, do not hesitate to reach out either via Instagram or email!!  And lastly, check out some of my other posts about Free things to do on Maui, Hawaii, The Best Things to Do on Oahu, Hawaii, What to Wear in Hawaii, The Most Instagrammable Places on Oahu, Hawaii, and so many more Hawaii topics!!