You may have noticed that this post is NOT titled “Day 2 Itinerary”, and I will explain why. Everyone will have a different pace that they need to follow. You and your travel partner may be ready to roll on Day 2, but another person might have slept poorly and is feeling exhausted on their first full day. The remainder of my posts will be sample “what to do in a day” posts. You can pick and choose what you want to do from these or follow them to a “T”. It’s your trip and it’s 100% up to you.
No trip to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. Well, if you’re traveling with really small children, maybe this is NOT the activity for you, but other than that, it’s a really moving experience. What follows are my tips for a day of Pearl Harbor.
First up, eat a good breakfast. You’re going to have a big day, so start it off right and fuel your body. You know your body best, but I do suggest having a good balanced breakfast. Yes, the French Toast with whipped cream, strawberries, and popping boba SOUND great, but that’s a big sugar spike – only to be followed by an even bigger sugar crash. Maybe today you opt for a few eggs (protein), some healthy fats (avocado), and some carbohydrates (toast or breakfast potatoes).
NEWSFLASH – there is a traditional Hawaiian dish called the Loco Moco. I’m NOT a fan of mixing foods together so I was super hesitant, BUT, I tried it and ohhhh myyyyy gravy. WOWZA! Who’s now a Loco Moco fan? This girl right here! What’s IN a Loco Moco you ask? It starts with a bed of rice (you can get white or fried rice, I prefer white for this dish). That’s topped with a ground beef patty, Portuguese sausage, sautéed mushrooms and onions, topped with brown gravy – and with two eggs (cooked your choice of ways) on top of all that.
Once you’ve fueled, head out to Pearl Harbor. You have many transportation options (Lyft, Uber, city bus, rented car, taxi). Our Lyft XL from near the Honolulu Zoo to Pearl Harbor cost about $50. There were four of us going together. Cost for Lyft and Uber vary by time of day, so your results may vary!!
I suggest you plan ahead for Pearl Harbor and buy your tickets online. We had done that, and had tickets for visiting the Arizona Memorial at 1:00 and everything else was at our discretion (time wise). We allowed a half day and that simply wasn’t adequate. We visited the Arizona Memorial and after that the guys went on the submarine to tour that. I’m not a fan of tight spaces, so I opted to walk the grounds while they were on the sub. After that we boarded a shuttle out to the USS Missouri. Unfortunately they were closing within an hour and a half of our arrival, so we really had to hustle through. Was it worth it, even at a rush? ABSOLUTELY!! But, as it was our first time, I could’ve easily spent an entire day there, and the hubs agreed. I’m not going to share a lot of photos from the “destinations” because honestly, you want to see it for yourself. The Arizona was deeply moving to all of us. Over 80 years later, and there is still oil bubbling up from the wreckage. I heard one woman remark that they call those oil bubbles “black tears” and that seemed quite fitting. The hubs had a neighborhood “Mom” during his childhood who had a brother die on the Arizona. It was really something to look at those names and see Mrs. K’s brother’s name up there.
completely out of the water is simply mind boggling.
Our visit to Pearl Harbor left me feeling very emotionally drained. I thought a lot about my Dad and uncles as we visited. I wondered how visiting PH had impacted my Dad, as his knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor was a lot closer than mine. We all would’ve liked to have had time at the Aviation Museum, but time had gotten away from us and we had to go. Again, this is why I’d 100% suggest you allow a full day for Pearl Harbor. I don’t think you’ll regret it – UNLESS you’re traveling with small children and frankly it’s just going to be too much for them. You know your children better than anyone but I definitely wouldn’t want to subject the youngsters in my life to a full day at a military memorial.
Our Lyft back to the Waikiki area was less expensive than our one out. However, my Lyft account shows that it was a standard ride vs. XL. The ride back was $25.
You may find yourself needing a short rest and/or refresh after a day at Pearl Harbor. Depending on the day of the week and crowds at the time of your travel, you may want to make reservations for dinner. As of February 2025, Open Table seems to be the most commonly used app for reservations in our experience. Choose something for dinner and discuss your experience at Pearl Harbor. Dinner is also a great time to discuss plans for your next day. Perhaps after Pearl Harbor you’re wanting something a little less emotionally taxing. In my opinion, nothing heals the soul as much as good old Vitamin Sea – so maybe a day at the beach is what’s next on your agenda! Don’t forget to enjoy the sunset and take a stroll along one of Honolulu’s bustling sidewalks! There are great restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, with a range of price points. We enjoyed Noi Thai Cuisine, which offers their dishes on a 1-5 scale for spiciness. For a complete list of restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, click HERE. It’s a beautiful spot to walk through before and after dinner! Remember my thoughts on going to bed on a full stomach! Get that post-dinner leisurely walk!
If you’re still ready for fun, stop in one of the hotels or restaurants for a drink. The Sheraton Waikiki has a bar/restaurant called “Rumfire”. In the spirit of research for the blog we tried the Mai Tai flight – and discovered that our favorite was the Rumfire Signature Mai Tai. We enjoyed it so much, we tried it again just to make sure it was as good as we believed. And then we went back at least one more time – just to make sure! As of 2/2025, Rumfire offers a dinner menu from 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm, last call for cocktails at 10:45 pm, and last call for food at 9:45 pm. They also offer Happy Hour from 3:00 – 5:00 daily. And, in case you’re wondering, the Mai Tai is $9 during Happy Hour. They have a good selection of food on their Happy Hour menu as well as those delicious beverages!
Pro tip – don’t drink a bunch of Mai Tais and make an impulse buy on your way back to your hotel. Although, this hat might be my favorite Waikiki souvenir!
To be clear, YES – I bought that hat and NO – I regret nothing. But, I’m not sure how I’m gonna get that sucker back home. I may have to ship it. The hubs says he’s gonna wear it on the plane. I think he’s bluffing. Kinda.
If you try any of these suggestions, leave a comment and let me know! Heck, if you READ a post, leave a comment and let me know! I dunno if anyone is even out there….helloooo……????
The Neverending Lori 