Thousands of visitors flock to Waikiki Beach every day. Hawaii’s most iconic beach has been dubbed a tourist’s mecca.
I know we have lots of seasoned Hawaii travelers who read Go Visit Hawaii. So, I’d love to hear your thoughts about Waikiki Beach. Do you love it, like it or avoid it?
To start this discussion, I’ll share my thoughts. I enjoy the urban Hawaii vibe and gentle waves in the daytime. By far my favorite thing about Waikiki Beach is gazing upon Le’ahi (Diamond Head). At night, I love the tiki torch-lined streets. All that being said, I tend to enjoy Waikiki Beach in small doses with a few nights combined with some North Shore Oahu time or off to one of the neighboring islands.
So, let’s hear from you now. What do you think of Waikiki Beach?
Sheila Beal
10 comments
We have stayed on Waikiki Beach for a night or 2 at the beginning and end of the vacation, usually because most island flights pass thru. We don’t have a car or have turned it in as we don’t really need one while at Waikiki. My favorite time on the beach is sunset and also enjoying Diamond Head. There are usually boats on the water and it just makes a great start or end to time in Hawaii. We too prefer the North Shore and will often spend a night or two in town to shop and eat.
I agree, Waikiki in small doses. I prefer something less crowded and at a slower pace.
We stayed 4 days there!! Loved watching the surfers and all of the people. Then we climbed Diamond Head…an adventure in itself!!! Then off to Kona for some peace and quiet!!!
I stayed on Waikiki beach at the beginning and the end of my holiday. I went to the beach only once and was really disappointed. It was far too crowded for me 🙁 Few years ago, I didn’t have a clue where Waikiki was but it always sounded as a paradise to me. And then when you see all the tourists, gift shops…
On my hols, I stayed on Big Island, Kauai and Maui so Waikiki didn’t really stand out…
I love Waikiki beach because you can walk through the busy shopping strip on an evening, have dinner and then to finish the evening do a loop and walk back to the other end of town on the beach.
During the day it’s great if you are staying at one of the beach hotels to relax by the pool and be able to watch life go by on the beach from the comfort of your hotel. I love the fact that it’s busy. There’s always something to see!
I used to live in Waikiki and I’ve been working in there for over 10 years now and I never get tired of it.
On the weekends my family wants to go to the beach so we pack up our stuff and go to Waikiki.
However – There is a LOT more to Hawaii than Waikiki. I feel sorry for the visitors who never leave the area to explore the rest of the island.
I love Waikiki for the variety; beach and shopping and great restaurants. We’ve stayed for our whole vacation there on several occasions and will rent a car for a day or two to go to the North Shore…love Haleiwa! But then again, we love Kauai too for the peacefulness.
We’ve stayed at Waikiki for a week or more and loved it. If you’re coming from a large, urban environment, the crowds here are nothing! The beach is spread out, so it’s easy to find some peaceful spot to settle into, and you’re close to hotels, so you can access the beach more often. The water is gentle and easier to swim in than getting smacked around the reefs as in the North Shore area. You’re close to all amenities which is convenient. On the other hand, it’s important to get out of the city and see the rest of the island so you can see the diversity of the beaches, mountain interiors, etc. And of course, if you want to see sea turtles, it’s best to go North Shore area.
i stay away from waikiki because oahu has so much better beaches. i hit the north shore or even better, lanikai. easier to find parking and more relaxed, unreal sand and clean. and after the beach, kailua has so much places to eat and shop. i always get a shave ice at island snow, nothing better after a hot day at the beach.
Hello Folks. My wife and I are from Australia and love Hawaii. We first went there in 1982 for our Honeymoon and 30 years later we went back and stayed in the same hotel in Waikiki. In 1982 it was the Outrigger East and today it’s called Ohana Waikiki East. Of course the hotel has had a lot of changes in that time. We love Waikiki because it is so close to all the action and you don’t need a vehicle to get around. I especially love walking through the Up Market hotels right on the beach. I sometimes sit in one of their lounge chairs and read the paper and pretend I am staying there. The beach can get crowded, but we don’t care. it is so Iconic. We watch Hawaii Five-0 also, because it reminds us of that beautiful Island State.