Honolulu Travel Guide

The capital of Hawaii and its primary point of entry, Honolulu is by far the state's largest city, with 980,000 people—two-thirds of the state's population—residing within the metro area as of 2018. Situated on the southern shore of the island of Oahu, Honolulu serves as the center of government and commerce for the state, the home of the largest airport in the Hawaiian Islands, and the site of the state's best-known tourist destination: Waikiki Beach. Given the city's size and its prominence as a traveler destination, this is definitely not the place to go for a "get-away-from-it-all" Hawaiian vacation. Honolulu is as fast-paced and dynamic as any large city, with all the associated problems such as heavy traffic, crime, and homelessness. But Honolulu still has the charm of the islands' laid-back atmosphere and culture, with some of Hawaii's best museums, the historic sites of Pearl Harbor and former palaces of Hawaiian royalty, splendid beaches, and striking natural scenery, all set

TheAirport Waikiki Expressprovides shuttle service to hotels in Waikiki every half hour ($9/$15 one-way/round-trip).

Unlike many cities on the U.S. mainland, Honolulu is not laid out in a strict compass-point grid. Its street system conforms in large part to the shorelines, valleys, and ridges, with lots of twists and turns. It can be confusing for people used to straight grid systems. However, at the same time, it is not that difficult to navigate in, as long as you are familiar with the major arterials and terminology below.

Although Honolulu is relatively safe as far as violent crime goes, the risk of property crime is much greater.

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