What to do in Honolulu while house and pet sitting

Located on the beautiful island of Oahu, Honolulu is the capital of Hawaii and a city synonymous with sun, sand and surfing. Waikiki Beach is one of the top holiday destinations in the United States, and there are stunning white sands to discover right across the island, as well as dreamy spots for snorkelling, diving and surfing. If you’re lucky enough to be headed to Oahu for house and pet sitting, here’s our guide to what to do in Honolulu while you’re there.

Honolulu attractions

1. Diamond Head State Monument: Diamond Head is a dramatic extinct volcano that overlooks Honolulu and provides superb views of the city and sea beyond. It’s what’s known as a tuff cone – a giant, very wide crater with steep sides – and it rises some 232 metres above sea level. A trail takes you right up to the edge of the crater, and although now the area is a state park, for many years it was owned by the military. Look hard, and you’ll spot signs of its former function, like the Second World War bunker near the summit.

2. Kailua Beach: Kailua Beach is a beautiful, four-kilometre crescent of white sand on the opposite side of Oahu from Diamond Head. Its fairly steady winds make it popular with kite surfers and windsurfers, and you’ll also see plenty of folks splashing about on their boogie boards. It’s a popular spot for kayaking, too, and there are a few small islands to investigate if you get out on the waves, like Popoia Island near the shore.

3. Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail: Down at the southeastern tip of Oahu lies the Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse, which dates from 1909, and which had the largest lens of any lighthouse in the United States at the time of its construction. The four-kilometre trail leading to the lighthouse is great for walking your canine buddy, although dogs must be kept on a lead at all times. Once you reach the lighthouse, you’re rewarded with some amazing sea views – and if you take your binoculars, you might spot some migrating humpback whales between November and May.

Free things to do in Honolulu 

1. Waikiki Beach: One of the most famous beaches in the world, Waikiki is one of Hawaii’s top tourist attractions and is synonymous with surfing. During the 1920s, the Olympic swimmer and legendary surfer Duke Kahanmoku honed his skills here, and went on to popularize surfing as he toured around the world. One of the beaches is named in his honour, and Waikiki is still a fantastic place to learn how to surf thanks to its long, gentle waves. Away from the beach, you can explore Kapiolani Park and take a wander through the shops of the International Market Place and the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

2. Pearl Harbor National Memorial: The attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941 sank 12 ships and killed around 2,400 Americans, leading to the United States entering the Second World War. A National Memorial was set up in 1962 to honour the fallen, taking the form of a white bridge suspended above the sunken remains of the USS Arizona. Visitors can take a boat ride out to the memorial to pay their respects, but it’s best to book a spot in advance, as places on the boats tend to go quickly.

3. Koko Crater Trail: During the Second World War, the US military built a bunker on the 368-metre-high lip of the Koko Crater to keep a lookout over the sea. They created a tramway to take supplies up the steep hill: the rail cars are now long gone, but the sleepers and track remain, and hiking up the Koko Head ‘steps’ has become a popular pastime. It’s not for the faint-hearted though, since the incline is precipitous and the sleepers are difficult to walk on – plus there are around a thousand of them, making for a spectacular but exhausting climb!

Fun things to do in Honolulu 

1. Lanikai Beach: Often declared the most beautiful beach in Honolulu, Lanikai lies just to the east of Kailua Beach, although it’s far more secluded than its neighbour. Access is via a few secluded alleyways, which open out onto stunning white sands with a view of the pointed Mokulua islands just offshore. The gentle waves and shallow waters make this an ideal spot for swimming, and dogs are welcome on the beach if they are on a lead.

2. Oahu Surfing: Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing, so it’s only natural to give the sport a go yourself if you’re heading to Oahu. If you’re new to surfing, Canoes Beach in Waikiki is probably the best known spot to learn the ropes, but there are also gentle breaks to be found on White Plains Beach in southwest Oahu, as well as off Kaimana Beach near Diamond Head. More advanced surfers have their pick of some of the best breaks and pipelines in the world along the North Shore, nicknamed by aficionados as the ‘Seven-Mile Miracle’.

3. Oahu Diving & Snorkelling: Grab your snorkel and head to one of the many top snorkelling spots around Oahu for some truly wonderful underwater sights. At the rocky bay of Shark’s Cove you can see parrot fish, wrasse and trigger fish swimming among coral and seafloor boulders, but if you’re a beginner, the shallow waters of Kuilima Cove are a great place to learn. Various companies offer snorkelling and diving tours across the island, and one of the most popular diving sites is YO-257 just off Waikiki, a ship that was purposely sunk to provide a playground for scuba divers.

What to do in Honolulu with pets?

1. Head to the beach: There are loads of dog-friendly beaches to choose from across Oahu. Generally the rule for these beaches is that dogs must remain on a lead while on the sand, but they’re able to enjoy swimming in the sea without a lead. Some of the more notable dog-friendly beaches are Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach in the east, Turtle Bay Beach and Kapaeloa Beach on the North Shore, and Royal-Moana Beach in Waikiki, but there are many more across the island.

2. Manoa Falls Trail: North from Diamond Head, at the end of Manoa Road, is a trail that might feel familiar. Manoa Falls was used as a filming location for Jurassic Park as well as a host of other films and TV shows such as Lost, and a short, 1.3 kilometre hike takes you through lush rainforest to the falls themselves. Dogs are welcome on a lead, but make sure to wear sturdy footwear, as the trail can be muddy at times. 

3. Ala Wai Dog Park: In a corner of the Ala Wai Community Park in Honolulu is a fully fenced dog park, where you can allow your canine companion to run to their heart’s content. The park is divided into sections for large and small dogs, and it’s just one of several dog parks in the city: others include Mililani Dog Park and Bark Park at Diamond Head.

Best restaurants in Honolulu: Food and drink

1. Senia: Senia provides some of the most sensational fine dining on Oahu. Head chef Anthony Rush aims to offer cuisine that ‘celebrates Hawaii’s abundance of beautiful ingredients and showcases the gastronomic possibilities that result when diverse cultures and multi-discipline culinary training intersect’, and the tempting à la carte menu includes dishes such as roasted bone marrow with oxtail marmalade, and triple-smoked king salmon.

2. Sweet E’s Café: Sweet E’s Café, named after owner Ethel Mathews, is a family-run restaurant that cooks up some fabulous breakfast and brunch. Choose from some delicious options like Hawaiian omelette (with pork sausages, scallions, spam, onions and cheese), fluffy fruity pancakes, or eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon. Then there’s the ‘Extreme Mess’: three eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, ham, peppers, scallions and onions, all scrambled together and topped with cheese.

3. The Pig and the Lady: The unusually named Pig and the Lady is a Vietnamese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown that remains perennially popular, so make sure to reserve your table in advance. The restaurant is most famed for its delicious pho noodle soups – try their signature Pho 75, a spiced beef broth with rice noodles, rare steak and stewed brisket.

Wherever you decide to explore in Honolulu, we hope that you – and your pet – have a fantastic time in this beautiful city!

If you want to discover more exotic places, take a look at the other travel guides on our blog, where you can also find all sorts of fascinating articles about pets. And if you’re interested in becoming a pet sitter yourself, head this way to find out how Trustedhousesitters works.