BEST RUNNING AT WAIKIKI BEACH

Going to fabulous Honolulu, Hawaii? Are you a runner? Want to know where to run at Waikiki when you aren’t sunning on the beautiful beaches, or enjoying the amazing shopping and restaurants? We got you. Read on for the best running at Waikiki Beach, plus, we throw in a few other fantastic things to see and do. Enjoy!

This was my first time in Honolulu and Hawaii. Waikiki Beach always had legendary status in my mind, I’d heard so much about this place, from so many people. Can it really be as good as everyone says?

When the chance came to ditch the Southern Australian winter and head to this tropical mecca of sun, sand, and warm seas in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I couldn’t get on the plane quick enough.

Goodbye freezing my ass off, hello to sunning my ass on a warm beach!

After ten hours (and a sore neck), here I was, and Honolulu didn’t disappoint. I was in love with this place within one minute of stepping out onto world-famous Kalākaua Avenue, and seeing the amazing Waikiki Beach before me, this was going to be epic fun.

Countless surfers were either catching waves or making their way along the boulevard, swimmers and sun-worshippers everywhere, and, to my great excitement … there were plenty of runners.

So, join me as we explore the best running at Waikiki Beach, and many other exciting things to do and see in this holiday nirvana.

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Waikiki Beach really earns its reputation as a popular and beautiful holiday location. It’s a magnet for surfers, swimmers, and anyone just wanting to relax in the sun on that warm white sand. Lined by palm trees and just a short step from many of the best hotels anywhere, this sweeping beach attracts thousands of people every day.

Kalākaua Avenue runs alongside Waikiki Beach and is a beautiful streetscape packed full of grand hotels, designer fashion shopping, restaurants featuring endless cuisine types, and gorgeous malls.

Everything has a sophisticated tropical vibe, walking along here is exciting and interesting at any time of the day.

At night the whole area buzzes, with people out enjoying famous Hawaiian food at any of the countless restaurants, walking, shopping, and just bathing in the exciting ambience of it all. The palm lined streets are full of sculptured paths, tropical greenery, and lit at nighttime with gas powered torches.

I really loved the massive 100-year-old Hawaiian banyan tree in the centre of the beautiful International Market Place mall.

Evenings are a great time to come down to grab a famous Hawaiian shaved-ice, a sensational Kona coffee, or have a drink and relax at one of the many bars.

Accommodation at Waikiki is well catered for with many hotels, holiday villas, condos, and apartments. Some of these, such as the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort, are right on the beach, most of the others are within a block or two. Not too far to carry your surfboard.

DID YOU KNOW: The name Waikiki comes from the native Hawaiian term ‘sprouting waters’? Waikiki was once a wetland area fed by mountain streams.

Waikiki Beach Run.

So, you’ve checked out the beach, explored Kalākaua Avenue and surrounds, sampled a famous Hawaiian shaved ice or açai bowl (I highly recommend this delicacy, more about that later), now it’s time to lace up those trainers and explore even more, let’s run.

Before I set out the route for you, let me tell you a little about some fantastic places you will run through and experience.

Excited? Here’s what you will see –

• Waikiki Beach, we are going to start at the famous statue of Duke Kahanamoku. Standing open-armed with his surfboard, Duke welcomes you to Waikiki Beach. Duke was a Hawaiian hero, an Olympic champion, and often referred to as the father of International surfing.
• Kalākaua Avenue. The home of some incredible high-rise hotels, restaurants, designer shopping stores, and the Royal Hawaiian Centre mall. You will run on the sculptured and beautifully paved sidewalks, whilst artfully dodging the tourist crowds. It’s a lot of fun (You’ll be an outstanding ‘dodger’ by the end of your stay).
• Side streets full of bars, street dining, art stores, and exclusive shopping.
• Lush and beautifully maintained parks and gardens.
• White sandy beaches, lined with palms, pathways, and boardwalks.
• The Hilton Lagoon, a stunning shallow lagoon which is a popular swimming destination for families with kids.
• The Hawaiian yacht club, some impressive vessels here. There are walkways all around the marina which you can run.
• Magic Island park and lagoon. This area, and surrounding parks, is a runner’s dream. Many trails to explore and great scenery.

This run is always exciting, always visually stunning, and you’ll find yourself enjoying this workout many times during your stay. As I did.

Here are the directions, let’s go –

• Today’s run is approximately ten kilometres. You can break this up for distances that suit you, or do it twice (and a bit) if you’re really keen, for a half-marathon.
• Before you start, just note that you are not going to run on the actual beach, the sand is too soft and there are too many people and obstacles. We are going to use the exciting streets, paths, and boardwalks for our run.
• Run from your hotel down to meet Duke at Waikiki Beach.
• Pay appropriate homage to Duke, then head north-west along Kalākaua Avenue (if you are facing Duke, you are heading to your right).
• Follow this beautiful boulevard along to Lewers Street.
• Turn left into Lewers Street. Plenty of awesome bars, coffee shops and art stores…don’t be tempted, keep running.
• At the ‘T’ intersection, turn right into Kālia Road, safely cross the road as soon as you can and continue a short distance until you come to a park.
• As soon as you come to Fort DeRussy Park, immediately turn left along the path, heading towards the beach. You’ll notice many people walking to and from the beach on this walkway. You’ll also notice the Hawaiian Army Museum on your right.
• The path will lead you to Fort DeRussy Beach. As soon as you come to the beach, turn right and run along the Fort DeRussy boardwalk. This was one of my favourite parts of the run, the stunning beach on the left and parks on the right. You’ll see crowds of people enjoying the swimming, surfing, playing beach volleyball, sunbathing, and generally having a great time.
• Keep running along the path. The park on your right will give way to high-rise hotels and their beachfront restaurants, bars, and pools. There are also surf shops where you can hire a board and try your hand at catching a famous Hawaiian wave. You’ll see a jetty on your left, after this point stay on the path, you are now on Kahanamoku Beach.
• You will now come to the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon (Hilton Lagoon), you can either turn left or right at this point to run around the lagoon. We are coming back this way, so you can run in the opposite direction on the way back.
• On the opposite side of the lagoon from where you came in, there is a gate leading to the marina and the yacht club. Go through this gate and turn right onto the sidewalk.
• This is Holomoana Street which faces the marina all the way to the Ala Wai canal and the bridge on Ala Moana Boulevard which crosses it. Follow Holomoana Street around until you get to the bridge.
• Cross the bridge and follow Ala Moana Boulevard a short distance until you get to Ala Moana Park Drive on your left.
• Run along the sidewalk of Ala Moana Park Drive, the boat harbour is on your left. Take a sharp left at the carpark, still following the lagoon, and follow it along and into the Magic Island Park.
• There are many paths through the park. The outer path will take you past the Magic Island Lagoon, and along the breakwater walls. You can explore as many of these park pathways as you wish.
• Once you have explored this area, make your way back to Ala Moana Park Drive, and return the way you came. Go in the opposite direction around the Hilton Lagoon, then head along the Fort DeRussy boardwalk until you get to the Fort DeRussy Park on your left.
• Now it’s time to leave the beach, turn left and run along the pathways through this beautiful park. Heading East through this large park, you will eventually emerge on Kalākaua Avenue.
• Turn right onto Kalākaua Avenue and run back to Waikiki Beach.

Keeping fit on a vacation was never so enjoyable. I ran this route many times during my stay, and explored other streets and pathways as well. I hope you love it as much as I did!

TIP: Spend some time to run along all the pathways, jetties, and moorings of the marina and yacht club. There’s a lot to see, and it’s a lot of fun.

Diamond Head Run.

The hike to the top of Diamond Head is one of Honolulu’s must do’s.

Located close to Waikiki Beach, you could even run to the Diamond Head Visitors Centre at the start of the hike, as we did (It’s a running holiday…that’s my completely believable justification for this trip), or you can walk, or drive.

Our run today takes us along the coast from Waikiki, through some parks to a beach park at the base of Diamond Head, and back again.

But before I give you the details of this run, let me tell you more about the Diamond Head hike, which I highly recommend you must do.

Diamond Head Hike.

Diamond Head (Lē ahi) is the huge crator of a volcano that erupted around 300,00 years ago. The summit of the crator was used by the military as part of Hawaii’s coastal defence system, where they built bunkers and lookouts.

The hike from the visitors centre to the summit is about 1.2 kilometres and consists of lower pathways giving way to trails, stairs, steep switchbacks, and a 68-metre tunnel. You can explore all the abandoned military infrastructure along the way.

This is a fantastic hike, with awesome views of the crater, the coastline, and back over Waikiki.

Whilst the hike can be quite strenuous in places, people with medium to high-level fitness levels should have no problem. Don’t forget to take some water.

You need to make a reservation for the car park and to do the hike, there is a limit to how many people the area can safely accommodate at the same time. Book here.

Here are the directions –

• Let’s start at the statue of our friend Duke Kahanamoku, so everyone has a starting reference point.
• Head South along Kalākaua Avenue, or if you are facing Duke, head left.
• Go over Kapahula Avenue which runs alongside a park where you will also find the Honolulu Zoo.
• Take the next turn left (very close) through Kapi’olani Park. This is Monsarrat Avenue.
• Stay on Monsarrat Avenue, at the corner of Trousseau Street, Monsarrat Avenue now becomes Diamond Head Road.
• At about half a kilometre along, near the corner of 18th St, you will see the entrance road to the monument and visitors centre on your right.
• This will take you through the Diamond Head tunnel to the visitor’s centre, where you can begin the hike.

You can walk, run, run/walk, ride a bike, grab a scooter, or take a car to the visitor’s centre and then do the hike. If you are reasonably fit and regularly walk long distances, walking there from Waikiki and then doing the hike won’t be a problem.

Give yourself plenty of time, and if it’s hot, protect yourself and take water.

TIP: You can purchase your tickets and reserve your parking up to 30 days in advance. Don’t leave it until the last moment, this is a very popular attraction and often sells out.

Diamond Head Run.

As you can see by our directions to the Diamond Head Crater hike, this can be used as a great run that combines distance, and a decent incline. Running to the visitor’s centre, even without doing the hike, is also a great workout.

You can also run the entire circumference of the Diamond Head Crater by following Diamond Head Road all the way around. This will be about 6.5 kilometres.

For our run today, we are going to stick to the coast. This gives us the opportunity to explore the area where Diamond Head meets the sea.

This is an easy 5k run on flat paved pathways, taking in great park and beach views.

• Once again, we will start at our favourite location, the Duke Kahanamoku statue.
• Head South along Kalākaua Avenue, or if you are facing our friend Duke, head left.
• Stay on the RHS sidewalk of Kalākaua Avenue and follow the beach along.
• When you get to the ‘Surfer on a Wave‘ statue, the path will split, stay on Kalākaua Avenue. The other path heads to the beach.
• Keep running along this sidewalk through the beautiful park and past the Waikiki Aquarium.
• Stay on the sidewalk. The park will give way to a residential area. At the end Kalākaua Avenue, the road will turn right into Coconut Avenue.
• Run along Coconut Avenue and take the first turn right onto Diamond Head Road.
• Shortly after that, you will see the entrance to Mākālei Beach Park on the right.
• Enter the park and from there you can either explore the area, there are some paths along the coast and a small beach, or begin running back.
• We are going to run along the beach path on the way back. Normally, we would take the path towards the beach just before the aquarium, but the boardwalk in front of the aquarium had been closed due to damage from the sea. So take a left turn immediately after the aquarium and just run through the park to the beach and turn right onto the pathway.
• Follow the pathway back to the Surfer statue and back to the start.

A couple of variations-

• You can vary your return run a little by staying on Diamond Head Road instead of turning back into Coconut Avenue. Diamond Head Road will finish at PoniMoi Road, simply take a left to reconnect with Kalākaua Avenue.
• You can also follow Diamond Head Road further along from the Mākālei Beach Park to take in Lē’ahi Beach Park, Diamond Head Lighthouse, Diamond Head Beach Park, Amelia Earheart’s marker, and the Diamond Head Lookout.

This is an enjoyable run when you are looking for something exciting, but not too long.

TIP: Try some of these runs at dusk, it’s a simply stunning time of the day. The evenings are warm, people are still surfing and swimming, the streets are busy, and other runners are working out … it’s what makes this place so special for us runners.

DID YOU KNOW: The Waikiki Aquarium is part of the University of Hawaii and is a working marine biology laboratory. This is a great place to experience the rich marine life of the Hawaii reefs. Definitely worth a visit.

Magic Island Run.

Magic island is part of a large park system in this area also incorporating Ala Moana beach and Ala Moana park, it’s an exciting destination for a run, there’s so much to explore and is very popular with the locals.

You will see the outrigger canoes teams training, surfers, swimmers, people exercising, people fishing, and, other runners. There’s always a lot going on here.

This area is also very popular with local runners, there are many paths winding through the parks. There are bridges, the lagoon and its beautiful beach, and the breakwater walls. You can spend a lot of time exploring the area while you workout. Make the run as long or short as you wish.

Here are the directions on how to get there-

• This area is adjacent to the massive Ala Moana shopping centre and mall on Ala Moana Boulevard. You can walk from Waikiki, catch a bus, or drive. There is parking at the Ala Moana Centre or at the entrace to Magic Island.
• Take Kalākaua Avenue, turn left into Ala Moana Boulevard near the Hilton hotel. Cross over the Ala Wai canal and follow Ala Moana Boulevard a short distance until you get to Ala Moana Park Drive on your left. This will take you to the Magic Island carpark, or you can park at the Ala Moana Centre on Ala Moana Boulevard.
• From here, lace up, hit the paths and have fun exploring the area. There’s so much to see as you run this beautiful area, you’ll find yourself coming back time and again, I certainly did. It’s really wonderful running with the locals too, people love working out down here.

TIP: Why not make it social and have a picnic down here under one of the shady trees after you’ve enjoyed your run. A fantastic place to enjoy your post-run protein shake and spend some time with your running mates, friends, or family.

DID YOU KNOW: Magic Island is actually a man-made peninsula built in the early 1960s. It was created as the site for a new resort style hotel which was never built, the area was then turned into the beautiful park we see today.

Other Things To Do And See In Honolulu.

Koko Head Tramway Hike

If you are upset because you found out, as I did, that you are not allowed to climb the Stairway To Heaven, do this instead.

I have to say, this was one of the highlights of my visit to O’ahu. It ain’t easy, but it’s so worth the effort, and who doesn’t love a bit of a challenge.

So, what is the Koko Head hike?

Back in World War II, the military built some lookout bunkers at the top of the Koko Crater. They then built a tramway to haul equipment and suppliers up the steep sides of the extinct volcano.

You will follow the old tramway up the sides of the crater, using the old sleepers as stepping stones. It’s 1048 steps to the top, with an elevation of 301 metres, and a distance of 1.2 kilometres. If you think that sounds like an easy short stroll, think again, the steep incline is a serious workout which will really test you.

However, once you’ve made it to the top, you’ll feel a great sense of achievement as you look back over the crater, Hawaii Kai, and the coast, the panoramic views are spectacular.

Some advice to keep this fun and safe –

• Wear secure, stable shoes with good grip. Your running shoes should be ok, especially trail shoes. Leave your flip-flops at home.
• Take some water, it can take up to an hour and a half to complete the hike.
• Protect your skin, it can get really hot. Wear a hat.
• The sleepers are a little deteriorated in places, uneven, or covered in slippery stones and dirt. Take care with foot placement.
• There is a railway bridge over a gully about halfway up, take extra care here, it’s quite high, you want to avoid slipping.
• When you get to the end of the tramway, walk the extra few metres further upwards to an old bunker which has a metal grate over the top. The views from here are absolutely stunning, and you get a real sense of your achievement in climbing this crater. You’ll get some great pics here.
• Take extra care on the return trip. If you thought it was slippery on the way up, that’s nothing on what it’s like going back down. With gravity as your tailwind, it’s very easy to go too fast and misstep.

The Koko Head Hike is one of my favourite must-do’s in Hawaii, the views alone make it so worthwhile.

DID YOU KNOW: As part of the ‘Koko-Nuts Challenge‘, a group of 65 local hikers climbed the old tramway to the top of the crater a total of 709 times over ten days. And I thought doing it once was tough enough, these hikers are truly hard-core.

Hilton Lagoon Waikiki Beach

The Duke Kahanamoku lagoon, also known as the Hilton lagoon, is a beautiful seawater lake fronting the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Surrounded by a sandy beach and paths all the way around. The lagoon is adjacent to Kahanamoku Beach.

Shallow and calm, the lagoon is very popular for families with kids. You can rent paddle-trikes, stand-up boards, or bring your own fun stuff.

Anyone can enjoy this great Waikiki attraction, it’s free and open to the public.

Most people will prefer the actual beach alongside the lagoon (or any other Waikiki beach), but for families and kids this area is extremely popular.

As part of our Waikiki beach run, see above, we loved running around the lagoon, such a beautiful fun place to experience.

TIP: Every Friday night at 8pm there is a fireworks display on the beach between the lagoon and Kahanamoku beach. The lagoon is the perfect viewing location, the fireworks seemingly explode right above you, illuminating the area with brilliant colour and sound.

Royal Hawaiian Centre, Waikiki Beach

On the beachside of Kalākaua Avenue, right in the heart of Waikiki, you will find this stunning mall.

Walkways over three levels run adjacent to the street, connecting you with the many retail stores, restaurants, café’s, and bars. There are beautiful tropical garden areas with large trees and waterways where you can sit and relax with a coffee or shaved ice. It’s a shopping and eating destination for thousands of people every day.

Here you will find the world-famous Cheesecake Factory, we tried this, and yes, it was amazing…a massive menu (not just cheesecake) and all of it delicious. Located here, you will also find the Waikiki Apple Store, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, Tory Burch, Harry Winston, Tiffany & Co, plus many more. There is a food court, bakeries, coffee shops, and convenience stores. There’s something for everyone here.

There are often events taking place at the Royal Hawaiian Centre, including authentic Hawaiian performances. For all the details and more information, go here.

Leonard’s Bakery

Another must try in Honolulu. If you are anything like me, hot donuts are completely irresistible. Healthy eating plans go straight out the window when hot donuts are around.

Leonard’s Bakery is yet another world-famous draw card in Hawaii, as evidenced by the queue of people lined up out the front and around the corner.

What are they queued up for? Leonard’s Bakery Malasadas. Technically, a Portuguese donut without a hole, these are baked fresh while you wait and are insanely good. I’ve had great hot donuts before, but these are next level.

Leonard’s have been baking these with their own recipe since 1953. They have many toppings and fillings, it’s hard not to order them all.

Here’s Leonard’s website, don’t leave Hawaii without trying this ‘decadent but delicious’ treat. You’re going to need to schedule in a couple of extra runs to work off all those calories.

Byodo-In Japanese Temple, Hawaii

This is a place of great peace and tranquillity, and was one of my favourite places to visit on O’ahu.

You can’t move anyway after all those donuts, so you might as well relax here.

Located on the other side of the island in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, the Byodo-in Temple is nestled at the base of some towering mountains, in a lush tropical forest area.

If the nature and landscape of the area wasn’t beautiful and peaceful enough, the Temple itself is even more serene and tranquil.

Walking around the Temple and its stunning KOI ponds and waterways is truly soothing for the soul. The Temple is a beautiful place to sit quietly, meditate, and just be in the presence of Buddha. Incense burning adds to the ambience of the Temple.

Definitely spend some time here, there is also a shop where you can buy books, incense, and other mementos.

DID YOU KNOW: The Byodo-In Temple is a smaller scale replica of 950-year-old World Heritage temple in Uji, Japan. Built in 1968, the temple commemorates the 100-year anniversary of the arrival of Japanese in Hawaii. Byodo-In translates as ‘Temple of Equity’.

Waimea Falls Oahu, Hawaii

Located in the North Shore area of the island, the Waimea Falls and swimming rock pool, are accessible via a short walk from the Waimea Valley Visitor’s Centre and car park.

If you’ve spent some time swimming at amazing Waimea Beach, before you leave, take a short detour up the adjacent valley to the car park, then take the walking trail.

Tickets are available at the Visitor’s Centre. Follow the valley through the beautiful botanical gardens, until you reach the falls and the swimming hole.

It’s an easy walk and only about 1k. Once there, you can grab a free life-jacket, which you are required to wear before entering the water hole, and have a swim under the falls.

The rock pool at the base of the waterfall is a popular swimming spot. Surrounded on one side by the towering cliffs of the valley, and the lush forest on the other. Mother nature has really put on a show here, it’s a great place to spend some time.

As the trail winds its way along the valley to the falls, keep an eye out for some of the huge variety of flowering trees and plants, you’ll snap plenty of pics.

Açaí Bowl, Famous Must Try Hawaiian Dish

Half the fun of travelling is experiencing new places and trying new things. With this in mind, I gave an açaí bowl a go, safe to say, I’m sure glad I did. How have I never tried this before? Famous in Hawaii and available everywhere, this is a delicious treat and a must-try while you are there.

But first, what is Açaí? Hailing from Brazil, açaí is the berry fruit of the açaí palm. Açaí berries grow in clusters at the top of the palm and, once harvested, are mashed into a tasty creamy paste and then frozen.

TIP: Don’t mess up the pronunciation as I did, the correct way to pronounce açaí is ‘ah sigh ee’. Say it that way, and you won’t look like a goose.

An açaí bowl is typically made by adding some tasty granola into the bowl, topping with the rich creamy frozen açaí purée, and then topped with sliced bananas, blueberries, strawberries, more granola, and sprinkled with coconut. There are many other variations as well.

Is an açaí bowl healthy? Açaí is naturally rich in fibre and antioxidants, add to that all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals of the other fruits and granola, this can be quite a healthy dessert. However, added sugar is always something to watch out for, there’s already a lot of sugar in the fruits.

So, go ahead, give this delicious treat a go, especially if you’re an açaí bowl virgin like I was.

DID YOU KNOW: In many localities in Brazil, Açaí is still harvested in the traditional method by local people scaling the palm trunks with just a piece of rope tied around their feet for grip, cutting the clusters of berries and manually carrying them back down.

Wrapping It Up.

Is Waikiki Beach, Honolulu a great place for a vacation? Definitely.

Is Waikiki Beach a great place for running? Hell yes.

Combining an outstanding location with some great running is every runner’s dream vacation.

Whilst you may love Waikiki for the beach and the sun, there is so much more to do and enjoy here too. Rent a bike, e-bike, scooter, or car and explore everything this exciting island has to offer.

With all these great routes to run, remember to take care of your recovery as well, be careful not to overdo it. We have some great information on how often you should run here.

If time permits, take some tours or trips to the other Hawaiian islands as well, so many more amazing places to explore. For me, that’s a great excuse to come back.

Have you been to Waikiki and Honolulu? Please let me know in the comments if you have any tips or ideas on things to do or try. Also, hit me up with any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you.

Happy running

Steve

Frequently Asked Questions.

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This article is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to act on any of its content. It is always recommended you consult your healthcare practitioner before engaging in any activity that may affect your health.

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