8 Free Things To Do in Waikīkī

Traveling to Hawaiʻi can be expensive. But in Waikīkī, one of the most popular towns in the Hawaiian Islands, you can spend an entire day wandering around this historic town without spending a penny. Here’s how.

1. Watch a Hula Show

Kilohana Hula Show in Waikīkī.
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Launched this year, the Kilohana Hula Show, presented by Southwest Airlines, is a nod to the old Kodak Hula Show in Waikīkī. This show is free and occurs Sunday through Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell’s smaller adjoining amphitheater. It features Merrie Monarch Festival dancers, and is produced by the former entertainment stage director from the renowned Old Lahaina Lū‘au, bringing authentic Hawaiian hula and culture to Waikīkī.

If you can’t make those days, try the Kūhiō Beach Hula Show at the Kūhiō Beach hula mound on Kalākaua Avenue, near the Duke Kahanamoku statue. This free show happens every Tuesday and Saturday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. It opens with a traditional blowing of a conch shell, of pu kani and features authentic hula and Hawaiian music.

2. Follow the Waikīkī Historic Trail

There are 21 stops on the Waikīkī Historic Trail.
Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Maybe you’ve seen a bronze surfboard marker along Kalākaua, like the one above, and wondered about it. Well, this is part of the iconic Waikīkī Historic Trail, established in 1997 with 21 markers all over Waikīkī, once the playground for Hawaiian aliʻi (royalty). Right now the state is working on revitalizing the trail, but you can still spot these markers and follow the invisible, 2-mile pathway that connects them. The markers note everything from Waikīkī’s ancient fishponds to the history of the Ala Wai Canal. If architecture is more your thing, the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation offers a self-guided walking tour of the historic homes in Waikīkī. It takes about 45 minutes, starting at the War Memorial Natatorium toward Diamond, finishing with the Mediterranean-inspired La Pietra School for Girls.

3. Spend the Day at Kapʻiolani Park

Kapiʻolani Park.
Photo: Getty Images/7maru

The 200-acre Kapiʻolani Park in Waikīkī is one of the largest and second-oldest public park on Oʻahu. It opened as King Kalākaua’s playground for polo fields and, in 1877, he dedicated this as a public space. Today, the park is still used for sports, from soccer to tennis to rugby. The park also includes the Honolulu Zoo and Waikīkī Shell. During the summer the park hosts various cultural and sporting events, many of which include live entertainment at the historic bandstand. The Royal Hawaiian Band, founded in 1836 by King Kamehameha III and the only band in the U.S. with a royal legacy, plays on Sundays. Art on the Zoo Fence is an outdoor venue where Hawaiʻi artists display and sell their art every Saturday and Sunday.

4. Watch the Friday Night Fireworks at Hilton Hawaiian Village

Photo: Courtesy of Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort

Since 1988—with a two-year pause during the pandemic—the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort has presented a free—yes, free!—fireworks show every Friday night off its lagoon. The show begins at 7:45 p.m. and can be seen throughout Waikīki.

5. Check out the Stars at the Royal Hawaiian Center

Starry night in Waikīkī.
Photo: Getty Images/pianoman555

Throughout the year, the Royal Hawaiian Center offers rooftop stargazing, starting at around 7 p.m. (Start time depends on the season.) It’s free and open to the public, but it’s first come first serve. Yes, even in brightly lit Waikīkī, you can see stars on clear nights.

6. Take a Cultural Class

Photo: David Croxford

Learning about Hawaiʻi’s rich and unique culture is what makes a vacation in the Islands so special. The Royal Hawaiian Center offers free beginner classes in everything from lei-making to ʻukulele to quilting by kumu (teachers) who are experts in their fields. The hourlong classes are limited to 25 participants, so get there early. Nearby Waikīkī Beach Walk offers free cultural classes, too, including ʻukulele and hula. And the International Market Place has classes in lei-making every third Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.

7. Listen to Live Music

Many restaurants in Waikīkī—Kani Ka Pila Grille, Duke’s Waikīkī, Tiki’s Grill & Bar, House Without a Key—feature live music. But you need to be dining there to enjoy it. But there are other spots where you can listen to music for free. Waikīkī Beach Walk’s Kū Haʻaheo is a free Hawaiian music concert held every Tuesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on its plaza. The concert is headlined by award-winning musical duo Blaine Kia and Kalei Kahalewai (together known as Kamanawa). There’s hula, too. The center hosts Mele Haliʻa—which translate to “recall fondly” in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi—every month, with live music and storytelling. Performances are 5 to 6 p.m.

8. Hit the Beach

An outrigger canoe at Kūhiō Beach in Waikīkī.
Photo: Getty Images/M Swiet Productions

Of course, the best things in life are free—and when it comes to Hawaiʻii, that means the beach. Waikīkī boasts several beaches along its coastline, where you can surf, catch waves in an outrigger canoe, snorkel or just frolic in the aquamarine waters.