Hawaii has been on my bucketlist as long as I can remember. When Marcie from Hawaii Travel with Kids offered to write about the best free things to do in Oahu Hawaii I couldn’t wait to see what she recommended. It seems you can visit Hawaii on a budget, so check out her top tips for visiting Oahu for free and plan your trip today!
Oahu is one of the most popular Hawaiian islands to visit, and since this island has the most hotels, attractions, and activities, it’s also one of the cheapest options for your Hawaii vacation. In this post I’ve selected my favourite free things to do in Hawaii so you can enjoy the best of Oahu without breaking the bank!
Know Before You Go to Oahu
Before travelling to Oahu, make sure you book accommodation and popular attractions ASAP as hotels and tickets can sell out.
🛌 MY FAVOURITE HOTELS IN OAHU:
$$ Waikiki Central Hotel – a block from the beach with great reviews for the service and the value!
$$ Aloha Suites Waikiki – also great value, each apartment has a kitchenette for your own meals
$$ Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Waikiki is a decent brand hotel that is cheaper than others
⭐ TOP 3 OAHU ACTIVITIES TO BOOK IN ADVANCE:
1. Kualoa Open Air Jungle Expedition Tour – See where Jurassic Park was filmed
How to Have an Epic (and Cheap) Hawaii Trip
I love finding free things to do wherever I travel, and you can have an amazing time without spending any money at all. Many people think a trip to Oahu has to be expensive. That’s just not true! In fact, you can totally visit Hawaii on a budget if you take advantage of all the free things to do on Oahu.
However, some incredible experiences in Oahu might be worth paying for if you have the budget to do it. Perhaps by compromising and saving money on some things, you can afford to splurge a little on a unique experience in Oahu that you really want to do – especially if this is a once-in-a-lifetime Hawaii trip!
For example, you could save money by staying in cheap accommodation and doing lots of free activities in Oahu, and then treat yourself to a sunset cocktail cruise, a parasailing session on Waikiki Beach, or a once-in-a-lifetime experience like a Tour of Kualoa Ranch where they filmed Jurassic Park!
We’ve picked out some of the best cheap places to stay in Oahu plus a bunch of free Oahu activities, so you can do just that – and if you have the budget to treat yourself a little bit, these are some of the most popular tours and activities in Oahu that you might be interested in:
Or you can browse more activities and tours in Oahu on GetYourGuide here. I use GetYourGuide to book tours and tickets as I love how you can choose from a variety of options to find the best for you, comparing prices and reading reviews.
Using GetYourGuide means you also get immediate confirmation once you’ve booked which is perfect for last-minute plans, and when you book in advance you can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity in case your plans change. However, If you prefer to use Viator you can find tours on Viator here.
That said, no matter what budget you have, there is no need to pay for activities in Oahu if you don’t want to. You can still have an amazing Oahu vacation without spending a lot of money and have some unique experiences you will remember forever!
Cheap Places Stay in Oahu on a Budget
Generally, cheap accommodation in Oahu tends to be in and around Waikiki, where you are also close to local facilities, bars, and restaurants.
Hostels in Oahu
There are a few hostels in Waikiki where you can find a cheap place to stay in Oahu. The Beach Waikiki Boutique Hostel is just half a block away from Waikiki Beach and gets great reviews for being friendly and clean. Choose from shared dorms (including female-only rooms) or private twin or double rooms. >>>CHECK PRICES
Cheap Hotels on Oahu
Hotels in Hawaii can be eye-wateringly expensive, so if you’re a solo traveller, check out the Waikiki hostels for a much cheaper stay. For couples and friends, sharing a room helps to share the cost! For families, you might be better in an Airbnb or apartment, so you have more space for the kids without too much extra cost.
Check out Waikiki Central Hotel for a good hotel a block from the beach, which gets great reviews for the service and the value considering the location! >>>CHECK PRICES
Aloha Suites Waikiki is also great value, and each unit is a whole apartment with a kitchenette so you can make some meals to save money too. >>>CHECK PRICES
The Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Waikiki is a decent brand hotel that is cheaper than others and gets good reviews. >>>CHECK PRICES
Alternatively, check prices for all hotels in Oahu on Booking, and filter by price to get the cheapest hotels for the dates you are travelling.
11 of the Best Free Things to do in Oahu, Hawaii
People Watch at Waikiki Beach
Waikiki Beach might be the most famous beach in the world. It’s usually what people instantly think of when they dream of a Hawaiian vacation. And Waikiki totally lives up to the hype.
Bring a beach towel, and you’ll have hours of entertainment people-watching. You’ll see tourists from all over the world, professional (and not-so-professional) surfers, and lots of different tour groups.
Pro tip: The West side of the beach is more crowded and best for people watching. The East side is nice when you need a break from the crowds.
Visit Pearl Harbor for Free
Did I just shock you by saying you can visit Pearl Harbor for free? There are so many pricey Pearl Harbor tours out there that a lot of people don’t realize that it’s completely free to visit the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. Oh, and parking is even free!
The rest of the attractions (like the Battleship Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum) do still have a fee. In order to get the free Pearl Harbor tickets, you need to either reserve online or show up before it opens to snag one of the limited free tickets.
Want more Oahu Travel Tips?
Marcie has a range of Hawaii guidebooks you can check out here including her Oahu with Kids Travel Guide which is full of Oahu travel tips including daily schedules and itineraries, a downloadable map, kid-friendly tours and actitivies and a complete packing list - among other things, all crammed into 47 detailed pages!
LEARN MORETake a Photo with the Duke Kahanamoku Statue
One of the most iconic Waikiki attractions is the Duke Kahanamoku statue. Duke Kahanamoku was a famous Hawaiian surfer (often considered the father of international surfing), and he also broke world records and won Olympic gold medals in swimming.
Today, people come from all over the world to drape leis at his statue. It’s one of the top photo spots in Hawaii. If you receive or make a Hawaiian lei during your trip, stop by here on your last day to lay at the base of the statue. Avoid hanging it on the statue as it erodes the bronze.
Relax at Lanikai Beach
One of the best things about Hawaii is that they have some of the nicest beaches in the world. Lanikai Beach has been ranked the #1 beach in the United States for several years.
It’s up in the Kailua area, but it’s totally worth the drive from Waikiki. It’s kind of tucked away in a residential area, so it can sometimes be tricky to find the parking and the path to get to the beach.
The sand is incredibly soft here, and there’s a great view of the Mokulua islands. Pack up a cooler with drinks and lunch items and plan on spending a full day here.
It’s also right next to Kailua Beach, which is also known as one of the best beaches in the world.
Go Snorkeling
Speaking of beaches, there is more to do on the coast of Oahu than lie on the beach – there are some incredible snorkelling spots too. If you have your own snorkel gear, you can enjoy the sea life as you swim around, hire some gear, buy a cheap set, and plan a day trip.
Hanauma Bay is one of the best places for snorkeling on Oahu, but there is a fee to enter ($25 per adult, free for kids 12 and under) so for free snorkeling in Oahu right off the beach, try Lanikai Beach or Waimea Bay which have lifeguards.
Do keep an eye open for jellyfish – box jellyfish can be a problem on the beaches 8-10 days after a full moon, so check the Waikiki Aquarium jellyfish calendar and check for warning signs at the beach before you jump in!
Explore North Shore Oahu for Free
Get away from Waikiki and check out a small town in Hawaii. North Shore Oahu actually consists of many small towns, the most famous being Haleiwa. If you are interested in surfing, the North Shore is the most famous surfing spot in the world.
There are tons of things to do in North Shore Oahu, like seeing turtles at Laniakea Beach, visiting art galleries, checking out waterfalls, and more. And you’ll want to snap a selfie with the popular Haleiwa sign.
Watch a Free Fireworks Show
Every Friday night, the Hilton Hawaiian Village hosts a free firework show that’s pretty spectacular. You can see it from many spots on Waikiki Beach, or you can head to the hotel and walk around the premises.
It’s nice to bring a blanket and do an evening picnic on the beach. Or, you can walk around Waikiki at night, see street artists and performers, and then just run over to the beach when the fireworks start.
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Walk Around the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden
If you love looking at Hawaii photos on Instagram, you probably have seen photos of people standing on an empty road with gorgeous mountains in the background. These photos are taken at Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, and it’s completely free to visit. Not only can you DIY an epic Hawaii photo shoot, but you can also participate in on-site art classes, go fishing, or go birdwatching.
Visit an Art Museum
While you might not normally think about visiting an art museum in Hawaii, the Hawaii State Art Museum is completely free and a great place to learn about contemporary Hawaiian culture. You can join a free guided tour or explore on your own. There’s also a sculpture garden outside the museum, which is a nice place to sit and relax.
The Honolulu Museum of Art offers a monthly ARTafterDARK program where you can check out the artwork for free in a party environment.
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Go Hiking on Oahu
One of the best free things to do on Oahu is go hiking. There are easy hikes (that are more like walking trails) as well as crazy dangerous hikes that are illegal (like the Stairway to Heaven.)
Some of the most popular hikes on Oahu include the Lanikai Pillboxes, Manoa Falls, Koko Head Crater, and Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail. Always research and weigh the risks before hiking anywhere on Oahu.
While there are tons of free hikes on Oahu, a lot of people have Diamond Head on their bucket list. If you aren’t a Hawaii resident, there’s a $5 fee per person to enter the park, so it might not be free, but it is a fabulous cheap thing to do on Oahu!
See a Hula Show
While one of the top things to do on Oahu is to see a luau, it’s not always within the budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of places where you can experience a free hula show.
Ala Moana Center is one of the most popular places to see a hula show. This is an indoor show, so it’s a great way to beat the heat! The Royal Hawaiian Center has a free show featuring dancers from the Polynesian Cultural Center. You can also watch a free hula show at the Kuhio Beach Hula Mound near the Duke Kahanamoku statue.
Top Travel Tips for Hawaii
If this has got you inspired to plan an Oahu vacation, check out my top tips for organising and booking your trip:
Getting There
- Use Skyscanner to find cheap flights to your destination.
- Public buses are the cheapest ways to get to your accommodation from the airport, but a shared shuttle transfer is quicker and cheaper than a taxi - you can pre-book those on GetYourGuide or Viator
- Try Omio for booking trains and Busbud for buses including Greyhound and Flixbus.
Where to Stay
- For hotels, I use Booking.com to check reviews and find the best deals on hotels and apartments wherever I'm travelling to. Hotels.com is another good site.
- If you're on a tight budget, use Hostelworld to find the best hostels all over the world
Hire a Car
- Get a quote for car hire with Discover Cars who compare car rental deals from many companies so that you can choose which is best for your trip.
Book Tours and Activities
- I use GetYourGuide or Viator to book everything from skip-the-line entry tickets to food tours as I can compare options from several companies and choose the best one for me
- If you're staying in a hostel, check out their tours and activities which are usually free or very cheap - and a great way to meet people!
Get Travel Insurance
- Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. I never leave home without travel insurance, so consider getting insurance for your trip to cover things like adventure sports and activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, stolen items, trip cancellation and more.
- Get a quote for your trip from True Traveller if you're based in the UK, or World Nomads or SafetyWing which both offer travel insurance for backpackers and long-term travellers. Alternatively, use a comparison site like Travel Insurance Master to find the best cover for you.
Check Your Travel Documents
- Don't forget to check the validity of your passport and any other documents for your trip. Use iVisa to check if you need a visa to visit your destination, and get up to date official travel advice from your government, for example on the Department of State website in the US or the UK government website.
Get Cheap Currency
- When travelling abroad, using a travel bank account like Wise means you get great deals on foreign currency - including a fee-free transfer of up to £500 when you use this link to sign up.
Top Money Saving Tip for Backpackers
- Work exchanges are a great way to travel for longer and extend your trip as you can save a ton of money on accommodation. Get an extra $10 discount on Worldpackers here or learn more about work exchanges.
I hope this post about the free things to do in Oahu, Hawaii, has helped you to see that you can visit Hawaii on a budget and still have a fabulous time. Have you done any of these activities in Oahu? Do you have any other budget tips for an Oahu vacation? Please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear about it!
Want More Cheap Travel Tips for the USA?
Check out these blog posts about budget travel in the US, or click here to read all of my USA posts.- The Best Cheap Weekend Getaways for Couples
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- Free Things to do in Miami Florida
- Free Things to do in Seattle Washington
- Free Things to do in Oahu Hawaii
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- Free Things to do in Detroit, Michigan
About the Author
Marcie runs the top Hawaii blog, Hawaii Travel with Kids. She’s visited Hawaii more than 35 times in the past 25 years and has been a professional hula dancer since she was a child. She helps families plan their ultimate Hawaiian vacation through her blog and social media. You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.
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