A 4-day, 2-night weekend trip to Honolulu!

<First day>

Get a good night's sleep on the plane and get started as soon as you arrive in Hawaii

Most flights from Japan to Hawaii depart Japan at night and arrive in Hawaii in the morning local time, so be sure to get as much sleep as possible on the plane to combat jet lag.

Check-in at hotels in Honolulu is usually around 3 p.m., so make the most of the time you have before checking in. For example, why not go to a massage parlor near your hotel or the hotel's spa to soothe your tired body after the flight? If you choose a lomilomi (Hawaiian massage) unique to Hawaii, you'll be ready to go from day one with energy.

If you're hungry, enjoy a casual lunch at the food court "Pina Lanai" at the Royal Hawaiian Center in the heart of Waikiki. Choose from a variety of restaurants, including popular hamburger restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and steak restaurants.

Royal Hawaiian Center

Enjoy the cool beach in the evening and toast with happy hour

After checking in, you can enjoy swimming at the nearby beach, which is within walking distance. Waikiki Beach is easily accessible, and looking at the blue sky and beautiful ocean will make you feel like you are traveling in Hawaii. Swim in the ocean, relax on the sand, and be soothed by Hawaii's nature.

After playing for about an hour, change clothes and head to happy hour. Many restaurants in Honolulu hold happy hour specials from 3pm to 5pm, during which you can enjoy food and drinks at cheaper prices than usual.

There are many happy hour options to choose from, but the stylish steak and tapas restaurant Fire Grill on Kuhio Avenue offers a long happy hour from 3pm to 6pm and a wide variety of menu items.

Beer and wine start at $6, and cocktails start at $7. There are over 15 types of food, some of which are under $10! The best part of happy hour is being able to try a variety of dishes at low prices.

Fire Grill

Enjoy Hawaii's nightlife at night

After your meal, take a stroll around Waikiki and head to the beach by 7:45 p.m. to see the Hilton's Friday fireworks. The start time of the fireworks varies slightly between summer and winter, so it's a good idea to check the Hilton's social media to confirm the time.

Afterwards, if you have the energy, head to Buho Cocina y Cantina to experience the nightlife of Waikiki. Located on the rooftop of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza, the spacious outdoor seating has a beer garden-like atmosphere.

Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there is a live music event with DJs from 9pm to 1am, so you can enjoy music and delicious Mexican food until late at night. After enjoying the glamorous nightlife with the night view of Waikiki while looking down on the main street, Kalakaua Avenue, from the rooftop, return to the hotel and relax in preparation for the next day.

Buho Cocina y Cantina

<the 2nd day>

The trick to seeing all the popular tourist spots in one day is to wake up early! Go hiking in the morning

On the second day, we will efficiently visit the tourist attractions. The route is Diamond Head → KCC (Kapiolani Community College) Farmers Market → Kakaako → Ward → Ala Moana Center → Waikiki.

Get up early in the morning and head to Diamond Head. You need to make a reservation in advance to enter Diamond Head, so we recommend that you make a reservation online early. Wear comfortable clothes and hike to the top! The exhilarating feeling of seeing the beautiful view of Waikiki is exceptional.

Diamond Head

After your hike, check out the KCC Farmers Market next to Diamond Head, which is held every Saturday. In addition to fresh vegetables and fruits, there are also booths offering plate lunches, so you can have breakfast or brunch here.

Use convenient transport services to get around the city

You may think that you can't get around Hawaii without a rental car, but you can also enjoy walking around the city by using local transportation services.

This time, we will head to Kakaako by biki, a shared bicycle, or by bus. There is a biki station next to KCC, and you can rent a bicycle by selecting the plan you want to use and paying with a credit card. If you use it only once, it costs $4.50 for 30 minutes, and a pass valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase costs $12. However, there is a time limit of 30 minutes per ride.

Biki

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Also, the bus costs $3 per ride. If you have an electronic holo card, you can ride as many times as you like until 2:59 a.m. the next day if you use it for more than $7.50 a day and you won't be charged any more. What's more, if you re-ride within 2.5 hours of your first ride, it's free.

Holo cards can be purchased at ABC Stores (some locations) and 7-Eleven in Waikiki, and the card itself costs $2. A minimum deposit of $3 is required when purchasing, and payment is often only by cash, so it's best to prepare it in advance to make the purchase smoother.

TheBus

The recommended way to get from KCC to Kakaako is to first rent a biki, go down the slope of Monsarrat Avenue, ride along the bike lane of Ala Wai Boulevard while enjoying the typical Hawaiian scenery, and go to Ala Moana Center. Return the biki around here and take a bus or walk to Kakaako.

A must-see in Kakaako is the multi-purpose shopping center "SALT." Lined with trendy cafes and stylish shops, it's a trend-setting spot in Hawaii. If you're tired from traveling since morning, take a break at the cafe in SALT to recharge your energy.

Salt (SALT Kakaako)

Enjoy shopping and souvenir hunting in this popular shopping area

After strolling around SALT, walk to the Ward area while also appreciating the many murals in the surrounding area.

There is a wide variety of stores, including local brands and off-price stores. Also, be sure to check out the popular natural supermarket Whole Foods.

A 10-minute walk from the Ward area will take you to Ala Moana Center, an essential shopping destination in Hawaii. Allow yourself plenty of time to explore the shops in this shopping paradise, which includes high-end brands.

Ala Moana Center

Enjoy a luxurious dinner. When you think of Hawaii, you think of steak!

After shopping, you'll be hungry. For the special dinner that will be the highlight of this trip, we chose steak. At Aloha Steak House, located in the heart of Waikiki and popular for its high value, 900g of tomahawk steak is $120 (1,100g $155, 1,600g $200).

The tomahawk has such an impressive presence that you'll want to take a photo of it. The hearty steak will be a memorable dinner for your trip. It's a dining experience that will lift your spirits and make you forget the fatigue of a long day of travel.

ALOHA STEAK HOUSE

After a gorgeous steak dinner, we went for drinks at the hotel. We bought some craft beer, prepared foods, and snacks at Waikiki Market, a supermarket in Waikiki, and enjoyed our last night in Hawaii in our hotel room or on the lanai.

Waikiki Market has a wide selection of deli items, including poke and fried chicken, sold by weight. They also have Hawaiian sweets, such as malasadas, which are perfect for after-meal desserts. Craft beer is often sold in six-packs, but Kona Brewing Company sells them in long cans, starting from a single can. Any leftover craft beer or snacks can be brought back to Japan as souvenirs.

Waikiki Market

<Third day>

On the day of your return, end your trip with a Hawaiian breakfast and a spectacular view.

Breakfast is at "Deck" overlooking Diamond Head. It opens at 6:30am, so come early and enjoy a leisurely meal while taking in the spectacular view of Diamond Head. End your trip with a Hawaiian breakfast of pancakes and acai bowls.

Deck.

On the way back from the deck, you can enjoy the rest of your time in Hawaii by taking a walk while looking at the ocean or shopping. The Royal Hawaiian Bakery, located in the seaside Royal Hawaiian Luxury Collection Resort, is open from the morning and is famous for its original pastries.

The cute plumeria-shaped madeleines covered in pink and white chocolate are particularly popular. There are also many other items perfect for souvenirs, such as original tote bags, pancake mixes, and chocolates. It's also nice to enjoy the atmosphere of this historic luxury hotel while sipping on a coffee after your meal.

Royal Hawaiian Bakery

Then, head to the airport to return to Japan. If there is anything you forgot to buy, enjoy some final shopping at the duty-free shops in the airport.

We have introduced a plan that allows you to fully enjoy Hawaii in 4 days and 2 nights. As you can see, you can actually enjoy a trip to Hawaii casually even just for a weekend. For those who are busy every day, or those who find it difficult to travel abroad due to the weak yen, why not use this article as a reference and go on a trip to Hawaii with great value for money?

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