About Waikiki > Navigating Waikiki
Waikiki is a suburb of Honolulu on the island Oahu and 90% of Oahu’s accommodation resides in this beachfront neighborhood. Waikiki spans an area of 3mi (5km) by 1mi (1.5km), it has three thoroughfares that run parallel to one other from Waikiki Beach to the Ala Wai Canal.
Waikiki is relatively compact so no matter where you choose to stay, the beaches, parks, restaurants, and shops are all accessible on foot. Meandering along the sand from one end of Waikiki Beach to the other takes about 30-minutes, and walking from Kalakaua Avenue to Ala Wai Boulevard takes 10-minutes.
Kalakaua Avenue
Waikiki’s bustling main street, Kalakaua Avenue, runs one-way predominantly alongside the beach. It has a wide pavement on both sides of the road with a plethora of hotel facades, restaurants and bars, shops of all kind, and landscaped grounds. Its pavements are well-trafficked by tourists.
Kuhio Avenue
Kuhio Avenue is the second most popular street, parallel to Kalakaua Avenue just a few blocks back from the beach. It’s currently a hotbed for new development and is worth exploring.
Ala Wai Boulevard
Parallel to Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues only further back is Ala Wai Boulevard, which runs along the Ala Wai Canal and forms the border that contains Waikiki. The streets that run perpendicular in-between the above-mentioned streets, from the ocean to the canal, make up the tapestry known as Waikiki.
Lewers Street
Lewers Street is one of the busiest streets in Waikiki, it runs perpendicular to the beach and is home to the Waikiki Beach Walk entertainment precinct. It’s a must-see area of Waikiki where you can shop one-of-a-kind boutique shops, dine at award-winning restaurants including Yard House and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and enjoy weekly activities and live performances.
For non-walkers, and anyone wanting to venture further afield, there are many modes of Oahu transport.
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Image Credit: Shutterstock/Noah Sauve
