9 Most Instagrammable Places in Honolulu

Waikiki Beach is a beautiful beach on the south shore of Honolulu and is home to many hotels and resorts. It’s renowned for its beauty, making it one of the most Instagrammable places in Hawaii. Once the playground for Hawaiian royalty, Waikiki Beach was one of the earliest tourist attractions on the islands. People come from all over to surf here, but it’s also home to high-end resorts and world-class dining, shopping, and nightlife, so you’ll never run out of excellent photo opportunities. Waikiki is about a 15-minute drive from downtown.

Diamond Head is a towering volcanic cone and U.S. National Natural Monument. Named by British sailors who discovered volcanic crystals in the sand and mistook them for diamonds, Diamond Head has been an important feature of the natural landscape for centuries. When you visit, you can get stunning photos of Diamond Head from Waikiki and Honolulu’s beaches. If you want closer shots and panoramic views of the South Shore, you can visit the Diamond Head Lookout, a lookout point that was once used by the military. Diamond Head is 6 miles southeast of downtown Honolulu.

The King Kamehameha statue in Honolulu is an important monument to Hawaiian history. The statue was created for the warrior and leader King Kamehameha I, who united the Hawaiian Islands into a royal kingdom. The islands have 4 statues honoring Kamehameha, but one of the most notable is the statue that stands before Aliiolani Hale across from the Iolani Palace. The statue stands 18 feet tall and is made of bronze, giving it a regal appearance. Found just a 3-minute walk from the heart of downtown, it's one of the most photographed landmarks in all of Hawaii, so why not add it to your Instagram list?

The Duke Kahanamoku statue is an important landmark in Waikiki that honors the “father of modern surfing,” Duke Kahanamoku. He was a Hawaiian hero, a master of surfing and canoe paddling, an Olympic medal winner, and a record-breaking competitive swimmer. Duke also spread the word about surfing and created some of the iconic surf culture in Hawaii. His bronze statue is located on Kuhio Beach and makes for a great photo opportunity. After taking some pictures, you can visit Duke’s Canoe Club in the Outrigger Waikiki near the beach to see photos and memorabilia honoring the legend’s life. See the statue about 3.5 miles southeast of downtown.

The Pink Pillbox is a stunning hike that overlooks the western side of Oahu. While most of the hikes are on the east or central areas of the island, the Pink Pillbox gives you a unique vantage point of the landscape and opportunities for incredible photos. The hike is a short ridge hike that travels above the beaches with excellent overlooks along the way. The hike begins on Kaukama Road and stretches between the Nanakuli and Maili suburbs, but there are trail offshoots that allow you to see the views from other pillbox points. This hike is located about 30 miles from downtown, on Oahu's western shore.

The Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden is a tropical rainforest garden that has plants from all over the world. The garden is separated into distinctive collections with native plants from Hawaii, India, Africa, Malaysia, the Philippines, Polynesia, Melanesia, and Sri Lanka. In addition to themed sections with beautiful tropical plants, the garden also has a recreational lake, walking trails, campgrounds, leisure areas, and a visitor center. If you want to take advantage of the educational programs, the garden has an exhibition hall and botanical library. You can find it about 11 miles northeast of downtown Honolulu.

The Kakaako wall murals offer incredible opportunities to photograph local street art. The emerging neighborhood, a mile south of the heart of downtown, was once an industrial ghost town, but it’s now home to local artists who are creating studios and using the old warehouses as a canvas. If you want to search for street art, there’s no better place than Kakaako. You can walk the streets to discover incredible murals by local artists and spot hidden speakeasies and local microbreweries along the way. The neighborhood also hosts the popular Eat the Street food-truck festival each month.

Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside is a beautiful park that offers stunning views of the Oahu coast from Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor. The park is about 4 miles east of downtown Honolulu and is one of the most popular places to take photos. If you want to get out and explore, Puʻu ʻUalakaʻa State Wayside has hiking trails to various lookout points to see cityscapes, beach views, and coastal landscapes. You’ll also find scenic viewpoints and picnic tables and pavilions for short breaks during your trip.

Moanalua Gardens is an expansive park on the grounds of a historic royal home. Once the site of the Kamehameha V Cottage, the residence of King Kamehameha V, it's now a park that hosts the annual Prince Lot Hula Festival. When you visit, you can see the gardens and take pictures of the cottage, which is found on the western edge of the garden. Another highlight of Moanalua Gardens is the Hitachi Tree, which is a large monkeypod tree with a massive umbrella-like canopy. The gardens are located 5 miles north of downtown.