Are you planning a trip to Oahu and want to explore the island? Keep scrolling for this list of the prettiest Oahu scenic drives worth adding to your Oahu itinerary.
This list of Oahu scenic drives was written by Marcie Cheung (a Hawaii travel expert) and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, I may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog.
I’ve driven the Kamehameha Highway Loop at least 15 times.
The first time, I tried to do it in three hours and ended up stressed, hungry, and missing half the good stops.
The last time, I blocked out the whole day, brought snacks, and actually enjoyed it.
That’s the problem with most “scenic drive” lists. They tell you where to go but not whether you’ll actually like it once you get there.
Or how long it really takes.
Or which ones are legitimately beautiful versus just Instagram-famous.
I’m a certified Hawaii destination specialist who’s visited the islands 40+ times, and I run a Hawaii travel blog and podcast.
I’ve done every one of these drives multiple times, including the ones I now tell people to skip depending on what they’re looking for.
So let me save you some time. Not every scenic drive on Oahu is worth your vacation hours.
Some are spectacular. Some are fine if you have nothing else to do. And one is only good if you like feeling like you’re at the end of the earth with no cell service.
Which Drive Should You Actually Do?
Before you pick a route based on pretty pictures, think about what kind of day you’re up for.
Got 30 minutes and want views without committing half your day? Diamond Head Road or Pali Highway. Both are gorgeous, both are quick, both work when you’re tired or jet-lagged.
Want a full day of exploring with lots of stops? The Kamehameha Highway Loop is the only drive where you can hit coffee farms, surf beaches, shave ice, a luau, and a movie ranch all in one go. But you need at least six hours. Preferably eight.
Craving empty beaches and North Shore scenery without the North Shore crowds? Farrington Highway on the north side. Most tourists never make it out here, which is exactly why it’s great.
Want to feel like you left civilization entirely? West side Farrington Highway. Rugged, remote, and honestly kind of repetitive after a while, but if that’s your vibe, it delivers.
Staying in Waikiki and don’t want to drive across the island? Diamond Head Road starts basically at your hotel.
Already planning a big North Shore day and want to add scenery on the way? Take H-2 from Pearl City to Haleiwa instead of H-1. The landscape changes from city to jungle to farmland in 20 miles, and it’s way more interesting than the freeway.
Now let’s get into what these drives actually feel like when you’re doing them.
1. Kamehameha Highway Loop (Full Island Circle)
Distance: About 70 miles
Time without stops: 3 hours
My actual time when I did it last year: 7 hours
This is the best drive on Oahu if you only do one. You start on H-1 from Honolulu, hop onto H-2, then merge onto Kamehameha Highway heading north.
It curves up around the North Shore and loops back down the Windward Coast toward Kaneohe.
You can’t actually circle the whole island because there’s no road around Kaena Point, but this gets you close enough.
The Stops Everyone Hits
Green World Coffee Farm is your first stop after you leave the city. Their roadside café has good Hawaiian coffee and gives you an excuse to stretch your legs before you hit the touristy part.
Dole Plantation is next, and yes, it’s absolutely a tourist trap. You don’t need to do the garden maze or the train ride unless you have kids who need entertainment.
But the Dole Whip is legitimately good, and if you skip it, you’ll spend the rest of the trip wondering if you missed something. Get it to go if the line is insane.
Haleiwa is where the North Shore actually starts feeling like the North Shore. This is the main surf town, and it’s small enough that you can walk most of it in 30 minutes.
Matsumoto Shave Ice always has a line. If you’re not into waiting 20 minutes for shave ice, go to one of the other spots on the same street. They’re all good.
The Stops You Should Actually Prioritize
Ted’s Bakery and their chocolate haupia cream pie. I’m not exaggerating when I say this is one of the best things I’ve eaten in Hawaii.
Get a whole pie if you’re sharing. Get a slice if you’re not.
Then drive two minutes to Sunset Beach Park and eat it while watching surfers.
Turtle Beach (Laniakea Beach) is further up the coast. You’ll probably see sea turtles on the sand. Do not touch them. Do not get close to them.
Rangers patrol this beach specifically because tourists keep doing dumb stuff. Just look from a distance and move on.
The Polynesian Cultural Center is massive and takes at least 4-5 hours if you do it properly. Skip it if you’re not into cultural experiences or if you’re already doing a luau somewhere else. It’s interesting but not essential.
Kualoa Ranch is my favorite stop on the whole loop. The mountains are unreal, and if you’ve seen Jurassic Park, you’re going to recognize everything.
Book a tour in advance because they sell out. I’ve done the movie tour three times and it’s still fun. Find tour options on Viator here.
What to Skip
The traffic between 3-6pm is miserable on H-1. If you’re doing this drive, start early and finish before rush hour hits.
I made the mistake of starting at noon once and spent 90 minutes sitting in traffic on the way back to Waikiki.
Also, you don’t need to stop at every beach park. Pick two or three that look good and skip the rest, or you’ll turn this into a 10-hour ordeal.
If you need help planning the rest of your Oahu trip (not just the drives), I’ve put everything I know into my Oahu Travel Guide.
Daily schedules, where to eat, what to skip. It’s what I give to clients when they book Hawaii travel consultations with me.
2. Diamond Head Road (Quick Waikiki Escape)
Distance: 4 miles one way
Time: 10 minutes driving, but give yourself 30-60 minutes total
This is the perfect first-morning-in-Hawaii drive when you’re jet-lagged and want to get out but don’t have the energy for a big adventure.
Start on Kalakaua Avenue on the east side of Waikiki. You’ll pass through Kapiolani Park, where you can park for free if you get lucky with a spot.
This is also where Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium are located, but most people just use the park as a base before starting the drive.
At the three-way fork, veer onto Diamond Head Road. The road climbs along the cliff, and this is where it gets pretty.
There are several pull-offs where people stop for photos. On a clear day, you can see forever down the coastline.
If you want to hike Diamond Head itself, you need a reservation. Book it here up to 30 days in advance. It’s $5 per person plus $10 for parking as of 2026. Hawaii residents get in free, but everyone else has to book ahead.
The morning slots (6-8am) fill up first because it’s cooler and less crowded.
I’ve hiked it twice. It’s steep, there’s not much shade, and everyone’s huffing and puffing by the top. But the views are worth it if you’re into that kind of thing.
If you’re not a hiker, just drive the road and skip the actual climb.
After Diamond Head, the road drops into Kahala, which is where millionaires live. Big houses, nice cars, very quiet. You’ll end at Waialae Beach Park, which is a small beach that’s usually empty.
The whole drive takes 10 minutes if you don’t stop. Maybe an hour if you do a few photo stops and hang out at the beach for a bit. It’s one of those easy wins that makes you feel like you saw something without using up half your day.
For more Waikiki tips, check out my post on things to do in Waikiki.
3. Farrington Highway North Shore (The Empty Beaches Route)
Distance: 8+ miles one way
Time: 15 minutes straight through, but you’ll want 1-2 hours to actually explore
This is my favorite North Shore drive because almost no tourists do it. Everyone goes to Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay. Almost nobody drives out to the end of Farrington Highway on the north side.
You start in Waialua and head west until the road dead-ends at Kaena Point. The drive is flat, quiet, and you get views of the Waianae Mountains the whole way.
Right after you leave town, you’ll pass Dillingham Airfield. This is where people go skydiving and glider rides.
If you’ve ever thought about doing one of those “fly over the North Shore in a glider” experiences, this is the place.
I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve watched planes take off and land here plenty of times, and it looks incredible.
The beaches along this stretch are basically empty. Good for swimming, good for snorkeling, and you’ll probably see turtles.
One of my favorite spots is the Lost Survivors Beach Camp, which is the beach where they filmed the TV show Lost.
The parking lot is on the airport side of the road just past Waialua, and then it’s a short walk to the beach. Way quieter than any of the famous North Shore beaches.
Mokuleia Beach Park has picnic tables and grassy areas if you want to bring lunch and hang out for a while.
The road ends at the Kaena Point parking lot. Most people turn around here, but if you want to hike, the Kaena Point Trail is a flat 2.5-mile walk each way to the western tip of Oahu.
It’s hot, there’s no shade, and you need to bring water. The views are pretty, but honestly, I’ve only done it once because it’s long and repetitive.
If you want North Shore views without dealing with the North Shore traffic and crowds, this is the move.
4. Farrington Highway West Shore (The Remote One)
Distance: 18+ miles one way
Time: 45 minutes straight through, but plan for 2-3 hours if you’re stopping
This is the longest drive on my list, and I’ll be honest: it’s only worth it if you specifically want to feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.
You start near Ko Olina and head northwest on Farrington Highway.
You’ll pass Mermaid Caves early on if you want to check that out (it’s a short hike down to a cave with a swimming hole), and then you’ll pass several beach parks that are usually pretty empty.
The drive gets really scenic after you leave Makaha. For the next seven miles, it’s just ocean on your left, Waianae Mountains on your right, and basically no development.
Makua Beach is one of the best sunset spots on the island. Surfers love it, and the views are gorgeous. If you’re timing this drive for sunset, that’s the place to stop.
But here’s the reality: after Makaha, the scenery gets a little repetitive. Ocean, mountains, empty road. It’s beautiful, but it’s the same beautiful for miles.
I’ve driven this route five or six times, and I usually turn around at Makua Beach now instead of going all the way to the end.
If you keep going, you’ll eventually hit the gate at Kaena Point State Park where the paved road ends. You can hike from there, but most people just turn around.
The remoteness is the whole point of this drive. You won’t see resort hotels or tour buses. Cell service gets spotty in some areas.
If you want to escape civilization for a few hours, this is the drive. If you want variety and things to do, stick with the Kamehameha Loop or the north Farrington Highway section.
If you’re thinking about staying on the west side, check out hotel options on Expedia to compare what’s available.
5. H-2 from Pearl City to Haleiwa (The Landscape-Changes Drive)
Distance: 20 miles one way
Time: 45 minutes if there’s no traffic, which there usually is
I love this drive because the scenery changes completely every few miles. You go from city to jungle to farmland in less than an hour, and it feels like you’re seeing three different islands.
Start around Pearl City and get on H-2 North. You’ll drive through typical Honolulu suburbs until around Waipio, where the highway suddenly cuts through dense rainforest.
You’re basically looking down at treetops from the highway, and it’s pretty cool. The jungle section only lasts a few miles, but it’s enough to make you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere instead of 20 minutes from the city.
After Wahiawa, turn onto HI-99 North, which becomes Kamehameha Highway. The trees disappear and it opens up into flat farmland with the Waianae Mountains way off in the distance.
You’ll pass coffee farms, cacao farms, fruit farms. Green World Coffee Farm is along here if you didn’t catch it on the full loop.
As you get closer to Haleiwa, the road starts winding again and you’ll climb a few small hills before crossing the bridge into town.
Haleiwa is worth spending at least an hour. Get shave ice (Matsumoto or any of the other spots on the same block), grab lunch, walk around the shops.
It’s a small surf town, but it’s got good energy and you’ll probably end up staying longer than you planned.
The big thing with this drive: avoid rush hour. H-2 gets backed up between 7-9am and 3-6pm, and sitting in stop-and-go traffic ruins the whole experience.
I learned this the hard way twice before I finally just started planning around it.
If you’re doing this drive specifically to get to Haleiwa for lunch or shave ice, aim to be there around 11am before the lunch crowd hits.
6. Pali Highway to Pali Lookout (The Most Beautiful Short Drive)
Distance: 6 miles one way
Time: 10 minutes driving, 30-45 minutes if you stop at the lookout
This is the prettiest short drive on Oahu. I’ve done it probably 20 times and it still gets me every time.
The Pali Highway connects Honolulu to the Windward Coast, and it cuts straight through the Koolau Mountains.
As you start climbing out of the city, you’ll go through tunnels carved into the rock, and the whole landscape turns intensely green.
The mountains here are covered in tropical vegetation, and the cliffs are so steep and dramatic that it almost doesn’t look real.
Pali Lookout is about halfway up. Parking is $7 for non-residents as of 2026, and the lookout is open from 6am to 6pm daily. Hawaii residents get in free with an ID.
The views from the lookout are incredible. You can see the entire Windward Coast, Kaneohe Bay, the towns of Kailua and Kaneohe, and the ocean stretching out forever.
There are historical markers explaining the Battle of Nuuanu, where King Kamehameha’s forces drove hundreds of warriors off the cliffs in 1795.
But the main thing you need to know about Pali Lookout: the wind is insane. I’m not exaggerating.
The first time I went, I got out of the car and the wind almost knocked me over. Hold onto your hat, your sunglasses, your phone. Do not bring loose papers or anything that can blow away.
The wind funnels through the mountains and hits the lookout with so much force that you can literally lean back against it. It’s wild.
On your way back to Honolulu, take Nuuanu Pali Drive instead of staying on the highway. It’s a narrow road that runs parallel to the Pali Highway, but it goes through a rainforest so dense that barely any sunlight gets through.
It’s only about five minutes long, but it feels like you’re deep in a jungle instead of ten minutes from downtown Honolulu. The road is a little rough in some spots, but it’s totally passable.
This drive is perfect for a morning when you want something beautiful but don’t have the energy for a full-day adventure. Get there early before the tour buses show up.
Questions People Actually Ask About Driving in Oahu
Do you really need a rental car on Oahu?
Depends. If you’re staying in Waikiki and only planning to do resort stuff, you can get by with Ubers, buses, and walking. But if you want to explore the island and do any of these scenic drives, you need a car.
I’ve tried doing Oahu without a rental exactly once, and I spent the whole trip wishing I had one.
I always book through Discount Hawaii Car Rental because they compare all the major rental companies and you can save money. Use my referral code to save an extra $20.
Can you drive around the entire island?
No. There’s no road around Kaena Point on the northwest tip, so you can’t do a complete circle. But you can drive most of the coastline with the Kamehameha Highway Loop, which gets you close.
If you try to drive “around the island” without stopping, it’ll take about 2-3 hours. Realistically, plan for a full day if you actually want to enjoy the stops.
Is driving on Oahu stressful?
Not really. The roads are good, the signs are clear, and Oahu has the only freeways in Hawaii. The biggest issue is traffic on H-1 during rush hour (7-9am and 3-6pm). Avoid those times and you’re fine.
Parking can be annoying in Waikiki, but everywhere else is pretty easy.
What are those H-1, H-2 highway names people keep mentioning?
Those are the main freeways. H-1, H-2, H-3, and H-201. They have official names (Lunalilo Freeway, Veterans Memorial Freeway, etc.), but nobody actually calls them that. Everyone just says “take H-1” or “get on H-2.”
My Actual Recommendations
I’ve driven all six of these routes more times than I can count. Some I do every single trip. Some I’ve done once or twice and that’s enough.
If you only have time for one drive, do the Kamehameha Highway Loop. It’s long, but it gives you the best overview of what Oahu looks like beyond Waikiki.
You’ll see mountains, beaches, surf towns, and those dramatic green cliffs that show up in every Hawaii postcard.
If you’re short on time but want beautiful views, Pali Highway or Diamond Head Road. Both are under an hour and both deliver.
If you want to escape tourists entirely, go for the north section of Farrington Highway. Empty beaches, quiet roads, and you’ll probably be the only person at half the stops.
And if you’re the type who wants to feel like you’re at the edge of the world, the west Farrington Highway will scratch that itch. Just know it’s long and a bit repetitive.
The drives are honestly one of my favorite parts about visiting Oahu. You get to see the island at your own pace, stop when something looks interesting, and skip the stuff that doesn’t appeal to you.
If you’re still figuring out the rest of your Oahu trip and want someone to just tell you what to do and when to do it, I offer one-on-one Hawaii travel consultations.
We’ll map out your whole trip based on what you actually want to see and how you like to travel. No generic advice, just a custom plan.
Or if you prefer to plan it yourself, grab my Oahu Travel Guide. It’s got daily schedules, restaurant recommendations, and all the stuff I’ve learned from 40+ trips packed into one guide.
For more Oahu help, check out:
And if you need help getting around without a car, I wrote a whole guide on how to explore Oahu without a rental.
Have a great trip. The drives really are worth it.
Looking for more Oahu travel resources? Find out the best things to do in Haleiwa, the best North Shore Oahu beaches, things to do on Oahu with kids, and top Waikiki sunset spots.
