Honolulu offers some of the best shopping experiences in Hawaii, whether you’re on the hunt for brand-name fashions or looking for unique local arts and crafts. Taking advantage of Honolulu’s mild tropical weather, many shopping centres have open-air layouts with lush gardens and rows of palms. Some malls are within easy reach of downtown Honolulu, while there are plenty of shops to browse within walking distance from the beach like the Waikiki Beach Walk complex.
Shopping in Honolulu can also be a great way to get a taste of the local culture, with speciality shops selling Hawaiian-made goods, galleries featuring local artists, and free cultural events like the hula shows staged daily at Royal Hawaiian Center. Here’s a selection of some of the top places to shop in Honolulu.
Where are the best places to go shopping in Honolulu?
- 1
Ala Moana Center
Just minutes from the beach and Ala Moana Regional Park
- Families
- Shoppers
Read moreAla Moana Center is the largest mall in Hawaii and it's said to be the world’s largest outdoor shopping centre. Its open-air design spread over 4 levels with koi ponds and tropical gardens lets visitors enjoy Hawaii’s mild climate while they shop. Found near Waikiki, Ala Moana Center has more than 300 stores, dozens of restaurants, and 2 food courts. There’s a great range of things to buy here with its 3 department stores – Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom – plus a mix of international brands and local boutique shops. You’ll even have a chance to soak up some local culture with the mall’s free hula shows, staged daily at 1 pm.
The easiest way to get there is by catching the Ala Moana Shopping Trolley, which runs every 10-12 minutes during the mall’s opening hours between Ala Moana Center and 10 locations around Waikiki. The cost is a couple of dollars per trip, with day passes and multi-day passes available.
Location: 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 11 am to 7 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm, Sunday from noon to 6pm
Phone: +1 808-955-9517
Mapphoto by Penkurou (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
- 2
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
Find bargains and unique local treasures at this thrice weekly market
- Budget
- Shoppers
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet offers plenty to those who enjoy hunting for vintage and second-hand goods. It's held every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Located about 1 km away from Pearl Harbor, the market attracts hundreds of vendors and many more shoppers, who pay a nominal fee of about $1 to enter (free admission for kids under 12).
You’ll find plenty of clothing for sale including vintage Hawaiian shirts, as well as used surfboards, sports equipment, handbags, jewellery and local arts and crafts. There’s also food for sale including locally grown fruits and nuts like mango, pineapple, cashew and macadamia. It’s best to go early in the morning to beat the crowds.
Location: Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Salt Lake Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96818, USA
Open: Wednesday and Saturday from 8 am to 3 pm, Sunday from 6.30 am to 3 pm
Phone: +1 808-486-6704
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Waikele Premium Outlets
Shop for designer goods at budget prices
- Budget
- Shoppers
Read moreWaikele Premium Outlets is a collection of stores selling brand-name goods at deep discounts, well worth the 30-minute drive from Honolulu for bargain hunters. Among the 50 retailers are Polo Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Kate Spade New York, Michael Kors, Saks Fifth Avenue and Adidas. There’s also an open-air food pavilion and restaurants on-site, so you’ll have plenty of choice for fuelling up between shopping sessions.
If you don’t have your own wheels, you could catch the shuttle bus that runs twice daily from Waikiki to Waikele with 3 return trips daily. The shuttle can be booked one way or roundtrip, with discounts for children.
Location: 94-790 Lumiaina Street, Waipahu, HI 96797, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday from noon to 6 pm
Phone: +1 808-676-5656
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SALT at Our Kaka‘ako
Check out the large murals highlighting local history and culture
- Shoppers
Read moreSALT at Our Kaka‘ako is a shopping centre about a mile south of downtown Honolulu, which focuses on local entrepreneurs and artists. SALT is part of a larger community development project on land endowed by the revered Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop of the Kingdom of Hawaii in the late 1800s. More than 40 shops, cafes and restaurants are spread over 2 floors including the likes of Shay's Filipino Cafe, Hungry Ear Records, Butterfly Ice Cream, and the Aloha shirt retailer Kahala.
The centre was named SALT in recognition of its historic location, which was once made up of fishing villages, fish ponds and salt ponds. In ancient times, salt was a highly valued good and the area’s salt ponds gave it a place of great prestige in local society at the time.
Location: 691 Auahi Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Open: Monday–Friday from 4.30 am to 10 pm, Saturday from 5 am to 10 pm, Sunday from 6 am to 10 pm
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- 5
International Market Place
Try a stargazing session at the mall’s large telescope
- Food
- Luxury
- Shoppers
Read moreInternational Market Place is a shopping centre in Waikiki that’s probably known as much for its lovely landscaped tropical gardens as for its shops and restaurants. It was built in the 1950s and extensively renovated in the years since, but it’s managed to preserve its centrepiece century-old banyan tree on its grounds.
Several international brands can be found here, including Burberry, Rolex, Michael Kors and Christian Louboutin, as well as plenty of swimwear and sport clothing shops like Vilebrequin and Surf Line Hawaii to help get you ready to hit the beach in style. The centre is spread over 3 floors and features nightly Polynesian shows that are free for shoppers to watch.
Location: 2330 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Open: Daily from 11 am to 7 pm
Phone: +1 808-931-6105
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- 6
Royal Hawaiian Center
Upmarket mall in the heart of Waikiki
- Luxury
- Shoppers
Read moreRoyal Hawaiian Center is a large shopping mall and entertainment centre spread over 3 blocks along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, just a 5-minute walk away from the beach. This open-air mall has more than 100 shops with a mix of luxury brands like Hermes and Valentino as well as local retailers such as Island Soap and Crazy Shirts.
Beyond shopping, you’ll find some 30 places to dine, with a good variety of eats and drinks whether you’re hoping to indulge in some locally made treats at the Honolulu Cookie Company, savour a coffee, or relax at a wine bar. The centre is also home to The Royal Grove, a former coconut plantation that hosts daily music and hula shows and cultural classes – all free to join.
Location: 2201 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Open: Daily from 11 am to 8 pm
Phone: +1 808-922-2299
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- 7
Waikiki Beach Walk
Visit on a Thursday to catch the weekly Farmers’ Market
- Families
- Shoppers
Read moreWaikiki Beach Walk complex is part of an open-air promenade near the beach that's packed with shops, hotels, restaurants and bars. Found on Lewers Street between Kalakaua Avenue and Kalia Road, it’s a popular place day and night, but especially in the evening when people enjoy strolling around in the cooler air.
As you’d expect with their location near the oceanfront, many of the shops here cater to a beachgoing crowd with stores like Quiksilver, Sunshine Swimwear and Blue Ginger resort wear to explore. For a full Hawaiian experience, stop by The Ukulele Store to pick up a new instrument or even try a free ukulele lesson.
Location: 227 Lewers Street, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Open: Daily from 10 am to 10 pm
Phone: +1 808-931-3591
Mapphoto by Thank You (20,5 millions+) views (CC BY 2.0) modified
- 8
Aloha Tower Marketplace
Shop and dine at one of Hawaii’s historic landmarks
- History
- Shoppers
Read moreAloha Tower Marketplace is a shopping and entertainment complex built around Aloha Tower, one of Hawaii’s best-known buildings. Formerly a lighthouse, the 18-storey Aloha Tower once served as a navigation landmark for arriving ships to Honolulu and was even taken over for a time to be used as a control centre by the US military after the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941.
Today, the tower and shopping complex operate for much more leisurely purposes, with more than a dozen shops and restaurants to explore. It’s also a popular place to visit in the evening for a stargazing session from the tower’s 10th-floor observation deck. You can find it at Honolulu Harbor near downtown Honolulu and Chinatown.
Location: 1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm
Phone: +1 808-544-1453
Map - 9
Ward Village Shops
Great place to discover local designers and boutiques
- Couples
- Families
- Shoppers
Read moreWard Village Shops is a large shopping complex across from Ala Moana Park between downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. Built as part of a planned community of the same name, the Ward Village Shops are spread across 4 venues within walking distance from one another including South Shore Market and Ward Center. You’ll find well-known store brands including Nordstrom and Pier 1 Imports as well as local retailers like Island Olive Oil Company, Flotsam & Co jewellery maker, Mahina boutique dress shop, and the Nā Mea Hawaiʻi bookshop.
Shoppers could also linger on into the evening here, with some good choices for dining and entertainment. Wahoo’s Fish Taco features daily happy hours and live music nights, while at Ward Entertainment Center you’ll find Honolulu's biggest movie screen at Consolidated Theatres and a Dave & Buster’s restaurant and video arcade.
Location: 1240 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
Phone: +1 808-591-8411
Map - 10
Kahala Mall
A good air-conditioned escape from the heat
- Shoppers
Kahala Mall is an indoor, air-conditioned mall that’s home to more than 100 stores and dining spots in the East Oahu community of the same name. Found near the base of Diamond Head about 6 km from Waikiki, Kahala Mall has a Whole Foods Market and a Macy’s department store, plus some shops to find your favourite gadgets and games like the Apple store and GameStop. There’s also a large selection of local boutique shops to explore here, including Honolulu Surf Room and the jeweller Liang of Hawaii.
An easy way to get here is to catch a ride on the Waikiki Trolley’s Green Line, or you could take the shuttle bus that runs between the Kahala Hotel & Resort and Kahala Mall.
Location: 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm
Phone: +1 808-732-7736
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