Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
36.3 mi
58 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Honolulu, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Mākaha Valley, HI
Mike Norris
Honolulu to Mākaha Valley is 36.3 miles and takes about 1 hour 3 minutes via Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and Farrington Highway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the state of Hawaii, moving from the capital region toward the western side of the island. It's a straightforward trip that's ideal for a single day, offering a look at different coastal and valley environments. You'll want to factor in the 1 hour 3 minutes of driving time, plus any time you plan to spend at your destination. Consider this a convenient way to explore a different part of Oahu.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 19.5 mi | 25m |
| Farrington Highway | 12.4 mi | 27m |
| Makaha Valley Road | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Lunalilo Freeway | 1 mi | 1m |
| North Vineyard Boulevard | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Bethel Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Queen Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Nuuanu Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Honolulu, HI and Mākaha Valley, HI.
Start on this road
Turn right
Turn left onto Richards Street
Turn right onto Queen Street
Continue on Queen Street
Turn straight onto Bethel Street
Turn slight left
Turn straight onto Nuuanu Avenue
Turn left onto HI 98
Continue on HI 98
Take the ramp
Merge onto I H1
Continue on I H1
Continue on I H1
Keep slight left at fork onto I H1
Continue on HI 93
Turn right onto Makaha Valley Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18.1 miles from Honolulu, HI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 13.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Richards Street
Navigation decision point
Take the ramp toward I H1 West: Fort Shafter, Airport
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Merge onto I H1 / Lunalilo Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway toward Waianae
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$8.06 one way
$16.11 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.92 | $8.45 | $16.91 |
| premium | $6.14 | $8.77 | $17.54 |
| diesel | $7.27 | $10.39 | $20.77 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.7 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| Efficient EV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.18 | $1.45 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.5 | 0 | $5.08 | $2.32 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Honolulu on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
HST
Current temp
86°F
Isolated Rain Showers
Destination
Late night in Mākaha Valley on Saturday
Local time
5:49 AM
HST
Current temp
90°F
Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This route features a 56% highway share, beginning with a significant stretch of freeway driving. You'll experience a continuous 19.5 miles on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway before transitioning. After the freeway portion, the drive shifts to surface roads, primarily Farrington Highway and Makaha Valley Road. Expect a mix of speeds, with faster travel on the highway segments and a more local pace once you're off the freeway.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 36.3 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (Richards Street): Navigation decision point; at 2 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
516 ft
Total Descent
321 ft
Highest Point
214 ft
~36.3 mi in
Elevation Range
204 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Honolulu, HI and Mākaha Valley, HI, road signs point toward I H1 West: Fort Shafter, Airport, I H201 West: Fort Shafter, Aiea and Waianae.
I H1 West: Fort Shafter
Airport
I H201 West: Fort Shafter
Aiea
Waianae
The capital of Hawaii and its primary point of entry, Honolulu is by far the state's largest city, with 980,000 people—two-thirds of the state's population—residing within the metro area as of 2018. Situated on the southern shore of the island of Oahu, Honolulu serves as the center of government and commerce for the state, the home of the largest airport in the Hawaiian Islands, and the site of the state's best-known tourist destination: Waikiki Beach. Given the city's size and its prominence as a traveler destination, this is definitely not the place to go for a "get-away-from-it-all" Hawaiian vacation. Honolulu is as fast-paced and dynamic as any large city, with all the associated problems such as heavy traffic, crime, and homelessness.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 36.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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