Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
30 mi
48 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
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.
Keolu Hills, HI
Mike Norris
Makakilo City, HI
Mike Norris
Keolu Hills to Makakilo City is 30 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway, John A. Burns Freeway, and Kalanianaʻole Highway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Hawaii, connecting two areas on Oahu. Most of the drive is on major freeways, making it a quick and straightforward transit. You'll spend about three-quarters of the time on highways, so expect a smooth, relatively fast pace for this inter-city hop.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 11.6 mi | 14m |
| John A. Burns Freeway | 10.7 mi | 15m |
| Kalaniana’ole Highway | 3.1 mi | 5m |
| Keolu Drive | 1.1 mi | 3m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Makakilo Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Hele Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Aoloko Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Keolu Hills, HI and Makakilo City, HI.
Start on Hele Street
Turn left onto Keolu Drive
Turn right onto HI 72
Turn left onto HI 61
Continue on HI 61
Turn right onto HI 83
Take the ramp
Merge onto I H3
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I H1
Keep slight left at fork onto I H1
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto Makakilo Drive
Turn left onto Aoloko Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
15 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 30 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 15 miles from Keolu Hills, 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 5.7 and 29.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Merge onto I H3 / John A. Burns Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward I H1 West: Pearl City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani 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
Keep slight right at fork toward Makakilo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.65 one way
$13.30 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.95 | $7.03 | $14.06 |
| premium | $6.10 | $7.21 | $14.41 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $6.32 | $12.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| Efficient EV | 7.5 | 0 | $2.63 | $1.20 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12 | 0 | $4.20 | $1.92 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (60% 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
Morning in Keolu Hills on Wednesday
Local time
11:51 AM
HST
Current temp
75°F
Scattered Rain Showers
Destination
Morning in Makakilo City on Wednesday
Local time
11:51 AM
HST
Current temp
74°F
Isolated Rain Showers
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 75% highway driving, offering a predominantly freeway experience. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 11.6 miles on the Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. As you transition off the freeways, you'll notice a change in the driving environment. The latter part of your drive will involve surface streets as you enter Makakilo City.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and John A. Burns Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.7 miles in near I H3 / John A. Burns Freeway.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 30 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.7 miles (I H3 / John A. Burns Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.2 miles (I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,132 ft
Total Descent
1,721 ft
Highest Point
1,765 ft
~10.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,733 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Keolu Hills, HI and Makakilo City, HI, road signs point toward I H3 West: Pearl Harbor, I H1 West: Pearl City and Waianae.
I H3 West: Pearl Harbor
I H1 West: Pearl City
Waianae
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 30 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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