Origin
Makakilo City, HI
Late night in Makakilo City on Friday
Local time
12:10 AM
HST
Current temp
78°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Makakilo City, HI to Kahalu‘u, HI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 4, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
28.8 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 55m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Makakilo City, HI
Mike Norris
Kahalu‘u, HI
Mike Norris
Trip Overview
Makakilo City to Kahalu‘u is 28.8 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and John A. Burns Freeway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the state of Hawaii, moving from the western edge of the island towards the northeastern coast. The majority of the drive is on the highway, making it a quick transit between these two points. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground without a lengthy commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 11.5 mi | 14m |
| John A. Burns Freeway | 8.7 mi | 13m |
| Kahekili Highway | 4.4 mi | 9m |
| Makakilo Drive | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Likelike Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Waihee Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Aoloko Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
— 11.5 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Makakilo City, HI and Kahalu‘u, HI.
1
Start on Aoloko Street
0.1 mi
·
26 sec
·
Aoloko Street
2
Turn right onto Makakilo Drive
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Makakilo Drive
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I H1 East: Waianae
4
Merge onto I H1
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I H3, HI 78 East: Kaneohe, Honolulu
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I H3
8.7 mi
·
13 min
·
John A. Burns Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward HI 63 North: Likelike Highway
9
Merge onto HI 63
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Likelike Highway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Kahekili Highway
11
Continue on Kahekili Highway
4.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Kahekili Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Continue on HI 83
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
·
Kamehameha Highway
13
Turn left onto Waihee Road
0.3 mi
·
58 sec
·
Waihee Road
14
Arrive at destination
Waihee Road
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 105 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 28.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Merge onto I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
12.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea
8
13 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I H3, HI 78 East: Kaneohe, Honolulu
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I H3, HI 78 East: Kaneohe, Honolulu
5
22.4 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward HI 63 North: Likelike Highway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 9
Toward HI 63 North: Likelike Highway
5
28.3 mi into trip
|
~45m in
|
HI 83 / Kamehameha Highway
Enter roundabout onto HI 83 / Kamehameha Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.05 one way
$12.09 round trip
$5.33/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.61 | $6.36 | $12.72 |
| premium | $5.80 | $6.58 | $13.16 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $6.35 | $12.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.52 | $1.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Kahalu‘u, HI
Late night in Kahalu‘u on Friday
Local time
12:10 AM
HST
Current temp
74°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
47m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 70% of the 28.8 miles on freeways like Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and John A. Burns Freeway. You'll experience an 11.5-mile stretch on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway before transitioning to Kahekili Highway. Expect a more suburban feel as you approach your destination, with denser traffic and more frequent exits.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.5 mi on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 1.3 miles in near I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 28.8 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 1.3 miles (I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
738 ft
49 ft
Total Climb
664 ft
Total Descent
1,058 ft
Highest Point
738 ft
~18.5 mi in
Elevation Range
689 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Makakilo City, HI and Kahalu‘u, HI, road signs point toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea, I H3 and Kahekili Highway.
Kaneohe
12.7 mi in
|
~17m
Honolulu
12.7 mi in
|
~17m
Aiea
12.7 mi in
|
~17m
I H3
13 mi in
|
~17m
Kahekili Highway
23.4 mi in
|
~34m
About the Cities
Starting in Makakilo City, HI
Full guide →City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 28.8 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 (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.5 miles on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Kahalu‘u, HI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (I H1 / Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 13 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Pearl Harbor National Memorial. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kahalu‘u, HI before heading back.
How this page is built
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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