Origin
Waianae, HI
Evening in Waianae on Tuesday
Local time
8:40 PM
HST
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from Waianae, HI to Ka‘a‘awa, HI
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 24m
Distance
47.1 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 18m
★
6 AM
1h 24m
8 AM
1h 37m
10 AM
1h 29m
12 PM
1h 28m
3 PM
1h 30m
5 PM
1h 37m
8 PM
1h 21m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Waianae, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Ka‘a‘awa, HI
Studio Lichtfang
Trip Overview
The drive from Waianae, HI to Ka‘a‘awa, HI covers 47.1 miles and takes about 1h 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway, Farrington Highway, John A. Burns Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.9 miles on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 12.9 mi | 16m |
| Farrington Highway | 10.4 mi | 21m |
| John A. Burns Freeway | 8.7 mi | 13m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 8.2 mi | 17m |
| Kahekili Highway | 4.4 mi | 9m |
| Likelike Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Polinalina Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Kekio Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
— 12.9 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waianae, HI and Ka‘a‘awa, HI.
1
Start on HI 93
10 mi
·
21 min
·
Farrington Highway
Use the left lane.
2
Continue on I H1
13 mi
·
16 min
·
Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea
4
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I H3, HI 78 East: Kaneohe, Honolulu
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on I H3
8.7 mi
·
13 min
·
John A. Burns Freeway
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 9
Toward HI 63 North: Likelike Highway
7
Merge onto HI 63
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
Likelike Highway
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward Kahekili Highway
9
Continue on Kahekili Highway
4.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Kahekili Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on HI 83
8.2 mi
·
17 min
·
Kamehameha Highway
11
Turn left onto Polinalina Road
203 ft
·
23 sec
·
Polinalina Road
12
Turn right onto Kekio Road
191 ft
·
21 sec
·
Kekio Road
13
Arrive at destination
Kekio Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Waianae, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
HI 93 / Farrington Highway
Depart onto HI 93 / Farrington Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
23.3 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
23.5 mi into trip
|
~37m 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
32.9 mi into trip
|
~52m 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
38.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
HI 83 / Kamehameha Highway
Enter roundabout onto HI 83 / Kamehameha Highway
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.89 one way
$19.78 round trip
$5.33/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.61 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
| premium | $5.80 | $10.76 | $21.52 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $10.38 | $20.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (63% 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
Ka‘a‘awa, HI
Evening in Ka‘a‘awa on Tuesday
Local time
8:40 PM
HST
Current temp
81°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.
Road read
1h 24m 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?
47.1 mi in 1h 24m — 46% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 12.9 mi on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near HI 93 / Farrington Highway.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 47.1 miles you will encounter 9 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 (HI 93 / Farrington Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,980 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
2,156 ft
Total Descent
2,160 ft
Highest Point
1,980 ft
~30.3 mi in
Elevation Range
1,971 ft
Notable High Points
1,980 ft at ~30.3 miles
+1,658 ft prominence
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 Waianae, HI and Ka‘a‘awa, HI, road signs point toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea, I H3 and Kahekili Highway.
Kaneohe
23.3 mi in
|
~37m
Honolulu
23.3 mi in
|
~37m
Aiea
23.3 mi in
|
~37m
I H3
23.5 mi in
|
~37m
Kahekili Highway
33.9 mi in
|
~54m
About the Cities
Starting in Waianae, HI
Full guide →Wai`anae is on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
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 1h 24m. Total distance: 47.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 12.9 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 Ka‘a‘awa, 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: near the start (HI 93 / Farrington Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Ka‘a‘awa, 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, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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