Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
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.
Waianae, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Waimānalo Beach, HI
Wikimedia Commons
Waianae to Waimānalo Beach is 43 miles and takes about 1 hour 12 minutes via Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway and John A. Burns Freeway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within Hawaii, offering a straightforward transit across the island. You'll primarily be on major roadways, making it a practical choice if you need to get from the west side to the east side efficiently. Consider this route for its directness rather than extensive scenic detours.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway | 12.9 mi | 16m |
| John A. Burns Freeway | 10.6 mi | 15m |
| Farrington Highway | 10.4 mi | 21m |
| Kalaniana’ole Highway | 6.8 mi | 14m |
| Kamehameha Highway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Kalanianaole Highway | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Alaihi Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Oluolu Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Waianae, HI and Waimānalo Beach, HI.
Start on HI 93
Continue on I H1
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Continue on I H3
Take the exit
Turn right onto HI 83
Turn left onto HI 61
Continue on HI 61
Continue on HI 72
Turn right onto Alaihi Street
Turn right onto Oluolu Street
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21.5 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 36 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Depart onto HI 93 / Farrington Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Take the exit toward Kaneohe
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Turn left onto HI 61 / Kalanianaole Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.65 one way
$19.30 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.03 | $10.21 | $20.42 |
| premium | $6.22 | $10.53 | $21.05 |
| diesel | $6.28 | $10.62 | $21.25 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (67% 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 Waianae on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
HST
Current temp
75°F
Partly Cloudy
Destination
Late night in Waimānalo Beach on Sunday
Local time
2:55 AM
HST
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Cloudy then Scattered Rain Showers
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
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 drive consists of a 55% highway share, with the longest continuous stretch of highway being 12.9 miles on Queen Liliʻuokalani Freeway. You'll experience a mix of highway cruising and surface road driving. Expect to transition from the freeway onto surface streets as you approach your destination, indicating a shift from faster travel to more local road conditions.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near HI 93 / Farrington Highway.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 12m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
1,392 ft
Total Descent
1,389 ft
Highest Point
1,235 ft
~30.7 mi in
Elevation Range
1,222 ft
Notable High Points
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waianae, HI and Waimānalo Beach, HI, road signs point toward Kaneohe, Honolulu, Aiea and I H3.
Kaneohe
Honolulu
Aiea
I H3
Wai`anae is on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 43 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Straightforward navigation.
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, 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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