Waianae, HI Road Trips
Drivers starting from Waianae, HI have 4 mapped routes to choose from, making it a small but connected base in Hawaii. Most drives stay under 24 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Most routes from Waianae, HI head east, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
5
Longest Drive
50.8 mi
Kahuku, HI
Quickest Drive
27m
Kapolei, HI
Plan Around Waianae, HI
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Waianae, HI is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Waianae, HI
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Waianae, HI
Driving from Waianae, HI
Expect an average of 24 miles and about 43m behind the wheel when leaving Waianae, HI. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 39 miles (1h 7m), while the shortest is just 13 miles.
Popular Destinations
The most popular drives from Waianae, HI include Kahalu‘u, HI (39.4 mi, 1h 7m), Waipi‘o Acres, HI (23.6 mi, 42m), Waipio, HI (20.4 mi, 36m), and Kapolei, HI (13.2 mi, 27m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in HI currently averages around $4.95 per gallon. For the typical 24-mile trip from Waianae, HI, budget about $4 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
Routes tend to go east, so afternoon departures put the sun at your back on the return leg. With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 4 mapped routes leaving Waianae, HI and 1 routes heading into Waianae, HI, covering 5 total connections. Distances range from 13 to 39 miles.
The longest mapped route from Waianae, HI covers 39 miles and takes approximately 1h 7m. Shorter options start at just 13 miles.
The average route from Waianae, HI runs about 24 miles with a drive time of roughly 43m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $4.95/gallon for regular), the average 24-mile trip from Waianae, HI costs roughly $4 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Waianae, HI include Kahalu‘u, HI, Waipi‘o Acres, HI, Waipio, HI and Kapolei, HI. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Waianae, HI by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
12,907
Median Income
$84,766
Median Home Value
$487,200
Median Age
36.8
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Notable People from Waianae, HI
A sampling of people born in Waianae, HI.
Max Holloway
1991
American mixed martial artist
Colleen Hanabusa
1951–2026
American politician (1951-2026)
DeForest Buckner
1994
American football player (born 1994)
Yancy Medeiros
1987
American martial artist
Shinyei Nakamine
1920–1944
United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1920-1944)
City data from Wikidata (Q1413686), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Waianae, HI
Wai`anae is on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Kane'aki Heiau, Makaha Valley. closed until further notice, as of Oct 2018. The ancient gods of Hawai'i made specific places on the island sacred. One such ancient Hawaiian heiau can be found deep in Makaha Valley and is one of Hawaii's best maintained archeological sites. The Kane'aki Heiau was built in the 15th century and was known to be both an agricultural heiau and a war temple. As a war heiau human sacrifices were performed on the first prisoners of war.The huge stone to the south of the heiau is "Pohaku O Kane"(Stone of Kane. This is one of the forms of the god Kane, the uppermost of the four major gods, was worshipped by the many 'ohana that lived that ahupua'a. In modern times, it has come to be regarded as the guardian over the heiau and is still venerated by some people. These sites are sacred to the Hawaiian people and possesses mana (spiritual power) and should be treated with the utmost respect (updated Oct 2018) Kaneana Cave, Makua. Located near Mauka Beach, about one mile before the end of Farrington Highway. Kaneana cave is about 150,000 years old and was once underwater, carved by the sea. It stands 100 ft (30 m) high and 450 ft (140 m) deep on Farrington Hwy. The ancient shark-man deity who made his home in this sea cave would disguise himself as a human and lure his victims into the cave, then turn into a shark and devour them. Marine Life. Waianae is known for the productivity of its waters, including dolphins, whales of many species and coral reefs, complete with turtles and tropical fish. Please take care on the reefs.
Wild Side Specialty Tours. Sail with whales, dive with dolphins, snorkel with turtles, with the marine biologist led crew.
Bliss. A health food store caters to diabetics and features salads, sandwiches, homemade soups and other healthy foods to go. All produce is organic and most ingredients are from local farmers. Kaiona Restaurant, Makaha Golf Resort, ☏ +1 808 695-9544. Located in a beautiful valley, overlooking a tropical golf course and the Pacific Ocean, this spot has beautiful sunsets and selection of both American and local cuisine. Weekends they have a variety of dinner buffets. Korean BBQ. If you want to eat where the locals eat this is the place to do it! Southern Swell. A great BBQ house that makes most of their items from scratch. Taco's and More. The owner is from Mexico City and has an authentic Mexican menu. They also offer Mexican beers and margaritas.
Beaches. Local dive bar is a good place to mix with the locals, shoot pool and sing Karaoke. The food however is a risk not worth taking. Surfer Smoothies. A great place for a light lunch and smoothies made with local ingredients such as haupia (coconut), pineapple and mango.
Take the H1 freeway west. As you round the SW corner of the island you will see the Waianae Coast laid out before you, with the expanse of blue ocean to your left. You will know you are home.
The City Bus will get there, but rental car is the best bet. Just as in other places, don't leave valuables anywhere in your car when checking out the sites.
Travel tips adapted from Waianae on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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