36 Hours in Honolulu

When people think of Hawaii, they tend to conjure Kauai’s jungles or Maui’s white sand beaches. But it’s Honolulu on the island of Oahu where most locals live and work, yielding a dynamic and complicated scene where Indigenous culture converges with Asian influences and midcentury Americana, and energetic food and arts scenes unfold against a backdrop of warm beaches and lush forests. New reservation systems to hike Diamond Head State Monument and snorkel Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve have helped lessen crowds and restore some of the flora and fauna, while new boutique hotels in Waikiki reclaim overlooked architectural gems.

Advance planners should look for the Hawaii Triennial (Feb. 15 to May 4), spread across landmark sites including the 135-year-old Bishop Museum, dedicated to Hawaiian culture, as well as Le‘ahi, or Diamond Head, a volcanic tuff cone. ITINERARY.