If you’re looking for a trail with stunning coastal views that will get your lungs burning a bit, but that’s still really accessible, the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail on Oahu is a must do.

This popular hike on Oahu’s southeastern coastline is not only accessible to hikers of all skill levels but also offers breathtaking panoramas and a chance to spot SO MANY WHALES in the winter. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

Hiking the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail on Oahu

The Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back hike. This is just the kind of hike I like. It’s short and sweet with a big payoff of great views at the top. 

From the top, you’ll see Makapu’u Lighthouse down below and spectacular views of the Waimanolo coastline and offshore islands. 

Yes, it’s only a mile to the top and it’s completely paved, but it is fairly steep so I recommend wearing sneakers or strap on sandals. 

Also, there is NO SHADE on this hike so go early in the day and take plenty of water and wear sunscreen. 

Located on the southeastern side of the island, you’ll find the trailhead on the right (ocean) side of the road after you pass Sandy Beach Park and come around the point. The road you turn off on is usually lined with cars and there’s a small parking lot at the bottom. If you come to the Sea Life Park you’ve gone too far.

Last time I did this hike in January, I saw soooo many spouts and whales breaching in the ocean below so be sure to keep an eye out. 

There are plenty of places along the path to stop and take in the view so don’t be in too big of a hurry to make it to the top.

And once you do make it to the top, be sure to go to all of the viewing platforms because they all have different angles. 

The one at the very top is where you’ll look down and see the lighthouse. 

This is a great hike to pair with snorkeling at Hanauma Bay or the Halona Blowhole or even a drive up the windward coast past Kailua and Kaneohe. 

Also, if you need a treat after the hike, there’s a Leonard’s Malasadas truck in the parking lot of the Koko Head Marina nearby. 

P.S. I travel to Hawaii multiple times a year, and let me tell you a secret…I do most of it for FREE using credit card points and miles. 

I have a somewhat intricate system that I’ve fine tuned over the years to maximize earning points and how I cash them in, but the short version is:

I use THIS Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card for free Marriott nights. The sign up bonus alone on this card will get you 3 (sometimes 5!) free nights at hotels in Hawaii like the Sheraton Maui, Royal Hawaiian (Oahu), Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, and the Waikoloa Beach Marriott (Kona). 

And I use THIS Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards card for free flights on Southwest. The sign up bonus will get you at least one round trip flight to Hawaii (possibly two depending on where you’re flying from). 

The combo of these two cards will have you most of the way to a free trip to Hawaii right out of the gate. Again, you can sign up for the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless >> HERE and the Southwest Premier Rapid Rewards >> HERE
And if you’re really serious about getting into the travel hacking game, read this post for a more in depth look at how I maximize credit card points to book travel.

P.P.S. Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…

You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!

Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii and a lot of state and national parks have instituted reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to help manage the crowds and make things a little more sustainable. 

That means that there are now over half a dozen sites (beaches, trailheads, etc.) that require advance reservations. And some sell out well before you arrive on the island so you really need to have some sort of a plan. 

I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )

But I don’t want YOU to be that person, so I’ve pulled together a list of all the places you need to reserve entry in advance (plus all the details on booking windows, price, links, etc.) and a handful of popular tourist hotspots that book out really far in advance too. 
Get that info >> HERE