East Honolulu
A short, easy drive that pairs well with Diamond Head or Hanauma Bay; the blowhole spouts highest when the swell is up. Sandy Beach is for watching, not swimming — its shorebreak causes more spinal injuries than any other beach on Oʻahu. The lighthouse trail is hot, dry and windy with no shade, so go early or late; November–May it is a good whale-watching spot. The Makapuʻu tide pools below are a closed, dangerous area.
Free, no booking. Follow Kalanianaʻole Hwy (Route 72) east from Hanauma Bay: Lānaʻi Lookout, Hālona Blowhole lookout (own parking lot), Sandy Beach Park, then the Makapuʻu lookout above Waimānalo. The Makapuʻu Point Lighthouse trail (Ka Iwi State Scenic Shoreline) is free, 2 miles round trip on a paved road with 500 ft of gain, open 7:00 a.m.–6:45 p.m. after Labor Day (7:45 p.m. in summer), with no water or restrooms. Lock nothing of value in the car at the lookouts.