Waikiki, Neighborhood and beach on the south shore of Oʻahu, Honolulu, United States

Waikiki is a coastal neighborhood in Honolulu with a two-mile sandy beach bordered by Kalakaua Avenue. Hotels, restaurants, and shops line this main road, which runs parallel to the shore and provides access to the ocean.

Waikīkī served as the first capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1795 to 1796. In the 1800s it was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty, who surfed there on early longboards. The Ala Wai Canal, dug between 1921 and 1928 to drain disease-carrying mosquitoes, turned former wetlands into buildable land.

Waikīkī means "spouting fresh water", after the springs and streams that fed wetlands once separating the area from the island's interior. The beach hosts surf competitions, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe races. Duke Kahanamoku's surfing fame made the beach a surfing hotspot, and the club "Dukes" named for him hosted Waikīkī's longest-running show.

Lifeguards monitor most beach sections, and public showers and changing rooms are available free of charge. Many vendors rent surfboards directly on the beach and offer lessons for beginners who want to try riding waves.

Every Friday evening, fireworks light up the sky over the ocean when Hilton Hawaiian Village launches a free pyrotechnic show. The bursts are visible from many points along the shore and draw spectators onto the sand, gathering for the weekly spectacle.