Kalākaua Avenue, Waikīkī's main street

Yes, Kalākaua Avenue is Waikīkī's main oceanfront street. It was first called Waikiki Road and was renamed in the early 1900s for King David Kalākaua (reigned 1874 to 1891), the last king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, known as the Merrie Monarch.

• Route: about 4.4 km (2.7 miles), from Kapiʻolani Park near Diamond Head, past the Honolulu Zoo and Waikīkī's beaches and hotels, across the Ala Wai Canal, to South Beretania Street in McCully.
• Name: originally Waikiki Road. Sources differ on the year it was renamed for King Kalākaua (1905 or 1908).
• King Kalākaua (1836 to 1891) championed Hawaiian music, hula and culture, which helped spark the first Hawaiian Renaissance. The Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo is named for him.
• Landmarks along it include the Moana Hotel (1901, now the Moana Surfrider), the Royal Hawaiian Hotel (1927), Kapiʻolani Park and the Honolulu Zoo, with Fort DeRussy nearby.
• In the 1990s the city spent more than $100 million over about ten years on new sidewalks, landscaping, historic-style lighting and plazas; the Waikiki Historic Trail was designed in 1994.
• Nearby streets are named for Hawaiian royalty and notable figures too, such as Kaʻiulani Avenue (Princess Kaʻiulani) and Duke's Lane (Duke Kahanamoku).

Sources: American Planning Association: Kalākaua Avenue, Great Places · Wikipedia: Kalākaua Avenue · Hawaii Magazine: 7 streets in Waikīkī and what their names mean

Last checked Oct. 29, 2026. Hours, fees and rules can change, so confirm with the official source before you go.