Unofficial fan guide · Honolulu Marathon 2027

Where to stay for the 2027 Honolulu Marathon

By · Last checked: 27 Oct 2026

In short

The 2027 JAL Honolulu Marathon is on Sunday 12 December 2027, traditionally starting with fireworks at 05:00 on Ala Moana Boulevard by Ala Moana Beach Park and finishing in Kapiolani Park at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki. Runners should stay in Waikiki: the race recommends walking to the start (about 2 miles from central Waikiki), and most hotels are a short walk from the finish. Supporters do best near Kapiolani Park, a walk from the finish and from Diamond Head Road, where runners pass at miles 8 and 25. Registration for 2027 opens on 14 December 2026 with no lottery, so book a room you can cancel as soon as you decide to go.

Course sheet In race order, not to scale

  1. Ala Moana BoulevardStart by Ala Moana Beach Park, traditionally at 05:00 with fireworks
  2. Iolani Palace, King Streetmile 2.2 (km 4)Downtown past the palace and its holiday lights, around mile 2
  3. Kalakaua Avenue, Waikikimile 5.5 (km 9) · cheer spotAlong the beach past the Duke Kahanamoku statue, still in the dark
  4. Kilauea Avenue, Kahalamile 10 (km 16)Down from the Diamond Head hills and east toward Kalanianaole Highway
  5. Hawaii Kaimile 16 (km 26)A loop around the marina on Hawaii Kai Drive, the far end of the course
  6. Kahala Avenuemile 23 (km 37)Past the beach houses of Kahala on the way home
  7. Diamond Head Roadmile 25 (km 40) · cheer spotBy the lighthouse above the ocean, at mile 8 going out and mile 25 coming back
  8. Kapiolani ParkFinish on Kalakaua Avenue by the bandstand, with malasadas waiting

Race morning

In 2026 the race starts at 05:00 with fireworks on Ala Moana Boulevard, and every runner must cross the start line by 05:30. The race recommends walking from Waikiki or being dropped off; the 2026 plan also has free shuttles from the Honolulu Zoo to Atkinson Drive from 02:00 to 04:00, but space is limited, so board early. Enter only from behind the start line (from Piikoi Street, Atkinson Drive or the Waikiki side) and wait under the banner that matches your bib. There is no bag drop at the start: leave your official clear bag at the finish area in Kapiolani Park the day before (Saturday 10:00 to 17:00 in 2026).

Where to stay

Pick an area to see hotels and rentals there at live prices.

A Ala Moana1 Fort DeRussy and Hilton Hawaiian Village2 Central Waikiki3 Kapiolani Park end of Waikiki4 Kahala5

Start Finish Acheer spot Course

Live map · Ala MoanaHotels and rentals at live prices, Fri 10 Dec to Mon 13 Dec

Open the live map for Ala Moana ↗

Prices and availability come from booking sites through Stay22. Change the dates on the map if you are staying longer.

Plan ahead Registration for 2027 opens on 14 December 2026 with no lottery, so book a cancellable Waikiki room as soon as you decide to go.

Watch the race

Cheer on Kalakaua Avenue in the dark at mile 5.5, walk out to Diamond Head Road for the return at mile 25, then meet your runner in Kapiolani Park.

  1. mile 5.5 (km 9)

    Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki

    Runners pass the Duke Kahanamoku statue before sunrise; the course is lit, but a bright sign helps them spot you. After your runner passes, walk about 40 minutes along Kalakaua Avenue and up Diamond Head Road to the lighthouse.

    Stays near Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki ↗
  2. mile 25 (km 40)

    Diamond Head Road

    Runners pass the lighthouse twice, around mile 8 going out and mile 25 coming back, so even if you miss them going out you have hours to wait for the return. Kahala Avenue (miles 22 to 24), about a mile further east, is a quieter option if you are staying in Kahala. From the lighthouse it is about 25 minutes on foot back to Kapiolani Park.

    Stays near Diamond Head Road ↗

  3. Meet your runner

    The race does not list a family meeting area. Spectators can get into parts of Kapiolani Park past the finish chute and the finisher T-shirt tent and meet runners there, so agree on a spot in the park before race day; a big screen shows finish-line video about 40 minutes delayed. Most Waikiki hotels are a walk away, and in 2024 TheBus added Route 8 buses from the Monsarrat Avenue stop by the zoo to Hilton Hawaiian Village from 09:05 to 15:40.

The official hotels, explained

OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels is the race's official hotel partner: book direct with promo code MARATHON for a participant rate at four Waikiki hotels, 1.8 to 2.2 miles from the start and 0.6 to 1.1 miles from the finish, and friends and family can use the code too. The discount, minimum stay and cancellation rules are not published, so check them at checkout before you pay.

Official hotel offerOur maps
Who runs itOUTRIGGER Resorts & HotelsEvery hotel and rental near each area
PricesListed on the official siteLive prices from several booking sites
Minimum stay and cancellationNot published. Ask before you pay.Filter for free cancellation
Need to buy a package?NoNo

See the official hotel offer ↗ · We link to the official option and explain its terms, so you can compare before you book.

When to book

  1. NowBook a room with free cancellation near the start.
  2. Mon, 14 Dec 2026Registration opens.
  3. Your cancellation dateKeep or cancel before it passes.
  4. Sun, 12 Dec 2027Race day.

Free guide

The Unofficial 2027 Honolulu Marathon Where to Stay Guide

Every area, the race morning plan and the booking dates in one place, updated every year.

Questions

Where should I stay for the Honolulu Marathon?

In Waikiki. Central Waikiki is about 2 miles from the start, which the race recommends walking, and about 15 minutes from the finish in Kapiolani Park. Fort DeRussy and Ala Moana are closer to the start; the Kapiolani Park end of Waikiki is closest to the finish and to the free shuttles that leave from the Honolulu Zoo.

How do I get to the start of the Honolulu Marathon?

Walk from Waikiki, get dropped off (on Waimanu Street before 03:40 in 2026), or take a free shuttle from the Honolulu Zoo, which runs from 02:00 to 04:00 in the 2026 plan with limited space. The race does not run shuttles from hotels, and you must enter the start area from behind the line.

What time does the Honolulu Marathon start, and is there a time limit?

The race traditionally starts at 05:00 with fireworks, and it does in 2026; all groups start together and must cross the start line by 05:30. There is no time limit: the finish stays open until the last person is in.

Where can supporters watch the Honolulu Marathon?

On Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki around mile 5.5, before sunrise, and on Diamond Head Road by the lighthouse, where runners pass at about mile 8 and again at mile 25. Both are a walk from Waikiki, and the finish in Kapiolani Park is about 25 minutes on foot from the lighthouse.

Can I book a vacation rental near the course?

Rentals of under 30 days are only allowed in resort-zoned areas (near the course, that means Waikiki's resort precinct) and a few apartment-zoned areas the city lists, and they must be registered. In Kahala, Hawaii Kai or Ala Moana, book a hotel, or check that a rental listing shows its city registration number.

When is the 2027 Honolulu Marathon, and when should I book?

Sunday 12 December 2027 (it is always the second Sunday in December). Registration opens on 14 December 2026 with no lottery or entry limit, and the 2026 race weekend (all three events) already had about 24,700 visiting entrants by early October 2026, so book a room you can cancel as soon as you decide to go.

Official race site ↗ · Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25