Honolulu’s travel economy is shaking off its pandemic hangover. While vital Japanese arrivals remain roughly 54% below 2019 levels, six hotels have opened since 2023, led by the 462‑room Ka Laʻi Waikīkī Beach, Hilton’s first LXR outpost in Hawaiʻi, and Oʻahu’s inaugural, adults-only Romer House Waikīkī. The buzzy Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa now anchors the Ala Moana corridor, where the mall has lured a number of new international retailers. Skyline—the nation’s only fully autonomous metro—will extend to Pearl Harbor and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport by late 2025, slashing cross‑town travel and unlocking transit‑oriented sites. Investors are moving: Ward Village’s Kalae tower is already 96% pre‑sold, and Oʻahu’s median sale price hit $698,000 in March amid still‑tight housing supply (+7.8% year over year), while unemployment slid to 2.9% on 11,800 new jobs, led by construction and professional services. The city’s famed clean air (#2) and #12-ranked Culture endure, now amplified by the Lei Stand’s revival at Romer House and the forthcoming $500-million, 93‑acre, 25,000‑seat New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District, aligned with Skyline’s new stations. Just remember to explore the bounty behind America’s top-ranked Nature & Parks subcategory.