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They name O‘ahu “The Gathering Place,” and it actually earns that identify. Right here, everyone seems to be welcome, and it has essentially the most social vibe of all of the Hawaiian Islands. It’s the place surfboards and hula skirts share the identical seashores, and the place you’ll be able to really feel the excitement of metropolis life and the serenity of the jungle inside a 15-minute drive of one another.
There are such a lot of issues to do in O’ahu, each nook reveals you one thing new and thrilling to find — from the pulsing streets of Waikīkī to the misty ridges of the Ko‘olau Vary, from dawn yoga on a seashore to chasing waterfalls and mountain climbing mountains.
Historical past additionally runs deep in O’ahu — from the solemn echoes of Pearl Harbor to the sacred stones of heiau that predate the written phrase, there may be a lot O’ahu can train you – and no, not by any museum, however by its murals, its meals vans, and its welcoming locals.
When you’re able to discover O’ahu, then seize your flip-flops and your sense of surprise, as a result of The Gathering Place is able to collect you, too.
The Go Metropolis O’ahu card gives as much as 50% off admission to over 40 O’ahu points of interest. It’s an effective way to save cash in your trip. See extra particulars right here.
1. Hike the Diamond Head Stroll
One of the crucial well-known actions you are able to do in Oahu is hike the Diamond Head stroll. It was proper on the prime of our listing of issues to do in Waikiki and we actually loved the views over Waikiki Seashore and the Pacific Ocean.
Go early although, we arrived on the entrance at about 8 am and it felt like the entire of Waikiki was there, so I counsel getting there for the park opening at 6:30 am.
While the stroll appears to be like arduous and steep, our youngsters managed it no downside as there are a variety of switchbacks making it a comparatively straightforward ascent, and I’d permit at the least 90-minutes to finish the stroll.
Simply be sure you take the 900 steps and observe the group in an anticlockwise course to ease the circulate of visitors.
2. Street journey round Oahu
You’ll be able to’t spend each day laying on the seashore in Waikiki, nicely you may, however driving across the Island of Oahu is an effective way to spend a day in your journey to the Hawaiian Islands.
We rented a automobile in Waikiki and spent a full day driving round Oahu, nicely half of it – we acquired to Haleiwa on North Shore Oahu then in the reduction of by means of the center of the island to downtown Honolulu.
It was such a reasonably drive, particularly on the South East Coast. It was additionally how we found Hanauma Bay, Lanikai Seashore, the North Shore seashores and the historic city of Haleiwa.
3. Go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Certainly one of our favourite issues to do was snorkeling in Hanauma Bay Nature Protect, which is likely one of the finest locations to go snorkeling because of the variety of marine life there.
Situated 30-minutes east of Waikiki, this beautiful cove was as soon as a volcanic crater and now performs house to clear blue waters and full of life reefs full of colourful fish.
Sizzling tip: Go early, arrive round breakfast time as this place will get CRAZY busy and there are solely 300 parking spots. And in the event you wait until mid-morning or lunch the water will get churned up which impacts visibility for snorkeling.
Convey your individual snorkeling gear in case you have it, although you’ll be able to lease gear there. We rented masks, snorkels, and fins from a kiosk on the seashore.
Hanauma Bay is open each day besides Tuesdays. There’s an entrance payment for adults however youngsters 12 and underneath are FREE.
4. Take a tour of Pearl Harbor
One of the crucial essential and historic factors of curiosity is Pearl Harbor. We questioned whether or not it could be acceptable for our youngsters to do a tour of Pearl Harbor and wouldn’t it be well worth the expense?
They’d by no means been uncovered to something to do with conflict earlier than, and one other day stress-free on Waikiki Seashore is tough to surrender.
However I’m glad we did; it was a incredible instructional expertise for our youngsters.
It was a ravishing memorial, and you may go to the grounds and museum earlier than catching a ship over to the USS Arizona Memorial, the ship that sunk and is now the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed.
You too can wander the Pearl Harbor Nationwide Memorial, The Battleship Missouri Memorial, and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park.
That is the place to go to study extra about WWII historical past and Hawaii’s involvement within the conflict. As we had been quick on time, and and not using a automobile, we joined a tour.
Relying in your out there time and funds, think about the half day tour or full day tour by means of Get Your Information, each come extremely beneficial and have skip-the-line tickets!
5. Spend a couple of hours (or an entire day) on Waikiki Seashore
Waikiki Seashore is essentially the most well-known seashore on Oahu and is a must-see. While the principle part in entrance of The Royal Hawaiian Resort (the Flamingo Pink) will get crowded, and it may be arduous to discover a spot to place your towel, as a metropolis vacationer seashore we had been impressed.
The water is completely temperate, usually secure for teenagers to swim with calm waves, and the views over Diamond Head are like an image from a postcard!
It’s right here the place a lot of the outrigger boats function and study to surf colleges. When you get sick of the seashore, you might be proper close to the principle buying space of Waikiki alongside Kalakaua Ave.
Households who love to buy will wish to go to the Royal Hawaiian Heart, an outside buying middle within the buying district of Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
6. Swim at Lanikai Seashore
In all probability our favourite spot on our drive round Oahu was Lanikai Seashore. Constantly rated the very best seashore in Oahu, this strip of seashore is simply beautiful and an ideal place to cease and have a swim along with your youngsters.
It was a lot quieter than Waikiki Seashore or Hanauma Bay after we visited, and can be an incredible spot for kayaking or get up paddle boarding – if we had extra time we might have kayaked to the close by islands or loved supping.
7. Take pleasure in an acai bowl
We’ve had acai bowls earlier than in Australia and overseas, however they appear to be on provide all over the place in Hawaii. And in the event you’re in search of a wholesome breakfast possibility, it’s arduous to go mistaken with this superfood from Brazil.
When you haven’t tried one earlier than, an acai bowl is sort of a actually thick smoothie topped with oatmeal and fruit.
For an incredible acai bowl, we advocate the Heavenly Island Life-style Cafe, or Bogarts Café & Espresso Bar – eat at Bogarts after you might have accomplished the Diamond Head stroll (25-minute stroll from the Monument, so in case your youngsters are drained catch an Uber).
8. Take a browsing lesson
Our eldest daughter Kalyra realized the best way to surf again in Australia, so she simply wished to rent her personal board and play within the waves with me.
However in case you are eager about studying to surf, Waikiki Seashore is likely one of the finest locations to study. With clear waist deep water and mild waves, you’ll be standing up very quickly.
There are a number of operators spanning the seashore, providing group or non-public classes, and a 90-minute browsing lesson might set you again over $100.
Or you’ll be able to merely do what we did and rent a board – we paid 1 / 4 of the worth for 2 hours of board rent and took it in turns!
9. Get pleasure from a Waikiki Sundown
Simply press play each night and nature will present a shocking sundown over Waikiki Seashore. After a day of exploring Oahu or buying in Waikiki, why not seize a spot on the sand or sit in one of many eating places on the seashore to get pleasure from a spectacular Waikiki sundown?
Sundown can also be a very good time for a stroll alongside the seashore, particularly down the western finish of Waikiki close to the Hilton Hawaiian Village – some cool bars alongside that stretch too!
10. Go to Manoa Falls
Manoa falls is a large 150-foot waterfall, which is an excellent sight to behold. Its magnitude is spectacular, and the encompassing inexperienced panorama with bushes virtually as tall because the falls and moss-lined cliff faces, makes it really feel much more highly effective.
The waterfall lands in a pool, although it’s not likely for swimming. You’ll discover loads of mountain climbing trails, picnic areas and scenic views within the surrounding park.
11. Witness Huge Wave Browsing
We had been hoping to witness the world-famous surf that North Shore Oahu is legendary for, however contemplating we visited in March, we had been slightly too late.
It’s wintertime when the large waves roll in (between November and February is finest), so if you end up in Hawaii throughout winter, be sure you watch some large wave surfers in swell that may attain as much as thirty toes excessive!
We nonetheless stopped in on the well-known North Shore seashores together with Sundown Seashore, Pipeline, and Waimea Bay for a glance on our drive round Oahu, with some respectable waves nonetheless rolling in at Pipeline.
12. Play at Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon
Even in the event you don’t keep on the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, I extremely advocate you’re taking your youngsters to this lagoon.
We loved a enjoyable afternoon taking part in on the paddle boats, stand-up paddle boarding, swimming, and kicking again on the sand.
Kalyra liked perfecting a cartwheel on the stand-up paddle-board (SUP) how does she try this? And Caz had enjoyable taking Savannah for a trip on the SUP board.
It’s a secure place for households to hang around and a preferred spot to soak up the sundown.
13. Eat Poke
For a standard Hawaiian dish, order some poke. This wholesome meals is trending all over the world and individuals are embracing it. In case you didn’t know, Poke is a japanese/Hawaiian infused dish made with contemporary uncooked fish, chilly rice, and salad.
One place we ate Poke at was the Barefoot Seashore Cafe, which is like a beachside kiosk with wonderful ocean views – it’s a locals fave!
We ordered the spicy and Hawaiian poke and loved the contemporary, mild, tasty and wholesome dish.
14. Chill out on Kahanamoku Seashore
In search of a bit more room to put your towel for sunbathing and calmer waters for a swim? Kahanamoku Seashore is a curved part of seashore on the western finish of Waikiki, proper in entrance of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort.
The sand is golden and the water crystal clear. It’s protected by the breakwater and pier, and in the event you fancy a snorkel there’s coral working between them.
It might be straightforward to spend a day underneath a type of seashore umbrellas.
15. Drink a Lanikai Juice
After our swim at lovely Lanikai Seashore, we stopped in Lanikai City and grabbed a smoothie from the Lanikai Juice Bar earlier than persevering with on our North Shore highway journey.
This bar is superior, with an incredible vary of drinks and meals from smoothies to juices to wholesome salads – undoubtedly make a pit cease right here in your drive round Oahu.
16. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Who loves shrimp? Within the North Shore of Oahu, the city of Haleiwa, a beautiful historic city with a congregation of meals vans on the aspect of the freeway – one being Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck.
The shrimp truck trade is flourishing on the North Shore, and Giovanni’s was the primary truck to start serving shrimp again in 1993.
We ordered their shrimp scampi, a dish that has made Giovanni’s well-known – a dozen shrimp marinated in olive oil, contemporary chopped garlic, and rice drizzled with a garlic lemon butter. Delish!
17. Chill out on Kuhio Seashore
If the principle part of Waikiki Seashore or Kahanamoku Seashore is to not your liking, you might have an alternative choice in Kuhio Seashore.
Additional east towards Diamond Head, this family-friendly part of seashore is protected against the ocean waves by a sea wall and is away from the hustle and bustle
It’s fairly right here with the palm bushes and uninterrupted views of Diamond Head.
Kapiolani Seashore Park is one other family-friendly seashore in Waikiki. Throughout from right here is Kapiolani Park named after Queen Kapiolani. This 300 acre park additionally has the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Shell, and basketball courts.
18. Calm down with shave ice
In want of a cool deal with? Shave ice is a well-liked dessert in Hawaii made by shaving a block of ice with flavored syrups added and absorbed by the ice.
Probably the most well-known shave ice in Oahu is at Matsumoto in Haleiwa, however we took one take a look at the LONG line and saved driving. We ended up shopping for our youngsters shave ice from a meals truck known as Snow Manufacturing facility on the identical location as Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck.
There was no line and our youngsters had nothing to match it to and liked their deal with!
19. See a Polynesian Luau
Are you able to come to Hawaii and never see a Luau? In all probability not! A favourite reminiscence from our journey was when Savannah acquired a tattoo from one of many male performers on the Starlight Luau who occurred to look identical to Maui from Moana.
We had her satisfied it was him and the look on her face was priceless.
You may suppose a Luau can be a bit kitsch and over-touristy, however we completely loved the dancing and music from the present which highlights the tales and tradition of the totally different Polynesian islands.
The spirit of the Hawaiian individuals actually shines by means of, and a buffet dinner and a few free drinks by no means go astray – mai tai time anybody – put it in your listing of issues to do on Oahu with youngsters. It’s essential they study the cultural significance of the locations they go to.
20. Eat WONUTS
We’d by no means had a wonut earlier than, and the minute we arrived on the Hilton Backyard Inn the pleasant bellboy enthusiastically instructed we should attempt the wonuts downstairs on the TR Fireplace Grill.
What’s a wonut? I hear you ask. It’s a hybrid between a waffle and a donut. After the youngsters begged us for lengthy sufficient, we gave in and so they acquired to attempt them for dessert one night. I’ve to say, the mixture was well worth the hype.
21. Study Pineapple Farming on the Dole Plantation
The Dole Pineapple Plantation is half a museum and half amusement park. It’s the place you’ll be able to study all in regards to the historical past and cultivation of pineapples in Hawaii, and in addition trip the Pineapple Specific land practice. There’s additionally a maze and backyard.
When you’re in search of enjoyable issues to do with youngsters, that is undoubtedly up there as one of many extra distinctive actions.
22. Snorkel within the Turtle Canyon
Have you ever ever wished to snorkel with inexperienced sea turtles? Then a cruise out to Turtle Canyon is the place you wish to go.
Oahu’s Turtle Canyon is a few 2-3-hour journey out from Waikiki by boat and is the very best place to search out sea turtles of their pure habitat. In truth, some snorkel excursions are so assured you will note a turtle, that in the event you don’t, you get your tour without spending a dime!
Typically you may also see dolphins and whales as you make your option to Turtle Canyon. And naturally, you’ll see loads of tropical fish.
23. Swim with sharks
If you wish to tackle a extra adrenaline-fueled exercise in Oahu, then how about swimming with sharks? Sharks usually get a foul rep due to horror films like Jaws and Sharknado, however they’re really very misunderstood creatures.
They’re nonetheless harmful although, which is why it’s finest to swim with sharks through a shark cage, to separate you from these wild predators.
The sharks are often discovered off the coast of Oahu’s North Shore within the deep blue Pacific Ocean. Right here you’ll find wild Galapagos, Hammerhead, and Sandbar sharks. The sharks could be anyplace from 5-15 toes lengthy, so that is undoubtedly not an exercise for the faint-hearted.
When you time your go to proper, you may also see whales and dolphins in your method out to the shark spot.
24. Go whale watching
After all, no journey to Hawaii can be full with out going whale watching. The very best time to see whales is from December to Might when these majestic creatures come to Oahu to present delivery to their calves.
You’ll be able to see whales from the shore in sure spots, in the event you look intently and have a pair of binoculars. In any other case, you’ll be able to take boat excursions out on the West Coast.
That is one of the simplest ways to see them of their pure habitat however from a secure distance in order to not disturb them.
25. Hike the Stairway to Heaven
The Haiku Stairs, or the Stairway to Heaven, is a difficult hike up 3,000 steps to the ridges of the Oahu’s Ko’olau mountain vary. The ladder is a steep, metal staircase that was utilized by the previous U.S. Navy to get to their communication facility.
In the present day, it’s a preferred mountain climbing path that results in the breathtaking surroundings of the rugged mountains. Reaching the summit is certainly a rewarding expertise, although could also be too difficult for these visiting Oahu with youngsters.
26. Hike as much as Koko Head for dawn
One other difficult hike in Oahu is the Koko Head Crater Tramway hike. This hike takes you up a vertical 2.6-km former tramway, which takes you to a viewpoint from the highest of Koko Head.
It’s finest accomplished for dawn, because the views are simply unimaginable when washed within the orange glow of morning.
It takes roughly an hour and a half to hike this path, but it surely’s steep, so not appropriate for these with small youngsters or canine. You’ll want to go to Koko Crater Botanical Backyard when you’re there.
27. Spend a day at Kailua Seashore
No doubt, you need to be certain to spend a day at Kailua Seashore. Kailua Seashore is a tender white sand seashore that’s nice for kite browsing and snorkeling.
It’s nicely maintained and has all of the amenities you may want together with altering rooms and showers. That is the seashore you go to in the event you get pleasure from swimming and sunbathing.
28. See the turtles sunning on Laniakea Seashore
Laniakea Seashore is also called Turtle Seashore, and is legendary for being the place the place many Hawaiian Inexperienced Sea Turtles come to bask within the solar. It’s a protected seashore and not likely for swimming, apart from being house to turtles the waves are actually large, however you’ll be able to see loads of turtles having fun with some rays right here.
29. Discover the pure fantastic thing about Waimea Valley
Oahu is known as a true paradise on Earth, and in the event you want proof of this, you solely want to go to Waimea Valley. It’s a lush, inexperienced panorama recognized for its mountain climbing trails and waterfalls.
The hike by means of the valley is round 3.5-miles and is usually flat, paved floor, which is ideal for households. The trail passes by means of beautiful gardens and historic websites, in addition to passing the long-lasting Waimea Falls.
30. Study Hawaiian Tradition on the Polynesian Cultural Heart
Go to the Polynesian Cultural Heart and see Hawaiian tradition come to life. The Polynesian Cultural Heart is a big living-museum and cultural theme attraction situated in La‘ie, on the northern shore of O‘ahu.
The Heart opened in 1963, and showcases a number of villages representing totally different Polynesian cultures (Hawaiʻi, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, Aotearoa/New Zealand and many others.). In every village, you’ll be able to see arts, crafts, performances, conventional structure, meals, video games, dance, and music.
There are day by day reveals and Lu’aus, with the principle present within the night, HĀ: Breath of Life, a theatrical efficiency with dance, music, and hearth, which tells the tales of Polynesia.
31. Be taught at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum
Honolulu’s Bishop Museum is Hawaii’s largest museum the place you’ll be able to study the cultural historical past of Hawaii and the Pacific. Children will love the planetarium and Science Journey Heart right here as nicely.
The unique goal was to deal with the heirlooms and artifacts inherited by Princess Pauahi — royal objects, conventional Hawaiian objects, and many others. Over time the museum has expanded to incorporate the pure historical past, anthropology, and broader Pacific tradition.
32. Study royalty at Iolani Palace
For extra cultural historical past, go to the Iolani Palace, the house of Hawaii’s final reigning monarchs and served because the official royal residence and the residence of the Kingdom’s political and social life till the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.
33. Go on a Jurassic Park movie set tour
Kualoa Ranch is the place you’ll discover your Jurassic Park surroundings and film setting tour. It’s a big non-public nature reserve, working cattle ranch, cultural website, and Hollywood movie set on the windward (east) coast of Oʻahu.
A preferred option to discover the movie set is through ATV or “Raptor” excursions, and you may also go ziplining (a number of traces and suspension bridges), horseback driving, mountain climbing, or on jungle/valley treks.
If you wish to rise up shut and private with the Jurassic Park surroundings, then think about mountain climbing the Wiliwilinui Ridge Path, which is a 7.6 km hike alongside the jagged ridge-line that appears just like the one you see within the films. It’s a tough hike and we had been visiting with youngsters, so didn’t do that, however you’ll be able to see the path map right here.
34. Go to Byodo-In Temple
Byodo-In Temple is situated within the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, in Kāneʻohe on the windward aspect of Oʻahu, on the foothills of the Koʻolau Mountains.
The temple is a scaled-replica of the historic Byōdō-in Temple in Uji, Japan, which is over 900 years previous (with roots from the eleventh century), and was devoted in August 1968, to commemorate the a hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the primary Japanese immigrants to Hawaiʻi.
35. Boat out to Kaneohe Sandbar
The Kāneʻohe Sandbar (additionally known as Ahu o Laka) is a pure sand formation in the course of Kāneʻohe Bay, which emerges throughout low tide as a stretch of white sand surrounded by shallow, calm waters.
As a result of it’s inside the bay, the waters round it are comparatively protected by reefs, which helps hold the water calm and extra appropriate for swimming, snorkeling, and get up paddle boarding.
It is a “tide‐dependent” attraction, making it among the finest hidden gems on O’ahu. At low tide, extra sand is uncovered (you’ll be able to stroll on the sandbar itself), whereas at greater tide it could be submerged.
Getting round Oahu
Oahu is a fairly easy island to get round. It’s a small island and has a bus community that connects most elements of the island. The bus is cheap, but it surely’s gradual. You do want some endurance when ready for the bus.
The easiest way to get across the island is by automobile. You’ll be able to lease a automobile fairly simply and drive from A to B. DiscoverCars.com is one of the simplest ways to discover a rental automobile. It’s the world’s largest automobile rental reserving service that compares all the key manufacturers like Hertz, Avis, and Alamo.
If you wish to step your journey up a notch, think about embarking on a highway journey and tenting in an RV. Outdoorsy is the most important RV rental market on the planet. They provide ease, flexibility, and a few distinctive and funky campervans on your Oahu highway journey.
When you’re planning on seeing different islands in Hawaii in your journey, you’ll must take inner flights from island to island as ferries not function. Skyscanner is one of the simplest ways to search out low cost flights.
The place to remain in Oahu
O‘ahu is splendidly numerous and every city gives one thing distinctive. Whether or not you need surf cities, seashore resorts, or lush mountain hideaways, you’ll find it right here. If you wish to be within the middle of all of it, Waikīkī is the perfect tropical city playground. Excessive-rise resorts, family-friendly accommodations, and boutique stays line the long-lasting crescent seashore, with Diamond Head watching over all of it.
Simply west of Waikīkī, Honolulu’s downtown gives a extra native vibe and is the place we might advocate for first-time guests. Kaka‘ako has reworked from warehouses to certainly one of O‘ahu’s coolest artistic hubs — suppose road artwork, quirky cafés, microbreweries, and trendy condos.
O’ahu’s North Shore trades skyscrapers for surfboards. In winter, large waves draw execs to legendary breaks like Pipeline and Waimea Bay; in summer time, the ocean calms right into a family-friendly lagoon. For a resort expertise with out the crowds, Ko Olina on the island’s sunny west aspect is a man-made lagoon with calm and kid-friendly waters, framed by luxurious accommodations just like the 4 Seasons and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.
Listed here are some prime beneficial accommodations in Oahu:
- We stayed on the Hilton Waikiki Seashore which was family-friendly and inside a simple stroll to eating places and points of interest in Waikiki Seashore.
- Hilton Hawaiian Village is one other family-friendly resort we stayed at in Oahu.
You will discover extra lodging choices in Oahu within the following interactive map:
Closing ideas
We spent six days on Oahu and it wasn’t practically sufficient. The island could also be small, but it surely has lots to do! There surroundings and panorama is jaw-dropping and the points of interest had been fascinating; the place else on the planet would you see a volcanic crater changed into a cemetery?
With prime points of interest in Oahu reminiscent of Pearl Harbor and the beautiful seashores of Waikiki, you’ll by no means run out of issues to do. In truth, the capital of Honolulu has sufficient points of interest to fill per week.
When you’re unsure what to do in Oahu, then we hope you do now. As you’ll be able to see, I wasn’t mistaken after I mentioned the island has lots to supply. It’s why it made our listing of finest locations to go to within the USA with teenagers.
Whether or not you’re staying for per week or a weekend, you now have the useful resource to plan a extremely unforgettable journey.
Free Oahu Bucket Record PDF
Don’t miss these wonderful Oahu experiences and points of interest. Your free printable PDF bucket listing will assist your planning.
Extra Hawaii Journey Suggestions
Are you planning to go to different islands in Hawaii? Then you need to take a look at these different assets:
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