“Don’t spend any time in Oahu” they said.

Its a good thing I don’t listen to “them” when choosing where I will travel, because I found Oahu to be a wonderful place to visit. Yes, I also visited 4 other Hawaiian Islands and loved them all, for different reasons, and some were more natural or less crowded than Oahu, but that didn’t lessen the appeal of Oahu for me! (see our other Hawaiian stories click here: Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii) A friend recently booked a trip to Oahu and asked about my visit there. I realized I hadn’t posted here because I was falling into the trap of thinking of Oahu as a pass through, not interesting enough for people to read about. But I realize that in fact, millions of people go to Oahu and love it, as I did! So if Oahu is in your future…lucky you, but be prepared to plan ahead!! And here are some thoughts for planning your trip there.

Honolulu

It’s simple enough to base yourself in Waikiki Beach and explore without a rental car and enjoy a visit entirely on foot! You can also rent hire guides, take an car service or use the decent public bus system to explore areas around Honolulu. To get further afield up to the North Shore our out to the eastern or western parts of Oahu, you’ll need a rental car, hire a guide or do a group tour. All of these are easily arranged, but if you travel during the popular winter season, Dec- late April, you’ll want to make your arrangements well in advance for lodging, rental cars and tours. Especially with Lahaina still in active recovery from devastating wildfires in 2023, you can expect other areas in the Hawaiian islands to be more crowded.

Waikiki

If you place yourself in a rental condo or hotel room in Waikiki, you can probably walk to visit most of the top attractions. Of course there’s the beach, and it’s bordered by a great walkway along Kalakaua Avenue with several pocket parks, many with a different statue of Duke Kahanamoku, the famous Olympic surfer. Along the Avenue, you’ll find all of the shops, and high end hotels, but you don’t need to stay at one on the beach to have a great experience, choose a condo or hotel a few blocks back from the beach, most include a bicycle and or beach chair. You can easily walk to the beach (or take the bike) and enjoy your beach day without needing to have your room on the beach!

Where else can you go on foot from Waikiki?

Honolulu Zoo

I’ll cop to not having enough time to visit this zoo, but everyone who has says its very well done! I enjoy a well organized zoo (this is also a park and aquarium!) that helps me better understand the animals I’ll encounter in a new place.

Diamond Head

This 300,000 year old volcanic crater is one of Oahu’s most popular hiking trails. The trail built in the early 20th century by the military for surveillance is now a state park that requires a reservation to climb. Click here: Diamond Head. and make reservations 30 days in advance of the date you’d like to hike. You’ll need to try for parking reservations right at 30 days if you plan to park a car. Walking or taking a car service, you’ll probably find reservations after 30 days, even if you might not get the most popular time slots of dawn and dusk. Getting reservations early in the day is a good idea if you don’t want to hike in the heat of the day.

Shopping at International Market Place

In the center of Waikiki, you’ll find this open air mall with all the top luxury brands. If you don’t plan to shop designers, and just need a few essentials, check out the ubiquitous ABC stores, which sell everything from booze, sunscreen, and beach supplies as well as take away food, and souvenirs.

Kuhio Beach Hula Mound

Three times a week at dusk, this park hosts a ceremony at sunset and showcases young hula dancers who are taking hula lessons to learn their Hawaiian culture. Check the web for exact times and days, as these change with the seasons.

Downtown

Largely the business center, Downtown also hosts cultural tourist attractions including Iolani Palace, King Kamehameha Statue, Honolulu Museum of Art and the modern government buildings. Nearby, popular Chinatown provides a great place for authentic Chinese food. This was an area we didn’t have enough time to visit during our weeklong stay!

Just Outside of Honolulu

A ride share or bus ride away, these sites also require some planning ahead! Check out the sites and note the dates that that tickets for each spot become available!

Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial

Another popular site with tourists, the site of the US Naval Base during WWII, and the attacks that brought the US into the war, its has several components including he somber USS Arizona Memorial, over 1000 Sailors were entombed beneath the sea on Dec 7 1941, and this site is accessible by ferry from Pearl Harbor. You’ll need to book a timed entry here Peal Harbor 8 weeks in advance from the National Park Service. Click here: Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial tickets Even if you can’t score tickets for the Arizona Memorial, there are several other museums, and vessels open for exploration at Pearl Harbor.

Turtle, Dive and Snorkel Tours

Small vessels that take out tourists for whale watching, turtle tours, snorkeling or diving are accessible from the piers in the harbor at the end of Waikiki Beach. You can search ahead of time for an operator or stroll up to a kiosks by the pier and book. During busier times it’s best to book a well reviewed outfitter. We took a “turtle tour” with Living Ocean Tours we really liked.

Seeing sea turtles in high on the list of every visitors list of things to do. A good boat tour will ensure you have the best chance to see them safely.

Eastern Point

Hanauma Bay

One of the most popular snorkel sites, accessible from the shore, is a state park so popular that you must book a timed entry 48 hours before, at EXACTLY 7 AM or be left without a reservation through Honolulu Parks and Recreation. Click Here: Hananuma Bay Once in, you may stay as long as you like, so book an early slot!

Makapua Point and Lighthouse

While you’ll probably need a driver or rental car to see this eastern most point of Oahu, you might find it worth the trip. A hike up to the top is a paved pedestrian path, making it more accessible, but the vertical and heat can make it a challenging walk despite only being a couple of miles.

North Shore

Polynesian Cultural Center

This village was founded by Mormon missionaries in 1864, and today students of Polynesian Culture come from all over to learn traditional arts and ways The students demonstrate these throughout the day for visitors.

Waimea Valley

We used a tour company called the North Shore Surf Bus Click here which took us on several stops with delicious local foods to try and view spots along the north shore, and for a hike in the Waimea Botanical Park. Stops can be customized too!

There are plenty of places we didn’t visit in Oahu, little hideaways, places you might reach with a rental car, read about them on any of the many tourism Hawaii sites you’ll find. This is our “taste of Oahu” and if you plan to “go see it” yourself, we hope you’ll find our advice and ideas helpful!