If you’re looking for a list of all the best things to do in Oahu, look no further! We thoroughly enjoyed our recent trip to Oahu, Hawaii, and totally fell in love with the island. There’s just something about the mix of town and country, the abundance of incredible Oahu hikes, and the laid-back vibe that we couldn’t get enough of.
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There are endless things to do in Honolulu, but we only spent a few days there and spent the rest of our time discovering what to do in Oahu – the island is an absolute gem if you love great beaches and hikes! No matter what kind of traveler you are, hopefully you can take a few tips away from the places we saw and the things we did. This was actually a very last minute trip because we found an amazing flight deal (here’s more on how we find great flight deals), and we couldn’t pass it up.
Also, before I get into talking about Oahu, I should note that we never pay a lot of money for our Hawaii trips in particular, thanks to a few tricks we use to save money on flights to Oahu and hotels in Honolulu. If you want to know more about this, check out my other post on how we save money on Oahu Hawaii vacations. If you’re heading to other Hawaiian islands on your trip, make sure to also check out this post on the Best Things to Do in Maui. Without further ado, let’s get into everything you need to know for a perfect Oahu Hawaii vacation!
Getting Around Oahu
First things first – if you want to do anything remotely exciting on Oahu (including in Honolulu), you probably need to rent a car. A lot of people rent colorful jeep wranglers – you can put the top down, they’re great for rougher roads and they honestly are just fun to drive.
Gas is obviously a bit expensive, but we drove a ton and found we only had to fill up once or twice during a week-long trip.
What to Pack for Oahu
Every travels differently, but it’s probably safe to assume that if you’re going to Oahu, you plan to hit the beach. Hopefully, you also want to check out some at least one of the gorgeous Oahu hikes, which means you also should be prepared with sturdy shoes and comfortable clothes that you can wear a swimsuit under. Below, I’ve listed the top items that helped us out while in Hawaii.
For hikes, you need a good pair of sneakers – I prefer a pair that is fairly stylish and can go with regular clothes, like these shoes from Nike.
Perhaps most importantly no matter what you do – you’ll want an awesome camera to photograph it. While phone cameras go a long way, they don’t come close to having a DSLR. Even if you have no photography experience, I recommend considering one, especially if you travel a lot and want exceptional photos. I personally use a Nikon D5500, and it is incredible and easy to use.
Where to Stay in Oahu
Honolulu Hotels
Wondering where to stay in Oahu? We have been to Oahu several times, and every time we choose to stay at a hotel in Honolulu and make that our home base. We do that for two reasons: there are countless things to do in Honolulu and Waikiki and its a central location that can reach most places on the island in about an hour. The map below shows where I always search for hotels in Oahu – because the truth is, as long as you’re in this area, it really doesn’t matter which hotel you stay at.
Booking.com
If you’re wondering if the rumors about Oahu being expensive are true, the answer is a definite yes. That being said, there are hotels available for all budgets. If you’re wanting a few personal recommendations, the three hotels listed below are all hotels that I have been to or stayed at, and that I would say are good Honolulu hotel options.
Honolulu Low-Budget Hotel
We have stayed twice at the Aqua Pacific Monarch, and it is my top recommendation for a decent hotel on a tight budget in Honolulu. Rooms generally run around $100-$130 per night (when we have looked), and the hotel is located about a 2 minute walk from Waikiki beach (where we saw the sunset below).
Some of the hotel features look a little older, but it has a rooftop pool where you can watch the sunset, and they also have rooms with an ocean view. Overall, it is a steal and a great option if you’re looking for an incredible location in Waikiki.
Honolulu Mid-Budget Hotel
The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club
The Surfjack Hotel is absolutely adorable and has major surf vibes (hence the name) and eclectic decor, including an oval swimming pool in the middle of the lobby with the words “wish you were here” written on the pool floor (hello, instagram drone photos).
Another thing we loved about the Surfjack hotel is the cute little coffee shop next to the lobby, which had delicious coffee in the cutest cups I’ve ever seen.
There are also plenty of comfy places in the lobby to relax and either chat with friends, or for you digital nomads – to pull out your laptop and work.
Luxury Hotels Honolulu
If budget isn’t an issue, my all-time luxury favorite hotel in Honolulu is The Royal Hawaiian. First of all, everything is pink, making for some killer photos and an all-around cool vibe. It is super instagram famous, but all that luxury comes with a price tag to match. It also has beach access, so for those of you who are wanting a resort steps from the sand, this one is for you.
Day 1: Things to do in Honolulu
If you’re flying to Oahu, you will likely be landing at Honolulu airport, making Hawaii’s capital city a great first stop on your first day. Honolulu is a city of a little over 300,000, and it certainly gives off a big city feel. In fact, if you go elsewhere on Oahu they refer to Honolulu and its surrounding area simply as “town.” There’s plenty of things to do in Honolulu, including a visit to Waikiki beach, the international market and the Kakaako neighborhood.
Waikiki Beach
All of Oahu’s beaches are stunning, but Waikiki beach is certainly well known for a reason. Think white sand beaches, warm water with slight waves for surfing and incredible Waikiki restaurants just steps from the beach.
Waikiki Beach also is great if you love water sports – there are tons of places where you can rent a surf board or stand up paddle board for the day. The waves are very mild, and it’s a great place to fulfill your bucket list wish of learning to surf. The one downside of Waikiki beach is that it is a major tourist attraction, and the beach is almost always very crowded. That being said, we still thought it was worth a visit and had an amazing time there.
International Market Place
If you need a break from the beach and want a little glitz and glamour, head over to the International Market Place, where you can find shops, restaurants and incredible views of Honolulu. The international market is more of a mall-type area, and its located off the main street in Waikiki, which is basically like the Rodeo Drive of Oahu. There are often also live events in this area, and we saw performances of cultural Hawaiian dancing and music several times.
Kakaako
If you’re looking for a more artsy area with places to eat and drink, then check out Kakaako, which is an area of Honolulu with a strong art culture and adorable places to shop, eat and drink.
One of the coolest parts of Kakaako (in my opinion) is the countless walls that have been painted in murals, like the one shown in the photo below.
We found a ton of amazing places in this area and around Oahu to photograph – if that’s your thing, check out this list of the most instagrammable places in Oahu, Hawaii.
shop my look:
Day 2: South Oahu
Honolulu is located on the south side of Oahu, and there are several things to do near, but not in, the city. On our second day in Oahu, we headed to Diamond Head Crater Hike, which has amazing views but is also packed with tourists (but still definitely worth it!).
If you’re hungry after the hike, make sure to stop by Banan for an insanely delicious acai bowl. At Banan, you can also get a papaya boat, which is basically half a papaya filled with acai and other toppings.
Later that day, we also checked out the south-eastern coast, stopping at Hanauma Bay (a nature preserve that is AMAZING for snorkeling – one of our favorite places on the island), as well as other viewpoints along the coast like the Lanai lookout and Halona Blowhole lookout.
The lookouts are literally that – places to look at a cool site- but they’re still worth a quick drive-by if you want to see some incredible nature views.
Day 3: Oahu’s North Shore
On our third day, we headed to Waimea Bay, which is an incredible beach and also has a massive rock that you can cliff-jump off of (see Omri doing so below!).
There is a lot to see on the North Shore, but I would definitely recommend giving yourself a few hours to rest and enjoy Waimea Bay. If you prefer not to jump off the rock, there is also calm water for swimming and a beautiful beach area to relax. It also was much emptier than some of the other beaches we went to, and had less of a touristy feel.
It’s also definitely worth noting that if you’re in that area you should stop by Haleiwa bowls, our absolute favorite spot for acai on the island.
If you want to try more than on acai bowl on the North Shore (come on, you know you do!) we also liked Crispy Grinds.
Turtle Bay Resort
After our daily acai bowl, we headed to Turtle Bay Resort for an amazing helicopter ride with Paradise Helicopters. To read more about the helicopter ride experience, click here.
Afterwards, we headed to Turtle Bay beach for some fun and sun! Apparently you can often see turtles here when snorkeling, but we were in the water for quite some time and did not. Either way, it’s still a lovely beach (but touristy). Turtle Bay is actually a resort, not just a beach, so the setup is really nice with a restaurant and bar, plus really clean amenities (like bathrooms and showers). We weren’t sure if the stop would be worth it since it is resort, but we ended up loving this beach and will probably stay at this resort next time, as it was absolutely incredible.
Days 4 & 5: Eastern Oahu
Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden
On our fourth day, we started out by heading to the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden not long after it opened at 9am, which I recommend doing, as it is less crowded.
I should note that you are not actually allowed to take pictures like this in the middle of the road, at least at the entrance to the park. There is an attendant there who will scold you for walking in the road, so you may want to head into the park a little bit with you car and then take photos.
Lanikai Beach and Pillbox Hike
After finishing at the botanical garden, we drove over to hike the Pillbox hike, which is a rather short and easy hike, with STUNNING views all along the way.
You can see Lanikai beach from the top of the hike, which is fantastic, because it gets you pumped to head there afterwards! We loved Lanikai beach but unfortunately the weather was not the absolute best while we were there, so we mostly stayed on the beach itself.
However, I read a lot of recommendations saying that while you’re there, you should rent a kayak (there are loads to rent at the beach), and paddle out to the Mokes, also called Mokulua, which are small islands you can see from shore.
While in that area, we ate at Nalu Health Bar which is a cute restaurant that has a lot of healthy options, not just acai bowls.
On our fifth day, we stayed in the same region, as we felt that there was more to see on the eastern side of the island. We started out the day with a short hike to see Manoa Falls, which is incredible but can be a bit muddy.
I don’t see as many pictures of this location from other travelers in Hawaii, but I DEFINITELY recommend it, as it has some of the most incredible nature views I’ve ever seen and will leave you feeling like you stepped into an alternate universe. This sounds really cheesy, but we kept comparing it to something you would see in Avatar.
For lunch, we stopped by Leahi health bar for acai yet again, although the restaurant is vegan and has tons of other tasty options. We just love acai 🙂
After lunch, we headed once more to Hanauma Bay since the weather had improved, and we did some serious snorkeling. It costs $1 to park and $7 per person to enter the nature reserve, and you’re required to watch a short video before entering. However, we went to numerous beaches and this one was by far our favorite, if you like snorkeling. The reefs are beyond incredible and we were able to swim with schools of fish several times – it was amazing!
Day 6: Kualoa Ranch & Crouching Lion Hike
Finally, on our next-to-last day we headed to Kualoa Ranch, which is an incredible area of mountains where they filmed several movies like Jurassic Park and King Kong. There are numerous guided tours (on horses, on a bus, etc), but we thought they were quite expensive and touristy so we just walked around on foot.
The area is incredible and definitely worth seeing! If you have children, it seemed like there was a lot to do at the park that was geared toward kids. We know people who have gone through the entire park and recommended it, but we chose to just check out the entrance and surrounding area so we could continue on to other things in the area.
That same day we also did the Crouching Lion Hike, which is similar to the pillbox hike in terms of length, but is much steeper and a bit harder (although if you’re a hiker, neither of these are very challenging).
First of all, we stopped several times on the way to the hike’s entrance to see all the beautiful scenery (see below), before heading to the hike itself.
To be honest, the hike is hard to find, and we had to scour the internet for directions on how to reach it and then drive around for a while until we found it. If you search in Google Maps, it will get you close and the rest is trial and error. However, it’s still worth it, as the hike itself is lovely and the views are breathtaking!
Oahu is an incredible place, and we loved every second! If you’re considering going to Oahu, or even planning a Hawaii honeymoon, I hope this has given you a few ideas of where to start!
Basically, most days we began with some sort of hike, followed by an acai bowl and then a trip to the beach. Although I mentioned some of the places we ate while in Oahu, here’s a more concise list:
Food in Oahu
Honolulu
Arvo: located in the Kakaako district of Honolulu, it’s a great place for breakfast or lunch, with amazing bites such as loaded toast and great coffee art.
Banan: more of a food stand than a restaurant, it serves up great acai bowls and papaya boats, and is a great stop after hiking Diamond Head
Duke’s: perhaps one of the only restaurants we went to that seemed to be packed with locals, we went to Duke’s several times for a bite to eat and beers in the evening.
Tommy Bahama: above the Tommy Bahama store in Honolulu is a gorgeous restaurant and bar, which is not cheap, but has great food and even better views. Head to the top floor if you want a chance to sit in the sand and cuddle around fire pits. It’s also near many other great restaurants in Waikiki.
North Shore
Haleiwa Bowls: our favorite acai spot on the island, this stand is located on the North Shore (a bit before sunset beach), and is near other cute eateries like Sunrise Shack. There is also a Haleiwa branch, unsurprisingly, in the town of Haleiwa.
Crispy Grinds: another açaí bowl place that also carries sandwiches
North Shore Food Trucks: Just across from Shark’s Cove, there are a number of food trucks serving up relatively cheap and delicious bites ranging from Mexican food to Shrimps.
East Side
Leahi health bar: a vegan restaurant on the east side of the island, this spot had lots of fresh, healthy dishes
Nalu Health Bar: Nalu is located near Lanikai beach in a strip with several other small restaurants. Nalu has lots of healthy options (including acai bowls, duh), such as sandwiches and salads. If you want something heartier, there are also other options on the same block.
I’ve linked everything I wore in this post, but if you’re looking for a complete packing list – look no further! You can find one here.
I hope this post has been helpful in helping you find some awesome things to do in Oahu, Hawaii! Have you ever been there before, and gone to any of these places? Where else would you recommend? Comment and let me know!