Hawai’i Itinerary – O’ahu

I grew up spending my entire Summers on O’ahu with my dad, sister and his side of the family – from the day after I would get out of school, until the day before school started again. I used to hate being away from my friends over the Summer but now I’m extremely thankful that I was able to have those experiences! After high school and with real responsibilities like work – bleh – I was only able to make it out there every other year but now I’m able to go at all different times of the year, so I can say that I’ve experienced all this at every time of the year! And it’s all just as spectacular at all times. It does get a lot busier during the Summer, however.

I absolutely love this island and consider it my second home – I’ve spent about a quarter of my life there, after all. I’ve done it all there from the tourist attractions and Waikiki, to the beaches and adventures around the whole island.

Below, I broke down the best things to do on each part of the island with a map – and noted what type of traveler it’s for…for the tourist, the adventurer, etc.

Hope you love it, and happy travels!

Also ps: I lost all my pics from my last trip, and I never really took many pics before 🙁 so all these photos are from my IG story highlight! Thank the heavens for story highlights.

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1. The North Shore:

To do all of this takes at least two trips to the North Shore

Beaches

• My favorite is Waimea Bay…there is a 25ft rock you can jump off that’s really fun. It gets deep in the summertime but just bring a pool floatie or noodle to hang out on. If the parking lot is full just park up the street at the church and walk down the dirt pathway
• Sunset beach
• Anything else are just surfer beaches and really rocky…and especially think about the time you’re going…the swell is insane in the wintertime so you probably won’t want to swim but it’s fun to just sit and watch the surfers cause this is the big season – Bonzai pipeline is the big professional stuff and there might even be a surf competition while you’re there!

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Other Stuff

• Hike: Sunset beach hike has an amazing view of the north shore beaches and the Banzai pipeline. It’s steep but short…don’t stop at the first bunker, keep going to the second one because it’s a better view. You can’t park at the elementary school but there’s a small parking lot right next to it or just find street parking.
• Snorkeling: Sharks Cove – wear water shoes! It’s super rocky. There are snorkel rentals around there too
• Haleiwa: a cute little surf town with cute shops…check out San Lorenzo bikinis! ALSO Matsumotos shave ice has been there for EVER and it’s the best shave ice ever…theres usually a super long line but it’s soooo worth it
• Dole pineapple farms is cool to visit and take a tour – it’s on the way to/from the North Shore
• Turtle beach! On the beach side of the road in between Haleiwa and Pupukea…there are usually some HUGE turtles washed up there…definitely worth parking and walking over to check

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Food

• Haleiwa bowl acai bowls – in Haleiwa
• Shrimp trucks in Kahuku – literally the best shrimp you will ever have in your life…there’s garlic shrimp and spicy. Giovannis and Fumis are my fave.
• PUPUKEA GRILL!! It’s a food truck kind of by Shark’s Cove – their spicy ahi poke bowl is the best
• Don’t get sucked into the food trucks by Shark’s Cove…there’s one in the back with picnic tables that’s really good but the rest are eh

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2. Windward side/Kailua area

Hikes, Waterfalls, & Adventures

• Lulumahu Falls: The most mild waterfall hike and you can swim at the waterfall. During busy season (summer and holidays) it gets kinda crowded. The hike is easy but you’re crossing the river constantly (maybe like 10 times) and it gets a little muddy and slippery so if you do it, wear water shoes! It’s literally RIGHT off the Pali highway you’ll see a parking lot. Go through the hole in the fence that’s on the road by the parking lot – it’s a cooler hike through a bamboo forest instead of on a paved road.
• Maunawili falls: a better waterfall but a much more dangerous hike
• Pillboxes hike: an AMAZING view of both the mountains and the beach! It’s a steep hike up about 20 mins but the top is amazinggg.
• Pali puka: google pics of this – it’s amazing! It’s a sketchy hike but pretty. Heres a good blog post about it: http://www.unrealhawaii.com/2011/01/pali-puka-2/

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Beaches

• Kailua beach – super relaxing beach, you can rent kayaks or paddle boards and paddle to the sandbar or just wherever. Don’t be afraid of the current cause you’re in a bay and won’t go anywhere 🙂
• Another beach in that area is Lanikai beach which has a view of the “Mokes” – two little islands off Oahu. You’ll have to park in a neighborhood and walk. There aren’t any rentals at this beach it’s just super chill.

Food

• Downtown Kailua has good food for lunch: Konos is everything Kahlua pork and it’s suuuper good but usually a long wait. Teddy’s bigger burgers is an Oahu burger chain and super good if you don’t want to wait for Konos.

3. Windward side/Hawaii Kai area

Hikes & Adventures

• Kokohead crater trail: literally 1,000 stairs but the view is insane
• Makapuu lighthouse hike – when you come back down you can go down the trail at the bottom and there are little coves with beaches that are pretty private…not a lot of people know about them so they’re pretty empty
• Makapuu tide pools – a super sketchy hike down to the tide pools on the Makapuu lighthouse trail about halfway down. You’ll see some people going off the side of a cliff and that’s how you know where it is lol but the tide pools are so cool to sit in. Google pics!
• Rock bridge @ Hawaii Kai: google pics! It’s a 4 mile round trip hike to and from the rock bridge. Also super sketchy so check the tide that day and if it’s big don’t go

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Beaches & Snorkeling

• Sandy Beach is a local fave
• Hanauma bay: the most famous snorkeling place on Oahu but has become super touristy so a lot of the coral has died and not a lot of fish live there anymore. Theres an educational video before you go in which is cool and it’s still a beach if you want to chill at a beach.

Food

• Kona brewing Co is in Hawaii Kai at the Koko Marina. They have decent food too

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4. My Fave: Waikiki + Honolulu!

Beaches, Hikes, Adventures

• Waikiki beach – touristy beach but it’s fun…make sure to see the Duke Kahanamoku statue by the police station. You can walk up and down the beach past the hotels.
• Ala Moana Beach Park: Right across the street from Ala Moana, the biggest outdoor shopping mall in America! It’s a chill place with no waves so it’s good for paddle boarding and little kids.
• Diamond Head hike: super touristy hike but really pretty view. It’s paved and there are like 300 stairs but you go through an old bunker which is cool and the view is pretty
• BOOZE CRUISE!! Free drinks + watching the sunset on a boat = duh. It’s 90 minutes and you can see all of Waikiki when you’re out there and soooo beautiful at sunset – it’s literally my favorite thing. The sunset one sells out every day, so sign up for it as soon as you get there! The guys that work it are on the beach by the Sheraton Moana Surfrider hotel right outside Dukes Barefoot Bar – its a big yellow catamaran called the Na Hoku II. While you’re at it, get lunch and drinks at Duke’s! It’s an iconic spot.

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Food & Breweries

• Maui Brewing Co – you can’t miss it…it’s a huge building across the street from The Moana Surfrider and they have super good beer. I’ve never eaten there but the menu always looks good.
• Honolulu Beer Works – another (smaller) brewery but further from town in Kaka’ako which is by the mall.
• Agu Ramen
• Doraku sushi
• Ichiriki – shabu shabu/fondue style Asian…SO good!
• Rainbow drive in (by the Zoo) or L&L BBQ – traditional Hawaiian “plate lunch”. My fave plate lunch is chicken katsu with Mac salad
• Sasabune – an omakase style sushi restaurant. Only go here if you are down to be SUPER adventurous (like sea urchin, sea cucumber, etc.) and are prepared to pay close to $200/person. There’s no menu and Chef Sasabune just hands you courses until you tap out. Also he will kick you out of the restaurant if you try to change what he gives you by taking anything off or adding sauce, etc. so you have to be adventurous
• Rumfire at the Sheraton: the food is overpriced but it’s pretty good and it’s pretty outside at sunset
• Royal Garden at Ala Moana – Vietnamese food/dim sum

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Bars

• Lulus restaurant – at the end of Waikiki by the Zoo…turns into a bar Mondays after 11. Super casual
• Mai Tais at Ala Moana – Ala Moana is also the biggest outdoor shopping mall in America!
• Lobby bar @ the Modern Hotel in Waikiki – a cute speakeasy behind a bookcase in the lobby of the hotel. They usually have live music. Open only weekends…dress is classy/kinda dressy!
• Hideout at the Laylow hotel – rooftop restaurant and bar…super good drinks and dress is casual dressy
• First Fridays in Chinatown if you’re there for the first Friday of the month – just like Phoenix except it’s sooo much more fun and the streets are crazy

Leeward Side

• Pray for sets: The best sunset on the island because it’s the furthermost West point of the entire island. Bring a bottle of wine and a picnic!

• Good beginners surf spots: White plains or barbers point

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Other Local Stuff

• Uncle’s at the fish market – kinda by the airport. Their Mahi tacos are BOMB. You might catch the fish auction there too and you can take a fish home in a cooler!
• If you pass a 7-11 you HAVE to try a teriyaki spam musubi…it’s just something you have to do
• ZIPPYS is like a better Dennys that serves Hawaiian food and sushi and it has a bakery in it called Napoleons which you HAVE to try the chocolate Haupia pie
• Tamura’s Market – they have a fresh fish market in the front of the stores…you have to try all kinds of poke and lomi salmon. Also see if they have char siu manapua at the bakery…you won’t regret it
• You have to try the kimchi there – it is like nothing you’ve had on the mainland! I bring a big jar home from Costco every time I go.
• Pearl Harbor – it’s definitely something you have to see once in your life, it’s crazy. But you have to get there super early because you will end up waiting 1-2 hours for your group to go however there is a whole museum you can look at while you’re waiting.
• Foodland – great poke for a fast stop before the beach

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