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They name O‘ahu “The Gathering Place,” and it definitely 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 exhibits 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 seaside to chasing waterfalls and mountaineering 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’s a lot O’ahu can educate you – and no, not by any museum, however by its murals, its meals vans, and its welcoming locals.
For those who’re able to discover O’ahu, then seize your flip-flops and your sense of marvel, as a result of The Gathering Place is able to collect you, too.
The Go Metropolis O’ahu card presents as much as 50% off admission to over 40 O’ahu points of interest. It’s a good way to economize in your trip. See extra particulars right here.
1. Hike the Diamond Head Stroll
Some of the well-known actions you are able to do in Oahu is hike the Diamond Head stroll. It was proper on the prime of our checklist of issues to do in Waikiki and we actually loved the views over Waikiki Seaside 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 recommend getting there for the park opening at 6:30 am.
While the stroll seems to be laborious and steep, our youngsters managed it no drawback as there are loads of switchbacks making it a comparatively straightforward ascent, and I’d permit at the least 90-minutes to finish the stroll.
Simply make sure to take the 900 steps and comply with the group in an anticlockwise course to ease the circulation of site visitors.
2. Street journey round Oahu
You possibly can’t spend every single day laying on the seaside in Waikiki, properly you may, however driving across the Island of Oahu is a good 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, properly half of it – we bought 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 Seaside, the North Shore seashores and the historic city of Haleiwa.
3. Go snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
Considered one of our favourite issues to do was snorkeling in Hanauma Bay Nature Protect, which is among the greatest locations to go snorkeling as a result of range of marine life there.
Positioned 30-minutes east of Waikiki, this beautiful cove was as soon as a volcanic crater and now performs house to clear blue waters and energetic 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.
Carry your personal snorkeling gear you probably have it, although you’ll be able to lease gear there. We rented masks, snorkels, and fins from a kiosk on the seaside.
Hanauma Bay is open every single day besides Tuesdays. There may be an entrance price for adults however children 12 and below are FREE.
4. Take a tour of Pearl Harbor
Some of the necessary and historic factors of curiosity is Pearl Harbor. We questioned whether or not it might be applicable for our youngsters to do a tour of Pearl Harbor and wouldn’t it be definitely worth the expense?
They’d by no means been uncovered to something to do with warfare earlier than, and one other day stress-free on Waikiki Seaside is tough to surrender.
However I’m glad we did; it was a implausible instructional expertise for our youngsters.
It was a lovely memorial, and you’ll 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 may also wander the Pearl Harbor Nationwide Memorial, The Battleship Missouri Memorial, and USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park.
That is the place to go to be taught extra about WWII historical past and Hawaii’s involvement within the warfare. As we had been quick on time, and with no automobile, we joined a tour.
Relying in your accessible time and price range, contemplate the half day tour or full day tour by means of Get Your Information, each come extremely really useful and have skip-the-line tickets!
5. Spend a number of hours (or an entire day) on Waikiki Seaside
Waikiki Seaside is essentially the most well-known seaside on Oahu and is a must-see. While the primary part in entrance of The Royal Hawaiian Resort (the Flamingo Pink) will get crowded, and it may be laborious to discover a spot to place your towel, as a metropolis vacationer seaside we had been impressed.
The water is completely temperate, typically secure for youths to swim with calm waves, and the views over Diamond Head are like an image from a postcard!
It’s right here the place many of the outrigger boats function and be taught to surf faculties. When you get sick of the seaside, you’re proper close to the primary purchasing space of Waikiki alongside Kalakaua Ave.
Households who love to buy will need to go to the Royal Hawaiian Heart, an outside purchasing middle within the purchasing district of Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki.
6. Swim at Lanikai Seaside
In all probability our favourite spot on our drive round Oahu was Lanikai Seaside. Constantly rated one of the best seaside in Oahu, this strip of seaside is simply attractive and an ideal place to cease and have a swim together with your children.
It was a lot quieter than Waikiki Seaside or Hanauma Bay after we visited, and could be an excellent spot for kayaking or get up paddle boarding – if we had extra time we’d have kayaked to the close by islands or loved supping.
7. Bask in an acai bowl
We’ve had acai bowls earlier than in Australia and overseas, however they appear to be on provide in every single place in Hawaii. And in the event you’re in search of a wholesome breakfast choice, it’s laborious to go fallacious with this superfood from Brazil.
For those who haven’t tried one earlier than, an acai bowl is sort of a actually thick smoothie topped with oatmeal and fruit.
For an excellent acai bowl, we advocate the Heavenly Island Life-style Cafe, or Bogarts Café & Espresso Bar – eat at Bogarts after you could have completed the Diamond Head stroll (25-minute stroll from the Monument, so in case your children are drained catch an Uber).
8. Take a browsing lesson
Our eldest daughter Kalyra discovered how you can surf again in Australia, so she simply needed to rent her personal board and play within the waves with me.
However in case you are thinking about studying to surf, Waikiki Seaside is among the greatest locations to be taught. With clear waist deep water and mild waves, you’ll be standing up very quickly.
There are a number of operators spanning the seaside, 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. Take pleasure in a Waikiki Sundown
Simply press play each night and nature will present a shocking sundown over Waikiki Seaside. After a day of exploring Oahu or purchasing in Waikiki, why not seize a spot on the sand or sit in one of many eating places on the seaside to get pleasure from a spectacular Waikiki sundown?
Sundown can be a very good time for a stroll alongside the seaside, 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 a superb sight to behold. Its magnitude is spectacular, and the encircling inexperienced panorama with timber nearly 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 mountaineering trails, picnic areas and scenic views within the surrounding park.
11. Witness Large 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 just a little too late.
It’s wintertime when the large waves roll in (between November and February is greatest), so if you end up in Hawaii throughout winter, make sure to watch some massive wave surfers in swell that may attain as much as thirty ft excessive!
We nonetheless stopped in on the well-known North Shore seashores together with Sundown Seaside, 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 are taking your children to this lagoon.
We loved a enjoyable afternoon enjoying on the paddle boats, stand-up paddle boarding, swimming, and kicking again on the sand.
Kalyra cherished perfecting a cartwheel on the stand-up paddle-board (SUP) how does she do this? And Caz had enjoyable taking Savannah for a experience 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 persons 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 Seaside 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. Loosen up on Kahanamoku Seaside
Searching for a bit more room to put your towel for sunbathing and calmer waters for a swim? Kahanamoku Seaside is a curved part of seaside 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 operating between them.
It will be straightforward to spend a day below a kind of seaside umbrellas.
15. Drink a Lanikai Juice
After our swim at lovely Lanikai Seaside, 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 excellent vary of drinks and meals from smoothies to juices to wholesome salads – positively 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 stunning historic city with a congregation of meals vans on the facet 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. Loosen up on Kuhio Seaside
If the primary part of Waikiki Seaside or Kahanamoku Seaside is to not your liking, you could have another choice in Kuhio Seaside.
Additional east towards Diamond Head, this family-friendly part of seaside 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 timber and uninterrupted views of Diamond Head.
Kapiolani Seaside Park is one other family-friendly seaside 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. Quiet 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.
Essentially the most well-known shave ice in Oahu is at Matsumoto in Haleiwa, however we took one have 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 similar location as Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck.
There was no line and our youngsters had nothing to check it to and cherished 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 bought a tattoo from one of many male performers on the Starlight Luau who occurred to look similar to Maui from Moana.
We had her satisfied it was him and the look on her face was priceless.
You would possibly suppose a Luau could be a bit kitsch and over-touristy, however we totally loved the dancing and music from the present which highlights the tales and tradition of the completely different Polynesian islands.
The spirit of the Hawaiian folks 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 checklist of issues to do on Oahu with children. It’s necessary they be taught 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 strive the wonuts downstairs on the TR Hearth Grill.
What’s a wonut? I hear you ask. It’s a hybrid between a waffle and a donut. After the children begged us for lengthy sufficient, we gave in they usually bought to strive them for dessert one night. I’ve to say, the mix was definitely 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 be taught all in regards to the historical past and cultivation of pineapples in Hawaii, and likewise experience the Pineapple Specific land prepare. There’s additionally a maze and backyard.
For those who’re in search of enjoyable issues to do with children, that is positively up there as one of many extra distinctive actions.
22. Snorkel within the Turtle Canyon
Have you ever ever needed to snorkel with inexperienced sea turtles? Then a cruise out to Turtle Canyon is the place you need to go.
Oahu’s Turtle Canyon is a couple of 2-3-hour journey out from Waikiki by boat and is one of the best place to search out sea turtles of their pure habitat. Actually, some snorkel excursions are so assured you will note a turtle, that in the event you don’t, you get your tour totally free!
Generally you may also see dolphins and whales as you make your technique 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 typically get a nasty 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 greatest to swim with sharks by way of a shark cage, to separate you from these wild predators.
The sharks are normally discovered off the coast of Oahu’s North Shore within the deep blue Pacific Ocean. Right here you could find wild Galapagos, Hammerhead, and Sandbar sharks. The sharks may be anyplace from 5-15 ft lengthy, so that is positively not an exercise for the faint-hearted.
For those who time your go to proper, you may also see whales and dolphins in your means out to the shark spot.
24. Go whale watching
After all, no journey to Hawaii could be full with out going whale watching. The perfect time to see whales is from December to Might when these majestic creatures come to Oahu to provide beginning to their calves.
You possibly can 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.
Right this moment, it’s a preferred mountaineering 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 children.
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 greatest 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, nevertheless it’s steep, so not appropriate for these with small children or canine. You’ll want to go to Koko Crater Botanical Backyard whilst you’re there.
27. Spend a day at Kailua Seaside
Surely, you need to be certain to spend a day at Kailua Seaside. Kailua Seaside is a mushy white sand seaside that’s nice for kite browsing and snorkeling.
It’s properly maintained and has all of the services you would possibly want together with altering rooms and showers. That is the seaside you go to in the event you get pleasure from swimming and sunbathing.
28. See the turtles sunning on Laniakea Seaside
Laniakea Seaside is also referred to as Turtle Seaside, and is legendary for being the place the place many Hawaiian Inexperienced Sea Turtles come to bask within the solar. It’s a protected seaside and not likely for swimming, apart from being house to turtles the waves are actually massive, however you’ll be able to see loads of turtles having fun with some rays right here.
29. Discover the pure great thing about Waimea Valley
Oahu is mostly 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 mountaineering trails and waterfalls.
The hike by means of the valley is round 3.5-miles and is generally flat, paved floor, which is ideal for households. The trail passes by means of attractive gardens and historic websites, in addition to passing the enduring 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 completely 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 exhibits and Lu’aus, with the primary present within the night, HĀ: Breath of Life, a theatrical efficiency with dance, music, and hearth, which tells the tales of Polynesia.
31. Study at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum
Honolulu’s Bishop Museum is Hawaii’s largest museum the place you’ll be able to be taught the cultural historical past of Hawaii and the Pacific. Children will love the planetarium and Science Journey Heart right here as properly.
The unique function was to accommodate 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 web site, and Hollywood movie set on the windward (east) coast of Oʻahu.
A preferred technique to discover the movie set is by way of ATV or “Raptor” excursions, and you may also go ziplining (a number of strains and suspension bridges), horseback driving, mountaineering, or on jungle/valley treks.
If you wish to stand up shut and private with the Jurassic Park surroundings, then contemplate mountaineering 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 children, 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 facet 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 midst 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 probably the greatest hidden gems on O’ahu. At low tide, extra sand is uncovered (you’ll be able to stroll on the sandbar itself), whereas at increased tide it might 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 components of the island. The bus is cheap, nevertheless it’s sluggish. You do want some persistence when ready for the bus.
One of the best ways to get across the island is by automobile. You possibly can 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 greatest 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, contemplate embarking on a highway journey and tenting in an RV. Outdoorsy is the biggest RV rental market on the planet. They provide ease, flexibility, and a few distinctive and funky campervans on your Oahu highway journey.
For those who’re planning on seeing different islands in Hawaii in your journey, you’ll have to take inside 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 various and every city presents one thing distinctive. Whether or not you need surf cities, seaside resorts, or lush mountain hideaways, you could find it right here. If you wish to be within the middle of all of it, Waikīkī is the best tropical city playground. Excessive-rise resorts, family-friendly inns, and boutique stays line the enduring crescent seaside, with Diamond Head watching over all of it.
Simply west of Waikīkī, Honolulu’s downtown presents a extra native vibe and is the place we’d advocate for first-time guests. Kaka‘ako has reworked from warehouses to certainly one of O‘ahu’s coolest inventive hubs — suppose avenue artwork, quirky cafés, microbreweries, and trendy condos.
O’ahu’s North Shore trades skyscrapers for surfboards. In winter, huge waves draw professionals 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 facet is a man-made lagoon with calm and kid-friendly waters, framed by luxurious inns just like the 4 Seasons and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.
Listed below are some prime really useful inns in Oahu:
- We stayed on the Hilton Waikiki Seaside which was family-friendly and inside a simple stroll to eating places and points of interest in Waikiki Seaside.
- 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:
Remaining ideas
We spent six days on Oahu and it wasn’t almost sufficient. The island could also be small, nevertheless it has loads to do! There surroundings and panorama is jaw-dropping and the points of interest had been fascinating; the place else on the earth would you see a volcanic crater became a cemetery?
With prime points of interest in Oahu corresponding to Pearl Harbor and the beautiful seashores of Waikiki, you’ll by no means run out of issues to do. Actually, the capital of Honolulu has sufficient points of interest to fill per week.
For those who’re undecided what to do in Oahu, then we hope you do now. As you’ll be able to see, I wasn’t fallacious after I stated the island has loads to supply. It’s why it made our checklist of greatest 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 Checklist PDF
Don’t miss these wonderful Oahu experiences and points of interest. Your free printable PDF bucket checklist will assist your planning.
Extra Hawaii Journey Suggestions
Are you planning to go to different islands in Hawaii? Then you must take a look at these different assets:
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What are you most excited to do on Oahu? Tell us within the feedback!
