As you may have read in my Hawai’i Overview blog post, my husband and I traded in a classic wedding for an elopement in the redwoods of California followed by a month-long honeymoon. We kicked off the month in O’ahu, flying in on a Sunday and spending the week in an Airbnb just steps from Waikiki Beach. When looking for accommodations we are usually hotel people but if you’ve been to Hawai’i before you know that hotel rooms for a month can get extremely pricey and this was just not in the budget for us. As much as we love to kick back with room service, we care more about the length of time we can stay in a place so we tend to opt out of the real high-end, luxury resorts for more mid-range places to lengthen our stays. While researching this trip, especially as someone who had never been to Hawai’i and did not know much about it, it became abundantly clear that Airbnb’s’ were the way to go for us. The unit we rented was a one-bedroom condo in the Aston Waikiki Sunset, a 5 minute walk to Kuhio Beach and a 10 minute walk to Waikiki Beach. It was a block from an ABC store which is basically Hawaii’s version of a convenience store (on steroids) and quickly became our best friend. As a side note, you HAVE to try an Uncle’s Ice Cream Sandwich. We stopped at the ABC store daily to grab one of these and since I’ve been home 2 different people have mentioned them when talking about their Hawai’i vacation. The flavors are so unique and you can only get them in Hawai’i as far as I know!
Day 1:
Ok, now that I’m drooling let’s get to the itinerary: the first full day in O’ahu we spent grabbing the rental car (we used Turo for this because we decided to get a car in O’ahu last minute), checking out the surrounding area, having lunch on Waikiki Beach, and hiking Diamond Head. Diamond Head is probably the most famous hike in O’ahu and isn’t too difficult, which makes it great for the whole family. Known as Le’ahi in Hawai’i, it is a saucer-shaped crater that was formed after an eruption about 300,000 years ago. The trail to the summit is a 0.8-mile hike up switchbacks, stairs, and even a tunnel. At the top, you can see the most incredible view of O’ahu. When we were there in 2021 it was $5 to enter and $10 to park but I believe it is now reservation only so I would double-check that before arriving!
Waikiki Beach was beautiful; the sand was incredibly soft and the water the most amazing tropical colors. It was extremely crowded, however. We got there pretty late in the day so I’m sure that had something to do with it but the people-watching was top-notch. This was actually the only day we spent on Waikiki Beach, trading in our other scheduled beach day for Lanikai Beach. I am definitely a beach person but when a beach is too crowded it kind of ruins it for me and that was the experience I had on Waikiki.
Day 2-3:
The next day we had a full day ahead of us at Pearl Harbor and the adjoining sites. I booked all these tours and admission tickets in advance, be sure to do that! They have a “Passport to Pearl Harbor” ticket that includes all sites for $90/per person. We started our audio-guided tour at the U.S.S. Arizona and then made our way to the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum and the Bowfin Submarine. After these tours, we took the shuttle to Ford Island and toured the Battleship Missouri followed by the Aviation Museum. Everything was incredibly informative, well done, and respectful to those who lost their lives that fateful December day. I highly recommend all of these as they are all completely different experiences!
The third day on O’ahu was a downtime day which was definitely needed after the heaviness of the day before. We had originally planned to spend the day on Waikiki Beach but after seeing how crowded it was our first day, we decided to hop in the car and try out the windward coast, or the eastern side. An island’s windward side faces the trade winds, making it wetter and lusher as the winds pick up the ocean’s moist air forming condensation, clouds, and precipitation. Its leeward side faces away from the winds, the shelter providing drier, warmer air (important info when choosing which area to stay on an island!). O’ahu’s windward coast includes the town of Kailua, our destination. Nearby is a 1.6-mile out-and-back trail called Ka’iwa Ridge, or more famously the Lanikai Pillbox hike. I’m not a hiker, lets just throw that out there. I always “want” to hike (until I’m actually doing it) but I make sure to look for easy, big reward trails and let me tell you this one hit the mark and more. I was definitely out of breath (but I’m also wildly out of shape), but it was absolutely doable (and leashed dogs are welcome!). The top has a small concrete platform that’s great for viewing sunrise or sunset or sitting down for a bite to eat with an absolutely incredible view. This is one of my all time favorite hikes, I highly recommend it!
After this, we spent the afternoon on Lanikai, or Ka’ohao, Beach. It was easily one of the most breathtaking beaches I’ve ever been on. I would recommend this beach over Waikiki Beach any day. The parking, however, is very difficult. It is illegal to park most places in the town as residents are fighting an ongoing battle with traffic and tourists parking in their yards and the street. There is dedicated parking at nearby Kailua Beach or a little farther to Waimanalo Bay, which are both great alternatives. When the sun started to make its descent we decided to take the Kamehameha Highway over to the North Shore. We didn’t have too much of a plan, just ended up stopping at places along the way that looked interesting to us. One such place was Matsumoto Shave Ice in the town of Hale’iwa which had a huge line so we figured it had to be good (it absolutely was). Shave Ice, originally kakigori, is a Hawaiian staple dating back to Japanese immigrants working on the island in the mid-1800s. To cool off, these immigrants used their tools to shave flakes off large ice blocks and then coated it with sugar or fruit juice. Today, you can add a variety of different flavor combos and even ice cream, mochi, and condensed milk.
As we continued down Kam Highway we passed an oceanfront spot with multiple food trucks. We’re suckers for a good food truck, so we pulled over and grabbed some spicy shrimp from North Shore Shrimp Truck before continuing on our way. We stopped next in the Banzai Pipeline/Sunset Beach Park area. The Pipeline is a legendary surf reef break known for its massive waves and famous surfing competitions. Pipeline’s waves are some of the deadliest on the planet, averaging at 9ft (but reaching heights of 20ft) with shallow reef sections underneath. We then sat on Sunset Beach watching the green sea turtles famous in Hawai’i swim and laze about on the sand. We ended the day with some light food and drinks at Sunset Pool Bar at the Turtle Bay Resort. With a backdrop of surfers catching their final waves of the day and live music singing melodic, low-key songs with added Hawaiian flare, it was the most perfect night we had had yet!
Day 4:
On Thursday morning we felt rested and ready for more tours so we drove over to Kualoa Ranch. In addition to being a major tourist destination, this 4,000-acre private nature preserve is also a working cattle ranch as well as a filming location. We arrived early that morning for their Jurassic Adventure Tour ($145 per person, book in advance). This 2.5-hour tour took us to all the iconic filming sites in an open-air vehicle with chances to get out and take lots of photos with the stunning scenery and different props. This tour was just one of the 10+ tours the Ranch offers, ranging from film, UTV, bike, horseback, and sea tours. There is truly something for everyone on this ranch!
After leaving Kualoa Ranch we stopped at a nearby food stand and grabbed a plate lunch, a quintessential Hawaiian meal with rice, macaroni salad, and a protein (teriyaki beef, kalua pork, chicken katsu or mahi mahi). We had so many of these plate lunches during our time on the islands, the kalua pork is our reigning champion. Traditionally they wrap the whole hog in banana leaves to lock in the moisture and then slow cook it for hours in an underground oven called an imu. It was so tender and flavorful, definitely a must-try. For more Hawaiian must-try foods see my blog post here!
Day 5:
Our last full day in O’ahu we booked transportation to the Polynesian Cultural Center (added on to our PCC tickets via their website) right from the Marriott Hotel down the street. I was pretty excited for this day as the PCC displays six simulated villages from Hawaii, Samoa, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Fiji, Tahiti, and Tonga. In these villages, they demonstrate various traditions, cultures, and crafts from each place, all that have contributed to the culture in Hawaii that we now see today. They also offer a buffet lunch and lu’au with traditional Polynesian fare, canoe rides, and Ha: Breath of Life theater show. We spent the day exploring the different villages then had a buffet dinner and grabbed our seats to the show. I was pretty disappointed with the PCC and subsequent show to be honest. To be fair, I did go in 2021 so it was the awkward time in between COVID outbreaks and Hawai’i was one of the stricter places in the USA with masks so I think the PCC was greatly affected by this when it came to performances and shows. I would definitely give it a chance though, I think it would be amazing for kids and it gets really great reviews, I’m hoping it was just the timing for us.
Overall, O’ahu is beautiful and there is a lot to do for all different kinds of travelers. For first-time Hawai’i visitors, I think O’ahu is a must just for Pearl Harbor alone. I would also recommend O’ahu to travelers that want a variety of activities but only have a short amount of time. In just one short week we were able to hike, laze on the beach, picnic in a lush, green park and go on a myriad of tours from historical to naval to film to cultural. If I were to go back, I wouldn’t change anything about the itinerary we went with, but I would definitely add the KoKo head hike, I’ve heard amazing things and we didn’t get to fit this in. The island is honestly what you make it with your itinerary. That being said, O’ahu was actually my least favorite of the four islands we visited on our honeymoon, which was a huge shock to me as it was the one I was most looking forward to. I can’t really put my finger on why that is but the overcrowded, urban feel definitely contributed. I felt like the other islands, especially Kaua’i were more rugged and laid back which is what I always pictured when I thought of Hawai’i. To read about those other Hawaiian Islands and to get itinerary ideas for Maui, Kaua’i, and the Big Island check out my blog posts here.