Oahu Activity Ideas

I did hours and hours of researching before we set foot on the island and it paid off. I definitely can't take credit for all of these ideas. I got them from a variety of YouTube videos, All Trails, and conversations with my family that lives in Oahu. I have a million different hikes, adventures, sights, beaches, and food places to try. In this post I will include all of the activities we were interested in doing, in the next I'll include what we actually did, the pictures we took, and how we felt about it.  


Top Things to do in Oahu

  • Kaka’Ako Neighborhood

    • Spot the murals 

    • Explore the neighborhood

  • Sunrise at Lanikai | 1.8 miles | moderate

    • Overlooking the twin islands (the Mokes)

    • Bring a flashlight 

    • Extremely limited parking (they mean it... get there early!)

  • Sunset at Tantalus Point 

    • Sun setting behind the city 

  • Surfers at North Shore

    • Depends on the season with how big the waves are.

  • Byodo-in Temple | $5 each

    • Japanese temple

    • Meditation garden 

  • Botanical Gardens

    • Waimea Valley Botanical Garden | $20

      • Waimea valley was highly suggested by a friend 

      • You're paying to walk/hike through the botanical gardens on the way to the Waimea waterfall.

    • Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden | free

      • Their fave! Huge. 

      • 9-4 every day 

      • Get there early for good parking 

  • ‘Iolani Palace 

    • Only royal palace in America

  • Chinatown 

    • $35 tour 

    • Supermarket 

    • Maguro Bros 

  • Hale’iwa Town

    • Good food, shave ice, shrimp trucks, art galleries 

    • Surfer signs - boy & girl 

  • The Royal Hawaiian Center 

    • Middle of Waikiki, shopping, weekly cultural events, live music, hulu dancing performers

  • Waikiki Historic Trail | 2 miles 

    • Park to park, learn about the history/culture as you walk 

  • Duke Kahanamoku Statue 

    • Bronze statue, cool photo op? 

  • The Hawaii State Art Museum | free admission

    • 10am - 4pm | 30 min - 1 hr 

  • Ala Moana Shopping Center 

    • Largest outdoor mall in Hawaii 

    • Free events and performances 

  • Aloha Stadium Flea Market 

    • Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 

  • Kailua Farmers Market 

  • Drive around

    • Kailua 

    • Kane’ohe 

    • Valley of the temples 

    • Kualoa ranch 

    • North shore

    • Kauhuku 

    • Haleiwa 

  • Waikiki 

    • Art on the zoo fence 

    • Dukes Lane

    • Hilton Lagoon 

    • Ala Wai canal 

    • Street performing 

  • Explore downtown 

  • Drive that Pali highway 

  • LDS Laie Temple 

  • General adventuring 


Food 

  • Haleiwa Joe’s 

    • Nice dinner

    • Ask for a table with a view of the mountain - longer wait

    • Come when it’s daylight so you can see the mountain. 

  • Greenworld Coffee Farm 

    • Coffee and shaved ice. 

  • Manoa Chocolate Tasting

    • Free flavorful experience 

  • Helena’s Hawaiian Food 

    • Been there for decades! 

    • The local spot 

  • Farmers Markets 

    • Food, fun, and more! 

  • Waiahole Poi Factory 

    • The Sweet Lady ice cream 

  • North Hotel Street 

    • Foodies paradise 

  • Highway Inn 

    • Their fave 

  • Romy’s Shrimp Hut 

    • $15 a plate, made to order, never frozen 

    • Grown in freshwater bonds behind the shrimp hut 

  • Leonard’s Bakery 

    • Hot masala - get the originals 

  • Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck 

    • Kahuku north shore, shrimp scampi 

  • Kono’s 

    • Pork sandwich 

  • The Pig & The Lady 

    • Vietnamese - french dip 

  • Diamond Head Market & Grill 

  • Poke 

    • Ahi Assassins 

    • Online seafood

    • Magura Bros

    • Foodland

  • Sunny Days 

    • Pancakes 

  • Shave Ice 

    • Matsumoto’s | long lines, not as good 

    • Kokonuts

    • Waiola | the best

    • Island Shaved Ice | family favorite


Hiking

  • Stairway to Heaven | 10.5 miles | 

    • There is a legal way.

  • Pillbox Hikes

    • Koko Crater | 1.6 miles | hard

    • Pink Pillbox/Ma’ili Hike | 1.6 miles | moderate 

    • Lanikai | 1.8 miles | moderate 

  • Ka’ena Point | 4.8 miles | moderate

    • Lava rock, tide pools, bird sanctuary (albatross)

  • Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail | 4.7 miles | moderate

    • Hiking through forest, with a view! 

    • Favorite! Go through different types of climates. 

  • Koko Head Crater | 1.6 miles | hard 

    • The railroad ties things. 

  • Le’ahi Diamond Head Trail | 1.8 miles | easy 

    • $10 parking and $5 entrance fee

    • Observation deck 

    • Worth it! Looks SO cool! 

    • Go after 4pm 

  • Makapu’u | 2.0 miles | easy-moderate

    • Red lighthouse trail 

    • Go down to the tide pools, but don’t get IN it because of the big waves & the blow hole

    • See whales Dec - April 

  • Lulumahu Falls | 2.0 miles | moderate

    • Waterfall hike through bamboo forest

    • You need a permit!! 

  • Maunawili Falls | 2.8 miles | moderate

    • Start out in the jungle, lookout spots, open view of mountains, lots of mosquitos and mud. 

  • Ka’au Crater | 4.5 miles | difficult 

    • Stop at waterfall number one and make your way back the same way you came in. 

    • Lots of sketchy scrambling to move past that and it makes it super long. Once you get to the crater you have to keep going

    • Extremely limited parking 

  • Olamana | 2.6 miles | difficult 

    • 3 peaks 

    • They only did the first peak cuz SCARY

    • The best views on the island!! 

    • Be a very confident hiker… rock climbing… looks hella sketch 

    • Be in moderate shape. 

    • 2nd and 3rd peaks are VERY dangerous, people die

  • Nu’uana Pali Lookout 

    • Strong winds 

    • Parking $5 


Adventures 

  • Surfing, snorkeling, swimming, kayaking

    • Everywhere… ;) 

  • Kayaking to the Mokes 

    • Explore the tide pools

  • Mermaid Caves 

    • Go at low tide, but even then be very careful. They can be extremely dangerous.

  • Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay 

    • Beautiful, long beach 

    • Currently you have to make reservations a few days in advance.

    • Go early - be there Wednesday morning before 6 am or wait till after lunch 

  • Waterfall Hikes 

    • Maunawili Falls | 6.3 miles | moderate

    • Likeke Falls | 0.8 miles | moderate 

    • Ka’au Crater [private property] | 5.3 miles | hard

    • Manoa Falls | 1.5 miles | easy | go before 10 am 

  • China Walls 

    • Snorkel 

    • Youngest part of the island, all lava rock 

    • Be very careful here, it can be really dangerous getting out of the water here.

  • Kayak to Kaneohe Sandbar 

    • Beach on the middle of the ocean

    • Only visible at low tide 

  • Kayak to Mokoli’i (Chinaman’s Hat)

  • Halona Blowhole 

    • Secret beach 


Beaches

  • Turtle/Laniakea Beach 

    • Turtles… duh. At sunset 

  • Waikiki | 2 miles long 

    • Crowded and super popular, but entertaining 

    • Photo-op, shops, restaurants, designer boutiques 

  • Ala Moana Beach Park | full facilities 

    • And neighborhood & mall?

    • Reef for protection, so not many waves 

    • Shallow water with hard rocks underneath 

  • Waimea Bay | full facilities 

    • Free parking fills up fast 

    • Winter for the surfers 

  • Kualoa Beach & Mokoli’i Island

    • Park 

    • Mokoli’i fish park 

  • Kahana Bay Beach 

  • Lanikai Beach | no facilities 

    • Street parking only - arrive by 10am 

    • The water is stunningly turquoise, view of the two mokes

    • Park at Kaiulua and walk or bike there. 

  • Waimanalo Beach 

    • Freaking beautiful 

  • Waimanalo Bay 

    • Different from the beach park. 

    • Hammock in the trees 

    • 3 miles long 

  • Makapu’u Beach 

    • Smaller beach, but so pretty! 

    • Bodyboarding 

  • Ko Olina Lagoons

    • 4 man made lagoons 

    • Luxury resorts with public beaches 

    • Gorgeous sunsets, snorkel here 

  • Kawela Bay | no facilities 

    • Hidden gem on north shore

    • Walk through a jungle forest to get to the beach. 

    • Not crowded 

    • Paddle board in calm waters 

  • Hanauma Bay | full facilities 

    • Snorkeling, but great beaches

    • Old volcanic crater 

    • Extremely crowded, shallow water 

  • Kailua Beach | full facilities 

    • Water deep turquoise 

    • 2.5 miles long

    • See the mokes, flat island, and mountains 

    • Kayak out to flat island 

    • Extreme winds in winter months 

  • Kaiona Beach 

    • Waters so blue and clear and calm 

    • Not much sandy beach, but grass and palm trees 

    • Right by the mountain range

    • Fish pond 

  • Makua Beach | no facilities 

    • During the week beach to yourself

    • Far away from civilization 

    • Snorkeling, strong current 

    • Doesn’t feel popular, more raw and untouched, easy parking 

  • Sunset Beach 

    • Surfers in the winter 

  • Electric Beach 

    • Great snorkeling, but can be dangerous during the winter.

  • Yokohama Bay

    • Great snorkeling, but can be dangerous during the winter.

  • The Banzai Beach 

  • Shark’s Cove 

    • Free snorkeling 

    • Large waves in the winter 


Pricey Things

  • Pearl Harbor | $wide range

    • US History 

    • It’s free if you don’t go to the actual USS Arizona 

    • 1,300 walk-up tickets - be there before 7 am 

  • Bishop Museum | $25 general admission 

    • Polynesian & Hawaiian history 

  • Waimea Valley | $20 / $16 for students with ID

    • Botanical gardens, cultural activities farmers markets on Thursdays, waterfall swim

  • Kualoa Ranch 

    • Make reservations weeks in advance. Things book up fast!

    • E-Bikes | $119.95

    • Jurassic Valley Tour | $139.95

    • Movie Tour | $51.95

    • Ziplining | $174.95

    • Horseback Riding | $144.95

    • ATV Tours | $144.95

    • Secret Island Activities | $51.95

    • Ocean Voyage Adventure | $51.95

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