O'ahu trip - any must sees/dos?

[Burt 4080]

It'll be me, my wife and our 10 yr old daughter and we'll be arriving Feb 8th.  I've never really given a shit about visiting there, but my wife won a "free" trip through her office so here we are.  At least we'll be getting away from winter in Montana for a week.

We're staying at the Aston Waikiki Hotel right across from Waikiki Beach, so we'll definitely spend some time at the beach.  And my daughter wants to go to the zoo, which is also close by.  There's also the usuals - Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor.  Any other recommendations? 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Burt

[Wayne 571]

Check out Kualoa Ranch we did the ATV tour and loved it. Not sure how far in advance you’d need to book it though.

[davidg 4038]

Dole pineapple plantation was fun for the kids and I enjoyed a big bowl of pineapple soft serve topped with fresh pineapple. We also took a kayak tour at Kailua Beach. We put in and paddled down the river, then drug the boats across the beach and the paddled out to an island. Me and the kids enjoyed it but my wife ditched hers coming back with the waves and has some issues getting back onboard. My kids also took surfing lessons at Waikiki beach (we stayed at the Hilton on the beach) and surfed one day with the class, then rented boards and did it by themselves the next day. My son was 11 and daughter 15. We have some cool pics of them from the class riding a wave with Diamondhead in the background.

[bluto 4929]

The beaches in kailua are damn nice in terms of crowd and quality 

[RPM 26321]

Definitely surfing. I'd try to work in the Arizona Memorial, too. Kids might not appreciate it now, but later it will pay off.

[Gil Bang 25960]

https://www.amazon.com/Oahu-Revealed-Ultimate-Honolulu-Waikiki/dp/1949678121/ref=asc_df_1949678121/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=564646259175&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17865876888057989611&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1014374&hvtargid=pla-1644197505769&psc=1&region_id=674469

 

these books are excellent

[0xdeadbeef 1651]

I was there this past Oct, and Waikiki is just a happy place.   

• Gotta do Shave Ice. There's a bunch of places right on the strip (Kalakaua Ave) that sell Save Ice. (No idea why it's not called Shaved Ice, but it isn't, so when in Rome...). On a sunny afternoon, its very refreshing. 
• There's something fun about a crowded beach, but if you get peopled out and want a beach with less people,  hit the south side of Diamond Head. You can just park on the side of the road and walk down ramps to the beach.  
• If you like to run, the loop around diamond head is almost exactly 4.0 miles and is very safe for runners.
• The Pearl Harbor memorial is free to enter and walk around, but if you want to take the ferry to the USS Arizona, you have to be there early.  It's first come first serve. By mid-morning the tickets for the ferry are gone. 

 

[Borachio 416]

Lanikai Beach is great!

The Kokohead crater hike is wonderful.   

Marugame Udon is fantastic and close to Waikiki Beach. 

Eat lots of poke and Acai bowls.   Enjoy!

[Billy Pilgrim 1963]

16 hours ago, Borachio said:

Lanikai Beach is great!

The Kokohead crater hike is wonderful.   

Marugame Udon is fantastic and close to Waikiki Beach. 

Eat lots of poke and Acai bowls.   Enjoy!

We go once or twice a year. My family’s favorite thing to do is get hot and sweaty doing pill box hike and then walking down to Lanikai beach and cooling off. Good photo ops on top of the pill boxes.

Walking around Kalakaua Blvd is fun in the evenings with if you’re staying on Waikiki.

Should do Diamond Head if it’s your first time.

Unfortunately, the North Shore will be a little rough this time of year but there’s some good snorkeling in shark’s cove and good beaches like Waimea Bay.

Skip the east side of the island (Ko Olina)- nice hotels over there but not much else.

if it’s your first time in Hawaii, should probably experience a luau- the one at Hilton Hawaiian Village is pretty good.

[Tex Pete 20354]

On 2/4/2023 at 4:51 PM, Burt said:

We're staying at the Aston Waikiki Hotel right across from Waikiki Beach, so we'll definitely spend some time at the beach. 

Stayed there ~20 years ago. Nice enough place.

I second surfing. That was a blast. Eat some authentic Hawaiian food, whether at a luau or somewhere else. Snorkeling or Scuba diving. Hop on-Hop off tours are great for a general overview and may help you figure out something you want to spend more time checking out.

[Baboontyme 2812]

@Burt You should have started this in the food and travel forum. You would get more replies. @immamac move it maybe? I already perused your Chewbacca goes to Waikiki thread but maybe there are some fresh tips. 

[DalTxHornFan 3101]

Duke's at sunset.  Great music.  Best calamari ever.  Maybe a drink (or three!) -- enjoy your time in paradise.

[Orale 1087]

Makapu Lighthouse is a nice paved walk/hike with great views. The North Shore is fun for a day trip to see the famous suef beaches. I'd recommend going through Kaneohe on the way up or back from the NS. It takes twice as long as the H2, but it's one of the most scenic drives in the world. The NS town Haleiwa has lots of restaurants and touristy shops. It's a nice place to walk around and have a meal. The Turtle Bay hotel on the NS has a nice public beach for the kids and the outdoor hotel bar has a killer view. If you can get one of the small number of reserved spots, Hanauma Bay has great snorkeling and a really cool beach.

I'm biased because I live in Kailua, but imo the beaches there, including Lanikai, are the nicest on the island. A lot less crowded than Waikiki and you don't have to worry about someone stealing your stuff if you go into the water. Another often overlooked beach that's really beautiful is Malakahaena on the way to the NS. Great body boarding. There are amazing hikes all over the island if you're into that. I'm happy to give recs depending on difficulty level.

[mchookem 16336]

On 2/7/2023 at 10:56 AM, Borachio said:

Lanikai Beach is great!

literally the most perfect beach i've ever seen and almost nobody was there. 

[bluto 4929]

The really chill beach spots in Kailua are accessed through the neighborhood cul de sac entrances. Those cul de sac homes right on the beach are a damn dream

[Orale 1087]

The problem is there's never any parking in Lanikai. Idiots from Honolulu come in mid-day on a weekend and circle for hours wondering why there are no spots. You got to get here no later than 8 a.m. on a weekend for a spot. 

[RPM 26321]

Doesn't anyone need private security on their Hawai'i trip? I work cheap.

[beer 3220]

I'm happy to check into the Hilton Hawaiian Village, then almost never leave.  Van to scuba a day or two, occasional uber for a nicer meal. Beach, drink, sleep, repeat.