9 Stunning Things To Do In Oahu and Waikiki
There are so many incredible things to do in Oahu and Waikīkī! I can’t believe that this time last year, I had never even been to Hawaii! But then, my best friend moved to Honolulu for a year, and I was able to visit her a couple times. I also spent a month working remotely from Waikīkī Beach last fall, and really got to see a lot of the island!
I’ve compiled a list of my favorite 9 things I have done so far in Oahu. This list includes restaurants, hikes, beaches and shopping. I’m hoping to go back to Hawaii again one day soon, and especially to explore the other islands!
Don’t forget to click the button below to save all these spots and more to your Google Maps! Plus, now you can buy an all-inclusive pass to most of the tourist attractions on Go City! This will help you save money if you’re planning to check out a bunch of destinations.
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1. Take a UTV Raptor Tour at Kualoa Ranch
Visiting Kualoa Ranch was truly a once in a lifetime event. The jaw-dropping landscapes are nothing like I’ve seen before. You can read more about Kualoa Ranch and my experience doing the UTV Raptor Tour here! Highly recommend coming out here if you are spending at least a few days in Oahu, and especially if you are a big movie buff.
2. Watch the sunset from a boat cruise
The first time I came out to Oahu was to celebrate my best friend’s birthday (featured in the first pic)!! We went on this really fun boat cruise at sunset, which took us out into the ocean. We saw the entire downtown skyline plus a great view of Diamond Head from the water. This was such a fun experience; there are multiple options offered in the Go City Pass as well.
3. Shop on Kalākaua Avenue
Kalākaua Ave is a popular street that runs through Waikīkī and has a ton of restaurants, cafes, and shopping from upscale stores to department stores to boutique and souvenir shops. I recommend spending at least half a day walking around to see all there is. There are a ton of hidden gems and something for everyone; happy exploring!
Hikes & Beaches
4. Hike to the Lanikai Pillboxes
This may have been the most beautiful hike I’ve ever done. It was a somewhat shorter (1.6 mile roundtrip) hike, but decently challenging as it was uphill almost the entire way up. Although, we did see people hiking in flip flops and one couple with a baby strapped to them!
The views during the hike and at the top from the pillboxes are stunning. Just look at how blue / green the water is! I could not believe my eyes; we got really lucky with the weather too, the day was perfect.
Parking was pretty easy; there is a lot of street parking around the base of the hike. Just remember to be respectful of all the homes and locals who live in that area!
5. Swim at Kūhiō Beach
We got really lucky with our monthly rental; it was located right off of Kalākaua Ave, and across from Kūhiō Beach! It’s pretty unique, as it actually felt sort of like a tide pool. It is surrounded by two large concrete walls; you can sort of see them in my photos. As a result, it’s protected from big waves.
We had bought a couple of pool floats, and it was so nice to float around in the water. This is a great spot to come watch the sunset as well! The beach is not too long, so there won’t be a ton of people in front of you.
6. Watch the sunrise while hiking Diamond Head Crater
Another quicker, but moderately challenging, hike is Diamond Head Crater Hike. My sister came to visit for a weekend, and we did this early one morning to catch the sunrise! It was so worth it.
You get a full view of Waikīkī, plus 360 views of the whole island from the top viewpoint. It was also so crazy to see the gigantic crater on our way up and down.
Dining
7. Enjoy sunset dinner at House Without a Key
Okay first and foremost, although this will be the last part of your meal, you must get the coconut cake. It is phenomenal. I’m pretty sure you can get slices of the cake to go for later as well. My boyfriend liked it so much we also came back to House Without a Key for our last meal in Hawaii.
Definitely make a reservation at least a month in advance; it is super popular and books up quickly. I would recommend trying to get a reservation 30 minutes to an hour before sunset, so you can watch it from your table. Starting at 5pm there is live entertainment, including a hula dancer!
8. Sip a pineapple drink at Barefoot Beach Cafe
Just look at all those pineapples! I searched long and hard for a drink out of a pineapple near Waikīkī Beach, and was so excited to find this spot. You can get whatever type of smoothie you’d like in the pineapple!
Barefoot Beach Cafe also has a lot of good food options; it’s perfect for an easy meal when your day is more flexible. No reservations required. You can check out their menu here!
9. Get at least one poke bowl from Poke Fix
Poke bowls are absolutely a must when you are on the island. I highly recommend Poke Fix; my friend showed us this place and I’m not kidding when I say I came back at least once a week. So delicious! Make sure to get there early enough to beat the crowds; they do usually sell out of certain fish each day!
The best part of Poke Fix is that you can easily walk to the beach and eat your poke bowl there. Hard to complain when you’re sitting on Waikīkī Beach, eating the freshest poke bowl you’ll ever have!
Any spots I missed? Comment below! If you’re planning to go to Oahu soon and have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram or email me!
mariss
