If you have ever wanted to travel to Hawaii, we highly recommend it! There are numerous islands that make up “Hawaii” and the island of Oahu is the third largest island in the chain and is also the most populated. The island boasts beautiful beaches and attractions such as Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head and the North Shore.
First off, we recommend shipping luggage to Hawaii. The journey is long and you will likely change planes multiple times – increasing the chance of the airlines losing your luggage – so consider shipping luggage ahead instead for piece of mind. Here are a few places and things to do in Oahu that we highly recommend:
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is a big part of our history and while it is extremely sad, Oahu has also made a beautiful commemoration. You can walk around and see all old artillery, torpedos and submarines (which you can take a tour of) as well as take a boat ride out to the USS Arizona. There is 500,000 gallons of oil still on the ship and you can watch as it seeps out of the ship below you and sit on the surface of the water.
Kamehameha Statue
Although there isn’t much to do here, we recommend stopping by as it honors the monarch who founded the Kingdom of Hawaii. He even has his own Holiday in June. You may also recognize it from scenes in the rebooted Hawaii Five-0!
Take a hike up Diamond Head
The hike is only about a mile long (takes about 2 hours round trip) and brings you to the edge of the crater’s rim. At the top of this mountain/volcano you get amazing views of the island!
Manoa Fall
This hike is about 2 miles (around a 30 minute walk) through a lush rainforest and at the end, you are rewarded with a beautiful waterfall! We recommend wearing sneakers or hiking boots as the trail can get muddy and get there early before the crowds. We also recommend packing and wearing plenty of bug spray- you will need it! Tip* park in the parking lot at Paradise Park as the residential parking in a nearby neighborhood has a lot of break-ins.
North Shore Pipeline aka The Banzai Pipeline
This beach is off Sunset Beach Park in Pupukea on Oahu’s North Shore and is home to famous surfing competitions. It is a surf reef break often allowing surfers a curl of water to ride. It is known as the world’s deadliest wave with waves ranging from 10-30 feet depending on time of year. If you want to try surfing here and are a beginner, we recommend going in the summer when waves are more gentle. During the peak winter months (November – February) we recommend staying out of the water as pro surfers have even had a tough time in those waves. However, winter is the perfect time of year to watch!
Eat Like a Local!
Last but not least, we recommend eating some local Hula Pie and shave ice while you are there!