This article is all about the 8 BEST PLACES YOU MUST VISIT ON OAHU. My husband is Hawaiian and we’ve both been to Hawaii many times. It feels like the closest place to home for us other than Southern California (we’re hoping to buy a home there one day!). Since we’ve become Hawaii “regulars”, we get A LOT of questions from friends and fam on what they should see while they are in Hawaii.
So here’s the tea on the: 8 Best Places You Must Visit on Oahu.
To me, Hanauma Bay is the most epic place to visit on Oahu. It is deemed an “underwater park” and Marine Life Conservation Area because the massive amount of coral and wild life you will find in this area. The waters are also fairly shallow so it’s great for kids and adults alike. If you do plan on going, you may need to make a reservation early in the morning because there are only so many spots available on this beach. If you are planning a trip to Hanauma Bay, I’d say plan to make it an all day affair. Once you see that crystal blue water surrounded by these majestic hills, you will not want to leave!
Haleiwa Joes is a MUST when you are visiting Oahu. Make sure you go to the KANEOHE location because you do not want to miss this view!! Make your reservation ahead of time to make sure you get a good seat. The open-air restaurant overlooks Haiku gardens and a breathtaking view of Ko’olau Mountain Range. The food is decently prices as well considering this epic view (entrees between $20-$30 – or you can go for the prime rib at $39.99).
Lanikai feels like you stepped out of reality and into a fantastic dream. It also ranks as one of the “Best beaches in the world”. You absolutely have to visit on your next trip to Oahu! Basically Lanikai looks like it was pulled straight out of a scene from MOANA (*cue background music* “See the line where the sky meets the sea, it callllsss meeee”). I can’t say enough about the view, pictures barely do it justice. Lanikai will leave you surrounded by endless miles of clear blue waters and not a care in the world. Make sure to pack an all-day bag, maybe even some paddle boards and a canoe because this beach is the postcard for Hawaiian Relaxation. Just look at that crystal blue water!! Lani Kai is our real life Motu Nui!
(Sidenote: This Beach Tent is an absolute MUST for us when traveling to Hawaii. Let’s face it, Hawaii can get pretty toasty when you’re spending all day lounging on the beach like us. The beach tent provides shade, a convenient mesh backing for airflow, a hang line for your wet clothes, lots of pockets for food/ purses/ phones, it can zip up and lock so you can snorkel and not worry about your stuff PLUS it’s super light weight so I pack it right into my luggage. My hubby knows I won’t go to the beach without it now ha! But the best part is: It only takes 5 minutes to set up! As you can see, I’m pretty obsessed with this Coleman beach tent lol).
4. Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck – Haleiwa location
If you like shrimp, shaved ice, burgers or any other type of delicious food – head over to the Haleiwa Food Trucks and make sure to try Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck. They have a variety of food trucks in this cute little Food Truck rest stop so if some of the people in your group don’t like shrimp, they can still come along! Although I will say, my sister has always hated seafood but she decided to try Giovanni’s Shrimp while we were there and she LOVED IT! Take your seafood hating friends to Giovanni’s and they may just get converted.
(Giovanni’s signature shrimp is cooked in olive oil, fresh cut garlic and lemon butter – holy droool).
5. Diamond head hike
Diamond Head is considered a “moderate hike” but if you do it in the early morning before the crowd, you can get it done in a breeze. I am not a hiker, so that means a lot coming from me. The total hike is 1.6 miles round trip and you can get some pretty amazing pictures at the top! The path is very nicely laid out for hikers. Just bring some water and comfy shoes!
If you want to learn more about the culture of the Pacific islands, spend an afternoon (or a whole day depending how keen you are) at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Once you are there, you are able to visit the 6 different island nations by a canoe ride to their “village”. You can also eat authentic Polynesian food, enjoy a luau, and see the famous “Ha: Breath of Life show”. It’s a great way to get to know the rich heritage behind each of the Pacific Island nations.
7. Live music at Duke’s / Hula Grill on the weekends
What could be better than hearing from talented local musicians over a delicious meal and fru-fru drinks?? The answer is, not much.
So here’s the deal, the upstairs restaurant is Hula Grill and downstairs is Duke’s. The live music is performed at Dukes BUT if you get a seat on the lanai at Hula Grill, you can still see and hear the musicians perfectly and you get an amazing view of the ocean! Make sure to check the live music schedule at Dukes and make a reservation at whichever restaurant you decide on in advance. Duke’s has great seating as well for the live music but some of the tables get a lot of sun. We preferred the seating at Hula Grill on the lanai.
8. Snorkeling at Shark’s Cove
Don’t let the name ward you off – I’ve heard amazing things about the snorkeling and marine life you can see here. We usually go to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling so I haven’t tried Shark’s Cove yet but am planning to check it out on our next trip!
Bonus places below:
9. If you’re into Disney, enjoy a meal and live music at the Aulani restaurant – ‘Ama ‘Ama
10. If you’re into Coffee, check out Green World Coffee Farm
11. If you’re a movie buff, check out Kualoa Ranch where they filmed the iconic Jurassic Park
12. If you’re into pinapples (you know who you are), check out the Dole Pineapple Plantation
13. If you’re into malasadas, check out Leonard’s
14. If you like Korean short ribs, check out Soon’s Kalbi drive thru (pro tip: Soon’s is close to the airport so it’s a great 1st stop when you arrive in Honolulu)
Let me know if you visit any of the spots I mentioned! And if you haven’t been to Oahu yet, I hope this blog post will inspire you to book that ticket! Mahalo
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