Have you ever been to Oahu? Now that Hawaiian Airlines has a non-stop between Austin and Honolulu, it was easier than ever for me to visit the Hawaiian Islands. I wanted to create a guide to help y’all plan your next visit to Honolulu and the rest of Oahu!
In this guide, you’ll find tips on things to do in Oahu, where to eat in Oahu, where to stay in Oahu, and more all based on my own trip. Don’t forget to also check out my guides to The Big Island and Maui too!
Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Hawaiian Airlines and may contain affiliate links. Thanks for supporting Ready Set Jet Set!
Table of Contents
What to Do in Oahu
Rent a Jeep and Drive to the North Shore
Make sure to give yourself enough time to drive around all corners of the island! We rented a Jeep through Avis, which was both super convenient to get around in and cute for photos.
You definitely want a rental car to properly explore Hawaii, or else you’ll be stuck in Honolulu or only be able to do tours to get around. Renting a car allows you the flexibility to go wherever, whenever.
One place you can’t miss is the North Shore with its famous spots such as Sunset Beach and the Banzai Pipeline. The North Shore is a pretty good day trip from Waikiki if you’re looking to have more time up there.
If you get an early enough start, it’s also pretty much possible to loop the whole island coastline in one day.
You can make your way to spots like Halona Beach Cove, Makapu’u Point Lighthouse, Lanikai Beach, the Byodo-In Temple, Turtle Bay, Sunset Beach, Sharks Cove, Waimea Valley, and even more as you make the full circle! The only thing to note is that the highways are not connected in the top left corner, so driving the west coast side is its own half-day trip.
Explore Jurassic Park at Kualoa Ranch
Kualoa Ranch is one of the most popular destinations for tourists – and for good reason! This place is where many Hollywood productions have been filmed, including Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, Kong: Skull Island, Jumanji, Lost, and more!
One fun way to explore is by doing their ATV Raptor tour excursion. You’ll get to see set pieces from the films around the park, as well as lots of beautiful scenery. I had an absolute blast doing this tour and would 100% recommend doing it if you can score a booking (it usually books out months in advance). But FYI, you will come off this tour CAKED in dirt!
Another awesome way to take in the sights is on their ziplining tour. But note – both these tours are super popular and can often book out months in advance, so plan accordingly and get booked with my links above!
I’ve also done the Ocean Voyage and Secret Island activities. Ocean Voyage is nice if you want the see views of the mountain ranges from a little further out while enjoying a catamaran ride. Secret Island is great if you want to take photos on the dock pictured below, which I’d say is one of the most Instagrammable spots in Oahu.
While on the beach itself, they have lots of equipment you can use, from beach volleyball to stand-up paddleboards to kayaks and more, so there’s plenty to enjoy for the few hours you’re there.
Outrigger Canoe The Traditional Polynesian Way
This was one of my favorite activities I did on my recent Oahu trip. I felt like Moana! Outrigger canoes are the traditional Polynesian/Hawaiian way of canoeing.
On this excursion with Kailua Ocean Adventures, we paddled out as a group to the Mokes islands, stopping at Moku Nui. The island has pristine beaches and amazing views of Oahu.
They gave us about an hour to enjoy the island before we paddled back to Kailua Beach where we had departed from. Another highlight of the journey was seeing several sea turtles in the ocean along the way!
Book a Whale Watching Excursion
Whale-watching season in Hawaii is from November to April, so if you’re there at the right time of year, this is a must-do!
While oftentimes you can see the humpback whales right from the beach during that time of year (it’s really fun to sit on the beach at sunset and try to spots whales on the horizon), the best way to see them up close is to book a whale watching tour.
Most will run from $50-$100 and will take you out for a few hours to get up close and personal with the whales.
Snorkel Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is a protected marine life conservation area, so there is an entry fee of $25 to visit and they limit the number of visitors per day, requiring advanced reservations as well. That said, the conservation efforts of the reef make it one of the best places to snorkel around.
You’ll see hundreds of tropical fish and likely some sea turtles. They have snorkel gear you can rent right on the beach if you don’t have your own to use. If that’s not enough snorkeling for you, check out Sharks Cove while up on the North Shore – another popular snorkeling spot!
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Enjoy the Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden
You’ve probably seen the iconic Instagram photo before of a girl in a jeep going up a scenic road to the mountains. Well, that road is here! But you’re no longer allowed to stop to take photos, in or out of your car, on the drive up to the gardens because of safety concerns.
So while you might not be able to get that exact shot, there’s still plenty to enjoy at Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden. If you take the various trails down to the reservoir, from there you’ll find great spots to photograph the gardens with the mountains in the background, as we did in the photo below.
Visit the Byodo-In Japanese Temple
The Byodo-In Temple is arguably one of the prettiest places on Oahu. The temple is a non-denominational Buddhist temple (though it is non-functioning in the traditional sense) that was dedicated in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants arriving in Hawaii.
The temple itself is a replica of an authentic 900-year-old temple in Japan. Visiting Byodo-In felt like I was really back in Japan, just with the stunning backdrop of Oahu’s mountains adding to the scene instead. At the very least, drop by and take a photo here!
Relax at Lanikai Beach, One of the World’s Best Beaches
Often ranked as one of the top beaches on the planet and at the very least, the best beach on Oahu, Lanikai Beach features gorgeous white sand, crystal clear turquoise water, and a view of the Mokes Islands in the distance. Out of all the beaches I visited in Oahu, this was my favorite!
What to Eat in Oahu
Matsumoto Shave Ice on the North Shore
Hawaiian shave ice is a must for any visit to the islands. On Oahu, Matsumoto Shave Ice is probably the most popular spot to try – we waited in line for an hour to order while visiting them on the North Shore in Haleiwa!
You have to try it with condensed milk on top, otherwise known as a snow cap. You can also get it with additions such as ice cream in the middle and toppings like mochi. Flavors on their menu include lilikoi, yuzu, ramune, pickled mango, ume, and more, along with tons of traditional flavors like coconut and strawberry.
If you don’t have time to make it up to Haleiwa, another good shave ice spot is Island Vintage Shave Ice right in Waikiki. But honestly, you really can’t go wrong with any Hawaiian shave ice!
Haleiwa Joe’s at the Haiku Gardens
Everyone said Haleiwa Joe’s was a place I had to dine at, but considering they don’t take reservations, you have to be prepared to wait hours for a table! Luckily, while you’re waiting you can wander around snapping photos of the beautiful Haiku Gardens.
If you want to avoid the long wait, the best tips I can give are to get there at least 30 minutes before opening to get in line and to also keep an eye out for a bar table opening, which does serve the same full menu (you just won’t have a table with a view of the gardens). If you don’t want to dine here, you can also just park and explore the Haiku Gardens for free!
The Sunrise Shack on the North Shore
You’ve probably seen photos of The Sunrise Shack’s North Shore location before – the little yellow hut is all over Instagram! Stop by here as you drive the island loop for a smoothie or açaí bowl and snap a selfie.
Where to Stay in Honolulu
We stayed at Alohilani Resort, which is conveniently located in Waikiki. I loved being able to walk down the street for some luxury shopping (did you know a lot of luxury stores there have “Hawaii prices” and Hawaii also has a cheaper sales tax than most places?).
We had a fantastic view of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach from our room’s balcony. I also loved the pool balcony – make sure to rent one of their pool cabanas while you’re there! Also, shoutout to my travel buddy for this trip – Oyin, pictured below!
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