First things first, this will not be a unique guide to the million other guides about visiting O’ahu that are out there. Every travel blogger has visited all the sites I will mention, and I won’t lie and pretend that any of these places are “hidden gems.” But this is just a guide of the things I did, saw, ate, and enjoyed during a weeklong vacation in Hawaii in early March of 2026.
We were incredibly lucky with the weather; heartbreaking storms and flooding hit the island just days after we left. As of writing, the island has had some progress with recovery, but with the level of devastation it will take a long time for certain parts. Keep the amazing Hawaiian people in your thoughts and consider donating to Disaster Relief projects for Hawaii.
Waikiki Accommodation
Sheraton Waikiki Beach
An ideal location for a first time visit, the Sheraton Waikiki Beach was a great hotel to stay in Honolulu. Just 20 minutes from the airport by taxi or Uber, you’ll be checked into paradise quickly, with an adults-only infinity pool overlooking the gorgeous ocean, with a view of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach. It’s a huge resort complex, with several restaurants on site, hot tubs, and beach access. It was clean, convenient for walking to any Waikiki-area attractions and shopping, and had a nice balcony overlooking the city side. While an oceanfront view would have been nice, this choice increases the price significantly, so we opted for a cheaper price and the view was still nice; cool to see the skyscrapers and watch the clouds roll over the mountains.
Get Around O’ahu — Rental Car Options
Turo
A budget-friendly option for a day rental, you can use the Turo app to find peer-to-peer car sharing options in O’ahu. This can be cheaper than traditional rental agencies and can be great for last-minute bookings.
Avis at Hotel Property
On site at the Sheraton Waikiki is an Avis location, and we used them to book a convertible for our North Shore day. It was ideal to book it for just 1 day, since the overnight parking fees were insane! Tip would be to not book consecutive days if you want to drive more than just once — book a day for a road trip, return the car, and then another day later in the week to avoid paying $50/night just to park.
Top Things to Do Around O’ahu
Tour Pearl Harbor
It goes without saying that visiting Pearl Harbor is a must for anyone even mildly interested in World War 2 history. The booking process is more confusing than it needs to be for visiting the USS Arizona, but just know that if you didn’t book two months in advance – it’s okay. Set an alarm for 3pm the day before you want to go, and you can log onto the official Recreation.gov website to reserve your spot.
It’s free to visit Pearl Harbor, but note that getting there can be a bit complicated, with limited parking that is expensive. Bring minimal stuff with you, they do make you rent lockers for large backpacks. We took a rideshare here which was much cheaper than some of the “tours” that you can see that you can buy. After the Arizona Memorial, we toured the Submarine, which was very cool and worthwhile. The museum and the submarine itself are worth spending at least an hour wandering around.
If you get hungry, there’s a great food truck on site, as well as a convenience store.
Hike Diamond Head
No trip to O’ahu is complete without hiking up this iconic volcano! Sitting on the southeast side of the island, Diamond Head is not a mountain, but a “volcanic tuff cone” that offers beautiful 360° views of Waikiki and around the coast. It takes about 90-minutes if you’re in good shape to reach the top, and the distance is just over a mile and a half. There are tunnels, stairs, and a variety of trails and routes. It’s $5 to enter and reservations are mandatory, with $10 parking onsite that also needs to be reserved.
Wear good shoes and bring sunscreen, there are bathrooms at the start of the hike with fountains to fill your water bottle. I would recommend doing this in the morning to avoid the high heat and sun of midday.
Get a Pineapple Soft Serve After!
The best post-hike treat! Thankfully right in the main parking lot area there were several food trucks selling pineapple whip, which was cold and delicious, perfect for a little sugar and replenishment of energy after hiking up and back down at Diamond Head.
Lanikai Pillbox Trail
A free, relatively easy hike (be wary though, some of the gravel bits are slippery) this trail is about a mile and a half and it gives stunning views of Lanikai Beach and Mokulua Islands. It was not busy at all, perfect for a quiet hike and lovely views, a little pre-dinner workout that was easy enough to find and enjoy. It’s free, there’s no official entrance or anything like that. Very much feels like a “neighborhood” hike where locals probably enjoy many afternoon walks to.
Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail
After driving out of Waikiki and starting on our North Shore adventure, our major stop was at this lighthouse trail. It’s paved the whole way, but be aware it’s very exposed, almost no shade cover, so sunscreen and protective clothing and sunglasses are a must. We saw a whale from the overlook, and it offers some truly stunning views of the cliffs, rolling hills, and crashing waves of the east coast of O’ahu. We got lucky with parking, note it could be challenging to secure a spot if you come at a busy time.
See the Banzai Pipeline Waves & Surfers on the North Shore
Located at Ehukai Beach, this massive pipeline wave where experienced surfers gather was an awesome sight to behold while exploring the north shore. The waves here are no joke – prepared to potentially be slammed into the sand when they break. We had a ton of fun body surfing and splashing in the water while watching the true surfers ride some of the biggest waves in non-stormy conditions that I’ve ever seen.
Visit Byodo-In Temple
From Waikiki, get in the car and venture to the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, a stunning drive that will take you through the middle of the island, past lush mountains with towering palm trees and thick greenery. The Byodo-In Temple is a top attraction for visitors to O’ahu and it’s easy to see why. Listen to the light trickling of the water that fills the massive koi ponds, that are teeming with more bright orange and yellow fish than you’ve ever seen in your life. You can buy fish food at the gift shop to create a feeding frenzy, and walk around this beautiful Buddhist sanctuary in the mountains.
It costs $10 for adults and tickets can be bought onsite. It’s really a gorgeous drive here and so peaceful to wander around for a while.
Sailboat Tour of Waikiki & Diamond Head
If the weather is right, getting on the water with a boat rental in Hawaii is a great idea. We used my Getmyboat rental credit to book a sailing charter, which was a little choppy but overall fun. Most people get fairly lucky with whales and dolphins, we only saw turtles and fish but it was still a cool experience. Nice to get unique views of the city and Diamond Head from the water. It’s quite expensive to do a private boat, so group tours for a more budget-friendly experience are a good idea.
Luau at the Aloha Tower with Ka Moana
There are many different Luau experiences to choose from in Oahu, ranging from very corporate and touristy to more authentic, like what you can expect at the Polynesian Cultural Center. We didn’t quite have time to do the full day experience in the most authentic way, so we went with Ka Moana at the Aloha Tower.
Opting for the “celebrity” package (because why not) we were greeted with fresh flower leis, drink tickets, very good seats, meal service (instead of having to wait in line at the buffet) and some other goodies as souvenirs. The meal was actually quite good, I was impressed with the food quality and different stuff that was offered, including the purple ube dinner rolls that were awesome. It was a great production; detailed history of different aspects of Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, dances, music, and even the fire performance at the end. It was a very touristy thing to do, but it exceeded my expectations in being more enjoyable than I expected.
Food & Drink in O’ahu
Honolulu Coffee Company
This local chain had a location right in our hotel, and we went here every morning for coffee! They had delicious cappuccinos and other coffee drinks, as well as a nice bakery selection of pastries and light breakfast items. Honolulu Coffee Company is also where you can get Kona coffee beans to take home, ideal to stock up for yourself or as a nice gift.
Duke’s Waikiki
While I get why people say you “have” to go to Duke’s when staying in Waikiki, this was honestly the most overrated meal of our entire trip. It was good, but it was not an hour wait good. I would definitely recommend making a reservation if you plan to eat here, it seems like it is very busy 24/7. It’s pricy but everything was appetizing, but nothing special. Everywhere else we ate was much better, but for the ambiance, a sunset view, and nice service. Duke’s does deliver.
Kahuku Food Trucks on North Shore Road Trip
Shrimp plate lunch? Fresh coconut water? Sign me up! On our North Shore road trip, we stopped at the famous Kahuku Food Truck area that was full of awesome options for lunch. I had a garlic shrimp plate lunch served with rice, and Amy had awesome barbecue chicken that she let me have a few bites of. A fresh coconut too? Sign me up.
There’s a brewery onsite, the Kahuku Beer Garden, as well as a bakery that sells the best banana bread I’ve ever had in my life – Mom’s Bakery.
Brunch & Lunch at Heavenly Island Lifestyle
So nice we went here twice! This spot was great for a light brunch or lunch, with really friendly servers and delicious food, one of the best Cobb salads I’ve ever had in my life. The fries were fire, the avocado toast and brunch options were also delicious. It’s near Waikiki beach but far off enough that the prices are far more reasonable. Heavenly Island Lifestyle is located in the Shoreline Hotel Waikiki.
Koolau Drive Inn – By the Byodo-In Temple
After visiting the Byodo-In Temple, we scooted across the street for this unassuming counter service spot in a strip mall, near the McDonald’s that has “the nicest view” of any McDonald’s that went viral on TikTok. Don’t go to McDonalds, though, visit the Koolau instead! I had excellent chicken katsu and Mac salad, a very filling and hearty lunch for $15. I was more than full. It was perfect for a local lunch.
Hideout Rooftop Bar in Waikiki
For great cocktails, tasty appetizers, and a fabulous rooftop vibe (with low key live music) check out the Hideout Rooftop Bar at the Laylow Hotel. We had an awesome server, the musician was great (and the music wasn’t too loud, we could still carry on a pleasant conversation) and the cocktails were great. Very good atmosphere for a relaxing evening, tucked away up an escalator off of Kuhio avenue.
O’ahu as my first introduction to Hawaii was really great. It was a wonderful destination for a girls trip, the perfect mix of relaxing by the pool and on the beach, with some adventure, hiking, and great food mixed in. I would absolutely go back to explore other islands that are more nature-intensive and away from chain restaurants and tourist comforts. It was the perfect first experience and I look forward to future visits.
Recalling a few memories from my stay in Hawaii.