O‘ahu is the third largest island in Hawaii, but the most populated.

This is our first time visiting O‘ahu. Unlike Maui, O‘ahu has a high-rise neighborhood, Waikiki, which reminds us a lot of Miami beaches with plenty of shops and people. It’s buzzing with energy. The North Shore, on the other hand, has a small town vibe with beautiful beaches and surf shops lining the road. On the Kāne’ohe side, the mountains are absolutely breathtaking. For a six-day trip, we barely scratched the surface, but I’m so glad we got to experience so many different sides of O‘ahu.

Tables of Contents

Getting There

We flew into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (also known as Honolulu International Airport). The flight from Los Angeles was just under six hours on Hawaiian Airlines. The airport is conveniently located close to the city, about a 20-minute drive to Waikiki.

Getting Around

Since we were planning to explore different parts of the island, we rented a car and went with Sixt. We took a shuttle from the airport to the rental car parking lot, where all the rental car companies are located in the same building. There was a line for the shuttle, but it moved quickly and took about 15 minutes.

Once we arrived at the parking lot and got to the Sixt counter, we waited about 45 minutes, which is pretty expected. Since we had booked ahead, checking out was quick once we reached the front. We were hoping for a Toyota SUV but ended up with a fairly large GMC SUV. I did wish we had gotten something slightly smaller, which is easier to drive, navigate, and park. But we made it work. The car ran perfectly the whole trip without any issues.

If you’re staying in Waikiki and don’t plan to venture beyond that area, you don’t need a car at all. Waikiki is very walkable with plenty of restaurants and things to do. There are also trolleys available around Waikiki for a fee.

Weather

We visited during the last week of February, which is near the end of the rainy season. We got lucky, as our weather was mostly dry with just a little rain on one day. That said, there were storms and flooding both before and after our trip. Even though it’s technically winter, it was still warm and humid, so pack accordingly! 

Accommodation: Prince Waikiki

This hotel sits on the edge of Waikiki, about a 20-minute drive from the airport. It’s a Japanese chain hotel, modern and well appointed, with all ocean-view rooms. The rooms don’t have balconies, but they have large windows that open up nicely.

Our room was bright with a view of the ocean and harbor. We got to watch a couple of sunsets right from our window. The bed was comfortable, with a small sofa on one side, a desk, and a chair. And true to its Japanese roots, the room had a bidet toilet.

The hotel has a pool and a gym, though we didn’t use either. The nearest beach is about a 10-minute walk, near the Hilton Hawaiian Village. On site there is a coffee shop, a main restaurant that serves buffet breakfast and dinner, and a Japanese restaurant.

Overall, it’s a really nice hotel. Not a resort, but a comfortable and well run traditional hotel. The location has its pros and cons. On the plus side, being on the edge of Waikiki means easier access and slightly less traffic. On the downside, most of the shops and restaurants are a bit of a walk away, and so is the beach. So we often had to drive to the heart of Waikiki if we wanted to go shopping or dine in that area.

One thing to keep in mind: most hotels in the area charge a resort fee of around $45 to $50 per day, regardless of whether you use the amenities. Parking is also usually extra. Ours was $45 a day.

Address: 100 Holomoana Street, Honolulu, HI 96815

Day 1:

By the time we got our rental car sorted, it was already 2pm and we were pretty hungry. We headed straight to grab a light lunch.

Light Lunch: Foodland Farms Ala Moana

Foodland is a Hawaiian grocery chain, and this location is inside Ala Moana Center, a huge and very popular mall. On a Sunday, it was packed, and finding parking was a bit of a challenge. But we got lucky. I had been looking forward to trying the poke here. There was a big crowd gathered around the poke section, so we grabbed a ticket and waited our turn, about 30 minutes. We ordered by weight and got Hawaiian salmon poke and shoyu ahi poke.

We ate at a high table inside the grocery store. The poke was incredibly fresh and soft, and the salmon was truly outstanding. The kukui nuts added a wonderful nutty flavor that was seriously irresistible. I wish we had gotten more, but we were saving room for dinner.

Address: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96814 (10+ locations in O`ahu)

Dinner: 100 Sails Restaurant & Bar

This is the buffet restaurant in our hotel, and since I’ve always had a soft spot for a good buffet, I wanted to give it a try. The spread included crab legs, sashimi, fried oysters, prime rib, porchetta, sashimi, poke, many hot food and of course desserts. It wasn’t quite as expansive as the buffets you’d find in Las Vegas, but if you love seafood, you’ll likely enjoy it. If seafood isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other dining options nearby worth exploring.

Address: 100 Holomoana St 3rd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96815

After dinner, we headed back up to our room to watch the sunset and relax for the night.

Day 2: 

Breakfast: Leonard’s Bakery

We had jet lag, so we arrived at 6:30 in the morning while the sky was still dark and the line was nonexistent. We ordered a box with two non-filled malasadas (original and cinnamon) and three filled ones (guava, haupia, and custard). They came out burning hot. We loved the non-filled ones. Fresh, light, and absolutely worth the hype. The filled ones were heavier and on the sweeter side, with flavors that felt a little artificial, so they weren’t quite our thing. Next time, we’ll only get the original and cinnamon.

Address: 933 Kapahulu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816

Pearl Harbor Historic Sites

The historic sites include the USS Arizona Memorial, Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, located about 30 minutes from Waikiki. Note that no bags are allowed on site except clear bags. There is a bag check stall for about $7.

We started at the submarine museum, where the highlight was walking through the actual submarine (USS Bowfin). It was eye opening to see just how small and tight the space was. We had to climb over the raised thresholds to get from room to room. It’s hard to imagine living under the sea for an extended period. We were glad we went in the morning since we practically had the ship to ourselves.

Next was the USS Arizona Memorial, which requires a reservation. I booked our 8:45am slot about a month in advance. We started with a short briefing from a park ranger, then took a 10-minute boat ride out to the memorial, which is built directly over the sunken USS Arizona. Part of the ship is still visible beneath the water. It was deeply moving and gave us a new perspective on the cost of war.

We had a little extra time, so we also visited the Battleship Missouri Memorial, which requires a free shuttle from the main area. The battleship is massive, and we were able to walk around inside. This is where the Potsdam Declaration was signed, officially ending World War II. We spent about 4 hours in total across the sites, and could have easily stayed longer. We didn’t even make it to the aviation museum. There are food options on site if you need a bite.

Address: 1 Arizona Memorial Pl, Honolulu, HI 96818

Lunch: Sugoi Bento & Catering

A great little mom and pop lunch plate spot. We got the garlic chicken and mochiko chicken. The portions were huge. I ordered a mini plate and was still very full. The garlic chicken was perfectly fried and moist with a sweet and savory sauce that we couldn’t get enough of. The macaroni salad was a hit too.

Address: City Square Bldg 1286, Kalani St B-106, Honolulu, HI 96817

KIRA X MIFFY

After lunch we stopped by this Miffy store in Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki, which carries exclusive Hawaii merchandise. Lots of adorable things. I picked up a few items for family and friends.

Address: 2233 Kalākaua Ave B114, Honolulu, HI 96815

Then it was back to the hotel to rest. We were exhausted from the travel, humidity and heat.

Patagonia

We noticed Bryan’s waterproof jacket was starting to wear out, and since there happened to be a Patagonia store nearby, we decided to stop in. We found a great replacement jacket and also spotted quite a few exclusive Patagonia Hawaii products that were hard to resist.

Address: 535 Ward Ave, Honolulu, HI 96814

Dinner: Totoya Ala Moana とと家  

For dinner we tried a Japanese restaurant specializing in seafood rice bowls. I ordered the negitoro bowl, minced fresh tuna with flying fish roe (tobiko) over rice, and Bryan got the tuna sashimi bowl. The negitoro bowl was the winner. The sashimi bowl was a little ordinary in comparison. I also added salmon to my miso soup, which made it really flavorful. This is a popular spot, and they only have counter seats. They don’t take reservations either. Go early to avoid a line.

Address: 436 Piikoi St SUITE B, Honolulu, HI 96814 (3 locations in O`ahu)

Dessert: Ululani’s Hawaiian Shave Ice

We ended the day with shave ice from Ululani’s, a Maui institution we had visited years ago. The ice is incredibly fine and melts in your mouth, and many of the syrups are made in house using real fruit and natural ingredients. The real standout for me is the ice cream. They source it from a Maui ice cream shop, and the macadamia flavor paired with the shave ice is just perfect. It’s no wonder it’s our favorite shave ice in Maui. The best way to end a day in Hawaii.

Address: 349 Seaside Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 (2 locations in Honolulu)

Day 3:

Coffee: Kai Coffee Hawaii 

Our friend recommended this coffee shop, and we stopped by the location in Waikiki Shopping Plaza. Bryan ordered a Kai Latte flavored with macadamia nut syrup. It had a wonderful nutty flavor and was really delicious and unique.

Address: 2250 Kalākaua Ave K4, Honolulu, HI 96815 (5 locations in O`ahu)

We left Waikiki around 7:15am and ran straight into horrible traffic. There is only one freeway heading out of Waikiki, and it felt like everyone was leaving at the same time. It was a complete gridlock and extremely stressful. We were stuck in the area for at least 45 minutes.

Breakfast: Got’z Grindz

A quick stop to pick up some musubi. Since we were in a rush, I didn’t get a chance to look at everything, but we grabbed spam, spam and egg, and furikake egg spam and took them with us. Satisfying and delicious. 

Address: 45-726 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

Kualoa Ranch 

Kualoa Ranch is a private natural preserve located in Kāne’ohe. Thanks to its stunning landscape, it has served as the filming location for many movies and TV shows, including Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Jumanji, Godzilla, Lost, and Hawaii Five-0. There are many different tours available, including horseback riding, UTV, movie site tours, zipline, and e-bike.

We had a reservation for the 9am Jungle Expedition tour. After all that traffic, I was so nervous we wouldn’t make it, but we arrived just in time. The tour takes place on an open-air jeep-like vehicle.

We drove through Hākipu’u rainforest, taking in views of the Ko’olau mountain range and Mōkoli’i island along the way. Our guide shared local culture, stories, and information about native produce. We stopped a couple of times for photos. The ride was a little bumpy but nothing too intense. The toughest part was the on and off rain. Since the vehicle is open air, the rain hit us straight in the face, and it was surprisingly cold. Our waterproof jackets helped, but our pants and shoes got pretty wet. We were supposed to do a short hike, but it had to be skipped because of the rain. This tour wasn’t quite what we had imagined, but we had a really wonderful time regardless. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and I’d love to come back to try the UTV tour next time.

Tips: The ranch is about a 50-minute drive from Waikiki. Don’t be like us. Leave early and give yourself plenty of time, especially if you have a reservation. Wear comfortable clothes, ideally waterproof or quick dry, and bring a rain jacket since the weather can change quickly. The tour is about 90 minutes, so make sure you’ve eaten beforehand or bring snacks. There is also a restaurant and restrooms on site.

Address: 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

Lunch: Yummy Huli Huli Chicken

We had originally planned to head to the North Shore, but a car accident on the single lane road forced us to change plans. Instead we stopped for huli huli chicken at a spot near the ranch. Huli huli is a Hawaiian style grilled chicken. “Huli” means “turn”, and the chicken here was being rotated and cooked right outside the restaurant. It was flavorful, moist, and exactly what we needed. 

Address: 49-132 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

Dessert: Chillest Shave Ice 

This charming mom and pop shave ice shop serves the softest, fluffiest ice we’ve ever had. All the flavors are made in house and are wonderfully unique, like mandarin orange, hojicha, and kinako latte. We really loved the strawberry milk and mango. You could taste the freshness and natural flavors in every bite. Note that there is only one size, and it is very generous. We ordered two and couldn’t come close to finishing them. One serving can easily be shared between two people.

Address: 3408 Waialae Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816

Snoopy’s Surf Shop

This shop sells Snoopy’s merchandise with lots of Hawaii exclusive, like shirts, totes, stuffed animals and key chains. It’s another good gift shop to check out. 

Address: 3302 Campbell Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815 (2 locations in O`ahu)

Then we headed back to the hotel for a nap.

Dinner: Liliha Bakery

Craving loco moco, we made our way to this beloved old school diner. It’s counter seating only, with the kitchen right in front of you. We each ordered a loco moco, and Bryan got his with fried rice. The patties had a nice char flavor, though the gravy could have been a little beefier and saltier for my taste. Bryan thought his version was excellent with the extra flavor from the fried rice. The famous butter rolls that came with the meal were incredibly soft and buttery. Regardless, it was a really satisfying meal. 

Address: 515 N Kuakini St, Honolulu, HI 96817 (6 locations in O`ahu)

Don Quijote Honolulu

It is a Japanese chain grocery store, but it’s a great spot for local Hawaii snacks that make excellent souvenirs and gifts. We grabbed a bunch of macadamia nut chocolates and two baked buns to save for the next morning’s breakfast.

Address: 801 Kaheka St #A7, Honolulu, HI 96814 (3 locations in O`ahu)

That wraps up the first half of our O’ahu trip! Part 2 is where things get really fun: an early morning hike, shrimp trucks on the North Shore, and more shave ice than any two people should probably eat. See you there!

>>> Read Part 2 <<<