so, you're coming to oahu?

Aloha friends! Lately I've had some of you emailing me asking for some tips on the best things to see and do on Oahu. I thought I would share with you what we think is the best way to enjoy the island. Below are some of our favorite beaches, restaurants, spots on the island. Obviously, it's not a comprehensive travel guide, just some of our personal faves from our 2.5 years here and the places we take our friends and family when they come to visit for the first time. 

Most people coming to visit will be staying in Waikiki. This is the city/touristy area of the island, filled with hotels, bars, restaurants and beaches. While you're sure to have a blast if you stay there, you will not get the full Hawaii experience unless you are able to rent a car and explore Oahu. So please don't be afraid to venture outside of Waikiki! Get out of town and take in the island. 

The North Shore  is a must. It's about an hour or so drive from Waikiki (depending on traffic) and it's really beautiful. It's probably one of our very favorite places on island. Haleiwa is the little town up there that has some fun shops and restaurants. 

You've gotta get shave ice ( most tour guide books say go to Matsumoto's but it's almost always crowded so we like Aoki's just down the street). Get the ice cream on the bottom, it's so worth it. 

There is a tiny sandwich shop called Storto's  and we love to go there and get subs on sweet Hawaiian bread and then take them to the beach down the road for a picnic (or sit on the picnic tables outside the restaurant and watch the chickens on the property!) The half-size sandwiches are enough to fill Chris which is saying alot-- that boy eats so much. 

Our friend recently went from selling his amazing Thai food  from a food truck to owning a small restaurant in Haleiwa. At his restaurant, Opal's, you'll find some of the best Thai food you've eaten (and we should know, having just traveled to Thailand last spring!). Opal will take great care of you, even if you've never tried Thai food before and his young son, Lio is sure to be a source of entertainment while you eat. 

On Sundays, from 9am-1pm, the Haleiwa Farmer's Market  is the place to be. Fresh bread, sweet orchids, small artists and produce farmers occupy stalls at this small market. You'll find the best pesto ever (ever, ever, ever) in one of the booths-- look for the macadamia nut pesto and grab a jar or two!

Also on the North Shore, you can often see lots of  turtles  on the beaches or in the waves. Poipu Beach often has lots of these big guys laying on the sand and was the site of the Survivor Lost camp when they were filming there. It's pretty hidden away but you should be able to find directions if you google it (it's right past Haleiwa). Another good place to see turtles is at Lanikea Beach. You'll see a huge crowd there-- you can't miss it!

My favorite beach on the island is on the North Shore and that is Waimea Beach. It's the site of the huge surf competitions in the winter but the waves are super calm there in the summer. When the waves are just starting to get big, the surf is fun to swim in and bob up and down on. There is a fun rock to jump off into the water. Parking is limited but the beach is huge so it never gets very crowded. Go early in the morning to get prime parking. 

On the other side of the island, there's a pretty little town called Kailua. Kailua has lots of fun shops and restaurants as well. And Kailua Beach Park is a beautiful beach, though it can be windy sometimes (this is on the windward side of the island so it tends to be windier and rainier than the other side). It's a popular site for kite surfers, which are fun to watch and probably would be really fun to try if you dare! 

 My VERY FAVORITE restaurant on the whole island is in Kailua. This tiny crepes place is called Crepes No Ka 'Oi  -- it's divine. Get the Berry Heavenly crepe (ordered with a side of nutella!)  for some sweet decadence, or go before 11am for the Ultimate Breakfast crepe, which is filled with potatoes, eggs and hollandaise sauce. Yum. 

As far as hikes  go, there is a little hike on this side of the island (near Kailua) called the Pillbox Hike or Lanikai hike. It's pretty easy and is along a ridge right on the ocean. The views are amazing, especially at sunrise. You have to park on the street by a golf course to get to it. I'd recommend wearing tennis shoes to hike, but I've done it in slippers (aka. flip flops) without much trouble. 

Also, Maunawili Falls hike is on this side of the island and that's a fun one. If it's been raining at all, the trail is completely muddy and you probably won't last a few minutes without slipping and sliding. The trail is pretty jungly and leads to a water fall that has a 10 foot and 40 foot jump into a deep pool. It's usually pretty crowded, which makes it not our favorite hike, but still lots of fun. Make sure you wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting coated in mud!

If you are a beginner surfer and want to try it out, there is a beach called White Plains (or Barber's Point). It is a good beach for beginner surfers -- lots of families and military, pretty calm waves, no big rocks. You have to have a military ID to rent a board though. You can rent boards without a military ID in town (Waikiki/Honolulu) but sometimes the local surfers there get a little territorial. I wouldn't be worried about going surfing in town, but we always take people to learn at White Plains.


If you're an experienced surfer, Chris' favorite surf spot is Lani's (Laniakea) on the North Shore. This break is located between Poipu and Chun's and is good right break with deep water. He usually sees lots of turtles while surfing out there. It's great for head high waves to 2x overhead in the winter. 

One thing I tell everyone they most do is take part of the day to drive  around the whole island. This should take you about 2-3 hours (again, depending on traffic) but it will give you a better appreciation for the island as a whole. The roads that go around run literally feet from the water and the sights are amazing. You can take Kamehameha highway almost all the way around. 

Other favorites:: 


Makapu'u Lighthouse & tide pools


Sandy's Beach


Pearl Harbor Memorial


Spitting Caves


Shark's Cove for snorkeling




I hope this was helpful for those of you traveling to Oahu in the future! There are lots of great things to do and see not listed on here, so be sure to talk to others and look up more info online or in travel books! 


Do you live on Oahu? Have you visited here? What are/were some of your favorite spots and activities on the island? Let's keep the info flowing in the comments below! 


Also, if you have any questions, leave me a comment and I'll reply below. 




lindsay