If you’re heading to Oahu and wondering how to make the most of your time, you’re in for a treat. This island is packed with jaw-dropping views, delicious food, and some of the most unforgettable adventures you’ll ever have. Whether you’re a beach bum, an adrenaline junkie, or just here for the mai tais, I’ve got you covered. Here are 10 of the best things to do in Oahu!
1. Snorkel at Shark’s Cove
Despite the name, you (probably) won’t run into any sharks here. Shark’s Cove is one of Oahu’s best snorkeling spots, filled with vibrant coral, colorful fish, and crystal-clear water. Just be prepared for rocky terrain—it’s not your typical sandy beach, but the underwater views are worth it!
2. Take in the Views at the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout
Want to feel like you’re on top of the world? The Pali Lookout offers insane panoramic views of the windward side of the island, with lush green valleys and the ocean stretching out before you. It’s also got some pretty wild history—this is the site of a legendary battle where warriors were driven off the cliffs!
3. Soak in the Beauty of the Lanai Lookout
One of Oahu’s most underrated spots, the Lanai Lookout is where you’ll find dramatic coastal cliffs and stunning ocean views. On a clear day, you can even see the neighboring islands of Molokai and Lanai. It’s the perfect place for photos, but don’t expect to swim here—the waves are intense!
4. Hike to Likeke Falls
If you love chasing waterfalls, this one’s for you. The hike to Likeke Falls is a short, muddy adventure through a lush tropical forest, leading you to a picture-perfect waterfall. It’s not as well-known as some of the other hikes on Oahu, which makes it feel like a hidden gem.
5. Climb to the Top of Diamond Head
It’s one of Oahu’s most famous hikes for a reason. The Diamond Head trail takes you up a volcanic crater with killer views of Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean. It’s not too long, but it’s steep—so be ready to sweat a little! The view at the top? Totally worth it.
6. Relax on Waikiki Beach
You can’t come to Oahu and not spend some time on Waikiki Beach. Yes, it’s touristy. Yes, it can get crowded. But it’s iconic for a reason! Grab a towel, soak up the sun, and watch surfers catch waves in the distance. Bonus points if you try a surf lesson yourself!
7. Sip a Mai Tai at Duke’s Waikiki
Speaking of Waikiki, don’t leave without stopping at Duke’s. This legendary beachfront bar and restaurant is the perfect spot for sunset drinks and live music. Order their famous mai tai and just soak in the island vibes.
8. Catch an Epic Sunset
Oahu does sunsets like nowhere else. Whether you’re watching from Waikiki Beach, Sunset Beach on the North Shore, or even from a beachside bar, you’re in for a treat. Grab a drink, kick back, and enjoy the sky turning shades of pink, orange, and purple.
9. Eat at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
If you’re a foodie, Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck is a must. Located on the North Shore, this spot serves up some of the best garlic shrimp you’ll ever have. It’s messy, it’s garlicky, and it’s absolutely delicious. Trust me, it’s worth the wait in line.
10. Experience a Luau at Paradise Cove
You can’t leave Hawaii without experiencing a traditional luau. Paradise Cove is one of the best, with hula performances, fire dancing, and a delicious Hawaiian feast. It’s the perfect way to end your trip with a little culture, a lot of fun, and maybe one too many mai tais.
Final Thoughts
Oahu is a dream destination packed with adventure, natural beauty, and plenty of places to just kick back and enjoy the aloha spirit. Whether you’re snorkeling, hiking, eating your weight in shrimp, or just watching the waves, this island has something for everyone. Be sure to check out my complete 8 Day Oahu Itinerary for Families!
Have you been to Oahu? What was your favorite experience? Let me know in the comments!
Aloha! We just returned home from our favorite family vacation on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu. Keep reading for an epic 8 day itinerary for families, plus helpful tips and things to know before you go!
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Day 1: Arrive in Hawaii
We took a nonstop flight on American Airlines from DFW to Honolulu. I highly recommend a direct flight, less chance of missing a connection and honestly the 7.5 hour flight wasn’t too bad. We were served lunch (a chicken curry sandwich or Asian veggie wrap option), snacks, and drinks. It went by much quicker than I thought! The whole vibe was awesome, everyone was just so happy!
Next, we checked into the hotel and grabbed lunch at Maui Brewing Company. The fish tacos and pizza hit the spot! Then we changed and headed down to Waikiki Beach. We enjoyed some beach time, but called it an early day because we were so tired after our day of travel.
Day 2: Waikiki
Not going to lie, the five hour time difference was rough getting used to. We knew it might be tough, so we didn’t make any real plans for day two. We were up pretty early and started with breakfast at the Hawaiian Aroma Café. This place was great and we ended up having breakfast here several times during our stay! I recommend the ham and egg sandwich and traditional waffles!
After breakfast we spent more time at Waikiki Beach. The water here is stunning! You can rent an umbrella and two beach chairs for $18 an hour. We pretty much just spent the day relaxing between the beach and the hotel pool.
Later in the evening, we walked around Waikiki and explored the Royal Hawaiian Center, which is basically an outdoor mall. We grabbed a quick dinner at the mall food court, which was a great option for our kids. They wanted Cane’s, Jereme and I wanted food we could only find in Hawaii. We enjoyed the burgers at Mahalo Burgers, this place was recommended to us by a local and it did not disappoint!
To end the night, we went back to the beach to watch the sunset. I am telling you, there is not a better sunset anywhere than on the beach in Hawaii!
Day 3: Snorkeling & Lanikai Beach
On day three, we had our first excursion booked with Turtles and You. We grabbed McDonald’s for breakfast and then drove to the harbor. This is a three hour boating and snorkeling with sea turtles adventure. It was a fun experience, we loved the crew on the boat and had some yummy spam musubi for lunch. We did see several sea turtles and then cruised around Diamond Head. BUT, we had much more fun snorkeling with sea turtles on our own the next day. So, I would recommend saving your money and check out our day four itinerary!
After the excursion was over, we headed to Lanikai Beach. Y’all, this beach is absolutely gorgeous and much less crowded than Waikiki! It’s about 18 miles from Waikiki, but with traffic on the island, it takes about forty minutes to get there.
We spent a few hours here relaxing, swimming, and strolling along the shore. And we happened to celebrate our 20th anniversary on this day!
Once we got back to Waikiki, we had a fantastic dinner at Duke’s. We opted to sit outside to take in the views and listen to live music. If you visit Dukes, be sure to get a Mai Tai!
Day 4: The North Shore
Day four was one of my favorite days of the entire trip! We headed to the North Shore to visit Waimea Bay, but we could never find parking! The North Shore is about 35 miles, 45 minutes from Waikiki.
So, we decided to grab lunch at Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck and regroup. The food here is to die for! The line seemed long, but moved fast and honestly, it’s so good I would wait hours for the shrimp here. We all had the shrimp scampi plate, which is their most popular dish.
From here, we went to Shark’s Cove and spent the day snorkeling and swimming in the cove. We saw so many sea turtles and schools of fish, it was awesome! It was a much more personal experience swimming on our own rather than with a big group like our excursion the previous day.
I highly recommend coming here if you have kiddos and want a safe, FREE place to snorkel and spend the day!
Day 5: Diamond Head, Likeke Falls, and Kaaawa Beach
On day five, we got in two really cool hikes and even had some time for family beach photos! Our first hike time was at noon, so we decided to sleep in late. Then, we grabbed sandwiches, fruit, and pasta from the ABC Stores in Waikiki for lunch before our day of hiking.
The first hike was Diamond Head State Monument, the iconic volcano in Oahu. You do need advanced reservations for this hike, details can be found here.
The hike to the summit of Diamond Head is about two miles out and back. It’s not too hard, but it does require some climbing up and back down stairs and walking through a tunnel. The views at the summit are gorgeous!
My favorite hike of the day was to Likeke Falls! This is a fairly easy, one mile hike through the rainforest to a magnificent waterfall.
The drive from Waikiki to the Likeke Falls trailhead is about 30 minutes.
You can park at the Koolau Golf Club for ten dollars or free along the side of the road before entering the gate to the golf course. If you park along the road, make sure that none of your vehicle is on any part of the roadway!
After hiking, we went back to the hotel and got ready for beach photos. We decided to head to Ka’a’awa Beach Park for family photos. Ka’a’awa Beach offers a stunning backdrop for photo ops. It’s about 25 miles, 42 minutes from Waikiki Beach.
For dinner, we grabbed shrimp & chicken kabobs and summer shrimp rolls with peanut sauce from different street vendors in Waikiki. It was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip!
Day 6: Paradise Cove Luau
Day six happened to be our youngest son’s birthday, so we let him decide how we were going to spend the day. We started with breakfast from McDonald’s and then went to the mall for birthday shopping. After shopping, we went to Hula Grill for lunch. I had the poke bowl and it was great! We also shared a hula pie and it was delicious!
This is a hula pie!
For dinner, we booked a luau with Paradise Cove Luau. There are different package options, you’re greeted with a Mai Tai upon arrival, and it’s set in a gorgeous location that’s great for photos!
We enjoyed the buffet food and the show! The event lasts from 5:00-8:45, the fire show is one of the last performances and was our favorite!
The drive from Waikiki to Paradise Cove is about 30 miles away and takes about 40 minutes to get there.
Day 7: Waikiki Beach, Pali Lookout, Lanai Lookout
Day seven was our most scenic day! We started with a trip to the ABC Stores to grab lunch for the beach. We grabbed hot dogs, sandwiches, and I tried the beef pot stickers and they were yummy! We also grabbed coconut and pineapple drinks from a street vendor next to the Outrigger Beachcomber Hotel and they were a big hit!
After some time on the beach, we decided to venture to the Pali Lookout. It’s about 11 miles from Waikiki and takes about 25 minutes to drive there. You do have to pay $6 for parking.
The views from the lookout are fantastic! If you’re in Oahu, you definitely need to check this place out.
From the Pali Lookout, we drove about 25 minutes to the Lanai Lookout. This place is breathtaking! We parked at the lookout and followed people down to the water. When we returned to the car, we noticed signs that said not to do this. But, there were people out there fishing and we didn’t even pay attention to the signage. So, please be cautious and better than us!
The area is absolutely gorgeous though. It was very unique and nothing like we had seen on the island so far. These are the photos I took basically breaking the rules, eek I feel awful about that part.
After sightseeing, we stopped by Maui Brewing once again for fish tacos and pizzas before calling it a night. We really enjoyed the food here, but the best part was that there was never a wait for a table!
Day 8: Waikiki Beach and Travel Day
Day eight was sadly our last day of vacation. We had a wonderful last day on the island, though. We met up with friends that live in Oahu for lunch at Lulu’s right on the beach. Then we spent some time together at Waikiki Beach before we had to return our rental and head to the airport. It was a great way to end our last day in Hawaii!
We had a 7:00 pm nonstop flight back to Texas. I thought this was a great idea, but none of us got any sleep on the flight. So, we’re still tired and trying to get used to the time change!
Overall, it was such a fantastic trip and we loved our week in Oahu! You know it’s a great vacation when your kids don’t want to leave.
Things to Know
Rent a vehicle on Turo – we booked a jeep and loved it!
Traffic is pretty crazy – plan ahead and give yourself enough time to get to your destination!
Parking is a pain – like for real, a big pain! Pack your patience and be ready to circle parking lots over and over until a spot opens up!
Reservations are needed ahead of time for most things – be sure you have a plan of activities and excursions and book these before your trip!
Time Change – for us it was a 5 hour time change and hard to get used to. It’s been harder since returning home, so be ready for that!
Give yourself some down time, especially if you’re traveling with kids!
Hawaii thrives on tourism, but be a respectful tourist and kind to the locals!
More Oahu Activities
We had a pretty packed eight day itinerary, but there are so many activities to do in Oahu! Below are some things I had on my list that we didn’t get to, partly because Jereme and I had already done some of them, and also because we just ran out of time.
We really enjoyed staying in Waikiki Beach because of the easiness of walking around to get to restaurants and shopping. When we were parked at the hotel, we never needed a car!
Road Trip Queen 