Honestly, this is the most beautiful island …. let’s call it paradise.
Jurassic Park
Luscious green forests
Friendly locals
Outdoor adventure galore
Picture worthy sunsets
Awe-mazing poke bowls
Traffic Jams
Crystal Clear Blue Water
Big Waves
Cleanliness
Food Trucks
Wild Chickens
Outdoor Living
Hiking with awe droping views!
Simply put, this is how I would describe my time visiting Oahu, Hawaii.
Life is meant for the living and let me tell you that over here they are not afraid of taking risks. Before I get into the best of the best during our visit to Oahu, Hawaii…
A quick note…Oahu is insanely beautiful and there are many great outdoor activities to choose from. However, being that we also wanted some time to relax, enjoy the beach, swimming and some fun pool time with the kids, we did not explore the other Hawaiian islands. But I would definitely recommend at least visiting 2 of them because it is GORGEOUS especially if you’re not planning on coming back anytime soon….lordy lord those are long flights with kids….
Let me get this off my chest.
You only notice how different we speak, eat, live, exercise or even socialize when you immerse yourself in a truly remote or new environment. Americans, well…from my personal experiences are such friendly, social, generous and helpful people while over here (me a Canadian), are yes, very nice, again generalizing here but most Canadians keep to themselves and are more private or prefer not to interfere with other people….again I am generalizing. I am also totally this way and have only truly understood this from traveling to a different country, this really puts things into perspective. If you want to see other places we’ve visited then click here.
So traveling is like a breath of fresh air and helps to feel like were wearing someone’s else shoes. A little strange perhaps, but then we learn to just go with it and open our minds and our hearts.
So Oahu living is good for the soul.
So for all of you that might consider traveling with or without kids, this place is insanely wonderful. It felt like home. However, there are a few kep things to keep in mind. So here are a few tips of how to make your time in Oahu feel valuable and capture worthy!
Travel Tip 1: The best tip for visiting Oahu is to rent a car, asap!
We could not believe how many hours we spent on the road driving nowhere and everwhere. Make sure to rent either online or call directly an airport car rental agency because the other locations on the Island are often much more $$$, I know weird, but they probably know that most people will eventually rent a car so there goes your money. Also, I got a way better price by booking with my Costco credit card. Since almost everyone reading this has a membership, then please mention it because they are happy to give you add-ons and discounted prices. Driving is much more fun and convenient…plus driving is fairly easy although the highways might seem a little intimidating a first because of the multiples lines highways. But you can drive around the island in a few hours and the 3 main highways basically takes you everywhere. So no worries just use your smart phone GPS (google map or similar) because the street names can get confusing.
Travel Tip 2: Always check the day’s weather forecast.
Especially true when visiting during their rainy season (November-March) then bring layers during the day. Yes, really, we were there in March and one week actually felt cooler then a Fall day in Canada. But that temperature was usually before 9am and later in the evenings. But it might get foggy, cloudy, extremely windy (thankfully my son did not fly away…) or a little bit of everything all in a day. So layer up and always keep a light sweater, hoodie, jacket and hats for everyone in the car.
Travel Tip 3: This place is the hiking sundae with cherry on top for wannabes, families and fit enthusiasts.
You cannot come here and skip it, there are some itsy bitsy hills hidden in parks your 4 year old could walk like Wailele Falls, those are literally like a walk in the park. The hike are all pretty short but when the sun is shinning, you better have that sunscreen on. I did 3 of them but wished I had done that last one, so here are my recommendations…
- Starting it slow and pretty easy… Wailele Falls about a 30 minutes walk…longer if you are taking your time admiring and photographing those crazy greens, trees and all in between. Seriously I would go back and pay that $12 entry fee again. At the end, your are a little hot, a little because it’s really not that difficult, you can even bring a stroller, you carefully walk in the water near the waterfall. Bonus points if you bring your water shoes (they also sell some) and you need to wear a lifejacket. The shoes are a must because darn it those rocks are slippery slopes! I kept thinking ”don’t drop the kids, dont’ drop the kids”, yep we also brought them in the water to soak their legs. My 12 month old daughter was really happy, so if she can do it, then you can too!
- Then you’ve got the popular instagram shot at Lanikai Pill box Hike, located right in the city. Honestly, not so bad, extremely steep so wear good sneakers, a hat/sunglasses, bring a water bottle and sunscreen because you will be an overcooked piece of human. It was hot hot hot and no shade. Oh, and I kept thinking, geez, I wouldn’t want to slip on the side because well it’s high. So I would skip it if you are not looking for a full body workout. Honestly, it looks scarrier then it actually is but worth it for the views. This one is short about 45 minutes.
- It’s like an incline level 8 on your treadmill family style hike. Get your heart rate up Diamondhead Hike took us just over an hour to do. Almost short and sweet, keyword being almost… watch your step though because the path are slightly uneven rocks, although you have a railing for safety on one side. There were 3 years old kids to 75 year old couples present on this hike. The view is yet again, totally worth it! Parking is very limited so we parked near the park in the city and had to walk up to the entrance which was about 10 minutes. Fee is $1 per person, so it’s almost free and a food truck is strategically located at the bottom of the hike selling refreshing pineapple themes food and drinks. Yes, of course we had one or two!
- This one I drove by and omy! the views! would definitely do it next time around and even read that you sometimes see whales walking along the coastline… at Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail
Travel Tip 4: Beach paradise!
Here are my faves areas for swimming with the family. Waikiki Beach is right downtown, so if you are staying in Honolulu this will be your go to beach. We stayed on the West side of the island in Ko Olina. You will find 4 man made perfect lagoons in Ko Olina that are shared with the hotels and has calm current perfect for young kids. The only downsize for me was there is no shade and they do not allow us to bring tents or parasol/umbrellas due to safety hazards. So we only stayed 1-2 hours at a time. You also have to bring your lunch or drive back to your apartment or a near by restaurant.
My top picks for beaches in Oahu.
- Lagoons in Ko Olina Resort -almost no wave due to the rock levies\wall keeps the waves away, this is perfect for young kids, and even though the parking is limited…get there early, the beach is not crowded off season. There are also grass if you do not want to stay in the sand.
- Lanikai Beach, they don’t call it the best beach in Oahu for no reason.
- Waikiki Beach downtown Honolulu
Oh those big waves on the North Shore, eeekk are sometimes too strong, even scary (during rainy season), so trust your gut when swimming and be safe.
Travel Tip 5: You come here for the views, not the food….except for eating macadamia nuts, pineapples, iced desserts and poke bowls!
We realized that we shouldn’t spend our money going to nice restaurants because the lifestyle is being ouside, doing activities and enjoying the views. Of course being the lover of all good food, I had done my research prior and tried a few of the reputable stops suggested by many raved reviews and travel guides….”BIG BIG mistake” a la Julia Roberts in Pretty Women.
Here is our (my family’s) two thumbs down, such as the Leonards bakery, famous stuffed doghnuts and we also tried three of the many hundreds of shrimp food trucks which were good but totally not worth waiting 1 hour in line! The hype around it is well marketed online then the actual food. My dad was not impressed hearing me talk about those famous shrimps on this trip. Acai bowls are not all the same. Some better then others so if you love the first and not another, that’s okay.
If you love burgers and iced desserts then you will be a happy eater in Oahu.
A few places that made the list…please note that there are many places we did not try and a few suggestions we received during our visit which I will also include as a reference for your next trip.
These A+ yummy treats made my list, just thinking about them makes me happy!
The first one is the Island Vintage Coffee which has a few locations in Oahu. Almost everything I ordered was gotta go back again delicious! Can we please be neighbors….Here are my faves…
- The Shoyu Ahi Poke bowl!!!! So fresh and delicious!!!
- The avocado toast
- Liliko’i Moana acai bowl
- ….and their island coffee drinks are beyond delicious and different add a sorbet in the tea, a gelato scoop in the iced coffee
One Waikiki Beach Fish & Chip food truck…was so good but since it was take out and I waited in the car…didn’t get the name.
Macadamia Nuts for Days
Back to Basics, local macadamia nut farms…I only found 2 on the island (one on the east coast, Tropical Nut Farms and one on the north shore called the nut company in Haleiwa). They have tasters and the owner is a gem and a storyteller. But now, let’s talk about the nuts, you are nutty if you don’t like these ones! The array of flavors from salty, galicky, cinnamon, herbs, caramel, coconut and coffee flavors, salad dressings, coffee, ketchups, salsa, okay those are extra but all very local and so worth the calories!! The ones at Costco and at groceries do not compare.
Taste and Choose
The last stop is for Iced desserts!
Ice Cream, we all scream for ice cream!
Ko Olina has the yummiest iced dessert, Two Scoops. AND don’t get me started on the shaved ice, it was my first time eating it and oh
The shave ice was pretty darn refreshing and easy to eat, yes, even if they give you a mountain size, I practically inhaled it, it was surprisingly good.
After all, who can actually mess it up it’s only shaved ice with mostly fruity flavored syrups for you to choose. It’s like eating fluffy snow on a sunny day that melts in your mouth and hydrates you just enough to get back in the car. At first, the portions are huge…well, we are in the United States after all, go big or go home principle applies to their desserts. The prices vary incredible depending on where you are buying one ranging from $4 to $10.
Visit the Dole plantation and the pineapple smoothies are just like drinking a pineapple. Although I did not get the chance to have the famous pineapple ice cream because it was Spring break and the line was incredibly long for my two little kids. But interesting to visit…
Here were other let’s eat recommendations from Oahu locals.
- Fresh Catch for seafood
- Uncle Bo’s Pupu Bar & Grill in Haleiwa (the crab cakes were yummy)
- Paia Fish Market
- Haleiwa Joe’s
Travel tip 6: Rent an apartment with a kitchen that will save you a lot of money during your stay.
Finally, unless it’s your honeymoon or you prefer to have a no cooking while traveling policy then by all means go for it. In our case, traveling with small kids and meeting my parents, renting a house was the best option. The gangs all here kinda thing! We went the airbnb route for renting.
Let’s stay in touch! Leave a comment below if you have been or have been dreaming of going to Hawaii.
