Top 9 things to do on Oahu:

I have been to Oahu multiple times, and each time I have added a few new TOP spots to my list. There is just SOOOO much to do and see that I could probably make a list of 50 attractions I love about the island, but If I had to choose my very favorites…these are the ones!!

To start off with a disclaimer…many of my favorites revolve around food. But when I am on vacation, I want to ONLY eat the things that I love, AND many of those favorites are right there on the tiny island of Oahu.

And if you want to get technical with a second disclaimer…most of my favorites are most easily accessible by having your own transportation. It is SOOOO much easier to get out and enjoy the island if you have your own car. Renting a car was pretty cheap, but the freedom it added to be able to hop over to the North Shore and cruise around the island was TOTALLY worth it!!!

No reason not to just hop right into my top 9 in NOOOO particular order…

1. Leonard’s Bakery. My friend who grew up in Hawaii (Hey Girl!!) recommended that we hit up this bakery for Malasadas, and my life is changed forever. They are SOOOOO good. Imagine if an elephant ear and a doughnut had a baby. The trick is to eat them while they are still warm and to eat as many as you can until you THINK you might be sick…haha. But seriously they are addictive!! We loved the original, but the FILLED malasada was the real show stopper for my crew. Macadamia filling in a warm sweetbread dipped in sugar…it just does not get any better!!

Leonard’s is not hard to find…but parking is a NIGHTMARE!! The parking lot is about the size of a shoebox and full of people trying to take pictures, so it might be necessary to park nearby and walk. Also, it is just a tiny little place, so we found it best to leave one person inside to order and the rest of us waited outside (taking selfies). And do yourself a favor, just get the big box so that you have extras to eat later. No shame.

2. The Honolulu Zoo. If you are traveling with kids, the zoo is a must. It has LOTS of shade and places to rest, amazing animals, and is the perfect place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. I was amazed that they were able to have so many animals and beautiful enclosures in such a small area, but the zoo is MUCH bigger than I had expected and we were pleasantly surprised. We arrived on a weekday as soon as the zoo opened and there were no lines and we basically had the entire zoo to ourselves…it was glorious after fighting the crowds everywhere else. So although this is not the biggest or fanciest zoo around, it is definitely worth it…I mean there are elephants for goodness sakes!! Who doesn’t love to see elephants??

3. Dole whip. Now technically I should list the Dole Plantation as my next favorite stopping point, but in reality I am just there for the ice-cream:) It is fun to see how pineapples grow ONCE, but as far as a MUST SEE, I could pass on the plantation. And to be entirely fair, we skipped the pineapple train and the large maze because the cost just seemed a bit outrageous, so maybe we did not get the FULL greatness of the Dole Plantation. ANDDD I know many people will not agree with me on that one…but I am sticking to it:) Dole Whips are NOT optional though!! Luckily they can be found a few places around town (and in Disneyland obviously) including the PCC. Just make sure you have one (or 4) before you leave the island!!

I will put in my little plug for the Dole Plantation though…they have the BEST smelling pineapple lotion EVER!! Other places in Hawaii have pineapple lotion too…but it does NOT smell as good as the Plantation lotion…I MAY have tested them all:) You will thank me later I promise!!

4. Eggs ‘N Things. Lucky for us, we were staying RIGHT next to Eggs N’ Things or we probably would not have given it a second glance. They have AMAZING waffles and pancakes…or if I am being honest…it is the coconut syrup that wins the day!! Big E had a waffle topped with ice-cream and then the ICE CREAM was topped with whipped cream. I mean COME ON!!! They always had a long line at breakfast, so we hit them up for breakfast at dinner time and didn’t have to wait in line long at all. The plus, it is right along Waikiki beach and you can watch the sunset or people watch right from the huge open windows. And I DID NOT know this at the time, but looking online I notice there are multiple locations…MUST GO BACK!!!

5. Beaches. We loved hanging out at Waikiki beach because of the great shallow swimming areas, but of course it has TONS of people all day long. But as we drove back and forth to the North Shore, we found a few nearly empty beaches JUST by pulling off to the side of the road. They were almost like state parks with bathrooms and outdoor showers and at one point we had miles of beach entirely to ourselves. It was perfect for having a picnic and playing in the waves as a family without the chaos of Waikiki. Even driving a few miles away from Waikiki we were able to find some MUCH less crowded beaches and enjoy a quieter atmosphere.

6. The Polynesian Cultural Center. I am not gonna lie, I have a love/hate relationship with the PCC. It is gorgeous and huge and amazing…but it is A LOT!!! If you are gonna do it…plan ahead. Get the map and have the schedule explained to you VERY CLEARLY because it can get confusing. If you can afford to get the tour guide, go for it, because we wandered around and ran back and forth between islands and missed out on a few fun opportunities because we just simply could not be EVERYWHERE at once. They also allow you to come back the next day if you do not get all the way around, so planning on two days would not be a bad idea. But we only had one day (from opening to closing) and we got through enough to make it worth it. Also, the river show is EVERYTHING, so show up early and get a good seat!!

There were just SOOO many cool things to do in the PCC, I feel like it is a must, even if you have to go into it KNOWING it will be a fast paced stressful day. For the kiddos, it was fantastic. Ethan caught a fish, rowed a boat, got a tattoo, threw spears (TWO different types), and had a great day despite the rain. And a must, is the LUAU. It was a great time to sit and relax, enjoy the magical dancers, and eat some traditional Hawaiian food. I know there are other Luau opportunities on the island, but for a nice family setting, the PCC wins.

The cost of the center, the luau, and the shows is a small fortune, so make sure you do it all and get your moneys worth. My favorite part of the day hands down was the nightime show in the theater, HA Breath Of Life. It was SPECTACULAR…plus they have great treats inside during the show:) And if all else fails, they DO have Dole Whip in the food court at the PCC and Dole Whip makes EVERYONE happy!!!

7. Turtle Beach. We accidentally stumbled across Turtle Beach on a drive to the North Shore one day. All of the sudden there were a bunch of cars parked on the side of the road, so we decided to hop out and see what they were doing. It was AMAZING to see the turtles so close and there were at least 4 or 5 visible on the beach. The area is of course corded off, so no touching, but you can still get a good look at them. And they have information cards about each of the turtles posted, so you can learn about the turtles individually. To be honest, they ARE turtles, so they do not DO much. But it was great to see…if not all that exciting…haha.

We actually lucked out and had a close encounter with another turtle at Waikiki. As we were swimming, we saw his head pop up above the water. We watched him for a long time and Todd swam right around him with the Go-Pro which was SOOO cool. But even though they MOVE slow, they SWIM fast, so he was gone back out in the waves SUPER quick. And beware that it is against the law to touch a sea turtle…so look but don’t touch.

8. Hanauma Bay. I have been able to snorkel at Hanauma Bay twice and both times it was THE BEST part of my trip. Something about swimming with the fishes is just SOOOO peaceful and magical. That being said, I have NEVER been (nor will I ever be able to because of asthma) scuba diving or snorkeling in deeper water. SOOO I really have no way of knowing how it compares. BUT for a very easy first snorkeling adventure, Hanauma Bay is my favorite.

We rented snorkel gear right from the shop at Hanauma Bay and it worked fine. Ethan DID purchase his own set and it came in handy when we were at other beaches and he could snorkel around and have a good time. They had sets at the ABC store that were relatively cheap and worked just fine for NON professionals like us:) Also, I would recommend water shoes (for everywhere in Oahu actually). Coral is so dang sharp that in Waikiki Emmy cut her foot pretty badly on our very first day. AND…you may want to buy them before you travel because in the ABC store they were at least $20 a pair for the cheapest ones. Hanauma Bay is FILLED with coral and rocks and having water shoes is really the best solution…plus they look super cool too right?;)

It has been over 20 years since I first visited Hanauma Bay and it has since become MUCH bigger and they are working VERY hard to keep the coral alive and healthy. It is a nature preserve, so be prepared to watch a video and sign off on the rules of the reef…it took a good 20 minutes for us to go through orientation and get IN to the park. Also, all parking is at the top of the crater, and it ISSSS a long way down to the beach, so be prepared to get a work out. After swimming for two hours, the walk back is harder than it looks. They do have a shuttle up and back for just a couple bucks, but the hike is do-able and GORGEOUS!!! It DOES cost to park at the top (I think only a buck or two), per person to get INTO the park (around $15 for the two adults and kids were free), and to rent snorkels (around $12 per person), but if you are up for snorkeling, I do not think there is a prettier location!!

9. North Shore Shark Adventures. As we prepared for our trip, my boys were DETERMINED to have a shark adventure and I was NOT thrilled about it. But after it was over, I have to admit that it was one of the coolest experiences of our vacation, and I just rode out on the boat.

They recommended that those who were not diving still ride the boat because you still get to see the sharks, and I am SOOOO glad I did. The boys went in the cage and dove under the water to see the sharks, but we could still watch the sharks swimming around the boat and it was AMAZING!!! We saw Galapagos sharks and many of them were up to 12 feet long. It was absolutely incredible (and amazingly peaceful) to watch them swim around the boat.

Ethan was only 7 at the time, and I worried the entire morning that he would get out to the water and change his mind, but he jumped right in like a champ. He was actually the very first one in the cage. Nothing like watching your baby boy jump into a shark cage all by himself to REALLY get your heart pumping in the morning.

The shark cage was FOR SURE the highlight of our trip for Ethan. He LOVES wearing his I SWAM WITH SHARKS t-shirt because of course EVERYONE wants to ask him about it. And there is NOTHING cooler for a 7 year old boy, than telling people that you swam sharks:)

And for ONE final BONUS 10th adventure, my HUSBAND would say Kualoa Ranch. He is a movie fanatic, and so the movie tour on the ranch was his cup of tea. I loved it because of the AMAZING views of the island and the gorgeous mountains, but seeing where LOST was filmed isn’t that important to me.

But the ranch itself was incredible!! There were other activities that I would love to try when the kids are older like ATV rides, zip-lining, horseback tours, etc. But for me the coolest part is that it looks EXACTLY like you are in Jurassic Park…because you are:)

But I think I would have to include Pearl Harbor in my top picks if I was going to close out a top 10. We chose not to go this time around with the kids, but I have been twice before and it is just such an emotional experience. I can still remember (even as an 18 year old) that moment of seeing the oil pop up on the surface of the water and realizing the huge impact of that event. The best part was listening to the WWII veterans tell their stories from that day…such a sad and special place.

And because it just cannot be stressed ENOUGH…TRY ALL THE HAWAIIAN THINGS!!! There are SO many great flavors ONLY found in Hawaii that are just too good to miss. Banana and Pineapple Hi-Chews made up a good portion of my diet while on Oahu…they are JUST SOOOO GOOD!! Anything and everything in pineapple is worth giving a chance to…soda, chocolate covered pineapple, sugared pineapple, pineapple gum, you name it!! If you do not come home from Hawaii with sores in your mouth from all of the pineapple, you just have not done Hawaii right!! AND most importantly…buy as many packages of chocolate covered macadamia nuts as you can fit in your suitcase…just do it. You will see the cases at the ABC store and laugh because WHO buys a CASE of chocolates??? YOU DO!!! When you get home and the reality sets in that you are no longer in Hawaii…you will thank me!!

I have been on each of the Hawaiin islands and they are all wonderful, but I am so glad we took the kids to Oahu first. It is such an easy place to fall in love with. PLUS it has EVERYTHING iconic about Hawaii and sooo many kid friendly activities. My vote will always be to see Oahu first and then discover new things to love on EACH of the other islands. But truly…just GO TO HAWAII…any island…any time because it is pure PARADISE!!!