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10 Must Do's in Oahu, Hawaii

Writer's picture: Travel SoulTravel Soul

My fiancé and I visited Oahu back in September 2021. It was one of the best adventures we had so far together! So, for you all, I thought I would put together a list of the top 10 things you should experience if you ever visit this beautiful island.


1. Visit Polynesian Cultural Center

If you are looking for a day full of fun activities and learning about different cultures, I would definitely recommend visiting this place! There was great food and entertainment, including a luau! This is an all day event, but time truly flies by. You learn about the different ways of life and cultures for the islands of: Tonga, Tahiti, Samoa, Aotearoa, Fiji and of course, Hawaii.



2. Head to North Shore for Local Shopping & Cuisine

We drove less than 2 hours from Waikiki to North Shore to visit a close friend of mine during our stay as well. We got to tour around the local shops there, which have adorable clothes and great souvenirs, and we got to try poke bowls! I loved these SO much, that now I try to cook my own here at home! I highly recommend trying poke in Hawaii!



3. Waimea Falls

Now, if you search up hiking trails in Oahu, there are SO many you can do! They also vary on difficulty level, so there are great trails for everyone to try. For us, we wanted something easier so we visited Waimea Falls while we were at North Shore. The falls are located in a nature sanctuary that is full of all kinds of plant life, even with some historical structures at some points! You get to enjoy a relaxing walk (I would say it took us a few hours total as we were taking our time) to the falls as they are located at the very end. When you get there, you do also have the option to hop in the water.



4. Zip-lining in Jurassic Park

You know the classic movie, Jurassic Park? Well, you can go zip-lining where they filmed it! We did not do this during our trip, but we definitely will next time we visit! Even if you have a fear of heights, I really do recommend you try zip-lining at least once in your life. I am extremely scared of heights, but after I went zip-lining when I was in Maui back in 2014 I was hooked. It truly is an amazing experience that makes you feel like you're flying!


5. Snorkeling with Sea Turtles

Who doesn't love sea turtles!? It is not difficult at all to book a reservation to go snorkeling in Oahu. You have the opportunity to see so much wildlife and swim alongside turtles. We even got to see an octopus, which was super cool! Our catamaran served lunch and drinks on the way back to the docks, which is great as you will build up an appetite after swimming for so long! (Just be sure to take some Dramamine beforehand if you tend to suffer from motion sickness!)



6. Learn to Surf on Waikiki Beach

One of my top bucket list items in life was to learn to surf in Hawaii. This was not originally on our itinerary, but when we saw the sign advertising the surf lessons we knew we couldn't say no. It seemed hard to learn at first (I fell a LOT), but once you get the hang of it it is SO fun! I wish I lived in Hawaii so I could continue to surf everyday!


7. Try Banan

Right on the way to the beach (and next to the surf lessons), there is a small food place called Banan. We knew we were going to have to try it when we saw the line building up everyday, full of people ready to get the sweet treat. It is a sort of banana ice cream/frozen yogurt concoction that you can purchase in a variety of bowl combinations. One that I tried had honey, coconut, dark chocolate and more - it was so delicious!



8. Visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial

Another thing that we unfortunately did not get to do on our trip, but was highly recommended, was to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial. If you are a history buff, you should definitely visit. When I looked further into it, it looks like there are different tours that you can go on - so whether you only have a few hours or if you are looking to spend the day there - the choice is yours!


9. Hike DiamondHead Crater (Great Sunrise Spot!)

One morning we woke up very early and made our way to DiamondHead Crater. This inactive volcanic crater is a very famous landmark for the island. The hike I would say took maybe an hour (give or take) and was not too arduous. Be careful though, when you are close to the top and think you made it, you will be surprised by some more steep steps! However, the view is absolutely worth it!



10. Go on a Helicopter Ride (No, seriously, do it!)

The biggest excursion on our trip was the helicopter ride. I'm the one that originally booked it, but I was absolutely terrified. I was even shaking in the lobby before we were meant to board. I also made the even more scary choice of opting to have the doors removed from the helicopter (the website said it would give us a better view, in my defense!). As I said before, I HATE heights. However, after the first few minutes of turbulence (and realizing I was not about to die) I spent the remaining half hour of flight in absolute awe. The feeling of flying over the island of Oahu and seeing the landscape is life changing. I was actually disappointed when we went back in for landing. It was a memory I will never forget.



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