Top 10 Things to Do in Honolulu (Oahu)

In April, Brandon and I went to Hawaii for a little getaway!  He surprised me with the trip for my birthday. I was totally shocked; I thought for sure he was going to get me the brush set from Sigma that I had been drooling over for months.  The trip to Hawaii seriously couldn’t have been better… the food, hiking, shopping, and beaches!!! Uh, it is all soooo amazing! Brandon and I have come up with some must do’s in Hawaii – particularly the island of Oahu.

Where to eat:

1.) South Shore Grill (Diamond Head) –  This place has the BEST fish taco’s!!! It was our first stop on the island. It was rated super good on Yelp so we ventured in… it’s not the fanciest place so it’s perfect for a day after the beach when you don’t feel like getting ready.  We ate here several times throughout the week and it was fabulous each time. Fun Fact: We ran into Julia Engel from Gal Meets Glam here, and yes, she is as beautiful in real life as she is in her photos!

2.) Lucky Belly (China Town)- Asian inspired, trendy, amazing drinks, and super friendly service! We stopped at this place on our way to the airport and we were sad we found it so late in our trip.  We had had the Pork Bell Bao, Shrimp Gyoza and the Shrimp Kim Chee Bowl. They were all amazing… we will definitely go back on our next visit.

3.) Diamond Head Cove Health Bar (Diamond Head) –  The best Acai bowl I have ever had. EVER.  Just go, you won’t be disappointed.

4.) Leonard’s Bakery (Waikiki) –  This bakery is a staple desert place on the island.  It almost always has a line but trust me it is worth the wait.  The Malasada’s are seriously to die for… they make them fresh to order! I obviously tried them all but the classic custard was my personal favorite.

5.) Bubbies Home Made Ice Cream (Waikiki)- We stopped here after a day exploring in Waikiki. We had a variety of mochi ice cream.  Don’t worry if the term Mochi Ice cream is foreign to you, it was to us too.  It is a soft rice cake on the outside with ice cream in the center- of Japanese origin.  We tried several flavors and they were all amazing.  This place is rated super high on Trip Advisor for a reason… YUMMM!

What to Do:

1.) Pillbox Trail, Lanikai Beach (Lanikai) – We woke up super early and did this hike.  It started to get busier closer to sunrise so I suggest going fairly early.  As inexperienced hikers we didn’t find it too difficult.  I do recommend some good running shoes, there were people attempting it in sandals and they were struggling.

2.) Beaches (Duh…)

There is obviously no shortage of amazing beaches in Hawaii.  I suggest renting a car and just exploring.  Waikiki Beach is beautiful but please do yourself a favor and drive to find some other ones that are a little less touristy.  Our favorites included Waimea Bay on the North Shore & Lanikai Beach.

3.) Shop – Ala Moana Center

Although Oahu has some amazing shopping I must admit I didn’t do much when I was there.  I did, however, make a pit stop at Ala Moana Center and it did not disappoint.  I spent most of my time in Anthropologie where I got the cute jumper featured in my previous post!

4.) Road to Hana (Maui)

We were only in Oahu for 7 days but we decided to take a day trip to Maui to drive the Road to Hana.  It seemed kind of crazy at the time considering our time was so limited but I am so happy we did it.  We woke up super early- well more like the middle of the night and caught the 30 minute flight over to the island of Maui.  We arrived around 6:00 a.m, rented a car and hit the highway!  The Road to Hana was amazing… there are some tricks to the trade though.  Do not listen to the signs that say “Last stop before Hana” – we unfortunately fell for this.  There are plenty of places to stop for treats along the way. We grabbed some coconut candy from a fellow on the side of the road.  He had tons of flavors and was just the sweetest man.  I bought extras and now sprinkle it on top of my salad, so delicious! We also enjoyed banana loaf, iced coffee, shaved ice, and sandwiches.  Okay, enough about the food… you will soon learn I am obsessed with eating.  The sights were amazing…

And if I haven’t yet convinced you that you need to go to Oahu / Maui… here is a highlight video that my talented boyfriend Brandon created… Enjoy!

Did I miss anything? What’s your favorite thing to do in Honolulu?!

Xoxo,

H