One of my family’s all-time favorite vacations was to Hawaii. We split our time between Maui and Oahu. You can read all about our time in Maui in these posts. Luckily for us, my dad has a cousin on the island so he hooked us up with a local’s guide to Oahu. We had the most incredible three days beach hopping, eating shave ice and acai bowls, surfing until sunset, soaking up the sunshine, and so much more!
To make planning a trip to Oahu easier on you, I’ve put together an Oahu Travel Guide filled with local suggestions and tips. We spent a lot of time on the North Shore and East Side of the island, so most of the guide highlights those regions.
Where to Eat – North Shore
Waialua Bakery & Juice Bar
Quaint bakeshop with a deli serving sandwiches & vegetarian options, a juice bar & outdoor seating. Try their passionfruit smoothie + ice cream sandwiches! Hands down the best meal in Oahu!
Haleʻiwa Bowls
A little shack serving custom acai bowls, juices, smoothies, & cold-brew coffee.
Banzai Bowls Sunset Beach
Another spot a little further north on the island. Great acai bowls!
The Beet Box Cafe
Organic, vegetarian breakfast & lunch. Cool vibe.
Matsumoto Shave Ice
The most popular shaved ice spot on the island. Make sure to get mochi as a topping!
Kahuku Farms
Store & cafe using the farm’s produce for items like smoothies, lilikoi jelly, & honey mango soap.
Island Vintage Coffee
~ acai bowls from Island Vintage Coffee ~
Where to Eat – Honolulu/East Side
Island Brew Coffeehouse
A cute breakfast cafe situated on the bay. Enjoy your order outside on the front lawn.
Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream and Desserts
Famous mochi ice cream. My favorite flavors are green-tea, mango, and strawberry.
Barefoot Beach Cafe @ Queen’s Surf Beach
Outdoor cafe with Hawaiian dishes, plus live music & a weekend beach BBQ.
Genki Sushi USA
Conveyor belt sushi at this Japan-based chain. Such a fun experience!
Leonard’s Bakery
Great spot for malasadas (Portuguese donuts) & other sweets.
What to Do – North Shore
Pua`ena Point Beach Park
A great spot for beginner surfing. It can get crowded on weekends due to surf school lessons so be prepared. Also, we saw multiple turtles swimming in the waves close to shore so be on the lookout for them!
Laniakea Beach
A well-known beach to spot sea turtles sunning on the sand, also a scenic surfing destination
Waimea Bay Beach Park
A beachside bouldering spot. People also come here for cliff jumping during the summer (smaller waves) and bodysurfing during the winter. The waves are HUGE!
Kuilima Cove
Though we didn’t visit, I heard that Kuilima Cove is a popular snorkeling spot.
What to do – Honolulu/East Side
Hanauma Bay
Hanauma Bay is a popular nature preserve where you can snorkel with sea life. You MUST arrive before 8:30 am unless you don’t mind crowds. This place is busy busy.
Makapu’u Tide Pools
Coastal tide pools & blowholes made from black lava, reachable by a beachfront hike.
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden
Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden has access to over 400 acres of tropical plants, hiking trails & a free campground. Did I mention it’s FREE!
Thanks for following along! Let me know if you have any questions or need help planning your trip to Oahu.
The Comments
quyen
I’m going to Hawaii this Summer. So glad I check out your blog for my trip :). Sounds like you had an incredible time 🙂
sienaneal
quyenYay! I’m so excited for you! Let me know if you have any specific questions. I’d love to help. 🙂