We recently took a couple’s trip to Oahu to celebrate our anniversary! We flew into Honolulu, stayed in Waikiki and visited the North Shore and Windward sides of the island.
Honolulu and Waikiki are cities so expect traffic… and a city. It is much more than beaches, farms and resorts. Sure, you can find these things on the island, but the North Shore and Windward sides are more laid-back and probably what you picture when you think of Hawaii. In Waikiki picture a city that is on a BEAUTIFUL beach.
Consider renting a car for a few days to visit other sides of the island.In the Honolulu/Waikiki area you will find lots of things to do, amazing restaurants and historical landmarks. On the North Shore you can see pineapple farms, coffee bean farms and eat at some AWESOME food trucks. Plus, there are great fresh fruit stands, horseback riding and an overall relaxing atmosphere. The Windward side has some of the best luaus and is also beautiful, rural-like and laid-back. With a car, you get to experience the water and the mountains.
We went to a luau at Paradise Cove and really enjoyed it.I looked online for tickets and found an okay price. However, we went to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace on Wednesday and there was a booth there that had tickets for almost ½ of what we paid! The flea market is only open on Wednesday, Saturday, and Saturday but if you can go one of these days, compare ticket prices.
The Swap Meet is also a great place to pick up souvenirs at a great price.
Pack water shoes.Many of the beaches are rocky, so your feet will be upset if you don’t have on shoes.
Eat off the beaten path.I researched “Best of” restaurants online, spoke with friends and asked the hotel concierge for food suggestions. We dined at places from top-rated restaurants to food trucks. Want to know two of our favorite experiences? Dat Cajun Guy food truck and Jawaiian Irie Jerk, a Caribbean restaurant.
Check out a couple of the historic sites.There is a lot of Hawaiian history worthy of your time. We visited the Iolani Palace and Pearl Harbour. Both were moving experiences that were also educational, intriguing and left me with a better sense of the people of Hawaii and the islands.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more of my trip and linking to the posts here.
Good luck with your planning; Hawaii is BEAUTIFUL!!!