Going to Oahu, any must see/must dos?

Hello Well Traveled Gentlemen and Gentlewomen of GRM,

In a week or so we will be taking a much needed vacation to the tropical island of Oahu (never been) to escape the tropical weather of Southern California. Will be with a fair sized group (12) and we're renting a house about 30 minutes from Honolulu, where? I have no idea.

Already have a reservation for a tour of Pearl Harbor/The USS Arizona Memorial, plan on; finding/taking at least one hike, a little beach time,
think we have a tour of the Dole plantation as it's along the way to something else
heard there's a Chinatown and will check that out for some Dim Sum
would like to take the gf on a nice dinner date
would also like to take my son (12), her and her son (14), on some kind of adventure just the 4 of us

The family is getting together sometime this week to go over things to add to the itinerary, any suggestions on what you'd consider must see and must do things while I'm there?

http://matsumotoshaveice.com/ Stop here for a shaved ice.

htthttp://www.hanaumabaystatepark.com/ Go here for some snorkeling.

We also rented a kayak somewhere on the north shore and paddled around the bay. That was fun, but not as good as the snorkeling.

My wife would tell you to take a day or two and go to the big island to visit some volcanos.

when I go, the only things i hit regularly are food. -_-

Shirow's Saimen is yum, Giovanni's Shrimp truck is yum, in honolulu Sikdorak is yum, Shokudo honey toast...

but none of this is fine dining, this is eatin' good...

oh, but i do like to go here:

http://www.byodo-in.com/

Snorkel all the water

Get some Malasadas

http://www.leonardshawaii.com/

Then get some real Loco Moco:

http://rainbowdrivein.com/

As for adventure, Hike Diamond Head

I really enjoyed the Plantation Village, but I'm a history buff.

Of course Pearl Harbor was great, but much more somber.

I would pick up a copy of Oahu Revealed. You can get a digital copy and they provide updated content on their website. Pretty much lays out everything you'd want to see and do while avoiding many of the Tourists traps (Maui Revealed helped us find some great stops on the road to Hana that most missed).

Tantalus Dr/Round Top Rd

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=oahu+tantalus+drive

very nice suggestions! will try to hit all those up, except hopping islands. Only going to be there 5 days, going to explore as much as I can of Oahu this time around.

Diamond Head is a good hike.

yeah, but squeezing out of that turret for the best view... thats tuff...

If you're a good swimmer and can hold your breath for a while, bodysurfing the shorebreak at waimea bay is a hoot. When you get it right, you get a sweet ride down the falls and up the beach. Get it wrong and it slams you straight down into the sand. I think the waves are usually small this time of year though. There's also a rock you can jump off of into barely deep enough water.

When we went we were so shocked at the cost of food we ended up eating pizza and hot dogs at Costco a couple times. Same price as the mainland.

If you make it up to the NE corner of the island (Laie) the Polynesian Cultural Center is a really cool experience.

If there are waves on the north shore, at least go watch at Pipeline.

2002maniac wrote: When we went we were so shocked at the cost of food we ended up eating pizza and hot dogs at Costco a couple times. Same price as the mainland.

We hit Costco and stock up on basic supplies to make breakfast and lunch in the rental house or Condo so we can hit Happy Hour when we're out and about.

Cheeseburger in Paradise has a nice Happy Hour and usually has nice views.

Waimea falls. Lived there for four years, and this is the one we kept going back to. Go to the Waimea botanical garden on the Northshore, and take the 3/4 mile hike to the falls, swim a bit under the falls. Hike out- either take the nice scenic drive down the east coast down the Kam highway to Kaneohe/Kailua (get some shrimp in Kahuku), or backtrack to Haleiwa (Hall-ey-eve-a) for the shave ice or a bite, down to the Dole plantation (if you must). Don't know if still around but the boxcar races at Waiphahu are pretty cool. Magnum PI's house (technically not his, but you know...) is in Waimanalo (south of Kailua). Makapu'u lighthouse is a good hike. Hanuama bay is cool, but always crowded. Many waterfall hikes (Manoa falls). If you and your kids are feeling adventurous and you want to make cool dad points for doing something a little sketchy and dangerous, do the "Stairway to Heaven" hike along the Ko'olau ridge between Honolulu and Kailua- but if you aren't feeling that frisky, the old Likelike highway is another hike, and gives you a good idea of the old days before the H3 was there. Sea Life park is neat. Nu'uanu Punchbowl is a good military cemetery. Second the Arizona memorial tour, and Diamond Head is really cool too.

Regardless of all that, get some good old fashioned stupid resort time. Waikiki still has some of the best. Ma'i Tai's are pretty universally good (although Vernell at the Barefoot Bar at the Hale Koa Marine Corps Hotel is my favorite- don't worry about the military ID, you should be able to get drinks and sort of "sneak in" to the best acreage on Waikiki- not crowded with hotel buildings, lots of pools, and plenty to do. Never been carded for my ID, and I don't think any of the families there would begrudge you sharing the pools and cheap-ish drinks- I know I wouldn't, because they never seem to run out of alcohol. I checked. A few times.). Then walk the 50 yards over to the Hilton Hawaiian village at night for the free beach fire show.

Have fun!

If you are looking for souvenirs, go to Walmart or Dia (don't know how it's spelled, but it's pronounces "Die A"). It's mostly the same stuff they sell elsewhere, just a lot cheaper.

I was partial to the Lava Flow at the Hale Koa myself. Sit outside at the bar and drink those. I swear pineapples taste better in HI than on the mainland.

Don't forget to get a Loko Moko from the greasiest looking place on the side of the road! They're seriously good and not something to miss. Consider looking up Mariners Ridge hiking trail if you're up for a hike. It's at the top of a neighborhood (my grandmas, coincidentally) and has a few great views. It's a reasonably long hike IIRC but very doable if you're in decent shape.

Additionally, There's a hike from the Makapu'u Point Lookout to the lighthouse there. You have to kind of jump a wall, but it's pretty cool and will run you by some old pill boxes on the cliff. If you bring a swimsuit and are willing to hike down a short but steep slope, there are some tide pools that are accessible and really beautiful as well. If you look Makapu'u Point up on Google maps you'll see the parking lot and the ridge that you'll walk from to get to the lighthouse area. You can't actually go all the way up to/in the lighthouse though, fyi.

Pic is of the tide pools, ignore the middle school me...

Get good hats and SPF 30 waterproof sunscreen, consider wearing a T shirt when you are snorkeling if you will be in the water all day. Stay hydrated, begin doing this while flying there, keep in mind that a mai tai does not count as hydration. Get up and walk around a bit while on the plane. Anyone that is going that was born before 1985 should wear support stockings on the flight over and back, take a baby aspirin the day before flying, unless there is a very good reason not to do so. "They do not look cool," is not a good reason. If you are going to be sitting on a bus riding around looking at stuff out the window, wear them then too. You can get them at the local drugstore or on the internet, Jobst is a good brand, 15 mm Hg compression should be adequate, you will need to measure your leg, you want the below the knee ones, seriously.

Do not leave anything visible in the car, ever. Get one with a trunk, if it has a locking mode so the inside release of the trunk is disabled, use it. Take a camera you can take in the water, get the biggest memory card they make.

Go to an authentic luau, pretty good time, might be a good night out for a decent size group. Eat some pork that was cooked buried in the ground while you are there, unless you keep Kosher or Halal, then you are out of luck. Try some poi, despite the fact that it does not appear to be something a human being would eat. I did not care for poi.

Wear comfortable shoes. When you are hiking, keep an eye out for plumeria, pick some and give them to your girlfriend to put in her hair. Sunset is very beautiful from any beach on the North Shore, don't think the surfing is much good this time of year though. Buy some pineapple juice, OJ and rum. Get triple sec and some almond syrup too if you want an authentic mai tai.

Toebra wrote: Get good hats and SPF 30 waterproof sunscreen, Do not leave anything visible in the car, ever.

that first one may surprise you since the warmth is so bearable, but the sun rays there are no joke to us Haoles.

and the 2nd is sadly true. especially around the tourist traps, petty theft is a big problem. 3 cars hit seperately while parked for Pali lookout...

Got back last week, a few shades darker. Initially not thrilled with the idea of Hawaii due to thoughts of it being a total tourist trap, I loved it and did not want to leave. Even the "touristy" things we did were not bad. Would love to go back and continue exploring, although the only things we felt rushed on (due to the planning of the party) were Pearl Harbor and North Shore, not counting the things we planned and didn't make (Byodin, resorts mai tais and pools, more hikes/beachtime.) I really enjoyed snorkeling and was planning on doing it one last time the morning of my flight but the day before we did Makapu'u and didn't apply sunscreen after we got out of the tidepools which lead to me getting sunburned. Was a little perplexed by the speed limits on the highways but I suppose that's me not fully adapting to the laid back island pace. Thank you all again for the recommendations!

6 days went like so;
Me's Korean BBQ - Great for our first meal in Hawaii
Waiola Shave Ice
Tantalus Dr/ Round Top Rd
Poke and smoked marlin from Foodland(?)grocery store - Friggin Delicious
Surf N Turf Tacos

Diamond Head
Leonards Malasadas
Legend Seafood Dimsum
Chinatown
Insomnia Cafe
Bishop Museum
Different location Waiola Shave Ice
Punchbowl National Cemetery - Nicest public bathrooms ever
Shiros Saimin

Hanauma Bay - My favorite part of the trip
Rainbow Loco Moco - I'm a believer!
Shimazu Shave Ice
Iolani Palace
King Kamehameha Statue
Dole - They had just harvested, no real pineapples to see
Maui Mikes Fire Roasted Chicken - Very good!

Koko Head Cafe - Breakfast Poutine! Will go back
Pearl Harbor
Nicos Pier 38 - Laulau, Poi, pork, Friday Lunch special got the last one
Cemetery to visit my uncle's grave site
Disney Aulani
Hula Boba Kapolei
Tikis Grill and Bar - Meh, dessert was really good though

Sweet E's
China Walls - Found a plumeria for my girl :)
Spitting Cave
Makapu'u Tidepools - We did the hike in sandals and it was a mistake.
Climbworks ziplining
Giovannis Shrimp Truck - Scampi! Went back for seconds, their hot sauce is serious (and delicious!)
Pounders Beach
Ocean House Restaurant

Flea Market at Stadium
Pho My Lan
Waiola Shave Ice

glad to hear you had fun. It does take some getting used to 'hawaiian time' pace... even for me from the south...