Experience the Best of Oahu (Top 13 to do list)
Besides for the famous Waikiki Beach, —-> Oahu, a metropolitan island in Hawaii, is also home to beautiful and famous beaches, breathtaking natural landscapes, and wonderful attractions. Below is a list of our 13 top best things to do on Oahu (in no particular order as they are all great places) !
#1 Diamond Head State Park — Honolulu
Diamond Head State Park sits on a volcanic cone and locally known as Lēʻahi, which roughly translates to the brow of the tuna.
It is the most popular state park in all of Hawaii.
Why You Should Go
There is nothing quite like Diamond Head State Park, with its jaw-dropping picturesque views of Honolulu and the Pacific Ocean, scenic hiking trails, historical displays, and many more.
Whether you are traveling alone or with a partner, there’s much to enjoy at Diamond Head State Park.
What To Do
Diamond Head State Park is a wonderful place to enjoy nature.
For example, you can enjoy a scenic hike to the crater, explore the historical monuments of World War II, ascend a 99-step staircase to an old military bunker, enjoy a yummy picnic at the crater, and so on.
#2 Ala Moana — Honolulu
Ala Moana is the best shopping district in Hawaii, featuring many stores, famous international brands, local products, and various eateries serving a wide assortment of delicious cuisine.
Why You Should Go
Ala Moana offers you the perfect place to shop with a wide assortment of stores, providing you with numerous options, and at the same time, enjoy the fresh air.
This world-class mall offers you more than 350 stores to choose from and live entertainment.
What To Do
One of the best things to do in Oahu, HI is shopping at the largest open-air mall in the entire world, Ala Moana.
Spend the day as you shop to your heart’s content at the many stores offered here.
After shopping, you can enjoy a scrumptious meal at any one of the restaurants here.
This mall also offers the perfect Hawaiian ambiance with its live performances of hula dances and ukulele players.
#3 Kailua Beach Park or Lanika Beach — Kailua
Kailua Beach Park is a stunning beach with white sugary sand. It is larger than its neighbor, Lanikai Beach.
Lanikai Beach, known for its generally calm waters, is one of the most beautiful beaches in all of America. It has soft powdery sand and crystal clear, turquoise waters
Why You Should Go
Your vacation to Hawaii isn’t complete until you visit either Beach Park to enjoy a day under the sun with your lover, friends, or family.
This picturesque beach has facilities that make your getaway more comfortable, such as restrooms, showers, and picnic tables.
What To Do
There’s so much to do on your vacation at these Beach Park.
You can relax on the sand as you get a tan, play a game of frisbee with your tribe, help your kids make towering sandcastles, have a lovely picnic right by the ocean, and go swimming, boogie boarding, and kayaking.
Before heading home, take a side-trip to downtown Kailua to enjoy local cuisines.
#4 Byodo-in Temple — Kaneohe
The Byodo-in Temple, found within the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park, is a non-practicing Buddhist temple.
It serves to memorialize the 100th anniversary of when Hawaii first welcomed the very first Japanese immigrants.
Why You Should Go
The Byodo-in Temple has breathtaking landscapes and one of the most iconic places to visit in Oahu.
Feel like you’re on the set of a television series because this temple was in many popular shows, such as Hawaii Five-O, Magnum P.I., and Lost.
The Byodo-in Temple is also one of the most beautiful Buddhist temples in the entire world.
What To Do
The Byodo-In is a great place for you to spend a day by yourself, with a special someone, or with a friend.
You can meditate in the gardens, watch the peacocks passing by, take many photos with your companions, and visit the gift shop to buy souvenirs, like Japanese trinkets.
#5 Waimea Valley — Haleiwa (North Shore)
The Waimea Valley holds great cultural and religious importance to the Hawaiians.
It features many sacred sites, botanical gardens, special programs, a swimming area, and a charming waterfall.
Why You Should Go
One of the best things to do in Oahu for couples is going on a trip to Waimea Valley.
It is a great place to make new memories with your significant other as you spend quality time together in the heart of nature, doing many fun activities.
What To Do
Waimea Valley offers you and your partner a lot of enjoyable stuff to do.
Like exploring the various cultural sites dedicated to the Hawaiian Gods, visiting the botanical gardens as you take unique photos together, going swimming and cliff diving by the waterfall, and many more.
#6 Sunset Beach Park or Pipeline Beach — Haleiwa (North Shore)
Sunset Beach Park has one of the longest stretches of rideable surf on the planet.
It is a premier surfing destination with waves reaching up to 15 to 30 feet high. Pipeline is the most iconic and famous surf spots in the world. Many surf competitions are held and the waves are very big/strong, so please be careful.
Why You Should Go
If you want to visit the ideal place to bond with your spouse, then Sunset Beach Park is an amazing choice for you.
It has wide and spacious shorelines, where you can enjoy many fun activities together, and has breathtaking sceneries that make for the perfect romantic backdrop.
What To Do
Have the perfect date with your significant other at Sunset Beach Park as you spend time creating new memories together.
You can do activities like surfing, snorkeling, and going on a romantic stroll, searching for shells, going on a stroll hand-in-hand, and cuddling by the shore as you watch the jaw-dropping sunset together.
#7 Polynesian Cultural Center — Laie
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed outdoor museum and theme park.
It features six small island villages, a theater, a restaurant, and a marketplace, and is the top tourist attraction in all of Oahu.
Why You Should Go
To enjoy a wide array of fun things to do in Oahu, Hawaii, and make the most of your vacation with your loved ones, the Polynesian Cultural Center is the ultimate destination.
Here, you can experience centuries worth of culture from various island nations.
What To Do
A multitude of possibilities await you and your tribe at the Polynesian Cultural Center, such as exploring the island villages by rowing a boat, meeting natives, and learning about their culture through dance, music, and discovering their traditions.
Here, your family can attend an authentic Hawaiian Luau and watch live performances of Polynesian performers.
#8 Dole Plantation — Wahiawa
The Dole Plantation, a pineapple plantation, is a popular tourist spot that draws in visitors from across the globe.
It features a maze, restaurant, train rides, and a handful of tour packages to choose from.
Why You Should Go
The Dole Plantation is a must-see destination and should be on your list of places to visit in Hawaii.
It has the largest maze in the entire world, a train, a beautiful garden, and a restaurant that serves a wide array of yummy food and kid meals, like fried chicken and rice meals.
What To Do
The Dole Plantation is no ordinary pineapple farm.
Visit here today and enjoy activities with your family, like touring the plantation, exploring the garden and feeding the koi fish, making your way around a giant pineapple maze, and riding the Ohana Express, a train that tours the grounds.
#9 Paradise Cove — Kapolei
Paradise Cove offers its guests a wide array of enjoyable things to do, as well as live performances and many packages that are ideal for families and visitors of every age.
Why You Should Go
Paradise Cove is an entertaining place to visit and offers many fun shows, activities, programs, and games that last all night and a delectable Hawaiian feast.
Whether you are traveling with your group of friends or your family, you should not leave Hawaii without visiting Paradise Cove.
What To Do
Some of the best things to do in Oahu tonight happen at Paradise Cove.
You and your family can watch traditional Hawaiian dances, listen to local music, play fun games, like spear throwing, enjoy a shower of flowers, dine at an authentic Hawaiian buffet, and so much more.
#10 Kualoa Ranch- Kaneohe
Kualoa Ranch is one of the top tourist destinations in all of Hawaii.
It features many outdoor activities that are fun for the whole family and various tour packages to keep their guests well-entertained.
Why You Should Go
By visiting Kualoa Ranch with your kids, you will feel as if you’ve traveled into the world of Jurassic Park.
This amazing valley is so breathtakingly beautiful that it was the set of over fourteen blockbuster movies, like Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Jumanji, and 50 First Dates.
What To Do
Kualoa Ranch offers you and your youngster numerous engaging activities to do, such as horseback riding, ziplining, mountain biking, and exploring the jungle aboard a jeep.
There are also tours you can book, like the Jurassic Adventure Tour, which will take you to famous sites where the filming of the franchise took place, and the Hollywood Movie Sites Tour, where you can explore other famous sites shown in films. Kualoa Ranch with your kids, you will feel as if you’ve traveled into the world of Jurassic Park.
This amazing valley is so breathtakingly beautiful that it was the set of over fourteen blockbuster movies, like Jurassic Park, Godzilla, Jumanji, and 50 First Dates.
#11 Pearl Harbor National Memorial — Honolulu
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial commemorates one of the most important points in American history, the attack of the Japanese on Pearl Harbor.
It is a memorial right above the sunken USS Arizona, where at least 100 crew members died.
Why You Should Go
The Pearl Harbor Memorial is one of the top things to see in Oahu.
This famous site draws in millions of tourists from all over the world.
Here, you can commemorate the lives of those lost in the attack.
If you’re looking for free things to do in Oahu, add the majestic Pearl Harbor Memorial to your list
What To Do
You can take time to explore the Pearl Harbor Memorial and look at the names of all those that died, and learn all about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
This destination is perfect if you’re looking for somewhere cheap yet great to visit because, for a mere 1$, you can sign-up for a tour with your tribe that includes a movie all about the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
#12 Sea Life Park Hawaii — Honolulu
Sea Life Park Hawaii is an aquarium, a sanctuary for birds, and a mammal park.
It features various exhibits, entertaining shows, fun programs, and special events for all guests to enjoy.
Why You Should Go
Sea Life Park Hawaii is a fantastic place for you to take your children on a fun and educational experience.
Here, your little ones can learn all about animals and, at the same time, have a grand time touring the amusement park and participating in fun activities.
What To Do
Aside from viewing the various animal exhibits, the Sea Life Park Hawaii has many enjoyable things for you and your youngsters to enjoy, such as watching the dolphins and sea lions do acrobatic stunts and dances and encountering dolphins, sea lions, sharks, and rays.
There is also an aviary where you can feed the birds for free.
#13 Hanauma Bay State Park — Honolulu
Hanauma Bay Hawaii is one of the most popular and visited beaches outside of Waikiki and North Shore beaches. But it’s not so much about the beach as it is about the marine life nature preserve, and the amazing Hanauma Bay snorkeling experience this place can offer! With over 300 different Hawaiian fish species lurking about the shallow coral reefs, it is easy to see why this beach is so popular.
Why You Should Go
It is a great place for the family to go snorkeling, swimming or just relax on the beach.