Oahu Full Island Week

Arrive in Waikiki — orientation day

Check in and walk the beach. Waikiki Beach is the tourist zone — crowded but convenient. Get a rental car for the week. First dinner at Duke's on the beach for the classic introduction.

Morning

Activity

Diamond Head Crater hike

The 1.6-mile trail to the rim of an extinct volcano. 560 feet of elevation gain. Views of the entire southeast coast of Oahu from the summit. Open at 6am — go early to beat the heat.

2h~$5

Tip

Rent a car — do not rely on the bus for Oahu sightseeing

TheBus system covers Oahu but the schedules add 2 hours to every trip. A rental car for the week costs $200-300. The H-3 highway alone (valley-to-windward drive) justifies the rental.

North Shore — surf culture and shrimp trucks

H-2 north through the pineapple fields to the legendary surf beaches. Sunset Beach, Pipeline, and Waimea Bay. Giovanni's Shrimp Truck has had a 30-minute line every day for 30 years. Worth it.

Afternoon

Activity

Waimea Bay cliff jumping

The rock at the north end of Waimea Bay is a famous cliff jump — about 25 feet. Locals and visitors mix here. Only jump when the bay is calm (summer); winter waves here are 20-40 feet.

2h~$0

Pearl Harbor and downtown Honolulu

The USS Arizona Memorial is somber and important — plan 3 hours minimum. The Battleship Missouri is where Japan surrendered. Downtown Chinatown and Iolani Palace fill the afternoon.

Kailua and Windward Coast

Kailua is the locals' beach town — better sand, fewer crowds than Waikiki. Rent a kayak to Lanikai Beach from the Kailua Beach Park launch. The Pali Lookout on the way over has the windward coast view.

Afternoon Excursion

Half Day

Lanikai Beach kayak to the Mokulua Islands

Two small islands offshore from Lanikai Beach. The kayak crossing is 20 minutes each way. The beach on the closer island has snorkeling right off the sand.

4h~$75

Manoa Falls and the Pali Highway

Manoa Falls Trail is 1.6 miles through dense jungle to an 150-foot waterfall. The trailhead is in a residential valley 15 minutes from Waikiki. Muddy but worth it. Wear shoes that can get wet.

Ko Olina lagoons and west coast sunset

Ko Olina Resort area has four artificial lagoons with calm water, open to the public. The sunset from the Kapolei coast is one of the best on the island. Snorkeling at Poka'i Bay for reef fish.

Final morning in Waikiki — surf lesson and departure

The beach boys on Waikiki Beach have been teaching surfing since the 1920s. A 90-minute group lesson will get you standing. Best send-off from the most famous surf beach in the world.