Oahu

The island of Oahu is the most populous island. It has a bigger population than all the other Hawaiian Islands combined. Additionally, we went in the summer and stayed in Honolulu, before heading to Maui.

We flew into the Honolulu airport. If you have Delta sky miles, you can use them to book Hawaiian Airlines flights between the islands. This is a good option as the inter-island flights have gotten more expensive.

Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy. Pearl Harbor is one of the most popular destinations in Oahu.

The most recognizable sight at Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona memorial. Reservations are required for the ferry to get there and can be booked the day before. Additionally, the site also features the USS Oklahoma, the Battleship Missouri, and the USS Bowfin submarine.

the Bishop museum

The Bishop Museum is the best collection of Hawaiian and Polynesian history in all of Hawaii. You can learn about the famous King Kamehameha who united the Hawaiian Islands. Also, there is a lot of information about the local history and customs.

Additionally, there is an interactive children’s museum, which our kids really enjoyed. I would plan for about 2-3 hours for both areas.

Foster Botanical Garden

The Foster Botanical Garden is a nice collection of various trees and flowers. We met up with a friend here during our second visit.

Also, kids are sure to enjoy seeing the corpse flower. Additionally, the park features a bodhi tree, that was a gift to Hawaii. It is a direct clipping from the tree that the Buddha sat under during enlightenment.

waikiki

Waikiki is the famous crystal-blue beach of Honolulu. Diamond Head volcano sits next door. Also, you can catch a view of the surfers and kayakers heading out to sea.

diamond head

Diamond Head is a fun hike with views overlooking Waikiki and Honolulu. However, Hawaii has instituted a reservation system to reduce the environmental impact, so you will need to get tickets in advance.

For Next Time

Unfortunately, we were not able to make up to the north shore on either of our visits. However, we will definitely make it next time!

CONSIDER VISITING THESE NEARBY AREAS

If you have more than a week, you might consider visiting one of the other Hawaiian Islands.