September 2018 & January 2023

I have visited twice in September 2018 (with my mom) & in January 2023 (with both my parents: mom & dad). I hav listed the places, things to do, see, and eat in alphabetically. I also included some photos & information that I have experienced or passed by. I stayed about 3.5 days each trip to explore these places. I stayed in Airbnb both times and they were close to Wakiki beach. They were all walkable and had free parking spots, which is huge, because it is very hard to find parking on the streets in downtown Wakiki. We rented a car to get around the island and explore. I had a blast both times when I visited.

Things to see/do:
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
Byodo-In Temple
Chief’s Luau
Diamond Head
Dole Plantation
Fireworks (only on Friday nights)
Ko Olina Ocean Adventures
Laniakea Beach
Manoa Falls
Mauna Loa Helicopter Tour
My-Ryang Sa Buddhist Temple
North Shore
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Sandy Park Beach
Waikiki Beach

Food/Drinks:
Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
Island Vintage Shave Ice
Marukame Udon
Matcha Stand Maiko
Musubi Cafe
Sam’s Kitchen
Siam Square
Ono Seafood
The Sunrise Shack

Things to see/do:

Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
This area is a large flee market. It cost $2 per person to enter in. It was nice to roam around, shop for souvenirs, etc.

Byodo-In Temple
The drive there was so beautiful, because of the high, green, and luscious mountains. I felt like I was in Jurassic park, the jungle, or something. The mountains looked so surreal like a moving 3Dish sculpture. It was a scenic drive. We paid $5 for entry. We rang the bell for good luck before we entered the temple and prayed. I’ve never seen so many koi fishes in a pond before. It was really serene. The gift shop sold food to visitor to feed the koi fish too. 

Chief’s Luau
I went to a luau in the Big Island in September 2021, so I was not expecting too much for this one. However, Chief’s Luau proved me wrong! I enjoyed this luau way more than the other one (nothing wrong with it), but this was was way better in terms of audience interaction. The parking lot is shared with the waterpark. I purchased the Royal Experience ticket and it was definitely a “royal” experience. When you first enter in, they lei you with the people flowers, then you take your photo with the luau dancers, and they greet you with a welcome drink and take you to your seat and our seats were very close to the stage which was worth it! At your seat, you are gifted a small chief luau’s blanket and a banana leaf headband too. Before the show started, they had two activities for the audience: how to make fire and how to make a headband & basket out of banana leaves. I really like this because it was very interactive. The show itself was very beautiful with the cultural dances and the fire ring dance. They also invite couples who are celebrating an anniversary, wedding, engagement, etc. up to the stage for a dance too. After the first hour, they had us line up by table to go get food and it ends at a certain time too. The food was good. Also, for the royal experience, if you wanted a drink but was lazy to get up, you can turn on the fake red candle, and a server will come to you, take your drink order and bring it to you. The host was very funny as well! I really enjoyed this luau and would highly recommend it.

Diamond Head
My mom and I hiked up early in the morning and it cost $5 for parking. It was not a long hike nor hot at all, I think we were done within the hour. It was a beautiful view from up top. I am so proud that my mom was able to do the hike with me 🙂

Dole Plantation
We did not take the train ride or anything. This was a quick stop before Laniakea beach. We had to try out the ice cream though. It was yummy. And fun fact, pineapple is one of my least favorite fruits, it makes my tongue feel funny – not sure if that does it to other people or if I am allergic or what haha.

Watch the Fireworks
If you go to Oahu, I would suggest try to make it out there on a Friday night, because they have fireworks on Friday nights at Duke Kahanamoku Beach and Lagoon area at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Luckily, for the first time when my mom and I went, it was our first time in Hawaii, and I was in awe that we were able to watch it on our first day/night there!

Ko Olina Ocean Adventures
We booked the afternoon snorkel & sail tour. They also do pick up for you, but we did not choose that since we rented a car, we were able to drive to the location. It is close to the Disney resort! However, we did have to pay for parking and it was about $15. The tour included a free lunch and three drink tickets. We were able to see 2 turtles and dolphins from afar. They provided snorkel gear and let us snorkel for about 45 minutes. I did enjoy the other sail and snorkel tour better in the Big Island. I think it is because I saw more different types of fishes. I wish we were able to see a whale, ha! Nonetheless, it was a beautiful day, and I was proud of my mom. It was her first time snorkeling!

Laniakea Beach
This beach had limited parking. But we saw two turtles up and close! It is a nice beach to stop by if you are going to North Shore.


Manoa Falls
It was a short hike and we did it in the afternoon. It was about 30 minutes in and 30 minutes out and we stayed for about 30 minutes taking pictures and “swimming” in the waterfall. There was a beware sign to not go into the waterfall because of the falling rocks and all, so do that at your own risk.

Mauna Loa Helicopter Tour
This was the number one thing that my dad was looking forward to do in Hawaii. We booked the Oahu Magnum PI Experience tour, however…the clouds were coming in and they told us there was a storm on the north side of the island, so they could only do South Shore tour which was only a 20-25 minute ride. My parents and I were super bummed, but we understood since it was for safety. I really wanted to see the north side for the mountains and waterfalls…but I guess next time. They partially refunded us. We asked if we could see Pearl Harbor from above (because my dad wanted to see the ship underneath the harbor), and luckily, the pilot was kind enough to show that to us.
Now to the logistics: When we got to the office, we signed the waivers, watched a video on safety, got weighed, and used the restroom. Then they drove us out to meet the pilot. We got our photo taken in front of the helicopter, put on the seatbelts, and headphones, and tested the headphones out to make sure we can speak and hear each other. Our helicopter pilot was super nice and knowledgable about the island. The helicopter ride itself felt safe and I did the “doors off” experience. I would ride a helicopter again, but most likely in a different location. It is very hard to predict the weather! As you can see in the picture below, the gray clouds on the north side…

My-Ryang Sa Buddhist Temple
This temple was beautiful and smaller than the Byodo one. There was a parking lot inside the temple, but it was semi hard to get up the steep hill to the parking lot, so we parked outside near where the neighbors lived. It was very quiet and serene.

North Shore
Explore North Shore. There a lot of beaches, food, and things to do in North Shore. It is about a 40 minute to an hour or so ride up there from downtown Waikiki.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial
This was an emotional spot. Some exhibits were free and some you had to pay for. There are about three parking lots and were FULL. We had to loop in circles for a couple of minutes before we found a parking spot. If you have a bag/purse/backpack on you, you will need to check it into the lockers before entering. You can carry a water bottle though. If you want to see the USS Arizona Memorial, you will need to book online ahead of time and a lot of spots run out quickly. However, when we were there to check-in, they had a standby line for people who could not get tickets online, and it seemed like the standby people were able to get on the boat to view the USS Arizona Memorial. They also have a small snack and souvenir store there too. This place, I would say you can spend hours here.

Sandy Park Beach
When we went to this beach, it was somewhat empty – which I liked! But this beach was DEFINITELY more for surfers. The waves were strong and pulled me in and back sometimes. The sand was incredibly soft and the water was perfect. The sun was definitely strong and I got tan and sunburn on my shoulders. Nonetheless, it was a great time at the beach 🙂 

Waikiki Beach
And ofcourse, the infamous Waikiki Beach. This beach is definitely more touristy and crowded. You can take surfing classes here, etc. The waves are more settled and not as crazy as Sandy Beach park. Everyone also go here to watch the beautiful sunset. You can also see Diamond Head from this beach too. 
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Things to Eat/Drink:

Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck
This place had a long line but it was good! It’s “worth” the hype haha.

Island Vintage Shave Ice
I thought this was okay. It was a little bit overpriced, but I guess something cool to eat to stay cool in the warm weather.

Marukame Udon
This place is always crowded, however the lines move by semi fast. The 1st time my mom and I went, we waited about 30 minutes in line. The 2nd time we went, we waited about 15-20 minutes.

Matcha Stand Maiko
This place is on the same block as Marukame Udon. Once you exit out of Marukame Udon, make a left and walk down a little bit more and you will see it. It can be a good place for dessert 🙂

Musubi Cafe
This place has super good musubis and are a good snack for long road trips, beach snack, etc. I went here multiple times during both trips. It’s cheap and easy to grab. However, there is no parking lot so that could be a little tricky. This place can get super busy, I waited almost 40 minutes in line and to get my food here once.

Sam’s Kitchen
Reminded me of Giovanni’s Shrimp truck and I think I prefer Giovanni’s Shrimp truck over Sam’s Kitchen. There were a couple of tables outside for seating. I think there were some indoors too but we ate outside for dinner.

Siam Square
If you are craving Thai food, this was place decent 🙂 We were on the waitlist for a few minutes for dinner.

Ono Seafood
The infamous place to get some yummy poke! It is a little bit expensive but super good! There are only two parking spots and the waits could be long. I went right before it opened so barely a wait for me.

The Sunrise Shack
My parents and I wanted some fruits for breakfast, so I was like let’s get some acai bowls! It is expensive but I guess semi worth it? We got this and ate it at Wakiki beach.

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Mahalo, Oahu! It is definitely a relax location. Everything is so slow paced there, which reminds me and all of us that we should slow down in our lives. Also, to enjoy each moment, since time does fly fast. Live. Breathe.
#viviansventures

As always, thank you for visiting Vivian’s Ventures. Have you been to Oahu? If so, tell me in the comments/reply section of your experience. What should I do there if I go back? What other islands should I visit & do there? If you haven’t been, tell me what you are planning to do there. Any questions or comments, let me know.