The Ultimate 7-Day Trip to Oahu

The ultimate 7-day trip to Oahu lists the itinerary we followed during our time on the third largest Hawaiian island. A trip to Hawaii still ranks as one of my favorite trips – I highly recommend visiting!

We visited Hawaii in the middle of January. We had beautiful, sunny weather ranging from 75-85° F.

The Ultimate 7-Day Trip to Oahu

Day One

• Waikiki Beach, Hawaii – we spent our first day exploring the hustle and bustle of Waikiki Beach. There are shops, restaurants, and water activities such as swimming, paddleboarding, and surfing to enjoy!

Day Two

• Waimea Valley and the North Shore – I highly recommend spending half a day at Waimea Valley exploring the beautiful botanical gardens. Fun fact: my parents got married here! While in Waimea Valley, you also have the option to swim under a 45-foot waterfall. This was one of the highlights of our trip – I highly encouraged you to do this!! Just be sure to bring a towel when visiting the valley to dry off after the waterfall swim. We then spent the remaining day exploring the North Shore, watching a surf competition on Ehukai Beach, home of the Banzai Pipeline (anyone seen the movie Blue Crush?!). Check out the  North Shore Surf Event Information to see when the next competitions are. To further explore the North Shore we went to view Turtle Bay Beach, which is near Turtle Bay Resort. It was fun to explore this resort where movies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and Jumanji were filmed.

Day Three

• Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, The Byodo-In Temple, Chinaman’s Hat, Kualoa Ranch – the drive from our airbnb in Honolulu to the east side of the island was absolutely stunning. Be sure to keep an eye out for Chinaman’s Hat on your way to Kualoa Ranch!

Day Four

• Hanauma Bay State Park, Ali’i Luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center – Hanauma Bay State Park is an absolute must. You also have the option to go snorkeling here. Unfortunately, bacteria levels were too high for us to snorkel when we visited. We then drove to the Polynesian Cultural Center to experience the famous Hawaiian luau. However, the luau we attended was a bit disappointing – it seemed to be more of a tourist trap than an authentic luau we were hoping for. Check out Toa Luau, many good reviews with this luau!

Day Five

• Oahu Helicopter Tours – this definitely added some adventure to exploring this beautiful island from above. The views were absolutely breathtaking! We had the option to remove the helicopter doors which added to the experience.

Day Six

• Diamond Head Hike, Parasailing in Oahu, Dole Plantation – the hike to Diamond Head Peak is a two mile trail. It opens at 6 am – go early, as this trail gets very, very busy. Review this site for other hiking trails to do on the island. We then did parasailing, which was our first time doing this! We were able to see Waikiki from a new perspective, and even saw some dolphins swimming below. With getting done around lunch time, we grabbed a bite to eat then headed north to the Dole Plantation. Be sure to stop at the Plantation Grille to grab a fresh pineapple dessert!

Day Seven

• Pearl Harbor – we ended our trip with a tour of Pearl Harbor. It was quite the heavy tour, for reasons well known. We spent the remaining last day at Waikiki Beach to soak up the last sunrays of the vacation.

Review the Guide to the Best Places to Eat in Oahu for some of our favorite places to eat while we were on the island!

A trip to Oahu is an unforgettable experience. Comment below and share some of your favorite things to do in Oahu 🌺