Oahu is the most visited Hawaiian Island and there are hundreds of fun things to do. We make it easy to decide among these many choices by providing you with the top ten fun activities on Oahu.
Visit the Polynesian Cultural Center
Set over 42-acres, the Polynesian Cultural Center recreates eight different Polynesian cultures and provides a multitude of hands-on activities that make it fun as well as educational for the whole family. A canoe pageant takes place daily and there is also an IMAX theater that shows top films. A trip to the Polynesian cultural Center will enlighten you about Polynesia’s history, crafts, music, and language, and there is a fantastic evening show.
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Visit Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum
This newly remodeled world-class museum in downtown Honolulu is the repository of many of Hawaii’s most important historical cultural artifacts. The museum has an ongoing schedule of special events, plenty of activities for kids, outdoor exhibitions of Hawaii’s flora, craft making demonstrations and classes, and even a planetarium where you can learn about how the ancient Polynesians used the stars to navigate their double-hulled voyaging canoes across the sea to Hawaii. A visit to Bishop Museum will leave you with an enhanced appreciation of the natural and human history of Hawaii.
Just outside the chaotic city you will find our Kahala vacation rentals.
Tour Historic Downtown Honolulu
From Iolani Palace to the State Capitol, Kawaiahao Church, the Mission Houses Museum and all of the wonderful statues of people important to Hawaiian history, a tour of historic downtown Honolulu is a wonderful way to spend a morning. You can sign up for a narrated tour that will provide you with lots of great information about Hawaiian history as you view the area, and there are also self-guided tours. Many of the important buildings are very close to each other so a tour of the area can easily be done on foot. Park at the Aloha Tower Marketplace and off you go.
Take a Submarine Tour
See Oahu’s underwater life on the Atlantis XIV, which is the largest hi-tech passenger submarine in the world. You will descend more than 100 feet below the sea as you journey to the Atlantis Waikiki dive site and see marine life up close. Sea turtles, coral reefs, tropical fish, shipwrecks and more are visible through the craft’s windows.
Take a Hike To Makapuu Point
Located on Oahu’s easternmost point, Makapuu Point is a great 2.5-mile round trip hike that takes about two hours for the round trip. If you go early in the day it won’t be so hot because the cliffs will block the sun. Enjoy scenic views of Koko Head, Sandy Beach, Waimanalo Bay, and the small islets of Manana and Kaohikaipu as well as the island of Molokai.. This is also a great place to look for humpback whales breaching offshore during the winter months. The Makapuu Lighthouse was constructed in 1909 and became automated in 1974.
Stay on the eastern coast of Oahu in one of our Lanikai vacation rentals.
Visit Pearl Harbor
This historic site includes the USS Arizona Memorial that marks the grave-site of the brave soldiers that died in the Pearl Harbor attack of 1941 which entered the U.S. into World War II. Guided tours and interpretive programs at Pearl Harbor will help you understand the importance of this place and the events that took place here. The Visitor Center is open from 7:30 am to 5 pm.
Hike To the Top of Diamond Head
Open from 6:30 am to 6 pm, Diamond Head State Monument is a nice morning hike that will provide you with stunning panoramic views of Waikiki and Honolulu. The total distance is 1.4 miles round trip. The ascent is quite steep so give yourself plenty of time to go slow so you don’t over exert yourself. The huge crater is a geological wonder, and reaching the top of the crater rim will give you a new appreciation of Oahu’s southern shore.
Stay nearby, check out our Diamond Head vacation rentals.
Go Shopping in Waikiki and Honolulu
From the festive atmosphere of the International Market Place to the 4-level, 150-store Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Waikiki is a shopping mecca. Yves Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co., Gucci, and Chanel are just a few of the high end stores you can visit. You can also enjoy duty-free shopping at the DFS Galleria and in the evenings watch live music while you stroll through the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Across from Fisherman’s Wharf is the Ward Warehouse and Ward Center, while the Pearlridge Center is located in Aiea. These are just a few of the hundreds of great places to shop in Honolulu.
Drive Along the Scenic North Shore
Best known for its huge winter waves and world class surfing contests, Oahu’s north shore also has great shopping in the charming town of Haleiwa, a beautiful resort at Turtle Bay, a preserved Hawaiian cultural area at Waimea Valley, and glider rides and skydiving at Dillingham Airfield. You will also find plenty of great places to eat, and you can finish off your tour with a relaxing picnic on a pristine white-sand beach.
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Visit the Waikiki Aquarium
See hundreds of species of marine life including rare tropical fish, eels, sharks, and more. The aquarium is located on the shoreline near Kapiolani Park and is the country’s third oldest public aquarium. Interactive exhibits are fun for kids. A visit to Waikiki Aquarium will give you a new appreciation of the aquatic life that exists all around you in Hawaii.