My husband and I recently had the opportunity to take a long weekend trip to the Hawaiian island of Oahu, and since I'm ALWAYS in for warm weather, beaches, and excellent sunrise and sunset photo opportunities, of course I jumped at the chance. We had a total of four nights (three full days) to explore the island, so we booked two nights in the North Shore and two nights in Waikiki to make sure we got to see as much variety as the island had to offer in our short time there. So for those of you who are considering visiting and are looking for a quick, easy guide to some excellent things to do and see, check out the following recommendations (and photos!).

1. Check out the Surfers at the Infamous Banzai Pipeline

The Banzai Pipeline is one of the most famous breaks in the world, where the warm water and excellent waves draw surf enthusiasts from around the world, despite the risk of the sharp coral reefs lurking right below the surface. So whether you are a surfer or a spectator, this spot is a must-see. I personally had a blast photographing the various surfers, and loved observing the diversity thereof: men, women, and children alike all were enjoying the famous break.

2. Go to the Sunrise Shack for Coffee and Acai Bowls

Honestly, the best Acai Bowl I've ever had, AND their Bullett Coffee was out of this world. Located across from the beautiful Sunset Beach, The Sunrise Shack offers plenty of tasty options for the health-conscious individual. Add in some live acoustic music and you have all you need for a perfect start to your day.

3. Eat Shrimp at a Food Truck

Now, if you Google “shrimp trucks on Oahu”, I almost guarantee one of the top places you'll see is Giovanni's. And yes, it is EXCELLENT. Giovanni's has several locations on Oahu, but after driving past the MASSIVE line for the Giovanni's in Haleiwa, we decided to go to another Giovanni's location. So on we went to the Giovanni's in Kahuku (just north of Laie )and tried their spicy shrimp. Heads up: it actually is SPICY. Yes, the line was long, and yes it was CASH ONLY, but it was also delicious! Highly recommend.

However, Giovanni’s isn’t the only show in town. We also tried some shrimp at one of the other trucks in Haleiwa called Camaron Shrimp Truck (just north of the Giovanni's Haleiwa shrimp truck) where we got a combo plate of garlic shrimp and coconut shrimp. PHENOMENAL. So my tip? Check them all out, but be ready for spice if you ask for it!

4. Go for an Evening Stroll at Kawela Beach

Honestly there are so many beautiful beaches on O'ahu, and we barely scratched the surface, but we did spend an evening at Kawela and it was lovely! Located just West of Turtle Bay, we were able to park just steps away from the sand, and walked from Kawela to the point overlooking the gorgeous Turtle Bay.

If you have soft and delicate little feet you might want to bring some flip flops with you as there is a rocky section with some jagged edges (see photos below), but if you tread carefully and aren't over-sensitive you'll be fine to go barefoot as I did. Depending on the tide, this section is very cool to stop and explore as there are little tide pools among the jagged volcanic rock formations. There are also some beautiful, lush trees and plants along the beach line, between the sand and the houses, whose broad leaves and bright green colors aren't commonly seen in less tropical locations.

This beach was dog- and family-friendly, as we saw several happy off-leash pups playing in the sand and water, as well as a few families set up with towels, blankets, and snacks. It was clearly a popular sunset-viewing spot as well, as more people arrived the closer it got to sundown. Definitely worth a visit.

5. Go for a Hike at Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area

This was a fun little hike we did on our way from the North Shore to Honolulu for our scuba trip (see the next section for more on that), and despite our tight time frame, the hike gave us beautiful views of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor, and the surrounding forests. The trail was primarily shaded as it wound through beautiful trees which protected us from the intense sun. We just did a short out-and back, probably only a couple miles total, but there were enough trails to spend much more time than we did out there. There were some small ups and downs and some rooted areas, but overall I would call it a fairly easy trail. Good for a short visit or an all-day adventure depending on what you're looking for!

6. Scuba Dive out of Honolulu

There's nothing like scuba diving in warm, tropical water, especially when you're almost guaranteed to see Sea Turtles (my personal favorite)! Jeff and I are both scuba certified, but it had been awhile since either of us had gotten a chance to go, but what better place to refresh our skills than 80+ degree water in Hawaii?

We did a two-tank wreck and shallow reef dive with Honolulu Scuba Company and I couldn't have been happier. We took a short boat ride out to the dive locations and saw Sea Turtles, White Tip Sharks (around 3-4 ft long), eels, rays, and TONS of beautiful, colorful fish. We even got to swim alongside a submarine! (Note: submarines have the right-of-way).

Unfortunately, our ancient GoPro decided to stop working, (note to self: get a new GoPro) so I don't have underwater photos to share with you, but the memories were priceless! Our guide was wonderful, the temperature was perfect, and the overall experience was great. Not scuba certified? That's okay, they offer certification courses and dives for all levels of divers! We even saw a HUGE rainbow form over Honolulu on our boat ride back to shore. So. COOL. Do it.

7. Get Poke Bowls at Maguro Brothers Hawaii in Waikiki

Fresh fish is something Hawaii does VERY well. This spot was recommended to us by our scuba guide, and man did it hit the spot after an afternoon of diving! It was a bit of a “hole-in-the-wall” type of place, and I probably wouldn’t have noticed it if it hadn’t been pointed out to me, but I’m stoked we went. It was fresh, tasty, and as healthy as you want to make it. I added spicy sauce (maybe not the healthiest but sooooo yummy) to my ahi, avocado, edamame, and brown rice bowl. Oh ya, and guava juice is a Hawaiian MUST. Yum.

8. Get a Flight of Beers at Kona Brewing Company

We’d had Kona Brewing Co beers before our arrival on Oahu. In fact, their Big Wave Golden Ale was one of the first beers that I truly liked. But if you go to the brewery in Hawaii Kai (just East of Honolulu), you'll have a much larger selection of Kona beers to choose from, many of which aren't available on the mainland. Plus, there’s a line of tables which overlook the marina area, and if you're lucky (like we were), you'll see a puffer fish swimming around, nibbling tasty morsels off the mossy undersides of the docks.

We didn't try the food, so I can't speak to that, but the beer was good! I would recommend getting a flight so you can sample several different kinds ($12 for four 3oz beers and you can add additional samples for $3 a pop and try as many as you want!). Or, if you're a more decisive person than I am, you can order a full pint of your beer (or beers) of choice.

9. Sit Still long Enough to See the Beach Crabs

Okay, now this one might not be on most bloggers' “Top 10 Things to Do in O'ahu” lists, but I have to tell you, you’ve got to do it! If you're at all into nature and wildlife, you'll LOVE watching these little Crustaceans. We noticed them while on the North Shore but would venture a guess that they are on beaches all over the place. They seem to hang out just along the water line, right where the waves deposit any little pieces of wood, seaweed, etc. that they might have picked up.

If you sit on one of the many pieces of comfortable driftwood that tend to lie just above the water line and wait for a moment after a wave passes, you'll see clumps of sand being tossed out of little holes by varying sizes of crabs. We loved watching these little guys interact with each other, look for food, scuttle across the beach, and push sand around. There were different sizes and different colors, but most were a light sandy color (shocking, I know…) and some had pinks and purples as well.

10. Watch Every Sunrise and Sunset You Can

You won’t regret it. We made a point to watch every sunrise and sunset we could, and not a moment of that time was wasted. The first morning we were there on O'ahu, we woke up early to see the sunrise, just to find out it was pouring rain. But we learned that North Shore rainstorms are frequently short-lived, so we hopped in the car anyway, drove a mile or so up the road to a cute beach, and watched the clouds part enough to make for a lovely sunrise. Plus, the temperature was warm, so even if you get a bit damp it’s really not a problem.

All that to say, even when conditions don't seeeeeem perfect, go out anyway, and odds are you'll still enjoy it!

Side Note: my favorite sunrises and sunsets were on the North Shore - the clouds were more dramatic, there were less people, and the sun was in a more optimal viewing position. Waikiki was beautiful in it's own way, but the rocky coastline and puffy clouds seen on the North Shore made both sunrises and sets more picturesque.

Sunrise Jog on the coast just East of Waikiki

Final Thoughts, Tips, and Tricks:

Embrace the Beach Hair But Bring a LOT of Conditioner

If you have long hair, this tip is for you. I love having beachy hair - the saltwater brings out my natural waviness and when the stars align I love how it looks! But I also went for a run in the rain with my hair in a ponytail and ended up with a huge ball of knotted hair instead of a ponytail. Three words: Lots. Of. Conditioner.

2. If you like surfing, rainforest, food trucks, a more rugged/picturesque coastline, and less people, go to the North Shore. In my opinion, this was the better spot for active adults. If you like restaurants, night life, and calm sandy beaches, go to Waikiki. Much more creature comforts, people, places to be social, and lots of kid-, family-, and elderly-friendly beaches.

For where we are in our lives, we liked the North Shore, but that's just personal preference!

3. DO get a Rental Car

There is so much to see on the island and so many micro-climates, you'll want to be able to see it all. Yes, you can take Ubers and Lyfts but ultimately it ends up being more expensive that way, and you have a ton less freedom and flexibility. We got our rental car at National at the airport and were super happy- the car was pretty new, fuel-efficient, and comfortable, and the customer service at National was EXCELLENT. (Thought: How do the employees stay so nice and positive when they have to deal with so many crazy tourists all the time? I don't know.)

Well, that's all I've got for you folks! Please feel free to ask questions or leave positive comments, I love hearing what y'all have to say!

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to also check out my posts about Costa Rica and Joshua Tree!