Who writes itineraries for a vacation in paradise? Not me. Well, not until today. I rather spend most of my time laying on the beach and the rest of the time eating. (If you didn’t know, Hawaii has REALLY good food.) All the time, I have Hawaii-virgins asking me where all the hot spots are in Oahu, and every time, I send them the exact same email, a list of activities and a list of restaurants. So I decided create an itinerary specifically for this post. I’ve also thrown in a few budget tips for those of you broke from the hotel and airfare. The itinerary is based on 5 days in Oahu. Enjoy!
Cheap Travel Tips:
- Transportation: You don’t necessarily need a car in Oahu. You can pretty much get around taking the bus system. Adult fares are $2.25 per ride, or you can get a 4-day pass for only $25. You can even take this bus from Waikiki to North Shore.
- Souvenirs: If you have a Costco card, get your gifts here. They’re cheaper and you can buy in bulk. It is located at 525 Alakawa Street.
- When to travel: Go in the off-season like in March or September. Tourism will be down during those times, so travel companies will adjust the costs to get you to come.
- I’ll say it again, rent a condo! There you can have a kitchen to use, so you don’t have to eat every meal out.
Itinerary and photos after the jump.
Itinerary
| Day 1 | ||
| 8:00am | Rise and shine! | |
| 9:00am | Arrive at the Hawaii Nature Center to begin the Makiki-Manoa Cliffs hike | |
| 12:30pm | Lunch: Side Street Inn (1225 Hopaka St) | |
| 3:00pm | Hang out at nearby pool/beach | |
| Day 2 | ||
| 7:00am | Breakfast: Wailana Coffee House (1860 Ala Moana Blvd) | |
| 8:00am | Go to Yamas Fish Market (2332 Young Street) to pick up some spam musubis (spam sushi) | |
| 9:00am | Surf lessons at Kailua Beach Park | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch: spam musubis | |
| 1:00pm | Walk over to Lanikai Beach | |
| 4:00pm | Back to hotel | |
| 7:00pm | Dinner: Alan Wong’s Restaurant (1857 South King Street) | |
| Day 3 (Fit for a Wed, Sat or Sun) |
||
| 9:00am | Breakfast: Zippy’s (601 Kapahulu Avenue) | |
| 10:00am | Aloha Stadium Swap Meet (junk, but fun to look at) - $1 per person | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch: Food stands at the stadium (you can find some good stuff here) | |
| 2:00pm | Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial | |
| 4:00pm | Ala Moana Mall | |
| 7:oopm | Dinner: Curry House (cheap) or Longhi’s (expensive) at Ala Moana | |
| 9:00pm | Dessert: Cream puffs at Liliha Bakery (515 North Kuakini Street) | |
| Day 4 | ||
| 9:00am | Breakfast: Eggs ‘N Things (343 Saratoga Road) | |
| 11:00am | Drive to North Shore | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch: Giovanni’s Aloha Shrimp (59-618 Kawoa Pl) | |
| 1:00pm | Snack: Shaved Ice w/Ice Cream at Matsumoto’s Shaved Ice (Try to say you’ve had once. Wailoa Bakery has better shaved ice, but it’s by Diamond Head.) | |
| 2:00pm | Polynesian Cultural Center | |
| 5:00pm | Drive back | |
| 7:00pm | Dinner: Jimbo Restaurant for hand made udon (the best) | |
| Day 5 | ||
| 9:00am | Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay | |
| 1:00pm | Lunch: Puka Dog (2301 Kuhio Avenue / Nahua Street) | |
| 1:00pm | Relax on Waikiki Beach | |
| 5:00pm | Snack: Shaved Ice at Waiola Bakery (3113 Mokihana St) | |
| 6:00pm | Dinner: Koterri Ramen at Tenkaippin (617 Kapahulu Ave) | |
Other Activities:
- Honolulu Zoo
- Waikiki Aquarium
- Diamond Head
- International Market on Waikiki
- Parasailing
- Helicopter tours
- Scuba diving
- Sky diving
Restaurants I also recommend:
- Mei Sum Dim Sum - Cheapest dim sum you’ll ever eat
- Big City Diner - Get the kimchi fried rice
- Ezogiku Ramen - They have curry ramen. Yum!
Great recommendations! I’ll let you know where we end up going!
A tip: Fly out on Tues or Wed flights are cheapest then. What are some good condos in Oahu?