ONE WEEK TRAVEL ITINERARY FOR THE PERFECT OAHU ROAD TRIP

After dreaming about visiting Hawaii for years, several weeks ago I was finally offered the opportunity to go on a week-long road trip around the state’s most popular island, Oahu. Having spent every waking second exploring gorgeous faraway villages and driving through banana plantations and watching the stars from hammocks, I am finally qualified enough to offer you an itinerary for a perfect week-long Oahu road trip. You can thank me later.

Day 1 – Kuliouou

Kuliouou is the best place to start your road trip, due to the fact that it’s relatively close to the airport and an easy base to begin exploring. The first day of travel is usually wasted as you try to figure out where you are and how far away everything is – so why not instead spend the day swimming with the wildlife? Mark the beginning of your trip by stopping at one of the many roadside shops to stop and drink from a coconut on your way to the Mermaid Caves.

Nānākuli is home to some of the most beautiful beaches on the island, along with a hidden underwater cave where you can clamber down and bathe in the pristine teal water. Outside of the caves, you can snorkel with turtles, and then make your way to the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail – a hike which is, frankly, a thousand times better than the one at the well-known Diamond Head.

Day 2 – Pearl Harbour and Downtown Honolulu

After spending the first day getting to grips with the area, the second day should be spent jumping into the history of Oahu. An full excursion around Pearl Harbour will probably see you spending no less than six hours in the area, as you can visit the Pearl Harbour Aviation Museum, Pearl Harbour Virtual Reality Centre, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and also go on the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour. 

Whilst there are small food trucks and cafes on site, you may still be absolutely ravenous after visiting the sites. From there, drive down to Proof Public House and gorge yourself on the most gorgeous pizza in Oahu. You can then easily travel to Downtown Honolulu – a central hub made up of pretty buildings, cute cafes, and quirky shops.

Day 3 – Kapolei & Kailua & Kahuku

On the third day, you will need to get up at the crack of dawn to be ready for the longest (and potentially most scenic) day of the whole trip. This will be a day where a third of the time is spent in the car as you travel from the bottom of the island to the top, and then back around again. Some key places to stop at are:

• • Waiāhole Beach Park
  • Tantalus Lookout
  • Duke’s Waikiki
  • Hula Grill
  • Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout
  • Halona Blowhole Lookout
  • Moana Surfrider
  • Koko Crater Railway Trailhead
  • Lanai Lookout
  • Pu’u O Mahuka Heiau State Historic Site

As you drive upwards from Kapolei to Kailua, be sure to check out Teddy’s Bigger Burgers for a meal that will keep you full for hours. When you reach Kahuku, the amount of lookout spots will increase even further, lending endless places to stop for a cute little picnic. Also, look out for the roadside shops selling cane juice – they will be sure to replenish your energy instantly.

On your way back to Kapolei, there will plenty more things for you to spend the rest of the day doing (if you even have time!) The old Hawaiian Railway is located just down the road, with Coral Crater Adventure Park easily accessible from the town. From there, why not drive up to Matsumoto Shave Ice and try the island staple before the day ends? There’s a reason it’s raved about.

Day 4 – Waikiki

Waikiki is often regarded as the heart of modern-day Oahu – and it’s not hard to see why. Spend a night or two in the city,and you’ll quickly fall in love with the free hula shows (such as the Kūhiō Beach Hula Show: every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 6.30 – 7.30pm just across from the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī), endless testers at Honolulu Cookie, and the street entertainment which goes on all night. My absolute favourite live band is easily The Fresh Preps – a gorgeous self-proclaimed mix of Twentyone Pilots and Relient K.

Take a quick trip out to Ganesh Dosa for food, taking time to kick back in the Ohana Hale Marketplace to watch local bands, make your own Leis and Hawaiian quilts, and try on a classic Hawaiian shirt.

Day 5 – Mokuleia & Waialua

After such a nice, relaxing, cultural few days, the fifth day should be spent doing something that makes your heart pound – and why not let that be by throwing yourself out of a plane at 14,000 feet? I went out with Pacific Skydiving Honolulu and despite my utter fear at the plane ride up, I ended up having the most incredible time ever. As it happens, you really can’t beat the views you get several thousand feet up in the air.

After flinging yourself out of the aircraft, it’s probably a good idea to spend the rest of the day on a beach to recover. The beaches located at the North Shore of the island (where all the skydiving places are) are some of the best in the world – and are definitely worth spending an hour or two.

At the end of the day, one of the best, most fulfilling things you could do is have a barbecue. Either rent one from your accommodation or visit a restaurant which offers freshly grilled food – it’ll be the best way to kick back with some pals and tell everyone you know about your earlier adventure.

Day 6 – Haleiwa & Laie

Now you have a taste for adrenaline rushes, why not go one step further and go on a shark dive? Several companies on the island offer caged dives, where you merely peek out at the gorgeous creatures from behind some solid metal bars – but frankly, the best way to see them is up all close and personal. One Ocean Diving offers freediving with sharks, where you get to swim with the graceful animals out in the open ocean.

This was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my life. A small group of us took a boat out to the survey site, where we were given wetsuits and snorkels and taught about the lives of these creatures. It was heartbreaking to learn about how little protection they are offered and that certain species are even pushed to the brink of extinction – all because of the negligence of humans. Due to the consumption of shark fin soup, illegal fishing, unintentional shark bycatch, purchases of squalene products, and shark hunting for sport, thousands of sharks are killed each year. After spending time swimming amongst these gorgeous, friendly creatures, I realised just how important it was to work together to save these little guys – and honestly, I think that’s an experience that more people need to have. The divemasters are all marine biologists and are the loveliest, most informative people ever. I will forever be grateful and in awe of them for showing me the playful side of these big friendly giants.

By the time you would have finished this incredible experience, you will probably be absolutely starving. My favourite place to eat at on the whole island is Maui Mike’s Fire-roasted Chicken – a place offering the most gorgeous, succulent, and perfectly seasoned chicken. My mouth is salivating just thinking about it, honestly.

No trip to Oahu would be complete without then taking a trip to the Polynesian Cultural Centre – the place where I saw my first ever Fireknife competition. Every night, they offer a plethora of paid and free events, with one of my favourite of the latter being the ones held at their Old Villages. Designed like Polynesian towns from hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, they make you feel like a real-life storybook explorer – and frankly, it’s an incredible feeling. By the time you leave the centre, expect to have tried the most gorgeous food, seen the most incredible events, and be swathed in some very vibrant Lei.

To end the perfect last day whilst you’re out of the city, go and stargaze. I promise you the view of a dome of stars above your head will be worth it.

Day 7 – Kaneohe & depart

Similar to the first days of a trip away, a lot of the last day is also usually wasted – alas, not with me as your trusted tour guide slash beloved travel advisor slash overall legend. In order to make sure that the last day is lived to the fullest, make sure that you get up early to watch the sunrise (and remember, the sun rises in the East. Don’t be like me and face the complete wrong way for an hour), before heading over to Ho’Omaluhia Botanical Gardens. One of the most Instagrammed places on the whole island, it is absolutely gorgeous, surrounded by wildlife and plantation that is hard to see in such an abundance. Oahu is one of the most populated islands, and in being so, is made hard to spend some time utterly engulfed by the stunning nature of the place. The botanical gardens are made super important for that reason alone.

And so, have you guys ever been on a road trip around Oahu, or plan on doing so? Let me know in the comments below!

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