Oahu is a beautiful place to take a vacation. There are so many fun activities to do and tourist attractions to visit – but where do you start? From surfing and snorkeling to luaus and hula, there are tons of fun Hawaiian activities for you to enjoy on your trip to Oahu.
Check out our Ultimate Oahu Bucket List below – it has everything you need to know for a memorable Oahu vacation. It’s full of popular Oahu attractions and activities including…
- Surfing
- Hiking Diamond Head
- Touring Pearl Harbor
- Going to a Luau
- Learning to Hula
- Eating Hawaiian dishes
- And more!
Save on admission
Admission to many of these popular Oahu attractions is included with the Go Oahu pass. You could save up to 55% on admission vs gate price. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ziGEAHFtC/Explore Oahu’s nature
- Get up close to the marine life and meet a dolphin at Sea Life Park
- Head underwater and go snorkeling with turtles
- See dolphins, sea lions, and penguins at Sea Life Park Hawaii
- Take a hike along Oahu’s coastline and for amazing ocean views
- See the sights from Diamond Head after hiking to the top
- Explore the gardens at Lyon Arboretum
- Hike to Makapu’u Lighthouse for views of Halona Blow Hole
- See Oahu’s beaches by bike on a guided tour
- Explore Hanauma Bay by snorkel
- Walk in the botanical gardens of Waimea
Fun Oahu activities
- Embrace Hawaiian culture and go surfing
- Take to the water with a paddle-board
- Go shoreline fishing on the North Shore
- Do yoga on the beach in the morning
- Try an aerial class, like aerial yoga or aerial dance
- Explore Oahu by kayak and see fish and turtles
- Spend a day at Wet’n’Wild waterpark
- Explore Oahu by bike or moped on a self-guided tour
- Spend the day snorkeling and see corals and rays
- Go sailing on a Catamaran
Learn about Oahu’s history and significance
- Visit the USS Arizona Memorial
- Learn about World War II at the Pacific Aviation Museum
- See a WWII submarine – the USS Bowfin
- Board the historic Battleship Missouri Memorial
- Take a guided tour of Pearl Harbor
- Learn how chocolate is made at Manoa Chocolate Factory
- See a Japanese Temple at Byodo-In Temple
- Tour the former royal palace at Iolani Palace
- Learn about Oahu’s natural history at the Bishop Museum
- Discover Hawaiian art at the Honolulu Museum of Art
Experience Oahu culture
- See a Polynesian luau and enjoy a Hawaiian Buffet
- Take part in traditional activities like lei making or coconut headband weaving
- Learn all about Polynesian culture at the Polynesian Cultural Center
- Learn the hula or how to play a ukelele
- Make a Kuki nut bracelet
- Make a Ti leaf bracelet
- Learn Hawaiian wood carving
- Make Hawaiian petroglyphs
- Take a Hawaiian language class
- Attend a Hawaiian cultural festival
Hawaiian food you have to try
- Hawaiian plate – a mix and match of traditional food
- Saimin – a version of Chinese egg-noodle soup
- Poke – a raw fish salad
- Strawberry Mochi – Japanese rice cake
- Haupia – coconut-based dessert
- Loco moco – rice with a hamburger patty and fried eggs
- Hawaiian fruit – pineapple and passion fruit
- Manapua – buns filled with pork, chicken or beans
- Shave ice – like a snow cone but with shaved ice
- Laulau – fish and pork wrapped in taro leaves