The cliché is true! Hawaii is the actual dream everyone says it is. If you want to know the top things to do on Oahu & Maui then stay tuned. When visiting Hawaii I spent my time split between the two islands. Check out my other post “Hawaii Tips *Maui*” for all things Maui ; )

O a h u

If you don’t already know, Oahu is indeed the Hawaiian Island with the biggest city, Honolulu!  BUT along with the city it still has amazing views, hikes, & beaches like all the other islands!

If you only have one day on Oahu…

6 AM SUNRISE

The KoKo Head Summit is where you should start! This was hands down my favorite hike on Oahu & if you start your day here early (like for sunrise) then you won’t regret it.

It took me 28 minutes to complete. The average time people say to get up is about 60-90 mins. It is a steep incline with actual wooden steps along the way. Many people (in shape & out of shape) were climbing Koko Head when I was there. Certainly doable for many. You will sweat though. It is not easy, as it is many steps going straight up.

When you reach the top of the steps & turn around you have an awesome view of the city on your right, the Haunama Bay Nature Preserve on your left, & the rest is just ocean! Many people stopped at the top of the steps, but if you keep going up (to the right) you eventually hit the other side of the mountain & see another perfect view.

A friend pointed out to me there is a prayer box at the top of the trail as well, so if you do a bit exploring, you will stumble upon it as the top of the mountain is not too big. You can just drop a prayer in the locked prayer box & someone takes them out & prays for your request! Is that not just the sweetest thing? So bring some paper & a pen along if you want. Praise Jesus for He is alive all around the world. Am I right ? Amen ?

10 AM

Next, I would take a break & drop by Island Brew Coffeehouse for a rest. It is small, not fancy restaurant, but the food is awesome & cheap! If you wait a bit, as there will probably be a line if it is still morning / lunchtime, then you can grab a table overlooking some very blue water.

Their açaí bowls were perfect, & the mini waffles 🥞with berries🍓 & whipped cream were even better. Coffee was on point of course & it made for the most lovely brunch spot on Oahu with all the Hawaiian feels 🌋

12 PM

After resting I would suggest grabbing your beach gear & heading to the Haunama Bay Nature Preserve because the colors are unreal. The blues and greens of this crescent shaped bay were actually breathtaking. After you watch the 9 minute intro video (too know how to care & act around the nature preserve) you are allowed to walk down to the beach of this bay!

You can rent snorkel gear & take a swim, or just lay on the beach. It will probably be crowed, as are many big attractions in Hawaii, but so worth it. Even if you just stop by to look at the preserve, it is a must in my book.

4 PM / SUNSET

 The next & last thing I would suggest is hiking the iconic Diamond Head State Monument for sunset. This is the iconic hike on Oahu & what your parents probably did when they came & visited two decades ago. I personally thought Koko Head Summit was more impressive, but Diamond Head is like is said ICONIC & you have to do it.

Diamond Head is a dormant volcano & has a cleanly marked trail. Again, there will be a lot of people there but you have to go! In its entirety I takes about 2 hours depending on how fast you go up & stay to look at the views. It took me 45 minutes to get up it. There was also a food truck upon arrival with drinks / food served in some very cute pineapples so make sure to bring some cash because they did not take cards.

*EXTRA*

If you have extra days or time…

Lanikai Pill Box is also a good hike. It is a short 20-30 minute hike once you find it. But again an amazing view & where all the cute girls on insta take a picture dangling off the side of it.

Like I said Hawaii was an absolute dream. If you have any questions, DM me at tori_churchill & check out my other post “Hawaii Tips *Maui*” for all things Maui ; )

X O X O

– D O L L