10 of the Best Oahu Bucket List Adventures
This Oahu bucket list is full of the best Oahu adventures like snorkeling with sea turtles and hiking up a volcanic crater.
Hula dancing to a twangy ukulele tune, the sound of waves washing ashore, the pink sunset over a salty sea — some things just say Oahu. If it’s your first visit to Hawaii, this Oahu bucket list will make sure you don’t miss out on any of those perfect island moments.
From the best sunset on Oahu to important historic and cultural landmarks to Oahu adventures like hiking and surfing, these experiences will infuse your vacation with the aloha spirit.
Take a look at our itineraries for 3 days on Oahu or 5 days on Oahu to see how to fit these activities into your trip and other tips you’ll want to steal before you go. Plus, scroll to the bottom for 10 bonus things to do and taste that you might want to add to your Oahu Hawaii bucket list.
The Ultimate Oahu Bucket List
Use this Oahu bucket list to plan out your adventures on the most popular Hawaiian island. We’ve included everything from the best snorkeling spots to hidden beaches to hikes in the hills.
Drive the North Shore
A world away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki, Oahu’s North Shore is all about the thrashing waves, tiny towns, and quiet beach parks. An excursion to the North Shore should definitely be on your Oahu bucket list!
Rent a car for a road trip up here to cover the most ground. You can drive to where the road ends on the northwestern side and hike to the tip of the island on the Kaena Point Trail, enjoy the crowd-free sands and watch kitesurfing from Mokuleia, try out the food trucks and browse art galleries in historic Haleiwa town, and hop miles of beach parks all the way to the northern end and on down the Windward Coast as you loop back toward Honolulu.
2. Visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial
Pay homage to the souls lost in the 1941 attack with a visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu. The free program here includes a video presentation recapping the significant moment in history and a boat trip out to the USS Arizona Memorial, built over the sunken ship.
You can reserve timed tickets online ahead of time for a small fee, or line up at the on-site booth when you arrive to see if any day-of slots are available. Allow at least a couple hours here for the program and the visitor center.
Nearby, the Battleship Missouri and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum comprise the Pearl Harbor Historic Sites. Combo tickets include admission to all three and hotel pickup if needed.
3. Snorkel at Hanauma Bay
If snorkeling is on your Oahu bucket list, Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is one of the best places to go. The bay brims with colorful fish and coral in a sea-filled volcanic crater with a sandy beachfront. Here, you can swim with yellow butterflyfish, spotted boxfish, long and tubular trumpetfish, and even unicornfish.
A protected Marine Life Conservation District, the preserve takes measures to ensure its residents thrive, like closing the bay to snorkelers every Monday and Tuesday so fish can feed in peace. Visitors also must watch a video about the ecosystem and safety rules for Hanauma.
The park opens at 6:45 a.m. daily (except Tuesdays) and there is a fee to enter and park. The car lot fills up fast, so arrive early if you’re driving or book a shuttle transfer from Waikiki. Locker and snorkel set rentals are available at the beach.
4. Watch the Sunset at Waikiki Beach
While Waikiki Beach earns the badge for the most overcrowded sand on the island, pausing here for a sunset should be on your agenda. Since the palm-lined oceanfront faces west, you’ll get to witness the sun dipping below the sweeping horizon of the sea, painting the sky in vibrant shades of orange and pink.
This island-hopping 10-day Hawaii itinerary includes these Oahu adventures!
5. Summit the Diamond Head Crater
The Diamond Head volcanic crater looms beside Honolulu, making for a striking skyline along the southern coast of Oahu. Another postcard-ready panorama comes from the summit, though, where you can look down on the city’s highrise hotels and beachfront.
The trail to the top spans just 0.8 miles but climbs 560 feet from the crater floor, making for a thigh-burning walk up hills and stairs. At the top, a fire control station and bunkers from the early 1900s now serves as a scenic viewpoint overlooking the turquoise sea as it brushes up against Waikiki.
Diamond Head State Monument, the surrounding park, covers a few hundred acres with amenities including restrooms, picnic areas and concession stands. There’s a small fee per car or person to enter the park and out of state visitors need a reservation.
6. Find Hidden Lanikai Beach
With stunningly white sand, perfectly turquoise water, and a pair of islands dotting the horizon, Lanikai Beach competes as one of the prettiest Oahu beaches. Not to mention, it’s somewhat hidden setting keeps the mass of crowds at bay since you have to know it’s there to find it.
While it’s not exactly a secret, Lanikai Beach is tucked away behind private homes and vacation rental villas instead of placed by a park with amenities. You have to follow one of the public access alleyways between houses to reach the ocean here. It’s located along the southeastern side of the island near the small town of Kailua, which has a more neighborhood feel without large hotels.
Since there’s no parking lot, space for cars along the surrounding street can be competitive, and there are no restrooms or food vendors on the beach, either. In nearby Kailua, you can rent kayaks to row between here and the larger beaches on the Kailua Bay or to the Mokulua Islands just offshore.
This 7 day Oahu itinerary includes bucket list beaches and hikes
7. Hike the Koko Crater Trail
If you can handle the more than 1,000 steps it takes to climb the Koko Crater Trail, you’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the southern end of the island, including Hanauma Bay. The path meanders up a volcanic ridge, tracing the old wooden rungs of a railroad line that was used during World War II to tote supplies up to the hilltop bunkers.
It’s a workout for the thighs and your willpower, but the resulting panoramas of the sea and coastline are worth the trek.
The Koko Head Trail also makes a good legal alternative to the popular but closed Stairway to Heaven hike that you’ve likely seen in photos (climbing that one can result in fines).
Looking for more Hawaii thrills? Check out these 7 bucket-list adventures on Maui!
8. Try a New Water Sport
Windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, kayaking — water activities are better in Oahu’s pretty turquoise seas. Whether it’s beginner surf lessons on the gentle rollers of Waikiki or kiteboarding on the Windward Coast, there’s plenty of ways to get out on the waves here.
One of the best zones for water sports is the eastern coast around Kailua and Kaneohe. From Kailua, you can kayak to offshore islands and hidden beaches, rent stand-up paddleboards, or take kitesurfing lessons from pros. The Kaneohe Bay Sandbar and Mokolii island are also popular rowing destinations along this coast.
9. Watch a Surf Contest
The giant winter swells of Oahu’s North Shore bring pro surf competitions to the beach parks here. But even if you don’t catch an organized event, you’ll likely get to watch some of the talented locals and surfers who come here to knock these big waves off their bucket lists.
Head to spots like Sunset Beach for the famous Banzai Pipeline action. And remember that these waters are not for casual swimmers or beginner surfers during big wave season!
10. Attend a Luau
Can you even visit Oahu without some hula dancing and roasted pork? Hawaiian luaus have become a staple on Oahu bucket lists for first-time vacations to the island for good reason — the festivities, the fun and the food.
There are plenty of options to choose from, but one popular event also comes with a chance to explore some local culture beforehand. The Polynesian Cultural Center has a sort of educational theme park vibe, with six island nations represented. Hula lessons, spear-throwing demonstrations, and songs and games take place in villages dedicated to Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti and Tonga.
The luau and a special performance are held each evening. Tickets combine the cultural center and show, and a shuttle transfer to and from Waikiki can be added.
More Oahu Bucket List Activities
11. Samples pineapples at the Dole Plantation
12. Tour movie sets at Kualoa Ranch
13. Visit the Byodo-In Temple
14. Eat a piece of hula pie
15. Tour the Iolani Palace in Honolulu
16. Follow the Lanikai Pillbox Hike
17. Try shrimp from a food truck on the Windward Coast
18. Walk to the end of the island at Kaena Point
19. Learn to windsurf at Kailua Beach
20. Kayak to the Mokulua Islands
21. Hike to Manoa Falls
22. Walk the sea cliffs at the Makapu’u Point Lighthouse Trail
23. Book a helicopter ride over the island
