The Ultimate Guide To Oahu

Flying into Honolulu, staying in Waikiki or downtown Honolulu, and using sightseeing tours is the best way to get the most out of your trip to Oahu!

Best Time To Visit Oahu: Oahu, with warm weather throughout the year, is a year-round destination! However, there are two peak seasons in Oahu – (1) Summer, especially June through August, when the weather is perfect and dry, and schools are on break (2) Early Winter, particularly December, during the holidays when most of the country is covered in snow, you can still enjoy warm weather, beach, and watersports in Oahu. The shoulder seasons, January through May and September through November, have a wet climate but are the best choice to beat the crowds in Oahu.

Time Required At Oahu: With several things to see and do, I recommend spending a minimum of four days in Oahu, which should give you enough time to cover all significant attractions in Oahu, including Pearl Harbor, Waikiki, North Shore, and a day at the Polynesian Cultural Center. If you have more time, you could spend a couple of weeks in Oahu and still not run out of places to see and things to do in Oahu.

Getting To Oahu: Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, also known as Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Oahu, is Hawaii’s major airport and serves as an entry point for the majority of tourists visiting the Hawaiian islands. Honolulu International Airport, located on the south side of Oahu, is pretty close to Waikiki and, unquestionably, the best airport to get to Oahu. I also highly recommend Norwegian’s Seven Day Hawaii Roundtrip Cruise to all first-time visitors to Hawaii. This cruise departs from Honolulu, Oahu, travels to all major Hawaiian islands, and then brings you back to Honolulu.

Rental Cars, Parking & Public Transportation In Oahu: Most hotels and attractions in Oahu offer paid parking, and though Oahu has a bus service – TheBus and ride-hailing services, I recommend renting a car when visiting Oahu. However, if you’re planning to just stay within the city limits, you can do without a car, but if you’re planning to visit the North Shore and other remote areas in Oahu, which I highly recommend doing, you would definitely need a rental car.

Sightseeing Tours In Oahu: It’s always a good idea to use a local sightseeing tour company when visiting a city for the first time, and the same applies to Oahu. If it’s your first trip to Oahu, I recommend using a guided sightseeing tour to get to know the city. There’re several local companies that offer guided land and boat tours in Oahu – (1) Waikiki Trolley Tours, offers hop-on-hop-off bus services stopping at all major attractions in downtown Honolulu and East Oahu, (2) Pearl Harbor and Honolulu City Tour departing from several hotels in Waikiki, and (3) The Surf Bus offering full-day guided tours of Oahu’s North Shore.

Lodging & Dining In Oahu: Undeniably, Honolulu, especially the Waikiki neighborhood & downtown Honolulu, are the most popular places to stay in Oahu famous for its several luxury hotels, boutique shops, and vibrant nightlife, but you will also find quite a few great resorts in Oahu’s leeward / west side. Oahu’s several dining options can also be overwhelming, including charming local eateries, fine dining restaurants, and seafood shacks, but you shouldn’t miss a few Hawaiian dishes and experiences, including Poke, Lomi Salmon, banana bread, and luau when visiting Oahu. I have reviewed the lodging and dining options in Oahu in detail in the later section of this post.