6 of My Favorite Touristy Things We Did on Oahu
We had so much fun in Oahu in December, so I wanted to share my 6 favorite touristy things we did. There is nothing on this list that will shock you and if you have been to Oahu, chances are you have done at least some of these things already. But if you are new to vacation on Oahu, like I was, this is a great list to start with.
I have already said it before, I love the ocean, but I am not a strong swimmer or big into snorkeling. That being said, I had so much fun on our dolphin/whale tour. We had the opportunity to go swim with the dolphins in the ocean and then go whale watching and although I didn't get in the water, I still had such an amazing time. I may have even had a better view out of the water. It was gorgeous and it was so fun to see the pods of dolphins swimming together in their natural surroundings. We then took a chance and took the boat further out to see if we could see any whales and boy did that end up paying off. We saw several humpback whales breech the water and it was possibly one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen in my life. That sight in and of itself would have been worth it to me. We had a knowledgeable crew that gave us an ingcredible tour, fed us lunch on the boat, and even let the kids "drive" the boat. It was such a great morning that it made the top of my list of favorite touristy things to do in Oahu.
For our tour we chose to go with Wild Side Specialty Tours and we highly recommend them.
There is so much fun to be had at the Polynesian Cultural Center it might be a challenge to fit it all in to one day! You have six island villages to visit, each with unique activities and short performances that run on a daily schedule. You can attend an authentic Luau while eating from a buffet of Island foods. You can take a canoe tour of the villages and watch the canoe parade as dancers from the Islands perform on water. And you won't want to miss out on the chance to see the show at night while you sip on a tropical drink straight from a pineapple. You can get some great discounts by booking online in advance so hop, skip or jump right over to their website to get tickets.
If you are as obsessed with the Dole Whips at Disneyland as I am, then having one in Hawaii at the actual Dole Pineapple Plantation is a MUST! This was something I had to try and it was so worth it. It was huge, delicious and gone in about 5 minutes flat. You can visit the gift shop and grille for free. They also have some additional activities like the train tour, garden tour and maze that you can purchase at an additional cost. To see all the plantation fun, including a family day coming up on March 10th, visit their website.
If gliding on peaceful, still water next to sea turtles in the lush scenery of Hawaii while the sun warms your face sounds like paradise then this is for you. At Tsue's Farm you can kayak or paddleboard down the river and it is so peaceful and beautiful this will easily make your list of favorite things to do on Oahu. To get more info on this, you can visit Tsue's Farm website.
5) Pearl Harbor This is a must see out of sheer historical significance. The memorial is a beautiful and sobering reminder of the events of Pearl Harbor. You will be humbled by the loss and devastation that shattered so many lives. Some tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but because of its popularity, it's a great idea to make a online reservation. For more information you can visit their website.
6) Waikiki Beach Fireworks
Every Friday night the Hilton Hawaiian Village located on Waikiki Beach has a fireworks show starting at: May - Aug at 8:00pm, Sept - Apr at 7:45pm. The atmosphere and fun of the fireworks show right on the beach is electric and a scene you won't soon forget. That's why it rounds out my top 6 fav touristy things to do on Oahu.
What are your favorite touristy things to do on Oahu?
Aloha!
