1 day touring on Oahu

[Karlan29]

We are renting a van for 1 day of touring for the 6 of us(4 adults & 8 and 5 yr old) for just 1 day. My plan: leave Aulani by 730 am, Diamond head hike, then early lunch in Honolulu, then Pearl Harbor(2pm tix) then drive to the North shore to see turtles (hopefully) with the shrimp trucks for snack. Doable?

 

[thedogatemyhomework]

Depends on if its a weekday or weekend. On a weekday, leave much earlier (4...maybe 4:30 am...traffic...lots of it). Same with north shore in the afternoon, on a weekday...with pearl harbor at 2...you might not get to the north shore till 5:30 or 6 pm...food trucks will likely be shutdown by then, and depending on the time of year, you might have to try 3-4 beaches before you see a turtle.

On a weekend...it might be doable, can leave aulani at 6 or so do diamond head, get a very early lunch and do pearl harbor earlier. If you can get that done before 1 you should have enough time to find a beach that has a turtle, and might have a chance at the food trucks. 2pm tix will probably mean leaving pearl harbor at 3-4 or later, and by then it’ll be tough to find a beach with a turtle in time...but might be possible (probably a no go on the trucks tho)

 

[corgi_monster]

YOu should be able to easily accomplish everything up to the Pearl Harbor portion. As PP mentioned, traffic will be a factor on a weekday. Also, the sun does set as early as 6-ish during the winter so you may not be able to do much by the time you get to the North Shore.

This is the beach on the North Shore where you will be able to find turtles: https://www.yelp.com/biz/laniakea-beach-haleiwa

Years ago, there was a turtle who regularly visited Ko Olina at daybreak. I'm not sure if he's still around but maybe one of the Aulani regulars have seen him recently?

 

[nkereina]

I'll add that after we did Diamond Head, we were sweaty, sticky, gross messes and needed to go back to our resort to shower and change before we could go on with our day. We were also in workout attire and sneakers, which I would recommend for the hike. You will be sweaty and dirty, as its a dirt trail in direct sunlight. If it were me, I'd skip Diamond Head or do it another day frankly.

If you're keen on keeping the schedule as is, perhaps you can pack a change of cloths in the trunk though. I would also leave earlier if you can - we got to Diamond Head around 8:15am and parking was already full and by the time we were headed down, the trail was pretty crowded.

I agree with PPs that you'll want to get to the North Shore earlier if possible too. There's little to no nightlife outside of Waikiki, so things start to shutdown relatively early. We had luck with a sea turtle at Laniakea Beach in the North Shore - you will know they are out when you come to traffic and cars pulled on the side of the road!

 

[owensamo]

I'll add that after we did Diamond Head, we were sweaty, sticky, gross messes and needed to go back to our resort to shower and change before we could go on with our day. We were also in workout attire and sneakers, which I would recommend for the hike. You will be sweaty and dirty, as its a dirt trail in direct sunlight. If it were me, I'd skip Diamond Head or do it another day frankly.

We did Diamond Head last time, and it was a good half-day, even getting there at 7am, I don't think we left before 11 or 12 - and it was a long, hot, sticky hike up and down the crater. In order to save some time and still get some great views, we're going to go to the Tantalus Lookout next time, I think. The views look awesome, and there's no major hike to get to them. We should be able to get there early, see the view, get some photos, and go on with the rest of our day.

 

[longboard55]

You want to make a loop, you are going back and forth.

 

[nkereina]

We did Diamond Head last time, and it was a good half-day, even getting there at 7am, I don't think we left before 11 or 12 - and it was a long, hot, sticky hike up and down the crater.

Good point! We were there for about three hours ourselves as well.

 

[Karlan29]

We are renting a van for 1 day of touring for the 6 of us(4 adults & 8 and 5 yr old) for just 1 day. My plan: leave Aulani by 730 am, Diamond head hike, then early lunch in Honolulu, then Pearl Harbor(2pm tix) then drive to the North shore to see turtles (hopefully) with the shrimp trucks for snack. Doable?

Oh boy! I was hoping this plan was more doable than what it sounds like. We are only renting a van for 1 day and those are the 3 things we hoped to do.( so much to do and see this is our pared down top 3). We can't get the van til 7am on Thursday and our Pearl Harbor tix are at 2pm. Thought we would be able to get there by noon.
What if we leave at 7am and go to the North to hopefully see turtles then head into Honolulu for lunch then Pearl Harbor?
Instead of Diamond head, how about the Moana falls hike?
With a set 2pm at Pearl Harbor, how do you all think we could do these?
Diamond Head or Moana falls
Turtles and Shrimp trucks
Pear Harbor

 

[owensamo]

According to Google Maps, Giovanni's shrimp truck (on the North Shore) is a minimum of 40 minutes from both Pearl Harbor/Honolulu and Aulani. So you'd be spending almost an hour and a half in the car just driving on highways to go to the North Shore from Honolulu and back to the resort.

If your goal is to see Sea Turtles and go to a Shrimp truck, you probably don't need to go to the North Shore for that. We saw sea turtles on a catamaran excursion from the Ko Olina marina - they love Electric Beach, which is actually on the Aulani side of the island, not too far up the coast from the Ko Olina lagoons. You could probably stop here after going into Honolulu for the day, but I'm not sure what time the turtles are usually there. When we were at Aulani a few years ago, they were also found in the secret beach and the Paradise Cove beach.

As for shrimp trucks, you could go to Giligan's Beach Shack (http://gilliganswaikiki.com/), which is near the Hilton Hawaiian in Waikiki - between Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor, so you could stop there in between.

On our last trip, we did our share of all-day drives, so I do think it's a doable day to do what you want (though not sure if you can hit a shrimp truck in the evening in the North Shore - maybe Diamond Head last in the evening would work instead?), but if you are willing to skip the North Shore location and try to see some of the attractions from there elsewhere on the island, you would have more time to enjoy Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor.

 

[Midoria]

Oh boy! I was hoping this plan was more doable than what it sounds like. We are only renting a van for 1 day and those are the 3 things we hoped to do.( so much to do and see this is our pared down top 3). We can't get the van til 7am on Thursday and our Pearl Harbor tix are at 2pm. Thought we would be able to get there by noon.
What if we leave at 7am and go to the North to hopefully see turtles then head into Honolulu for lunch then Pearl Harbor?
Instead of Diamond head, how about the Moana falls hike?
With a set 2pm at Pearl Harbor, how do you all think we could do these?
Diamond Head or Moana falls
Turtles and Shrimp trucks
Pear Harbor

It's Manoa Falls. It can get pretty muddy after a rain, so I'd be aware of that. I personally prefer Manoa because it's lush and green. Obviously both Manoa and Diamond Head are both experiencing nature, but Diamond Head was dry, rocky, and the view was half taken-up by city buildings. Manoa is just trees, foliage, the falls (obviously, lol), and soil.

Unpopular opinion, but the North Shore might not be a good idea - especially if your only reason is to maybe see a turtle. I'm not sure when the food trucks open, but if you leave at Aulani at 7am, chances are the trucks won't be open yet. Have you pulled up a map of Oahu? Right now, you're looking at almost 100 miles of driving. 20 miles away from Aulani for the North Shore which takes you further away from Honolulu/Pearl Harbor than you would be if you were coming from Kapolei. Then you're driving almost 40 miles from the North Shore to Honolulu for either Diamond Head or Manoa Falls. Then it's 15 miles between Manoa Falls or Diamond Head to Pearl Harbor and 20 miles back to Aulani.

 

[corgi_monster]

What if we leave at 7am and go to the North to hopefully see turtles then head into Honolulu for lunch then Pearl Harbor?
Instead of Diamond head, how about the Moana falls hike?
With a set 2pm at Pearl Harbor, how do you all think we could do these?
Diamond Head or Moana falls
Turtles and Shrimp trucks
Pear Harbor

Time wise, It won't make a difference if you do Manoa vs. Diamond Head. Manoa is a very wet, slippery trail often covered in mud and it can take you a while to go a short distance. And imo, they're both crappy, crowded, over-rated trails and you won't find too many locals there anymore. There are much better hiking experiences to be had on Oahu.

if you're leaving at 7:30am on a Thursday, it will probably take you 70-90 minutes just to get to town. If you want to be at Pearl Harbor at noon you'd need to leave Diamond Head or Manoa by 11:30 at the very latest. Not much time to do anything at all. If you don't mind arriving at Pearl Harbor closer to 1:30 you'll have time for a hike.



I'd suggest the following:

North Shore first thing in the morning. You will hit just a short section of traffic heading in that direction and should arrive by 8:15. You could try the Ehukai hike. We've done it with kids and dogs and managed to complete the hike in less than two hours. The view from the top is gorgeous and there are bunkers, just like you'd see at Diamond Head.

Pearl Harbor

Depending on what time you leave Pearl Harbor and when you need to return the car, you could take a scenic drive down Farmington Highway to Yokohama Bay. It will probably be prime time traffic, but these are some of the most gorgeous beaches we have in Hawaii. Or, drive up to Makakilo and stop on Makakilo Drive near the water tank. It's a panoramic view (albeit blocked by a chainlink fence) of the entire south side of the island.

 

[Karlan29]

Time wise, It won't make a difference if you do Manoa vs. Diamond Head. Manoa is a very wet, slippery trail often covered in mud and it can take you a while to go a short distance. And imo, they're both crappy, crowded, over-rated trails and you won't find too many locals there anymore. There are much better hiking experiences to be had on Oahu.

if you're leaving at 7:30am on a Thursday, it will probably take you 70-90 minutes just to get to town. If you want to be at Pearl Harbor at noon you'd need to leave Diamond Head or Manoa by 11:30 at the very latest. Not much time to do anything at all. If you don't mind arriving at Pearl Harbor closer to 1:30 you'll have time for a hike.



I'd suggest the following:

North Shore first thing in the morning. You will hit just a short section of traffic heading in that direction and should arrive by 8:15. You could try the Ehukai hike. We've done it with kids and dogs and managed to complete the hike in less than two hours. The view from the top is gorgeous and there are bunkers, just like you'd see at Diamond Head.

Pearl Harbor

Depending on what time you leave Pearl Harbor and when you need to return the car, you could take a scenic drive down Farmington Highway to Yokohama Bay. It will probably be prime time traffic, but these are some of the most gorgeous beaches we have in Hawaii. Or, drive up to Makakilo and stop on Makakilo Drive near the water tank. It's a panoramic view (albeit blocked by a chainlink fence) of the entire south side of the island.

Thank you all for these ideas! I never thought about how much traffic would be a time issue. ...going back to the drawing board..lol.

 

[cgattis]

I see now that I already replied to your other thread, but I'd definitely agree with a couple other posters and say ditch north shore with little kids. Unless you're going in winter to see the huge surf, you're not missing that much sights-wise. There are plenty of more beautiful spots that others have already recommended.

 

[Karlan29]

Thank you all for this help. I thought I had a decent plan..lolololol...ok..North shore is out for sure. Hoping to fit ...something ...with Pearl Harbor. First ever trip to Aulani/Hawaii and was hoping to do more than just 1 thing on our only tour day.

 

[DieHardJoe]

As PP's have mentioned and you have now realized, your original schedule was a little too much. But, don't give up on seeing turtles! This thread is excellent and will show you how to go next door to the Paradise Cove beach. We were at Aulani in May for a week and I wish I had read this before we visited. https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...dited-now-with-directions-and-photos.3501609/

 

[nkereina]

I love the North Shore so I'm probably bias, but I was going to suggest North Shore in the morning, breakfast bombers at Kono's, and then maybe a hike in Waimea Valley. It's not much of a hike - more of a paved path, but it takes you to waterfalls at the end and the foliage along the way is beautiful. It's $16 per person to enter and to swim at the falls they require you to wear a provided a life jacket. I'll be honest that Waimea Valley wasn't my most favorite attraction, but considering your plans and in the essence of time, I think its more practical and easier than Diamond Head and Manoa. After Waimea Valley, I'd do Pearl Harbor and then maybe dinner in Waikiki. The places in Waikiki are open later so you won't be on a time crunch. Waikiki gets mixed reviews, but I think its worth visiting for a night or even just a meal to get a sense of the vibe and atmosphere there. It's very different than the rest of the island, especially the Ko Olina area.

 

[Karlan29]

As PP's have mentioned and you have now realized, your original schedule was a little too much. But, don't give up on seeing turtles! This thread is excellent and will show you how to go next door to the Paradise Cove beach. We were at Aulani in May for a week and I wish I had read this before we visited. https://www.disboards.com/threads/c...dited-now-with-directions-and-photos.3501609/

What a great idea!! Thank you for this info. This definitely sounds like something we can do...and no traffic!!

 

[Karlan29]

I love the North Shore so I'm probably bias, but I was going to suggest North Shore in the morning, breakfast bombers at Kono's, and then maybe a hike in Waimea Valley. It's not much of a hike - more of a paved path, but it takes you to waterfalls at the end and the foliage along the way is beautiful. It's $16 per person to enter and to swim at the falls they require you to wear a provided a life jacket. I'll be honest that Waimea Valley wasn't my most favorite attraction, but considering your plans and in the essence of time, I think its more practical and easier than Diamond Head and Manoa. After Waimea Valley, I'd do Pearl Harbor and then maybe dinner in Waikiki. The places in Waikiki are open later so you won't be on a time crunch. Waikiki gets mixed reviews, but I think its worth visiting for a night or even just a meal to get a sense of the vibe and atmosphere there. It's very different than the rest of the island, especially the Ko Olina area.

Maybe that would work.....
Hmmmmm? Thanks.

 

[nkereina]

@Karlan29 just read your other post.... if you want to be to Pearl Harbor by 1, skip swimming at Waimea Valley. You can get through the whole trail and see the Falls at a relatively fast paced but by the time you change and swim, I don't think you'd have time for that. Worth the walk though, and not far from turtle beach in the North Shore either.

 

[Karlan29]

@Karlan29 just read your other post.... if you want to be to Pearl Harbor by 1, skip swimming at Waimea Valley. You can get through the whole trail and see the Falls at a relatively fast paced but by the time you change and swim, I don't think you'd have time for that. Worth the walk though, and not far from turtle beach in the North Shore either.

Do you really think we can do both?