Must Do’s

[Pagosa Springs]

First time for us at Aulani and Hawaii. Fly in on Feb.19 and staying 6 nights at Aulani. Travel party consist of me and my wife. We will be renting a car for the entire stay. What are some must do’s and places to eat while we are there?

 

[TARIE7291]

First time for us at Aulani and Hawaii. Fly in on Feb.19 and staying 6 nights at Aulani. Travel party consist of me and my wife. We will be renting a car for the entire stay. What are some must do’s and places to eat while we are there?

Monkeypod across the street for Happy Hour , Aloha Stadium flea market for cheap souvenirs, North Shore food truck dining and beaches, Kuaoloa Ranch for activities, hike Diamond Head, enjoy the resort for beach and pool days, shop for snacks etc at Target or Costco, get your gas at Costco, Leonard’s Malasada truck, etc. Have a great time!

 

[cgattis]

Snorkeling was a must-do for us. Hanauma Bsy and Sharks Cove were the main two we did on Oahu. We also enjoying hiking up Diamond Head to see the island (and down into the crater—cool) but some say the Tantalus lookout has comparable views without the hike. And I personally consider Pearl Harbor a must-do for the first time in Hawaii.

For food, we enjoyed some of the local dive kinda places like Zippys and Rainbow Drive-in for plate lunches, Teddys for big burgers, and Leonard’s for malasadas (there’s also a truck closer to Aulani). We didn’t find them to be anywhere near as good the next day as when they’re fresh, so I’d recommend not buying a bunch “for later.” If you’re a beer drinker, Kona Brewing has a location at Koko marina. The ABC market across from Aulani has great grab and go food (hot and cold)—and also 40 oz Kona beers We didn’t do a lot of fine dining on Oahu because there were 4 of us ($$$) and we did more of that on our cruise because we were in a suite and it was included.

 

[FredPinsocket]

If you have a whole day that you’re willing to spend away from the resort, driving counter clockwise around the island is a great experience. Make a point to stop at the North Shore, either at Sunset Beach or the town of Haleiwa.

Also want to second hiking Diamond Head and making a trip to Kona Brewing Company at Koko Marina.

 

[eryn the pooh]

I always go to the breakfast buffet at Dukes in Waikiki, get a table right on the beach and enjoy a fairly decent breakfast while enjoying the sun and the ocean breeze.
I also go to Aloha stadium for the flea market. A guy there sells amazing pineapple coconut bread!! I buy a few cause they get eaten so fast!

 

[nkereina]

Must do's for us (a.k.a things we would do again) would be a beach day in Kailua, a day exploring/hanging out in the North Shore, a tour at Kualoa Ranch, and people watching, shopping, dinner/drinks in Waikiki.

If this is your first trip, I would add Pearl Harbor as a must do. We did Diamond Head as well which is a popular tourist thing, but not something I'd consider a must do. We also did not care for the Aloha Swap Meet - same cheap touristy trinkets you can find most anywhere, lots of booths had the same things, etc.

For eats, we enjoyed Monkeypod across the street from Aulani. Lots of great options in Waikiki - House Without a Key is often recommended. Loved Kono's in the North Shore, and they also have a location in Kailua. The buffet lunch at Kualoa Ranch was fantastic, though I'm not sure if they're currently offering it with the pandemic. We also visited Anna Miller's which is a cheap diner stop for a good breakfast or pie! Also loved Leonard's malasada truck. Its an easy stop on the way back to Aulani, and easier/less busy than going to the Leonard's location.