My husband and I both LOVE Hawaii. We’ve traveled there many times, and I even went to BYU Hawaii for a semester, which is where I fell in love with the island. So when we had the chance to take our kiddos, we jumped at the opportunity. We had such a fun time exploring the island and we found so many fun things to do on Oahu with kids, I’m excited to tell you all about it.

Hawaii With Kids:

As you know traveling with kiddos can get tricky, so planning ahead helps to make vacations roll along a little more smoothly. My advice with any family vacation…don’t over schedule it. Kids get tired and hungry quickly, and when those two things happen the mood can turns south quickly. Keeping those things in mind, plan what you have the time for. We stayed on Oahu for a week, leaving us plenty of time to see all of the things we wanted to. If you have a shorter vacation, just choose what sounds like the most fun to your tribe.

Things to do on North Shore Oahu:

There are so many fun and amazing things happening on the North side of Oahu, known as North Shore. It’s about 30 miles from the Waikiki area, but depending on traffic it will take you an hour or so to get there. It’s a beautiful drive, whether you go through the center of Oahu or stick to the coast, the views are superb.

I would recommend giving a few days to the North Shore…you’ll be glad you did.

Polynesian Cultural Center:

I’m starting with the Polynesian Cultural Center because it is AMAZING! If you choose one thing to do with your kiddos…this is it! You’ll take a trip around the Pacific Ocean, getting a feel for each of the islands.

The cultural center has so many fun things to do, so make sure to get there when the park opens. You will be able to visit the islands of the Pacific and learn all about the cultures and customs. There are so many great activities to keep your family busy, and an amazing luau to top things off.

If you get your tickets ahead of time on the website, they offer them at a discount. So I would recommend thinking ahead on this one. It’s totally worth the price…such a fun way to learn about the islands.

Polynesian Cultural Center

Our kids loved getting “tattoos” at one of the islands. Even the adults got in on the action. All of the activities are included in the price of admission. The only extra charge is the luau.

My youngest spent a lot of time trying his hand at fishing. They were using dough, and many of the people were successful. Sadly, we didn’t catch any fish…but it was fun to try.

All the kids tried spear throwing. It was fun to see them learning a new skill. I would definitely recommend trying all of the activities while you are there.

Next up…

Dole Plantation:

This is a fantastic way to spend a little time on the North Shore. The Dole Plantation gives your family the opportunity to learn about some of the fruits grown on the Hawaiian Islands. The Dole Plantation provides enjoyable activities for the entire family, including the Pineapple Express Train Tour, the Plantation Garden Tour, and the Pineapple Garden Maze. What you do really comes down to the amount of time you have.

We only had a bit of time, so we spent it on the train ride. I would definitely recommend it. The train gives you a chance to sit and enjoy an audio tour of the plantation.

Our family loved listening to all of the information while taking in the sites of the beautiful plantation. It was a perfect way to enjoy all of the scenery.

Of course, one of thee best things about visiting the Dole Plantation is enjoying a delicious Dole Whip. I got mine with fresh pineapple…and it was AMAZING!!

Did anyone mention shave ice? If not, you should. And the best shave ice on the island is found on North Shore. Again, there are so many things to do on Oahu with kids…it’s hard to fit it all in!! But make time for Matsumoto’s because it’s amazing.

Matsumoto’s Shave Ice:

Matsumoto’s is found in the charming surf town of Haleiwa. We love, love, love this town. And we absolutely love Matsumoto’s! If you are heading into Haleiwa I would recommend going up there early. North Shore gets crowded, so aim to be there before 10:30am.

Once you get your shave ice, get started eating. With the humidity in Hawaii, the shave ice starts to melt super fast. But man, what a problem to have!

While you are in Haleiwa, do some shopping at the quaint little shops there. It’s a fun town to explore.

You may be wondering if we hit any beaches on the North Shore? Well, of course we did!! North Shore has some of the best snorkeling..so grab your snorkel gear anytime you head North.

And speaking of snorkel gear, if you don’t bring your own, plan to stop by Snorkel Bob’s. They have tons of locations on Oahu and you can get your snorkel equipment at any of them, and return it at any of them. You can even take it to another island and return it there. They helped get our kids all squared away and it was really fast.

So where to snorkel? Here’s where we loved.

Shark’s Cove:

Shark’s Cove is awesome for snorkeling because it’s so rocky. The fish love to live and swim around the rocks, so this cove is loaded with sea life. The only problem is the rocks! Seriously, great snorkeling, but if you have little ones they won’t have much area to play. It takes some effort to get out in the water because of the rocks, but once you are there it’s awesome.

If you want a sandy beach that’s great for snorkeling I would recommend you head to Laniakea Beach. This beach is the best beach for spotting sea turtles. They even come up on the beach and enjoy some sunbathing most days. The parking for this beach is super limited, so again I would head early and plan to stay for a bit. The turtles don’t come up on shore until it warms up, so be patient.

The takeaway from your visit to North Shore Oahu…definitely plan a couple days, go early, and plan to have a great time!

Things to do in Oahu with Kids:

Let’s look at all of the other fun things to do in Oahu with kids.

Hanauma Bay State Park:

Hanauma Bay State Park is fabulous for snorkeling. Again, your best bet is to arrive early. This state park fills to capacity and then you will not be allowed into the bay. The tickets and entrance is up above the park and then you will either walk or ride a shuttle down to the bay. If you are all healthy with nothing stopping you from walking, the walk is not bad. Our group walked. If you need the shuttle, it can be reserved ahead of time.

Hanauma Bay has a lot of coral, making it a great place to snorkel. Also, the fact that it’s a bay makes the water very calm and easy to maneuver. It’s great for kids to try their hand at snorkeling.

Pearl Harbor:

Don’t miss the opportunity with your children to take them to the historic Pearl Harbor. This is such a special place to visit. You will have the opportunity to watch a film loaded with information about the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the film, you will load onto a boat where you will be taken out to the monument. It’s such a special and reverent place.

Again, I would recommend you arrive early to get your free timed ticket. The tickets will tell you the time of your tour and the earlier you get there the less time you will have to wait for your tour.

Parasailing:

Have you ever tried parasailing? If not, Hawaii is the place to do it. It’s such fun, and you can go up in pairs which is perfect for your kiddos. We found an awesome deal for parasailing on Groupon before we left for Hawaii. So I would take a look there before you go and see if they have a deal for you.

Parasailing was a huge hit for our kiddos and one of their most favorite activities we did in Hawaii.

Iolani Palace:

We actually stumbled upon this little treasure when we were looking for the Hawaii Five-O building which is featured on most episodes. If your kids watch Hawaii Five-O, they will want to see the King Kamehameha statue and building. But across the street is the Iolani Palace which is so lovely. Only a few from our group wanted to spend the time and money on a tour of this palace so we split up.

There are a couple of tour options, we did the self-led audio tour. It’s a 60 minute tour as you are able to walk around this beautifully restored palace. It’s a great chance to learn about Hawaii’s last reigning monarchs. Such an interesting piece of history, and a great chance to learn about Hawaii’s history. If your kids love this type of thing, I would highly recommend it.

Is it time to chat about the food? Because we had some tasty food that was family friendly!

Places to Eat in Oahu:

Zippy’s Restaurant:

If you want some really yummy Hawaiian food Zippy’s is the place! Their menu is huge, so there’s something for everyone. Their mac salad is seriously so stinking good! We had some locals suggest Zippy’s and once we tried it, we were sold. We ate here several times during our visit. The prices were great, the food was delicious, and the casual dining atmosphere makes dining with children a breeze.

Raising Cane’s:

We discovered this yummy chicken joint on our trip to Phoenix, so we were thrilled when we found it on Oahu! My family loves Raising Cane’s, and it’s fast food so it’s easy to take the kiddos.

Leonard’s Bakery:

When my friend went to Hawaii, she was told to give Leonard’s Bakery a try…and she loved it. So of course, I needed to give it a try too. And let me tell ya, it is yummy!! I’m not gonna lie, we went several times. It was within walking distance from our hotel, so we walked over there anytime we had a sweet tooth.

Now remember when I started talking about our vacation I mentioned down time? Well, we had plenty of down time on our vacation. We spent lots of time on Waikiki Beach, which is great for the children. It’s a shallow beach making the waves totally doable for kids.

Our teens brought their spike ball set, and spent a lot of their time playing it on the beach.

Usually our mornings were packed so we could beat the rush, and our afternoons were pretty chill. But with so many fun things to do in Oahu with kids, you’ll have to pick and choose what you love the most!

If you want even more fun things to do in Hawaii check out more awesome ideas…

Fun Things to do in Oahu

Have a FUN Hawaiian Vacation!!

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Oh how I love Hawaii! I like to consider myself a Hawaii pro-I even lived on Oahu for a semester of school. I have a friend that’s a Hawaii newbie-just took her first trip there in November. And since she was headed there and didn’t know what she should spend her time doing, I recommended all of the best places to visit and fun things to do on Oahu and it was perfect. So now, I’m going to share those ideas with you!

Seriously, I love this place and there are a million fun things to do on Oahu, but we will get you started with some of my favorites!

Fun Things to do on Oahu:

What do in Honolulu & Waikiki:

Let’s start out talking about the city, since that’s where you will fly into. This might be the most recognizable place in Hawaii.  Although you may not associate city life with Hawaii, you might want to rethink that.  Honolulu has all of the bustle you would expect in a capital city. It’s the largest city in Hawaii, so you can expect traffic, high rise buildings, and lots of people. I don’t want to burst anyone’s dreams about what Hawaii looks like, because you will find your paradise on the island of Oahu, but the city can also be fun.

Waikiki Beach is located in the city of Honolulu and is one of the best beaches in Hawaii because it offers so many activities. Surfing, sunbathing, canoeing, surfing lessons, sunset cruises, helicopter tours, parasailing, shopping, dining and so much more! If you are looking to sit and relax on a beach in peaceful quiet, this is not your destination. Waikiki is a full of people, with lots of things going on. This is one of my favorite spots to visit when I go to Hawaii. Waikiki has a long sandbar (meaning shallow water), perfect for body surfing and will provide hours of fun and is perfect for kiddos.  It’s also fantastic beach weather on this side of the island, with lots of heat and sun!  This is the dryer part of the island, not getting near the same rainfall, so it’s perfect for beach days!

If you go to Honolulu prepared for a city, you will find so many things to enjoy.  Keep in mind that Oahu has the best of both worlds with Honolulu’s city life and North Shore’s peaceful paradise. You will please everyone you are traveling with.

Duke’s Waikiki: This place is pretty popular (and isn’t just on Oahu, you can find it on other islands too), and it’s completely fantastic! The food is great and the experience is unbeatable. This was the first place my friend and her husband hit after landing in Honolulu and it was the perfect introduction to Hawaii.

Sit on a patio that overlooks the ocean and Diamond Head while you eat.

Tiki torches, palm trees, it’s perfect. And the food is great too!  Be sure to try the Hula Pie-it’s heavenly! Macadamia nut ice-cream on a cookie crust topped with whip cream and chocolate!!  It is definitely a dessert that can be shared between 2-4 people.  Or they’ve got great tropical drinks like this Strawberry and Pineapple one.

If you time it right you can even watch the sunset while you eat!

Leonard’s Malasadas: This place came recommended by many people! A malasada is like a donut, but filled with your choice of toppings. I got two malasadas-one filled with Haupia (coconut pudding) and one filled with chocolate and ate them both at the same time. Very yummy! A couple of things to note-Leonard’s is in Waikiki and is a little tricky to get to, so give yourself time. Also, come hungry! These things are filling! And plan to wait in a little bit of a line.

Snorkeling in Hanauma Bay: If you are looking for a great snorkeling place, Hanauma Bay is it! Seriously, with fantastic snorkeling and a fabulous view from the top, this bay will not disappoint. It does get a little crowded and is definitely considered a tourist destination, but it’s worth the crowds. This bay has lots of coral, which means lots of ocean life to see.

You’ll park at the top and have to walk or pay for a shuttle (about $2 per person) to take you down and back up at the end of the day. There’s also a fee to snorkel. Bring your own snorkel gear or you can rent it there (though it’s a little more pricey there than you will find at local rental shops). Also, you’ll have to pay to get in and then watch a short film before they let you down to the bay, so plan a little extra time for that.

Things to do on North Shore, Oahu:

Now let’s talk about the North Shore area. This is more of what you probably think of when you think of Hawaii-green mountains, palm trees everywhere, beaches no matter where you go, slower paced. Basically, paradise. It will also feel very different from the Honolulu area-it’s a whole different pace of life up on the North Shore. There are a lot of fun things to do up there too. Here are some of my favorite fun things to do on Oahu North Shore.

Biking in North Shore: If you want an easy, relaxing and fun way to explore North Shore, try renting a bike from North Shore Bike Rentals. They’ll meet you anywhere you request with a beach cruiser or a tandem bike and you can cruise up and down the shore.

There’s a three-mile trail that starts near Shark’s Cove and takes you up to Sunset Beach. It’s an easy ride down a beautiful trail that looks like this for a lot of it:

You can ride to Ted’s Bakery in Sunset Beach and get the Chocolate Haupia pie (definitely recommend this!) and then sit and watch the world-class surfers while you eat it.

You can also snorkel in Shark’s Cove. There are even places to rent the gear right across the street if you need it. (Word of warning though, the waves get huge in the winter on this part of North Shore, so the beaches are mostly closed and you don’t want to get in the water.)  Also, when you go to this area, make sure to watch your belongings.  It has a reputation for thefts, both on the beach and car break-ins.  Don’t bring unnecessary items with you, pack light on this day and be aware of your belongings.

Polynesian Cultural Center: This is an experience you won’t want to miss! Buy a pass for a day (best to reserve online ahead of time, you’ll save money that way) and explore all of the Polynesian Islands.

Each island has an area at the PCC where you can do interactive activities native to that island and also watch a show that will give you a great feel for the culture of each individual island.

In the evening they’ll feed you at a fantastic Hawaiian Luau. And then at night, there’s a stage show that’s incredible! There’s too much to tell you about this amazing place-it deserves its own post!

Shave Ice at Matsumoto’s in Haleiwa: This is a must try if you find yourself up on North Shore, Oahu! Matsumoto’s is everything you want in shave ice…so yummy. Haleiwa is also a fun little town to visit, we loved the surf shops.

Don’t be put off by the long line at Matsumoto’s. It moves FAST! These people know what they are doing! If you’ve got the time, walk around Haleiwa a little too. It’s a cute town!

Waimea Valley: If you want to walk through true paradise, this is the place to go. Tons of famous movies were filmed here because it’s the paradise of your dreams. Lush, green, beautiful plants as you walk.

It’s about 3/4 of a mile each way on a paved path, so it should be doable for most people. You could easily spend the good part of a day here, or keep it short and just spend an hour or two.

At the end (3/4 of a mile walk) you’ll find Waimea Falls. You can swim here. They’ve got life jackets (which are required) that you can use. Or just sit and look at it.

Seven Brothers at the Mill: (Formerly Kahuku Grill) There aren’t a ton of places to eat on North Shore-you’ll find most of them on end or the other-either in Haleiwa or in Laie. This one’s definitely one to hit. The food is great and the atmosphere is fun!

You sit outside to eat, there are lights strung everywhere, the feral chickens wander past and the food is yummy! The coconut shrimp is what they’re famous for, but it seems like everything is good!

Enjoy your trip! And if YOU have things you love to do on Oahu, let me know if the comments!

Have FUN visiting Hawaii and finding fun things to do on Oahu! (And maybe takes me with you?)

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