Last year we traveled to the island of Oahu, Hawaii for our babymoon and we had the best experience.  The island is so incredibly beautiful and the colours of the island are stunning.  We loved the bright blue ocean, deep green mountains and vibrant tropical florals.  We also saw several of the most beautiful rainbows we had ever seen in our life.  So, it’s safe to say Oahu is a travel destination I would highly recommend.

With winter travel season rolling around once again, I thought I would share our itinerary for the perfect 7 day Hawaiian vacation on the island of Oahu.  These are the exact activities and destinations we experienced and loved on our trip. Since I was pregnant at the time of our trip, everything on my itinerary is also pregnancy friendly.  The only things I would likely add to the itinerary for the more adventurous (and not pregnant traveler) would be a surfing lesson and tougher hikes.

I hope this itinerary is helpful to you for planning your ultimate Oahu, Hawaii vacation!

7 Day Oahu, Hawaii Itinerary:

Day 1: Explore Waikiki

Grab a coffee at Olive & Oliver then walk to the beach.  Stroll along the shore and watch the sun rise over the ocean.  For brunch head to Hideout Waikiki for a Polynesian breakfast sandwich complete with fresh pineapples and avocado.  Spend the afternoon shopping and exploring the Luxury Row boutiques along Kalakaua avenue.  Then for dinner check out a local favourite, Marukame Udon.  People queue up down the street at all times of the day for these delicious (and cheap!) Japanese noodle bowls.

Olive & Oliver: 412 Lewers Street, Honolulu
Hideout Waikiki: 2299 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu
Luxury row shopping: 2100 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu
Marukame Udon: 2310 Kuhio Avenue, Suite 124, Honolulu

Day 2: North Shore sun & surf

Take a drive up to the North Shore to experience the big waves that made Hawaii famous for surfing.  On your way, stop in at Wow Wow lemonade for something sweet to sip on while you drive.  Make sure to drop by the Dole Plantation to spend an hour getting lost in their pineapple maze, then drive past the cute surf town of Hale’iwa up to the Banzai Pipeline.  Grab a towel to sit on and watch surfers take on the huge, magnificent waves.  For a snack, head back into town for an açai bowl at Hale’iwa Bowls.  Then put on your swimsuit and join a stand up paddle board tour to see the sea turtles in their natural habitat.  For dinner head to Giovani’s shrimp truck for a giant plate of garlic-y shrimp scampi.

Wow Wow Lemonade: 43 S. Kamehameha Highway, Wahiawa
Dole Plantation: 64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy, Wahiawa
Hale’iwa Bowls: 66 – 030 Kamehameha Hwy, Hale’iwa
Sea & Board Sports Hawaii – SUP tour: 62-540 Kamehameha Hwy, Hale’iwa
Giovani’s Shrimp truck: 66-472 Kamehameha Hwy, Hale’iwa

Day 3: Hiking & Pearl Harbour

Get up before the sun and head to Lanikai beach for a morning hike. I recommend the pillbox hike for a quick morning workout with fantastic views.  A decadent brunch is the perfect follow up so stop by Boots & Kimo’s for a stack of rich macadamia nut pancakes.  While the decor isn’t exactly instagram worthy, their famously creamy macadamia nut sauce more than makes up for it.  As an afternoon activity head to Pearl Harbour and take the free tour to visit the USS Arizona. (Quick side note: there are tons of companies who will charge you upwards of $100 for a Pearl Harbour & USS Arizona tour but this experience is free for everyone.  All you have to do is pre-book your tickets on the US National Park Service website)

Pillbox hike: 265 Kaelepulu Dr, Kailua
Boots & Kimo’s: 151 Hekili St, Kailua
Pearl Harbour: 1 Arizona Memorial Pl, Honolulu

Day 4: Downtown Honolulu

Head downtown to grab a latte and a slice of avocado toast at Arvo Cafe.  Afterwards walk around and the area and snap photos of the bright and colourful murals along Kakaako street.  For dinner head to Buho Cantina for a Mexican feast on the rooftop patio.

Arvo Cafe: 675 Auahi Street, Honolulu
Kakaako street murals: 442 Cooke Street, Honolulu
Buho Cantina: 2250 Kalakaua Ave, Suite 525, Honolulu

Day 5: Polynesen Cultural Centre & Luau

Start your morning off with a sweet Hawaiian crepe from Crepes No Ka Oi.  Along the way, stop at the giant tree swing to enjoy the ocean view and snap a few photos.  A luau is a must-do Hawaiian experience and I recommend the Luau at the Polynesian Cultural centre. We purchased the Ali’i Luau package and thought it was the best way to discover more about Polynesian cultures while experiencing our first luau.

Crepes no kaoi: 143 Hekili St. Suite 130, Kailua
Tree Swing: 53-936 Kamehameha Highway, Hauula
Polynesean cultural centre: 55-370 Kamehameha Hwy, Laie

Day 6: Snorkling

Get up bright and early to head to Hanauma bay for snorkling.  The small parking lot fills up quickly so make sure you arrive by 7am to ensure you make it into the park before it fills up.  Pack a picnic lunch and rent a set of snorkelling gear to spend the day enjoying the coral and fish that call the bay their home.  After you’ve had your fill of beach time, head to the Halona blowhole to view this natural wonder. While there, make sure to look to your right to find a hidden staircase down to Cockroach Cove.  The dark rocky bay makes for a stunning view of the ocean.  For dinner, head back to Honolulu to check out Duke’s Waikiki.

Hanauma Bay: Hawaii Kai, Honolulu
Halona Blowhole & Cockroach Cove: 8483 Highway 72, Honolulu
Duke’s Waikiki: 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Suite 116, Honolulu

Day 7: Relax & Shop

Spend your final day relaxing in the Waikiki area. For brunch, visit Heavenly for a kalua pig eggs benedict or honey french toast. Afterwards, go for a swim in the ocean on Waikiki beach then sit on the shore eating Banan nice cream – a vegan ice cream made out of bananas. After freshening up, visit Ala Moana Center for some shopping then head to Scratch for a delicious dinner (I highly recommend the BC Burger if it’s still on the menu!)

Heavenly: 343 Seaside Ave, Honolulu
Banán: 2301 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu
Ala Moana Centre: 1450 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu
Scratch: 1170 Auahi Street, Honolulu