Visit Hawaii Oahu
Never in a million years would I ever have thought that I would be writing any type of resource about visiting Hawaii. I wasn’t even sure that I would ever go to Hawaii at all, let alone enough times to feel confident in sharing information about it. Life is funny that way.
My first trip to Hawaii was in 2016. My husband was completing his annual training for the Navy at Pearl Harbor, so I was able to fly out to visit and stay on base with him. It was a pretty cool experience all around. It was my first time in Hawaii, my first time on a military base, and my first time being away from Wyatt for more than a night. We splurged on a few nights in a hotel this trip because we assumed this would be our only trip to Hawaii and we wanted to get the full experience. We crammed as much into the few days I was there as possible (keeping in mind that Grant worked from 6-3 each day).
When Grant was assigned to complete his annual training at Pearl Harbor again 2 years later I decided it was the perfect opportunity to sneak in another little “adults only” vacation again! This year we rented a car for me so that I would wander around while Grant was working in the shipyard. We made sure to visit a few of our favorite places from last time, but also experience a few new things too. Another wonderful trip in the books.
Insert the pandemic. From what I understand the government furlowed LOTS of people, which caused a labor shortage in all the shipyards. In order to get caught up LOTS of sailors were mobilized to the different shipyards across the country. Well, wouldn’t you know, Grant was mobilized to Pearl Harbor. He ended up spending 10 months living on base. Talk about a blessing and a curse, right? I mean being sent to a tropical paradise for a year sounds glorious, but it was SO FAR AWAY from us. Honestly, if it had been any other shipyard we would have been able to sneak in a weekend visit here and there. A trip to Hawaii from Indiana takes an entire day of travel. Thankfully the kids and I were able to turn a 2 week visit in November into a 2 month visit, so we are basically locals now (haha!).
Since Grant was mobilized to Pearl for that year, that is the only place he will be doing his annual training from now on. So, you guessed it, we went and visited (as a family this time) a few weeks ago. It was such a great trip!
So that’s what this is, our Hawaiian Vacation Recap 2022. We love Hawaii! There is SO MUCH to do and everywhere you look is absolutely beautiful!
Our Hawaiian Family Vacation
Bellows Beach
Hands down the most beautiful beach ever. Bellows is our favorite beach and one we make sure to visit each and every time we are on the island. It is everything you expect to see when visiting Hawaii – crystal clear water, big waves, white sand, and a stunning view of the mountain.
- Pros: Beautiful! Open every day if you have an active military ID. It’s FREE!!
- Cons: The public portion of the beach is only open on the weekends. It’s a local favorite, so it can be quite busy. The military side is much less crowded!
Manoa Falls
This is where Grant and I accidentally went on a 4 hour hike up the mountains the first time I visited. We went to see the waterfall then decided to follow another trail that we heard someone mention. It took us 2 hours to get to the top, then we had to come back down. A fun memory, but we will not be wandering off the beaten (usually muddy) path.
- Pros: Beautiful scenery. You feel like you are in Jurassic Park. The only cost is a few dollars to park.
- Cons: Quite an incline! Often muddy, so be prepared. The waterfall is tall, but not always a lot of water flowing down.
Honolulu Zoo
One of the most beautiful zoos I have ever been to. The animals have beautiful, large enclosures, which always makes the visit a little more enjoyable.
- Pros: Lots of shade, wonderful playground, bring your own food and snacks, offers a military discount on admission.
- Cons: I can’t really think of a single con. The food/snacks are expensive, but since you can bring your own I can’t really count that as a con.
Waikiki Aquarium
The Aquarium was a new adventure for us this time. Located near the Honolulu Zoo about half a mile down the road along the beach. We were a little disappointed that the seal enclosure was closed for servicing, but we are all for improving any animals quality of life.
- Pros: Beautiful, clean, staff is so nice, reasonably priced, offers a military discount on admission.
- Cons: Not very big, you can walk through the whole thing in less than an hour
Atlantis Submarine Ride
Grant surprised us with tickets for a submarine ride on our last day. It was such a neat experience. We boarded the boat that took us out to the submarine at the Hilton Hotel. Another thing I never thought I would be doing – riding in a submarine.
- Pros: Awesome experience! Underwater for a little over an hour
- Cons: My kid’s ages 4 & 7 didn’t quite understand just how cool of an experience it was, so I’d suggest not wasting money on the kiddos
The North Shore
The North Shore has the most beautiful big waves, exactly what you think of when you think of Hawaii. Not very commercialized (like Waikiki), which is awesome, but that also means their roadways aren’t set up for a lot of people. Along the coast, there is usually a ton of traffic and difficulty finding a place to park. While you are on that side of the island, be sure to drive into Haleiwa to do a little shopping, dining, and a visit to Matsumoto for an authentic Hawaiian Shave Ice. There is a beach near Shark’s Cove that usually has giant sea turtles taking a little break, which is so cool to see!
- Pros: Beautiful beaches. Big waves with lots of surfers. You can regularly find sea turtles resting on the beach
- Cons: SO MUCH TRAFFIC! Sometimes the waves can too rough to even get in the water.
Kaimana Beach
Kaimana Beach was a little hidden treasure. We found it after we visited the Waikiki Aquarium. The beach itself isn’t very big and doesn’t look like much from the road. However, the water was crystal clear and it was perfect for swimming. In fact, this was Wyatt’s favorite place and we ended up going back a second time.
- Pros: Beautiful, clear water. Great for swimming and snorkeling. Could walk down to Waikiki Aquarium for another activity.
- Cons: Parking can be difficult to find, the public restroom is large, but still a public restroom. Next to an eyesore that once was the war memorial.
Hickam Beach
Hickam Beach is the family beach on the Hickam Air Force base.
A lovely beach with a picnic area, vending machines, a public restroom, and a lifeguard on duty most of the time. It was one of our favorites mostly because it was so convenient. Also, unlike the public beaches, any beach on a military base feels exponentially safer. All public beaches have signs up to “Watch For Theft” and that’s simply not a concern here, which is super nice.
- Pros: Gentle waves. Great for families. Safe. Clean.
- Cons: I can’t think of a single con.
Hawaiian Shave Ice
Grant and Reese are obsessed with authentic Hawaiian shave ice. They love them! While Grant was batcheloring it up on the island he took it upon himself to find the best places to get a shave ice. He narrowed it down to 3 places, Matsumoto, Waiola, and Mountain Magic.
Always go for the ice cream and the sweet cream topping. You are welcome!
- Pros: Delicious
- Cons: None
For more Visit Hawaii Oahu inspiration, take a look at this post I created last year – 14 Things To Do On Oahu.
I also share a few tips on Traveling with Kids here and here.
