Oahu, Hawaii 2025 Vacation

Our 2nd visit to Hawaii, 1st visit to the island of Oahu. We stayed ~1 week. 

Notable Activities:

• Hiked Diamond Head
• Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona Memorial, USS Bowfin submarine, Pacific Aviation Museum, USS Missouri)
• Snorkling at Hanauma Bay
• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History
• Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens, and drove past Byodo-In Temple & Laniakea Beach
• Cat Cafes (Hawai'i Cat Cafe, Cat Cafe Moff) 

Notable Food & Drink:

• Rainbow Drive-In
• Leonard's Bakery
• Ice Monster
• Gecko Girlz Shave Ice
• Dole Whip
• Lulu's Waikiki
• Ali'i Coffee Company
• Tipsy Tiki
• Secret Spot
• Honolulu Coffee

Mai Tai - Tried from these vendors (ordered by my preference):

1. Tipsy Tiki
2. Lulu's Waikiki 
3. Redfish Waikiki
4. Appetito Craft Pizza 
5. Kamukura Surf + Dine

We tried at least 2-3 times to visit Kona Coffee Purveyors in Waikiki, but each time the lines wrapped out the door and quite a distance, so skipped. Belatedly we learned, "Please don’t support this business. The owner is an atrocious human being who mistreats his workers. He’s also extremely racist and sexist." 😬 So, it all worked out.

Considered hiking to Koko Crater, but went to Bishop Museum instead. 

Weather was tropical (good & bad). 

Sea turtles - no sightings this trip 😝 Snorkeling & Laniakea Beach were a bust 🐢 However, snorkeling was an excellent idea, as we now have confidence to try again. Heard parrot fish chomping ☺️

Byodo-In Temple parking was overwhelmed on Labor Day, and just able to back out of the dead-end lot by the entrance. Wish they had attendants turning vehicles away a bit farther up the road, where easier to turn around. 

In-flight entertainment:

• United Airlines (seats with screens & in-flight entertainment options): 
• 🌟 On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024) - directed by Rungano Nyoni
• 🌟 The Room Next Door (2024) - directed by Pedro Almodóvar
• Friendship (2024) - directed by Andrew DeYoung (watched first 40 minutes before plane landed)
• Hawaiian Airlines (no seats with screens--but had free Starlink wi-fi so streaming available via our personal devices)
• 🌟 Sherlock (TV series) - 2010

Nice memories:

• Laughing while having Dole whip at Kai Fresh
• Sighting a Monk seal sunning on beach ☺️
• Birds walking around our feet while seated on a bench at Diamond Head visitor center
• Ocean breezes & views
• Hiking
• Cat cafes
• Leonard's malasadas
• Back-scratcher given with Tropical Itch drink at Tipsy Tiki
• Li hing mui (shave ice, gummies, etc.)
• Interior spaces of Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum 👀 Especially Hawaiian Hall and Pacific Hall 🌟
• Standing on USS Missouri, in the spot where the signing of the Japanese surrender took place in 1945
• Sampling Mai Tai drinks
• Watching videos sent by our cat sitter
• Kiawe trees - yellow seed pods look like French fries 

DETAILED ITINERARY

26 August (Tuesday)

Travel day

• 4:45 a.m. - Wake up
• 6:15 a.m. - Rideshare to airport
• 9:20 a.m. - Flight departs to Honolulu
• 11:00 a.m. - Arrive Honolulu (Aleutian Standard Time, GMT -10)
• Noon - Pickup car rental
• 1:00 p.m. - Check-in to hotel (Wayfinder Waikiki) 
• 2:00 p.m. - Kamukura Surf + Dine (Gyoza (8 Piece, Deep Fried), split Kamukura (Pork) Fried Rice, HH Ume Cucumber, drinks)
• 2:15 p.m. - Ice Monster (Mango shave ice) 
• 3:00 p.m. - ABC Stores: water shoes, beach towels, buns for breakfast, Li Hing snacks, other sundries
• 6:30 p.m. - Dinner at Redfish Waikiki (split poke bowl, Furikake fries, drinks) 

27 August (Wednesday)

Diamond Head hike 

• 7:30 a.m. - Coffees at B-side Coffee (hotel coffee shop - B-Side Brew, Coffee Slush)
• 8:00 a.m. - Lulu's Waikiki (breakfast: Lulu's stuffed toast, side house potatoes, drinks)
• 9:00 a.m. - ABC Stores (water for hike)
• Morning - Hike from Waikiki to Diamond Head summit and back 
• 12:45 p.m. - Gecko Girlz Shave Ice (Lilikoi Sour shave ice, scoop of macadamia nut crunch)
• 4:15 p.m - ABC Stores (sundries)
• 4:45 p.m. - Crazy Shirts (shirt) 
• 5:00 p.m. - Mitsuwa Marketplace (buns for breakfast)
• 5:15 p.m. - Cat Cafe Moff (shirt) 
• 5:15 p.m. - Honolulu Cookie Company (pumpkin mini bites)
• 5:45 p.m. - Rainbow Drive-In (loco moko, mix plate, Caramel Brownie)

28 August (Thursday)

Pearl Harbor 

• All day - Pearl Harbor 
• 6:15 p.m. - Rainbow Tiki shop at Rainbow Drive-In (shirts, pin)
• 6:15 p.m. - Rainbow Drive-In (slush float, tator tots)
• 6:45 p.m. - Hawai'i Cat Cafe (shirt) 
• 6:50 p.m. - Waikiki Banyan (pay for 1 night parking garage)
• 7:15 p.m. - Spam musubi (snack) & maple + strawberry buns for breakfast

29 August (Friday)

Snorkling at Hanauma Bay 

• 8:00 a.m. - Breakfast at Redfish Waikiki (hotel restaurant - 3-egg omelette, banana French toast, latte, cold brew coffee) 
• Morning & early afternoon: Hanauma Bay Guided Snorkel Tour 
• 2:15 p.m. Leonard's Bakery (7190 Kalanianaole Hwy) - 6 malasadas (1 each flavor: original, cinnamon, Li hing, custard, dobash, Haupia)
• 5:30 p.m. - Kuhlo Ave Food Hall (2 falafel gyro wrap) 
• 5:30 p.m. - Tipsy Tiki - drinks
• 6:45 p.m. - Kai Fresh (dole whip - half&half with strawberry) 
• 7:15 p.m. - ABC Stores (Buns for breakfast, sundries)

30 August (Saturday)

Polynesian Cultural Center 

• 8:45 a.m. - Coffees at B-side Coffee (hotel coffee shop - classic tune, drip coffee)
• 11:00 a.m. - L&L Hawaiian BBQ at Laie (garlic shrimp, spam musubi) 
• Noon - evening: Polynesian Cultural Center
• Huki - A canoe celebration
• Samoa - Tree of Life
• Aotearoa - Toi Whakaari Maori
• Tahiti - Introduction to French Polynesia
• Canoe Ride 
• Tonga - Cultural Core Values and the Nafa
• Rapa Nui exhibit 
• Ali'i Lu'au
• Skipped: Pacific Theatre evening show 
• Overnight parking at Lilia hotel garage 
• 8:30 p.m. - Redeem drink tokens at hotel Lost + Found poolside bar 

31 August (Sunday)

Bishop Museum 

• 10:30 a.m. - Ali'i Coffee Company at 35 S. Beretania (local sandwich & breakfast sandwich, drinks - King & Prince)
• All day - Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History 
• 5:00 p.m. - The Makeke, Honolulu (card, snacks) 
• 6:30 p.m. - Appetito Craft Pizza (portobello fries, margherita pizza)
• 7:15 p.m. - ABC Stores (buns for breakfast, snacks) 

01 September (Monday)

Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens, north shore drive

• 9:00 a.m. - Secret Spot (breakfast - Avocado Toast, veggie Bagel Benedict, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte iced)
• Morning - Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens
• Drove to (but no parking) - Byodo-In Temple
• Drove to (but no parking or sea turtles) - Laniakea Beach
• 3:15 p.m. - Longs Drugs (sundries) 
• Dinner - Seven Brothers Burgers

02 September (Tuesday)

Travel day 

• 7:15 a.m. - Honolulu Coffee at Moana Surfrider (quiche lorraine, local latte, pumpkin latte)
• 9:15 a.m. - DFS at Inouye International Airport (souvenirs, candies)
• 11:05 a.m. - Flight departs Honolulu (Aleutian Standard Time, GMT -10)
• 7:20 p.m. - Flight arrives San Jose (PDT, GMT -7)
• 8:00 p.m. - Arrive home (via rideshare)