The Most Epic 7 Day Oahu Itinerary

You’re going to want to buckle up for this one. A complete adventure filled, food-filled, and hiking filled 7 Day Oahu itinerary.

Oahu is home to the state capital of Hawaii, Honolulu, and is the 3rd largest island of Hawaii. It’s best known for it’s breathtaking North Shore, surfing, snorkeling, insane waterfalls, the site of Pearl Harbor, and its unbelievable hiking trails.

So let’s get into the itinerary! Make sure you also check out the 1 place you HAVE to visit in Honolulu, Hawaii for more fun Hawaii content!

Here is the Most Epic 7 Day Oahu Itinerary

Day 1

You made it to paradise! You’ll either arrive at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport or the Honolulu International Airport depending on where you flew out from.

The Uber service at the airport confused me personally – of course I got lost and was on the phone with my Uber driver for about 20 minutes trying to find him😅

In this instance, just ask a worker nearby and they’ll point you in the right direction!

There are many Airbnb’s and hotels you can stay at in Honolulu. Budget Friendly Tip: Get a group of 4-6 people and split the cost. A sneaky tip: you can usually get away with renting a room for 3 or 4 and actually fit more. We got a room for 3 and fit 6…. shhh don’t tell!

I recommend looking on Airbnb.com for cheap places to stay. We stayed at an Airbnb that was actually part of a hotel. It was called Luana Waikiki Hotel and Suite where we had access to their gym and pool too!

Anyways, settle in and hit up a nearby ABC store for any items you need (cough cough booze and beach snacks)! There are ABC stores everywhere in Waikiki which is perfect if you ever need anything quick.

What I recommend picking up:

• Sunscreen
• Hiking/Late Night Snacks
• Drinks (water, liquor, energy drinks, etc)
• Coffee
• Any liquid items you couldn’t bring on your flight

Once you’re settled and ready to rock and roll, head to downtown Honolulu in the afternoon. Get accustomed to paradise! Palm trees, warm weather, and getting lei’d (ha!).

You honestly can’t go wrong with any places to eat for lunch. Some of the best spots are Diamond Head Market & Grill, Cafe Kaila, and Helena’s Hawaiian Food. You’ll also find great places for poke and smoothie bowls if that’s what you’re feeling!

Stop at a brewery for dinner and then hit the beach for sunset after.

Maui Brewing was in a perfect location and absolutely hit the spot. First time trying Maui Beer and it did not disappoint!

After, head to Duke Kahanamoku Park for sunset. Grab some brews, blankets, and some snacks and you’re about to have yourself a night in paradise. Take a dip in the water and watch your first beautiful Honolulu sunset!

Day 2

Time for your first beach day!

Make sure to check out Kawela Bay today – a secluded beach on the North Shore of Hawaii. It’s a perfect spot to relax and listen to the waves hit the shore (and see sea turtles😍).

There’s a huge banyan tree right when you arrive, you can’t miss it. It’s so massive and beautiful that it’s been featured in the show LOST and Pirates of the Caribbean!

Make sure to go on a little adventure to the peak of the bay. It’s probably around a 10-15 minute walk to get there depending on where you decide to lay out. Make sure to wear shoes if you decide to go here. I thankfully did, but my friend did not and his feet were not feeling too hot walking on the sharp land.

You’ll run into a small white shelter that I’m guessing was used in WWII. I love seeing historical things like that – it’s crazy to me how years later we can be in the exact same places that were once in complete tragedy.

If you want to be really close to the bay, you can stay at Turtle Bay Resort which was built years back. You can see the resort from the peak!

After you’ve had enough time in the sun and got your share of waves, Head back to Honolulu and make sure to stop at the strip of food trucks in Kahuku. Food trucks were our night and shining armor in Hawaii. Authentic, delicious, and cheap food that was usually accessible wherever we went. You’ll most likely be stopping at many food trucks especially if you travel to the outskirt beaches of Oahu. Some food trucks I highly recommend in Kahuku – Giovanni’s Aloha Shrimp, Marie’s Baja Fish Tacos, and Ty’s Beach Bus!

Day 3

Today, head to East Honolulu for an unbelievable hike – Wiliwilinui Ridge Trail. A 4.7 mile hike that’s moderate-hard difficulty. If it rained the day before or day of, be prepared to get pretty muddy.

The first 1/2 of the hike was either paved or was a relatively easy dirt road to hike on. The other 1/2 was quite muddy and that’s when it got a little more strenuous. I highly recommend wearing hiking boots – tennis shoes may not be the best option with how slippery it can get.

There are ropes that can aid you when you get closer to the top, but again, make sure you have good shoes! Of course, the views are always worth the climb once you get to the top.

This hike should take you about 3-4 hours. I recommend starting in the morning as it’s a heavily trafficked hike, and to avoid the beating sun in the afternoon.

After arriving back in Honolulu, make sure to check out the Sunrise Shack for unbelievable smoothie bowls. I highly recommend you get the monkey bowl. I’m drooling just thinking about it.

Instead of eating out for every meal, we wanted to save money today and cook our own dinner. Check out the Tamashiro Market for freshly caught fish and all your dinner needs. One thing that I’ve never seen before – tons of fresh octopus displayed… check out this picture below!

Day 4

Huge brunch recommendation today – Duke’s Waikiki. Amazing food, delicious drinks, and a stunning location right on the beach. It’s a great place to start your day! If you go here at lunch and especially dinner, it’s extremely busy so expect a long wait. When we went in the morning around 9-10 there was no line and it wasn’t busy at all.

I highly recommend their Bloody Mary or Boozy Chai drink, as well as their avocado toast. To die for. Pro tip: when in doubt, add the bacon.

Today I have another great hike recommendation for you – Lanikai Pillbox Hike. It’s well known for its graffiti and amazing view of the ocean. It’s a little less than 2 miles, heavily trafficked, and moderate/difficult. There’s 2 pillboxes and it’s pretty easy to get to the second one after you have some time at the first.

After hiking check out Kailua beach which is right by the Pillbox hike. This water has multiple shades of blue (that you can see super well from the top of the pillbox hike). It is absolutely stunning and a great location to chill out after a fun hike. You might run into the Kailua Birdman! This was an unreal experience to watch. He is a legit bird whisperer. Hundreds of birds would literally flock to/around him! My friend and I walked over and he put a bird on my head😊

After Kailua Beach, make sure to walk over to Buzz’s Steakhouse for a tasty dinner. Extremely yummy drinks (of course I had to get a Pina Colada!) and yummy food that is right across the road from the beach.

You will most likely be pooped after this day – hiking, spending a few hours in the sun, and a food coma will definitely do that to you!

Day 5

Today head out to Haleiwa and check out the Waimea Botanical Gardens. There are tons of awesome plants to check out and side paths you can adventure off to. It’s so fun learning about all the native Hawaiian plants and some endangered species!

At the end of the Garden is an awesome waterfall you can swim in. There’s workers giving out life jackets and benches to sit on to recoup yourself and group. You can pack a nice lunch and chill out or just take a quick dip and head back! Feel free to check out anything you missed on the way back.

I recommend going early because it can start to get pretty packed by lunch time.

When you get back, you have to check out Tonkatsu Tamafuji for dinner. It’s a super popular Japanese place and is always busy – for good reason! It’s delicious. We decided to not even try to get a table for dinner and just ordered take out to our Airbnb.

You guys. This place was unbelievable. Authentic Japanese food right at your fingertips. You have to go here at least once if you’re in Oahu!

Day 6

Today, try the Beach bar in Honolulu for lunch. It’s a great restaurant right on the beach with delicious drinks. I got the bright blue one – that’s literally how I ordered it… “can I have the blue drink please?”

Next, head to Lanikai Beach – which is very close to Kailua beach. There’s an island you can kayak to or if you’re really up for it, grab a floatie and swim to it (that’s what we did). It’s an unbelievable work out if you decide to swim… I can tell ya that much. Just a fun little adventure you can go on if you’re up for it!

After your beach day make sure to stop at Ono Steaks and Shrimp Shack. We were so hungry and ran into this one on our way back to our Airbnb. It turned out to be absolutely amazing. Generous portions and incredible food.

Day 7

Last day! You need to hike Koko Crater Trail. It’s a strenuous uphill stair climb that takes about 1.5-2 hours roundtrip. If I lived in this area I would 100% do it every week for leg day ha!

If you want you can even sign up for a guided tour – it offers you historical facts and shows you the coolest sights on the way up and down.

Make sure to take a lot of breaks on this hike. It’s a straight shot to the top, but it’s steep so you can get tired pretty easily. If you’re more advanced and want an intense workout, just keep trucking along and maybe try and run it!

Last but not least you need to hit up Leonard’s Bakery. Unbelievable malasadas and pastries. We went here right after our hike and it did not disappoint one bit. I even have a blog post on Leonard’s… that’s when you know it’s good. Read more about it here!

Well, that’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed the Most Epic 7 Day Oahu Itinerary! If you have any questions or want more recommendations feel free to dm me on Instagram @kirthetraveler_ or email me at kirstenhaus@kirthetraveler.com!

See you next time travel fam!