7 day Epic Oahu, Honolulu Itinerary, One Week Travel Plan

If you are spending 7 Days in Honolulu, Oahu you are going to want to get the most out of the trip that you can possibly get. We travel to Hawaii once a year usually for a two week span. As a family, we all like to do different things and I like to add  diversity to all of our travel plans.

You may be going to Hawaii for a family trip or maybe for your honeymoon and the thing i have listed below are all of the must do things when you get to Oahu. I will be updating this list once a year as new tours come up and new discoveries are made on Oahu.

7 day oahu itinerary, Hawaii Travel Plans

Read below for our top Oahu, Honolulu 7 day Itinerary, One week Hawaii travel plan

Day 1. Waikiki beach Oahu 7 Day Itinerary

Waikiki beach is the main and busiest beach on Oahu located in Honolulu. There are loads of things to do at this beautiful beach destination including surfing, snorkelling, Stand up paddle boarding, sun bathing and much more.

There are 3 main part to Waikiki beach, the main beach area located in front of the hotel area, the kids coves made especially for children and families, and the Queens beach in from of the popular Kapiolani park. When we are in Waikiki, our family spends the majority of our time on this beach for its easy access to washrooms, restaurants and the close vicinity to the hotels..

For adults there is a party vibe around Waikiki beach and there are often concert and events around the beach area. There is even a cheap booze cruise off the beach that will take you out on a catamaran for a couple of hours and serve you unlimited drink for $30 bucks! We have seen spinner dolphins and large turtle on the booze cruise.

Surf Board pic in Oahu

Waikiki Beach itinerary

Morning: Take surf lessons and relax on the beach, Optional get a massage. Optional get a manicure and pedicure.

Afternoon: Lunch at the famous Dukes beach front restaurant

After lunch: Hop on the yellow booze cruise located in front of the Marriot

Evening: Walk through Kapiolani Park and Hike Diamond head crater

Night: Party the night away at Sky bar or Rum fire at the Sheriton.

You can also add Visit the Honolulu Aquarium in Waikiki or Visit the Honolulu Zoo in Waikiki to your plans as it is all within very close vicinity of each other.

Day 2. Ko Olina Beach Park, Honolulu 7 Day Itinerary

Ko Olina beach park is the best beach for families on Oahu, it is super clean and there are no waves! The clear water here is because of the 4 lagoons that are totally closed off from the open ocean by rock walls.

We discovered Ko Olina after talking to our local friends and discovered that there are a few hotels and restaurants in the area like the Disney resort. There are some hidden gems in the area including a secret lagoon that you can see monk seals and turtles on.

The Lagoons of Ko Olina is the best place to teach kids or for you to learn how to snokel. The water is clear, warm and shallow. There is an abundance of sea life here including Hawaiis famous state fish the Humuhumunukunukuapua (trigger fish).

Ko Olina is also great for couples and people getting married as there are way less sketchy people in the area and the beaches are more private and deserted. When I was there last, there were many people taking wedding photo’s.

If you are into fishing or spear fishing, Ko Olina also offers a great place to catch fish. We met our spear hunting friends here and they had a huge catch, right off the beach.

Kids learning to surf in Hawaii

Ko Olina Itinerary

Morning: Golf at the Ko Olina golf course or Head straight to Ko Olina lagoon 4 for a beach day. Optional fishing off the wall in Ko Olina beach lagoon 4.

Afternoon: Go for a happy hour lunch at Monkey restaurant in Ko Olina or the mexican restaurant across the street. Optional Hawaiian Bbq restaurant in Ko Olina.

After Lunch: Discover the Ko Olina secret Lagoon and snorkel and swim the day away. Paradise cove will be doing some shows right on the beach including net fishing.

Evening: Go For Lu Au at Paradise cove right in Ko Olina. This is one of the best Lu Au’s in Oahu.

Day 3 Hiking Moanalua Valley trail or Day trip to the Big Island

I have done bothe of these activities and they are awesome. Moanalua Valley trail is one of Oahu’s top hiking trails. It is as long as you want it to be and offers varied difficulty levels. This trail is the only legal way to see the Haiku stairs! It is very dangerous to do that part of the hike so read our experience on the hike to the stairway to heaven here. It is dangerous and my friend was emergency air lifted out of the area.

Day trips to the Big island are a pretty cool experience, I did this years ago before the active volcano erupted. It makes for a long day, but you will experience something so unique and epic in scale. The volcano is still active and you will see it smoking and spewing lava.

They will then take you to the black sand beach, it is an instagrammers dream. It was created with crushed volcanic rock naturally by the ocean. It is a real site and I always recommend doings this if you are visiting Hawaii for the first time.

Day trip to big island and Moanalua Valley trail itinerary

Morning: Hike Moanalua Valley trail to Haiku stairs if you want…read this before you do it. Or optional day trip to see the Volcano and the Black sand beach on the big island.

Afternoon: Visit the Kailua beach park and have lunch at one of the beachfront restaurants.

After lunch: Kayaking or kitesurfing lessons in Kailua

Evening: Take a scenic drive along the Kamehameha highway, then dinner at Sam’s Kitchen in Waikiki.

Frog pond at Waimea on Oahu’s north shore

Day 4 North shore adventures

The north shore will present you with the best surfing and kite surfing on Oahu. The waves are massive and people from all over the world travel here just for the high wave times.

During the summer months the north shore has the best diving and snorkelling on the island, it is too rough in the winter. When you get to the north shore you will fell an immediate slow down of pace, it is really refreshing after being in busy Honolulu. The traffic is slow and the people are chill.

In the north shore some of the key things to see are the Dole plantations, Waimea falls and botanical garden, sharks cove, Kuala ranch, turtle cove and the food trucks. The north shore is great for kids and for couples. Every one of these things listed are badass and great for the entire family. The best snorkelling I have ever done on Oahu has been at sharks cove and Hanauma bay. This is due to their healthy shallow reef systems. They are frequented by turtles every day!

Morning: Drive to Waimea falls and hike the botanical Garden to the waterfall. Swim in the cool waterfall and learn about Hawaii fauna and flora.

Afternoon: Eat lunch at the food truck stands 5 minutes from Waimea valley trail.

Afternoon: Cross the street and snorkel in the Sharks cove. It is some of the best snorkelling on Oahu.

Afternoon: When you are done at sharks cove, drive to Turtle cove resort. Or go surfing. The north shore has the best surfing on Oahu. Turtle cove has an amazing little beach that is a bit of a local secret.

Evening: Have dinner and take beautiful pictures oceanfront at the turtle cove resort restaurant.

Evening: Drive down the coast, the long way back to your hotel.

Day 5: Water sports day

If you are visiting Hawaii, you have to try scuba diving. There are several dive shops that do introductory dives and will take you out without a scuba license. You will notice pretty fast that some of the best things to see in Hawaii are under the sea, and you have to take a boat to get to these locations. You will see lots of turtles, sunken warships and planes, and healthy coral reefs that cannot be seen by swimming out.

If that is not your thing, then rent one of the bikes that are on the side of the road. It costs $4 per 30 minute ride and you can leave the bikes on the stands scattered all over the city. It is one of the best ways to see Honolulu. You can also opt to catch the Waikiki trolley and relax.

In the evening there are some epic clubs that you cannot experience anywhere else, including one that is on a rooftop. They play awesome tunes and the view can’t be beat.

Sunset on Oahu are awesome. On our last trip our friend Sam from Sams kitchen took us on top of a mountain in a residential neighbourhood to see the sunset and drink a few beers. It was crazy, the sky was purple and red at the same time. The clouds lit up, and the pictures we got from that day were the best of our entire trip.

Flowers in Oahu, Hawaii

Water sport day Itinerary

Morning: Scuba dive the corsair wreck and turtle bay or optional rent a Bike and explore the Waikiki area to diamond head crater.

Afternoon: Lunch at the docs with fresh fish

Late Afternoon: Parasailing in Waikiki

Evening: Watch the sunset from a rooftop patio or on the mountain in Honolulu. It will give you dramatic views of the ocean and the sunset.

Day 6 Pearl Harbour

Pearl harbour is a piece of history and one of the major things to do on Oahu. Some travellers come specifically to see that. It is a massive facility with war ships and planes. The entire tour should take around 2 hours leaving you with lots of time to do other things.

In the afternoon when it is hot, I like to get in the water. I need to keep my kids and my family cool during the hottest part of the day so we usually surf, snorkel or spear fish. I went out spearfishing with a guy named heavy chevy and I learned that this sport can be done very inexpensively and there are not that many fishing rules on Oahu. It is a thrill and you can buy a spear for $40 at Walmart.

My son loves to fish in Hawaii and so do I, so we like to cut some shrimp up and find a shady spot to fish. Every time I have fished on Oahu, I have brought up no less than 5 fish. It is really fun because the ocean fish put up a pretty good fight, and if you have the right bait it is really easy.

This last trip I even caught a needle nose fish for the first time!

Moorish Idols in Hawaii

Pearl Harbour Itinerary

Morning: Visit pearl harbour

Afternoon: Eat at pearl harbour

Late afternoon: Fishing or spearfishing

Evening: Party or dinner in Waikiki Rum fire at the sheraton

Day 7 Hanauma bay Oahu Itinerary

Hanauma Bay is listed as the top snorkel destination on Oahu. It is located 20 minutes outside of the big city of Honolulu and around a 30 minute drive from Waikiki.

When you arrive, you will be ushered into a large parking lot and taken through a brief tutorial on Hanauma bay ocean safety and rules and regulations of the area.

Once this is done you hike down a hill to the stunning beach area, then you will realize why they make sure you know the rules. It is a huge healthy coral reef in a bay, with tons of fish and turtles. This is the perfect place to learn how to snorkel.

Hanauma bay also has an awesome beach to just relax in and take pictures. It is one of the biggest sites on Oahu. For the experienced swimmer and ocean goer, you can swim out past the shallow reef and free dive where the scuba divers are diving. But be careful, there are rip tides in the area and you can get sucked out to sea. Read our other article about Hanauma bay safety here before you go. I was sucked out to sea and had to use some strategies to get back in safely.

There are lifeguards at Hanauma bay to ensure the snorkelers and swimmers safety.

Hanauma Bay Itinerary

Morning: Cheap Breakfast $7.99 at Cheese Burger Restaurant Ocean front Waikiki Beach

Morning after breakfast and afternoon: Snorkel and beach day at Hanauma bay. It is a marine reserve and there is a beautiful reef there with loads of fish and turtles.

Evening: Have dinner at the Kahala hotel Plumeria restaurant beach front. Optional swim with the dolphins right at the hotel. They have the perfect location for an amazing Oahu sunset and you will get epic lasting pictures at this resort. The dinner is buffet style with unlimited crab and sushi!

Some of the other popular things to do on Oahu when you are visiting for 7 days

Kuala Ranch

This is the place where a ton of the instagram posts are. It is really lush jungle and you can quad or horseback ride here. This is where Jurassic park and lost were filmed. There are tours, but you can do it yourself if you are driving in Oahu for way less.

Kailua kite surfing

Kailua is awesome, it is a bit windy here and it is great for surfing and kite surfing. There is a small island and cannel that you can kayak around in and several restaurants beach front. Kailua will take you off the beaten path.

Kahala sunset and swim with the dolphins

At the Kahala resort you will find one of the best beaches on Oahu. There are some awesome restaurants in the resort that you can go to. The snorkelling is fun here and my son and I fish off the small island and caught a bunch of fish. You can also swim with the dolphins here.It costs $230 per person USD.

Shark fishing

I have been on a shark fishing tour where they take you out on a boat and have you hunt for sharks. It is exhilarating when you catch one. And a little freaky because where we caught the shark was very close to Waikiki beach!

Kahala Beach Family pics

Scenic Drives

Driving around the island is fun and beautiful. It is the best way to see Oahu.

Spear fishing

I recently took up this activity, it is great exercise and there is a reward. You can read about spearfishing in Hawaii here.

Kamana beach Park

Pack a cooler and head to Kamana beach for that isolated feeling you can only get  on an island. The park is beautifully set in a mountainous rainforest landscape.

Nimitz beach

This is the beach we spearfished at and was in the middle of nowhere. If you want to see a monk seal relaxing on the beach then this is your spot!

Look at multi million dollar mansions

There are massive beautiful mansion oceanfront on Oahu, I get motivated just looking at them!

Nude beaches

If that is your thing, we discovered some nude beaches while we were on Oahu by accident. We are explorers and like to drive around and check out all of the beaches. We accidentally stumbled on a few of these.

Party the night away

There are some good clubs in Honolulu and Waikiki. Just make sure you are going to one of the higher end ones with security as there are a lot of drugs in Honolulu and people can be pretty trashed.

Oahu sunsets

Top places on Oahu to eat when you have a 7 days on Oahu, Honolulu

Tikis for great food and live music

A little pricey but they have local reggae bands singing and the food is great. They are also ocean front in Waikiki.

Sam’s kitchen

Secret hidden gem, with the best shrimp and poke bowels in Waikiki. It also is the best prices on Shrimp, steak and poke in Waikiki.

Ko Tiki bar

Another secret hidden restaurant in Waikiki. It is a tiki style restaurant in a jungle setting. They serve some of the best Hawaiian food on Oahu and the owner is super nice.

Siem Reap Thai

My favourite Thai restaurant in Waikiki

Cheeseburger in Paradise

This restaurant was the best and cheapest breakfast we found in Waikiki. It is only 7 bucks and the restaurant is open air ocean front!

Rum Fire

Rum fire is one of our favourite spots. It is located right on the ocean and has views of and awesome pool and one of the best sunsets in Waikiki. They allow children until 9pm and the food and service is excellent.

Marriot Waikiki rooftop

We stayed our last trip at the Marriott Waikiki, they have a really awesome restaurant looking down at Waikiki beach. Try the Marriott burger it is so good and reasonably priced. You should use their pool when you are there, they do not check if you are staying there.

Plumeria restaurant at Kahala resort

This place had the best buffet in Oahu and one of the best sunsets we saw in Oahu.

Doraku Sushi

I hit this place up for dinner one night when we were walking around the Royal Hawaiian mall in Waikiki. The sushi was excellent and so were the hot dishes.

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The Rampersauds at Ko Olina Beach in Oahu, Hawaii