When I travel, I like to see as much as I possibly can. The island of Oahu is pretty small, so I knew the best way to see it all was going to be by car. That’s why the hubs and I planned the ultimate Oahu road trip for our babymoon!
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The Best Route to take for the Ultimate Oahu Road Trip!
We were really lucky to be able to rent a car and take a road trip around Oahu. Not only was it the best way we could think of to see EVERYTHING, but it was also a bucket list item for me! We ended up renting a Toyota Corolla from Enterprise and it was perfect for us. Plenty of room for all our beach necessities, really comfortable, and it got great gas mileage. We only had to get gas once and it was when we returned the car (5 days after picking it up!).
It’s pretty easy to make all these stops in one day, depending on how much driving you want to do. We decided to split it into two days (I’ll explain why below), but you can definitely make it in one if that’s all you have!
First Stop: Waikiki
I recommend starting your morning in Waikiki. This area gets pretty packed, so it’s nice to walk the beach before it’s completely full. Start the day with a calm walk in the sand, then head to breakfast!
My favorite breakfast/brunch spot in Waikiki is definitely Heavenly Island Lifestyle. We only went here once but OMG I wanted to go back so bad! Eihab had the Salmon & Spinach Eggs Benedict, and I had the Blueberry Compote & Acaí Berry French Toast. Oh my lawwwd it was divine! The service was also amazing. They originally brought Eihab the wrong dish, and within two minutes had realized their mistake and brought us the correct dish. I also had a side of local plain yogurt with berries (I couldn’t stop eating!). All the food is locally sourced and so delicious, I highly recommend checking this spot out!
Second Stop: Leonard’s Bakery
I know you just ate, but trust me, you don’t want to miss Leonard’s! They have the best malasadas (a type of Portuguese donut) and they make a great snack for your next stop!
Third Stop: Diamond Head State Park
Last week I wrote a whole post about this beautiful hike, so be sure to check it out! This is definitely a must see if you’re in to stunning 360° views! Continue on from Leonard’s and within minutes you’ll spot this beautiful mountainous crater. The hike is about 1.6 miles round trip, and be sure to enjoy some Hawaiian Shaved Ice when you get done (Eihab said it was the best he’s every had!);
Fourth Stop: Sandy Beach
After hiking Diamond Head Crater Trail, you’ll probably be ready for some beach time and possibly a snack. Head to Sandy Beach (it’s about a 10 minute drive) for a little break and the best garlic shrimp you’ll ever have in your LIFE. This beach does have a pretty strong undertow, but it’s still nice to take a break and walk through the water to cool off!
Fifth Stop: Lanikai Beach
Oahu has some of the most beautiful beaches, so it only makes sense to hop from one to another! From Sandy Beach, head North to Lanikai Beach. The water is so clear and actually pretty warm! There aren’t public bathrooms or parking and it can get pretty crowded, but it’s a must see! If you get hungry, stop in to Boots & Kimo’s in the small town of Kailua for some famous Hawaiian Pancakes and beef ribs!
Sixth Stop: Laniakea (Turtle) Beach
After you leave Kailua, plan on being in the car for awhile. You’ll want to head north/northwest along the coast until you get to the North Shore. This is a gorgeous drive because you get to see amazing coastline, as well as Jurassic Park-esque jungles. It was pretty surreal to feel like we were literally driving through the movies!
Once you get to the North Shore, you’ll see lots of spots to stop. We stopped at this commune type place with some food trucks and stands for a quick break, then continued on. We decided we wanted to split our roadtrip into two days so we could watch the sunset on the beach. We ended up stopping at Laniakea Beach, also known as Turtle Beach, in the hopes that we’d see the sunset and some turtles! We didn’t spot any turtles, unfortunately, but the view of the sunset was absolutely incredible! The beach itself has a lot of seaweed so not the best for swimming, but if that’s something you want to do, Sunset Beach is really close by and perfect for getting in the water.
Seventh Stop: Dole Plantation
Whether you continue on from the North Shore or come back the next day, the Dole Plantation is a must see. There’s a lot to do for kids and adults, like pineapple tasting, a Pineapple Maze, and viewing of the tiniest and cutest pineapples you’ll ever see! Be sure to get a cup of Dole Whip for a treat!
Eighth Stop: Waikiki
To round out your trip, head back to Waikiki. You’ll notice a lot more people on the beach, but be sure to take some time to walk out to the pier and watch the surfers. We loved doing this to end our ultimate Oahu road trip because it made us feel like we had gone in a circle and seen everything we wanted to!
What stops would you add for your ultimate Oahu road trip? Leave me a comment and let me know!
xo,
B
The water looks so beautiful, and so does that breakfast! Hawaii seems like such an amazing place to be, especially for a babymoon!
It was the perfect place for our babymoon 🙂 So relaxing but tons to do as well! Thanks for stopping by love!
That looks amazing! I’ve only been to Maui but I feel like there is very little to do there. I’ll have to get over to Oahu soon!
Oh I’ve heard Maui is beautiful! Maui would probably be the next island I’d want to visit 🙂
This looks like it was an amazing trip! Hawaii has never really been that high on my list but the more I see photos and other people’s fun trips the more I want to go!
It was great to visit! I’m definitely more of a Europe girl but the hubs loves tropical vacations, so I’m glad we got to visit one of his top destinations!
This trip looks amazing! I’ve never been to Hawaii but it’s on my list!!
It was so nice to get away! Thanks for reading Ciera!
Definitely going to save this post so I can refer back to it. I have been dying to visit Hawaii!
Yay! I hope you get to visit soon, it’s beautiful and the food is sooo good!