This Oʻahu travel guide loops you around the island from Honolulu and Waikiki to Hawaiʻi Kai, Koko Head, Hālona Blowhole, Makapuʻu, Lanikai, the Koʻolau range, Haleʻiwa, Waimea Bay, and a quiet North Shore beach with turtles. It’s part history lesson, part road trip, and part “how to actually see the good stuff” on a short visit.
Oʻahu Highlights Itinerary
Land at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
Drive into Honolulu and walk Waikiki Beach
Follow H-1 east toward Hawaiʻi Kai
Hike Koko Head Stairs
Stop at Hālona Blowhole Lookout
Continue to Makapuʻu Lookout and Rabbit Island views
Head to Lanikai / Kailua for beach time
Hike the Lanikai Pillbox trail above the bay
Drive through the Koʻolau Mountains back toward town
Take H-2 north past Dole Plantation and pineapple fields
Explore Haleʻiwa town and grab shave ice at Matsumoto
Chill at Waimea Bay (big wave spot in winter)
Finish at a quieter North Shore beach where turtles sometimes nap on the sand
Getting There
Fly into Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL).
It’s about 20–30 minutes by car from the airport to Waikiki, depending on traffic.
From Honolulu you can reach almost everything in this video within 30–60 minutes by car.
Getting Around
Renting a car is the easiest way to do this loop on your own schedule.
Expect traffic on H-1/H-2 during rush hours.
Parking in Waikiki is often paid; North Shore and lookout spots can fill up on weekends and good surf days.
Spots in This Video
Honolulu & East Side
Waikiki Beach
Hawaiʻi Kai
Koko Head Stairs (Koko Crater Railway Trail)
Hālona Blowhole Lookout
Makapuʻu Lookout & Rabbit Island
Windward Side
Lanikai Beach
Lanikai Pillbox hike
Koʻolau Mountains drive
Central & North Shore
H-2 Veterans Memorial Freeway
Dole Plantation (pineapple fields)
Haleʻiwa town
Matsumoto Shave Ice
Waimea Bay (big-wave surf break)
Quiet North Shore turtle beach (Lost filming vibes)
Quick Tips
Start Koko Head early in the day; it’s steep, hot, and has no shade.
Bring water, sunscreen, and good shoes for the hikes.
Winter = big surf on the North Shore; always respect signs and conditions.
Give turtles and wildlife plenty of space on the beach.
Expect everything to take a little longer than the map says – the views keep making you stop.
Chapters
00:00 Intro – travel on a budget & mission
00:17 Maxwell’s Kitchen bumper
00:37 Opening montage
01:11 Oʻahu overview & island basics
01:29 Ancient kings of Oʻahu
02:11 Kamehameha I & Battle of Nuʻuanu
02:18 Pearl Harbor and World War II
02:38 Landing at HNL & stepping into the sun
02:51 Honolulu and Waikiki Beach
03:01 H-1 east toward Hawaiʻi Kai
03:09 Koko Head Stairs hike
03:39 Hālona Blowhole Lookout
03:50 Hidden path down to the water
03:51 Makapuʻu Lookout & Rabbit Island
03:56 Drive toward Lanikai / Waimānalo
04:10 Lanikai Pillbox trail
04:28 Koʻolau range drive back toward Honolulu
04:40 H-2 Veterans Memorial Freeway
04:49 Dole Plantation & pineapple fields
04:56 North Shore and Haleʻiwa town
05:11 Matsumoto Shave Ice
05:19 Waimea Bay & big-wave surf history
05:40 Cliff jumping at Waimea
05:52 Quiet North Shore turtle beach (Lost vibes)
06:11 Why Oʻahu is worth repeat trips
06:32 Outro & closing shots
Credits
Opening song “Hawaiian Melody" performed by King Nawahi.
All production by Cody Maxwell.
Artwork by Cody Maxwell.
Opening graphic assets by BoxOfMotion.
Maps by Google Earth.
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