How To Spend One Week in O'ahu Hawaii (Itinerary Template)

One week in O’ahu is the perfect amount of time on this Hawaiian Island. You’re able to relax on one of the many beaches, go on outdoor adventures, and delve deeper into Hawaiian history and Polynesian culture.

But with an entire Island at your finger tips, where should you start!? Here’s my suggested 7 day itinerary for O’ahu, with tips on where to stay for the week and whether or not you need to rent a car.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

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Logistics For Spending One Week in O’ahu

Planning a trip to O’ahu is more than just about planning your itinerary, you’ll also need a place to stay for the week, and possibly a car rental too…

P.S. Use my travel planner to stay organized when researching and planning a trip to Hawaii.

Choose A Base On The Island (My Choice Waikiki Beach)

I recommend staying in one centrally located place throughout your stay on O’ahu instead of changing hotels every few days. Changing hotels is exhausting, and the Island is small enough that you can drive and explore another region on the island in just one day (it’s about an hour to drive from coast to coast).

I chose to stay in Waikiki Beach for the duration of my stay, and I was very happy with this decision. I had never been to Hawaii before so I was okay staying in the main tourist epicentre of the state. This gave me the most hotel options to choose from, and during my stay, I appreciated the plethora of restaurants and how lively it was (especially at night). P.S. See all the top things to do in Waikiki Beach...

a wide rainbow takes over the sky from behind the buildings all the way to the horizon where the ocean meets the sky. You can also almost make out a second, larger, rainbow above the other one. It's even more faint though. The beach is empty, as it's still early in the morning. The water is calm. Employees are started to set up beach chairs. Palm trees are all along the beach opposite the water before you start to see the buildings and hotels of Waikiki beach in the distance.

Hotel Recommendations For Waikiki

I stayed at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. It’s “on” the beach (across the street), which made it very convenient to watch sunrise and sunset. You do have to pay an additional resort fee, not included in your nightly rate, and it’s also not optional… but this is the case for any hotel in Waikiki Beach. Included in this resort fee are the use of beach chairs (or boogie boards), and different cultural activities at the hotel.

If you book a stay at the Marriott Waikiki Beach, I also highly recommend upgrading your room. You want either a beach view (with sunset), or diamond head view (with sunrise). I booked a Diamond head view and it was spectacular. I woke up everyone morning and enjoyed my coffee with a private sunrise view of Diamond Head. Honestly this balcony and view was a highlight of my trip!

For a more centrally located hotel, I also looked at staying at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort. It’s a bit more expensive, but it also has an infinity pool! Or if you’re looking for a more more budget friendly option, I also almost booked the Hyatt Place across the street from the Marriott (and you can also upgrade your room for a Diamond Head view).

A morning cup of a coffee overlooking the sunrise view of Diamond head slightly blurred in the distance. — *It doesn’t get better than a cup of coffee and a view to watch sunrise!*

Alternative Hotels Around O’ahu

If you’re looking for more laid back vibes, the North Shore Hale’iwa might be more suited for your trip. It’s a smaller beach town, but one of the bigger towns on the Island. The problem is that there aren’t too many hotel options given the size of the town… but you could try glamping in one of these tents though!

Or if your budget allows it, stay at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. This is THE luxury hotel to stay at and you can’t really get closer to the beach than this! You’ll also be close to all the North Shore attractions, like Sharks Cove and the Waimea Valley.

Another popular location is to stay on the Windward coast in Kailua Town, although unfortunately there aren’t any brand name hotels here either. You’ll be looking more at home stays, like this one. But if you’re top priority is to stay near Lanikai Beach, this is where you’ll want to be!

Or see more hotels around O’ahu on Booking.

a couple is at the foreground of the photo walking towards the camera about to spend one week in O'ahu. They're holding hands, both wearing matching purple leis, and outfits... the woman wears a white skirt with a white tank top and a blue open blouse on top. The man wears a white button down shirt and blue shorts. The beach is busy, there's an outrigger next to them and one sole palm tree. But there are more palm trees lining the end of the beach, before the tall hotel buildings take over the skyline. The water in the ocean is a beautiful clear blue, matching the sky above.

Do You Need To Rent A Car For One Week In O’ahu?

Whether or not you need to rent a car in O’ahu will ultimately depend on the type of trip you want. Originally when I was planning my trip to Hawaii, I did NOT book a car. But in a complete panic three days before I left, I quickly booked a car with Enterprise…. for my entire stay. And I used it EVERY SINGLE DAY…

If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know I only trust Enterprise for my car rentals. Enterprise tends to be more expensive compared to other companies, but it’s always worth it in the long run. I’ve never had any issues when returning a car to Enterprise, which I can’t say the same for any other car rental company.

So my original plan was to save money by booking a car for the few days throughout the week when I wanted to visit another part of the island. This would save on the rental car fees and overnight parking (which can really add up fast!).

But you end up with a better rate when you book for an entire week rather than just select days. And I wasn’t planning on staying in Waikiki Beach every day – all day. So I would have had to pay for at least two Ubers a day to get to at least one activity outside the area. But the bigger concern was that car rental companies nearby didn’t open early enough in the morning to have full day trips (especially if I wanted to leave before sunrise). So having the car for the week made traveling around O’ahu A LOT easier and less stressful.

My 7 day Oahu itinerary definitely lends itself better to having a car than not but you could still do it without one.

the perfect sunset in O'ahu. A white toyota corolla is parked on the edge of the sand. it looks like the water is right underneath it, that's how close it is to the edge. There's a hanging palm tree on the left of it. But otherwise it's an empty sand dune. The water leads off into the sunset sky of pastel pink, yellow and blues with some clouds over the horizon and some mountains.

P.S. Where to Park in Waikiki Beach

If you stay in Waikiki Beach, Waikiki Banyan Parking offered weekly parking rates (it’s across the street from the Waikiki Marriott Resort and Spa on Kūhiō Ave. You’ll end up saving a lot of time and money by parking here every night.

But if you want to risk it, you can also try to find free parking every night along Monsarrat Avenue. You have to be VERY aware of the signs as they can be a tad ambiguous. The sign reads: No Parking – ANY TIME – ENDS. But more often than not, the ENDS part of the sign was rubbed out or covered by graffiti. So it looks like it says there’s no parking ANY TIME… and that is another sign on the street when you can’t park in a spot. I did end up finding parking here for two nights for free and didn’t get a ticket (or towed) either night.

Alternatives To Renting A Car On O’ahu

If you don’t want to rent a car and drive on O’ahu, Viator offers a lot of tour options leaving from Waikiki Beach going to popular destinations around the Island. You might have some overlap with the tours, but here are some that I suggest for one week in O’ahu without a car:

Pearl Harbour & Honolulu City Tour
Central & North Shore: Dole Plantation & Hale’iwa Town shuttle
Windward Coast & North Shore: Byodo In Temple & Waimea Botanical Garden and Waterfall Day Tour
Windward Coast: Lanikai Beach Kayak Adventure (with pick up from Waikiki)

a vertical photo showing the sidewalk with cards parks all along side it. There's a pole on the right, at the top is a sign that is red and white. It reads: No Parking ANY TIME. There's another section below that looks like it was painted over and has blue graffiti on top, but you can slightly see the ENDS underneath it.

7 Day Itinerary Oahu

My one week Oahu itinerary brings you across the entire island. In just 7 days, explore the best of Waikiki Beach, the North Shore, the Windward Coast and even the Leeward Coast. To make the most of your one week in O’ahu, download my Hawaii travel planner with checklists for each region (and more!).

Day 1: Waikiki Beach & Diamond Head

I always love pairing an intense activity in the morning with relaxation in the afternoon. Start your day with a hike up Diamond Head Crater, which is harder than it seems. Then spend the afternoon exploring and relaxing in Waikiki Beach.

Diamond Head is THE top thing to do on O’ahu (if not all of Hawaii!). Even though it’s popular, it’s not as easy as it looks to hike up, it’s steep and there are a lot of stairs. Make sure to wear proper hiking shoes and clothes, bring a lot of water, and put on sunscreen! But once you make it to the top, just admire the jaw dropping view of Honolulu and the Kualoa mountain range!

In the afternoon, relax on the beach and explore Waikiki. Kailua Avenue is a good place to pick up Aloha wear for your trip (if you wanted) or any other Hawaii souvenir. Shop in their indoor / outdoor malls, admire the grand hotels, and walk out on the Waikiki Wall for a view.

For more things to do in Waikiki Beach, read my post.

P.S. If you don’t have a car and are up for a challenge, you can actually extend your hike and walk from Waikiki Beach to Diamond Head. The walk is about 45 minutes, but you get some pretty nice views, and you can stop at Cafe Morey’s for their Lilikoi (passion fruit) pancake on the way! But you can also just opt to Uber!

hiking path around the mountain to diamond head. It looks like golden hour with a golden yellow hue to the image, as the sun rises, hitting the mountain side in the distance. The path on the right mountain isn't paved there is a railing, but it's narrow.

Day 2: Delve Into Hawaiian History (If Possible On A Friday!)

Part of the reason to visit O’ahu is to learn more about the history of Hawaii, and there’s no shortage of that in downtown Honolulu! I did a free walking tour in the morning to all the main sights (like the Kawaiahaʻo Church, Aliʻiolani Hale…etc.), and got a bit more background information. You can also just walk to them yourself, following my top things to do in downtown Honolulu guide.

Once you’re here, you’ll also want to book an audio guide to tour the inside of Iolani Palace. You’ll get to see how the royal Hawaiian family lived, and learn more about their history. If possible, visit the palace on a Friday so you can tour the palace AND enjoy the free concert by the Royal Hawaiian Band. It takes place most Friday’s at 12:00 P.M., but check their schedule before you visit.

To continue with the history theme of the day, you have a few other options based on your interests for the afternoon…

Visit the Bishops Museum to see and learn more about different Polynesian artefacts. P.S. The Bishops Museum is on the pricey side, so if you’re only interested in seeing Polynesian art, head to the Capitol Modern museum in downtown Honolulu instead (it’s also free!).

For world history, visit Pearl Harbour to see the U.S.S Arizona Memorial, and learn more about the surprise attack. If you aren’t all that into American history, I recommend visiting the museum about the attacked and not going to the actual memorial. You don’t see much at the memorial, it’s time consuming, and you have to book timed tickets which can be tricky. Although both are free attractions, you do have to pay for parking.

Another option is to go to Queen Emma’s Summer Palace if you want to learn more about the Royal Hawaiian Family. Be sure to check the opening hours as they aren’t open that many days during the week.

Organized Tour Options

The Deluxe Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial and Honolulu City Tour from Viator picks you up in Waikiki to bring you to Pearl Harbour for 3 hours and then to downtown Honolulu passing by all the top attractions.

an old style building from the 1800s, but its confused on the style, it looks baroque but isn't beautiful. It's very grey and cement like. It has a tower in the center, with covered balconies on either side. The sky above it is bright blue with a few scattered white clouds. This is Iolani Palace in the middle of downtown honolulu

Day 3 and 4: Central Oahu & The North Shore (Hale’iwa Town)

Central O’ahu is a great pit stop on your way from Waikiki Beach to the North Shore. There isn’t too much to do in Central O’ahu so it’s easy to combine with visiting the North Shore. If you didn’t visit Pearl Harbour after Honolulu, you could visit on your way to the North Shore… Then on the drive, if you’re in to coffee, stop at Green World Coffee Farm for some tasters and a free tour of their orchard (it’s very short!).

Otherwise you can go straight to the main attraction in Central O’ahu, the Dole Plantation. You could spend as long or as little as you want here. If you’re travelling with kids, they have a lot of activities geared towards families (like a giant corn maze). But if you’re just interested in the basics, I recommend a ride on the Pineapple Express. It’s an audio tour guide on a train through the fruit fields of the Dole Plantation. Although I will admit, the crops looked like they’ve had better days when I visited (it was also October)… But you still learn about Dole himself, the Hawaiian islands, and pineapple on the tour.

And of course, while you’re here, you have to get some Dole Whip (see my other top Hawaiian foods to try and where on O’ahu!). I also recommend hanging around to see the pineapple cutting demonstration. It’s free to watch and very worthwhile! When I visited, in October, it was only once every hour (it might be more often during high season), but be sure to plan around that so you aren’t stuck waiting for it when you’re ready to leave.

For lunch in the area, I recommend Shige’s Saimin Stand in Wahiawa. Saimin is a local Hawaiian dish, similar to ramen in Japan. But I actually recommend getting saimin noodles in a curry (this might have been the best curry I’ve ever had!). Or you can also opt to head to Hale’iwa Town on the North Shore to eat at one of the many restaurants in town (I recommend Kua Aina Sandwich Shop).

One of the best things to do on the North Shore is to drive from one end to the other, stopping along the way at each viewpoint and different activities, and there’s no shortage of things to do. Plan to spend some time on the beaches watching the extreme waves on Sunset Beach, hiking the Ka’ena Point trail (you don’t have to hike the entire trail, just a bit of it!), and enjoying local food at the Kahuku Sugar Mill.

You’ll want to book two longer activities on the North Shore: a chocolate tour at Kamananui Orchards and a luau. I booked the the Toa Luau in the Waimea Valley because it also gave me access to the Waimea Valley falls, which are a top thing to do on the Island. But you can also book something at the Polynesian Cultural Centre which is very popular too, and spend a few hours there.

With so much to do, see my top 10 things to do on the North Shore in my separate post.

Organized Tours From Waikiki To The North Shore

There are a few tours that include both the North Shore and the Dole Plantation on their itinerary.

For a simple tour to the Dole Plantation and Hale’iwa Town, book this tour that is mostly for transportation from Waikiki beach and gives you free time.

Otherwise, this tour combines the best of the Island, with stops along the North Shore like the Waimea Valley and Falls.

the view at pounders beach. The water is blue, then white when it hits the yellow sand. In the distance, you can see a few specks, these are people on the beach or i the water. The best part about the view are the mountains that line the waterfront and go all the way out. The clouds create an ominous aura to the photo, they are white, but thick coming off the mountains. But there are completely blue skies above the water.

Day 5 and 6: The Windward Coast

Like the North Shore, you can easily spend one to two days exploring the Windward Coast, depending on what you’re interested in. There are a few half day activities on the Windward Coast, like snorkeling at Hanauma Bay and riding a UTV at Kualoa Ranch (both of which you should book advanced reservations!). So I suggest splitting up the Windward Coast into two days.

Your first day on the Windward Coast can be Hanauma Bay in the morning and then continuing along the coast in the afternoon. Stop at the viewpoints, like the Halona Blowhole Lookout and the Makapu’u Lookout on the way. You can also opt to hike the Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline to the Makapu’u Vista Point.

Your second day on the Windward Coast can focus on the other half of the coast and getting to Kualoa Ranch for an afternoon activity. Spend the morning visiting scenic spots on the drive from Waikiki Beach like Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, Kailua Town, driving through Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Garden, the Byodo-in Temple, and grabbing a traditional Hawaiian lunch at Waiahole Poi Factory. In the afternoon, I opted for the UTV Raptor tour (and would recommend it!) at Kualoa Ranch, but they have tons of activities to choose from.

On the Windward Coast, you can also spend some time on Lanikai Beach or hike to the Lanikai Pillbox. Just be aware that there’s no parking here, and towing tourists rental cars is a known issue (yes, it happened to me…).For my full list of top things to do on the Windward Coast, read my post.

P.S. If you can manage to get up early enough, the Windward Coast is where you should come to watch the sunrise on O’ahu. The best spot is Lanikai Beach, it’s about a 30 minute drive from Waikiki Beach. I wasn’t ever able to make it here in time, but it wasn’t without trying! You want to try to be at your sunrise destination 30 minute before the actual sunrise. That’s the best time, when the clouds are stunning, and you can actually look at it without going blind.

How to get to Kualoa Ranch without a car?

Kualoa Ranch does offer pick up from Waikiki Beach with some of their tours. It’s a bit of a game to figure out when transportation is offered because it will depend on the tour and the time you choose. You have to go through the process of actually booking the tour, putting in your contact information, and then there will be an option for transportation to add-on. If the option is available, it’s about $30 / person (plus tax).

I saw they do offer transportation for the UTV Raptor tour, leaving Waikiki Beach at three times throughout the morning with three return times in the afternoon. To be able to book their transportation option, book an early afternoon tour (around 12:00 P.M. to give you the most transportation options).

driving through jurassic world. On a dirt road, there's a UTV ahead creating dust behind it. They're turning a corner. Off the road are the soaring kualoa mountain range. There's a line of blue skies before white clouds take over on the top of the image.

Day 7: Leeward Coast

And finally, the last region to explore on O’ahu on your Hawaii itinerary is the Leeward Coast (the west side of the Island). You’ll notice the landscape is VERY different from what you’ve seen on the rest of O’ahu so it’s worth checking out. The Leeward Coast resembles mars more than a jungle, it’s rockier, and much more harsh, and way less green without any lush vegetation.

I will admit, there isn’t all that much on the Leeward Coast, but it’s still worth driving down and reaching the North Western most tip of the island. But unless you want a full beach day on the Leeward Coast, I recommend combining it with another activity in the morning. For example, I suggest hiking the Mānoa Falls trail in the Watershed Forest Reserve in the morning. On your way out, be sure to also stop by the Tantalus Lookout for a view of Honolulu with Diamond Head in the background.

I will admit, the Leeward Coast does have some of the best beaches on the Island, with the least tourists, and the best spots to watch the sunset. So you do want to get here a bit later in the afternoon (maybe pick up dinner to go on the way to enjoy on the beach!).

Stops along the Leeward Coast include Electric Beach, hiking to the Pink Pillbox (Puʻu O Hulu)… although I don’t recommend it because it isn’t well maintained… and Yokohama Bay (my favourite beach). If you happen to be renting an off road vehicle, you can apply for a permit to drive to the North Shore from here through Ka’ena State Park, or you can hike the trail instead.

the gorgeous golden hour on the leeward coast at yokohama bay on oahu hawaii. the perfect end to a one week in O'ahu. A woman stands on the right taking a photo with her phone of the vast rocky mountains that wrap around the beach beach and the ocean meeting the shore.

Printable O’ahu Travel Guide

Make the most of your first trip to O’ahu with my printable and portable travel guide. Includes 14 pages to plan the perfect trip to Hawaii, and stay organized while you’re there.

I’ve provided tips and advice for travelling on O’ahu, common phrases, and even the weekly market schedule. Plus there’s a checklist for every region on the island, food to try, and souvenirs to buy!

Start planning your perfect O’ahu vacation today, purchase on Etsy.