Oahu Travel Journal: Part 1

Day 1:

My boyfriend and I decided to hike Diamond Head while waiting for the other couple we were vacationing with to arrive. The hike itself is fairly short in distance, but it is straight uphill then straight down, and includes a few sets of stairs so keep that in mind. Additionally, it was PACKED (we went on a Saturday) and the walkway was very narrow. Almost everyone was wearing a mask but it’s impossible to stay 6 feet apart. I would suggest going on a weekday or early morning if you’re concerned with crowds. The views of Honolulu were absolutely spectacular though! We spent the rest of the day lounging at Queens Beach in Waikiki. It’s a great spot to get in the water, play some volleyball, or just chill out after a long day.

Day 2:

We started our day with a trip to Koko Crater Botanical Garden. It’s about a 25 minute drive from Waikiki. This garden is comprised of a two-mile loop through a wide array of flowers and plants from various parts of the world. We went on a Sunday and it wasn’t crowded at all. Plus admission to the Koko Crater Botanical Garden is completely free. Definitely a good spot for a botanical photoshoot! After the gardens, we made our way back to Honolulu for a snorkeling excursion with turtles I had booked on Viator. The tickets were fairly inexpensive and the website offers a lot of flexibility as far as booking and canceling goes. I would 100% recommend doing an activity like this! It’s perfect for snorkeling newbies or pros, the guides were super knowledgeable, we got to boat around Honolulu for a bit and, of course, got the chance to swim with SEA TURTLES. It literally does not get better than that people!

Day 3:

We decided to rent a car for the day and head up to the North Shore for a change of scenery. We stopped at the Dole Pineapple Plantation and, honestly, it’s a skip for me, guys. Don’t get me wrong, the Dole Whip is amazing, but you can really get that anywhere on the island and everything else worth doing there will cost you. Not to mention there were tons of people, meaning there was at least a 45-minute wait per attraction. I’m not a big fan of waiting in lines for activities and it seems like a waste in Hawaii where there are ample amounts of things to do. After Dole, we made our way to Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck per my friend’s dad’s recommendation and it did not disappoint. I would recommend the shrimp scampi if you go… absolutely delicious. We ended our day at Sunset Beach on the North Shore. Unfortunately, it was a bit overcast when we went so the sunset wasn’t all that great but it is a great place to watch surfers and a lot less crowded than the beaches on the southern part of the island!