Honolulu / Oahu / Hawaii Trip Planning Spring Break 2025

Goal

This is the first time our family is visiting Hawaii. In less than a month, my goal is to plan a budget- and vegetarian-friendly 7-day long trip to Oahu, Hawaii. Work in progress.

Flights

Booked

• Link not available. SFO - HNL, Hawaiian/Alaskan, March 21st going departure 8 AM, arrival 10:50 AM, March 28th return departure 12:05, arrival 8:05 PM. Booked via ly.com. 1x free carry on. Roundtrip cost $360 per person

Previously Considered

One way:

• Option 1: SFO - Honolulu, Southwest, Thu March 20th, 6:30 AM, 3.5hr layover in LAX, $219, 1x free carry on, 2x free checkin

Accommodation

• 6 nights, 7 days
• Recommended to stay on Waikiki Beach
  • Average between $175 - 300+ per night. Mostly apartments.

Weather

• The average weather in March in Oahu is high 78 degrees F and low 64 degrees F, with rain 5 days of the month.
• There are 12 hours of daylight.
• The average humidity is around 70%
• The average sunset time in March in Oahu is 6:30 PM

Mobility

Traffic

• Real-time Oahu traffic monitoring: GoAkamai

TheBus

“TheBus is Oahu’s public bus system. You can catch a ride for $3.00toprettymuchanywhereontheisland.YoucanalsopickupaHOLOcardwhichcosts$2, and works similarly to an Oyster Card. To use the HOLO card, you just need to add money to it, and then tap into the bus. After paying for two rides, you’ll then be eligible for a day pass and the rest of your trips will be free for the day.”

Fare Type	Price	Details
Single Fare	$3.00	Includes 2.5 hours unlimited transfers
Day Cap	$7.50	No additional payments after this amount is reached in a day
3-Day Pass	$20.00	Valid 72 hours from first use
7-Day Pass	$35.00	Valid 168 hours from first use

(from TheBus transit pass website)

For our trip, getting a Holo Card + 4x 7-day passes seems to be the most economical.

Waikiki Trolley

“There is also a hop-on hop-off trolley in Waikiki . At the time of writing, you can get a 1-day pass for $45,a4-daypassfor$65, or a 7-day pass for $75. The trolley has over 40 stops including Diamond Head , Sea Life Park, and Chinatown . “

To/From Airport

• Robertson’s shuttle roundtrip $50 to/from airport

• Public bus system

• It’s worth it to get a rental car if you want to do a lot of activities in the North Shore.

• Discount Hawaii Car Rental is recommended. No prepay necessary + best rates.

• 7 days is probably $1000 for all rental car costs included

Food

NOTE

Most if not all of the restaurant references in this article will be stored in my Happy Cow Trip List which is publicly accessible for those who have free Happy Cow accounts. Link: https://www.happycow.net/members/profile/manage/trip/197849

Must Do Activities

Tours

• Circle Island Tour. Great for getting a lay of the land. $125 per person. Recommended to do early in the trip.

  • Nu’uanu Pali Lookout
  • Macadamia Nut Farm
  • Waimea Bay / Valley in North Shore
  • Mokoli’i Island at Kualoa Park Beach

Museums + Historic Centers

• Pearl Harbor + Aviation Museum. Recommended a whole day.
• Historic Honolulu in Downtown HNL
  • ‘Iolani Palace
  • Royal Palace of the Kingdom of Hawai’i
  • Arts district

Waikiki Rest and Relax

• Waikiki Beach
• Surfing, standup padde boarding, sailboat tours, HNL zoo
• Plenty to do for 2 days.
• Extremely walkable

North Shore

• Hale’iwa town

East O’ahu

• Diamond Head via 2 Bus (25-30 minutes away). $5 to enter walking per person.

  • Hours: 6 AM to 6 PM
  • TODO: Reserve a time slot
  • Hike is about 1 hour out and back
  • Earlier we go the better since it’s very busy

• Kaimuki neighborhood. “Eccentric town with lots of good food.” 30 minute walk from Diamond Head or 6 minute bus ride. Lots of vegan/veg options on Waialae Avenue.

• Koko Head District Park + Botanical Gardens

• China Walls (about an hour of walking + bus from koko head). Great place to watch the sunset. 1 hr bus back to waikiki.

• Kailua + Lanikai beach. 1.5 hours away from Waikiki by bus. White sand beach and chill water. Best place to snorkel.

Surfing Lessons

• Pro Surf School Hawaii
  • 9a-11am, 12p-2pm, 3pm-5pm.
  • Group lessons up to 6 people are $100 for 2 hours.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Friday March 21st - Arrival at 11 AM

• Pick up the rental car
• Lunch on the way to Ala Moana
• Groceries at Walmart / Costco
• Check in to the Airbnb at 4 PM
• Either early checkin or some other activity
• lunch
• Evening go to Kahanamoku beach for the sunset at 6:30, see the fireworks at 7:45.
• Dinner

Day 2 - Saturday March 22nd - KCC Farmers Market, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, US-72 Drive

• Breakfast in AirBNB
• Stop at Leonard’s Bakery for masaladas?
• KCC Farmer’s market from 7:30am - 11 am. Will go around 9 probably.
• Diamond Head State Monument + Hike. Finish by 2 PM
  • Permit required? Closeby streetside parking?
  • Closed for renovations?
  • Check out Makapu Lighthouse Trail.
• Afterwards go to Kaimuki neighborhood for lunch
• Drive to China Cove
• Koko Head?
  • pretyt rough, scratch it out.
• Evening Waikiki beach sunset
  • Grab banana soft serve ice cream from Banan
• Dinner at home

Day 3 - Sunday March 23rd - Morning with Maya’s Family, Evening ISKCON Temple, Flex

• Breakfast in AirBNB
• Lunch with Maya’s family?
  • brunch at 10-10:30
  • drives in honolulu. Punchbowl memorial. 2 oclocks.
• Visit ISCKON temple in the evening for Sunday dinner program

Day 4 - Monday March 24th - Nu’uanu Pali Lookout, Lanikai Beach, US-61 Drive

• Breakfast in AirBNB
• Drive to Nu’uanu Pali Lookout
• Afternoon at Lanikai beach
  • Kayaking optional
  • Earlier reservations for kayaking.

Day 5 - Tuesday March 25th - Byodo’in Temple. Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden, H3/US-83 Drive

• Breakfast in AirBNB
• Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens
• Byodo’in temple
• Lunch at Nene Goose Bakery
• Kualoa Ranch?
  • paid attraction.
• Kualoa beach park, chinaman’s hat.
• Kahana bay.
• Evening Flex

Day 6 - Wednesday March 26th - Downtown HNL, Iolani, Pearl Harbor, Swap meet

• Pearl Harbor
• Aloha Swap Meet (closes at 3)
  • Good fruit, cheap souvenirs
  • Go early it gets really hot
• Iolani Palace tour
• Bishop Museum?
• Kamehameha Statue
• Lunch somewhere
• USS Arizona
• Evening flex

Day 7 - Thursday March 27th - North Shore, H2 Drive

• Worth stopping at Dole plantation, oyster? Restroom break.
• Green World Coffee Farm
  • Free tours, sampling
• Shark’s Cove (Haleiwa)
• Turtle Beach
• Kahuku Sugar Mill
• Sunset somewhere
• Evening flex

Day 8 - Friday March 28th - Departure

• Breakfast at Alo Cafe in Waikiki
• Checkout of AirBNB
• Return rental car
• Flight at 12 PM

Resources

• YT: How to Travel Oahu, Hawaii Without a Rental Car - 7 Day Itinerary
• Blog: One Week in Hawaii - The Ultimate 7 Day Oahu Itinerary