Aloha friends! If you follow me on social media then you know, I was recently in Hawaii visiting the island of Oahu. It was so much fun and we enjoyed our time there. Today I will be recapping our 3-day trip and highlighting my favorite parts of the trip. Our trip included 5 days total. Two of which were travel days. I know I am always curious to know what other people do on their vacations. So, if you are planning a trip to Oahu this post is for you.
First of all…
There are six major islands to visit in Hawaii: Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and the island of Hawaii. We visited the island of Oahu.
Day 1: Traveling to Oahu
Airplane Ride: Our flight left at 8:30 am. We chose Hawaiian Airlines and loved the attention to detail from the minute we got on the plane. From the Hawaiian snacks and drinks, it made the 6-hour flight go by in no time! We were provided one airline breakfast meal which was mediocre, but the snacks made up for it. I tried to not pack too much and decided last minute to take a larger suitcase with us, so we had room for souvenirs. I am so glad we did! Just make sure you don’t fill the large suitcase before you leave!
Arriving in Honolulu and Checking into the Aulani Resort:
We arrived in Honolulu around 12:30pm. My husband and I love Disney! So, we wanted to stay at the Aulani Disney Resort. We are basically big kids! When we arrived, we were greeted by Disney Cast members and given leighs upon our arrival. We did the early check in and were given our keys in less than 10 minutes from when we arrived. So make sure to take advantage of the online check in. The resort itself is gorgeous!!! I couldn’t wait to explore the hotel! I smiled as we rode the elevator to the 11th floor and heard a Hawaiian rendition of Beauty and the Beasts, “Be our guest.”
Dinner at Aulani’s Ama’ Ama’ Restraurant:
After spending the afternoon checking out the resort we decided to relax at the beach front restaurant ‘Ama’ Ama’ at the Aulani resort. The website recommends reservations so that’s what we did and it was crowded when we arrived. One of the best things about this restaurant is the sunset view of the ocean. It was BEAUTIFUL!! The food itself was nothing special and in my opinion was overpriced but I guess the view balances out the price. I had the Free-Range Chicken and it was very dry. BUT if you do decide to eat there get a side of Truffle Macaroni and Cheese!! It was sooo delicious.
Day 2: Exploring Honolulu
Breakfast – McDonald’s Local Breakfast Plate
When you learn that the local McDonald’s serves Spam and Rice you have to check it out right? That’s exactly what we did and we were impressed! The local plate was around $7 and could have easily been shared with two people. It included one heaping side of white rice, 3 spam, 3 Portuguese sausages, and scrambled eggs all for around $7. We also tried the Taro pie, apparently Hawaii McDonald’s are the only ones that still fry their pie. Yum!
Aloha Stadium Swap Meet:
After an indulgent breakfast we spent the next couple of hours walking and exploring the Aloha Swap Meet. If you are looking for inexpensive souvenirs to bring home, this is the place for you. I was mostly excited for the fresh fruit and farmers market. While I was there I tried papaya with Ling Hing Mui which is a dried plum powder. It added a little bit of sweetness to the papaya. My trip was complete with a freshly coconut water. I also sampled a variety of banana and sweet breads. We did pick up a few souvenirs while we there which included a plumeria, Hawaiian salt, a new flower for my hair, a purse, and a quilted stocking for Christmas.
Lunch- The Alley Restaurant at Aiea Bowl
My husband really wanted to try the ox tail soup at The Alley Restaurant. It is world renowned and I was excited because I haven’t had oxtail before. Not only was the soup flavorful but the meat was so tender. The restaurant is actually in a bowling alley and it added to the atmosphere. They had desserts here, but at this point I was sooo full. I probably should have shared a bowl of soup.
Pearl Harbor – USS Bowfinn Museum and Park
You can’t come to Oahu and not visit this historic site. We opted to tour the USS Bowfin Submarine while were there. The submarine tour was very informative and I am so thankful for the armed forces.
Iolani Palace Tour-
Have you ever wanted to tour a palace? This was a very informative audio tour around the Iolani Palace and I learned so much about the Hawaiian monarchy and the last living queen, Queen Lili’uokalani. I highly recommend this tour but make sure to check your bags before you start the tour.
Dinner – Ulu Café at Aulani
We had plans to explore downtown Chinatown and eat the Pig and the Lady. But at this point in the day, we were too tired. Instead, we had dinner at Aulani and shared a pizza. For dessert, I had been eying the Mickey Mouse shaped pumpkin pie.
Day 3: Resort Day and Hiking
Breakfast – Character Breakfast at the Makahiki Buffet in Aulani Resort
I saw Mickey Mouse!!! Ahhh I just love character breakfasts!! I think this is worth every penny as you can get pictures with all your favorite characters at the Makahiki Buffet. The breakfast buffet had a variety of options and I love how it included local favorites like Loco Moco, Portuguese sausage, and fresh fruits! But the main star of any Disney Breakfast is the MICKEY MOUSE WAFFLES!!! I topped mine with coconut syrup and basically was living my best life when Pluto, Goofy, and Minnie Mouse came to visit our table. Also, tip, if a character does not come to your table you can request they visit before you leave.
Beach Day/Snorkeling:
I am not a beach person but knew we had to take advantage of the private beach. At first the overall ocean overwhelmed me. I am a desert gal!! But after a while I was happily splashing around. The best part was snorkeling and seeing the tropical fish against the rocks. You can rent the snorkeling kits at the resort.
Snacks: Mickey Spam Musubi and Mickey Shave Ice
Since day one of our stay, I was on a mission to try the Mickey Spam Musubi. The first day it was sold out, and second day I was too early. Third day I learned the Micky Spam Musubi makes its appearance between 11 am to 3pm in the Ulu Café, but often sells out. So, it’s best to grab them in the earlier hours.
Lunch: Monkey Pod
Across the Aulani resort is a plaza with a variety of businesses. We had met family friends at Monkey Pod and it was such a quaint environment. They had live music and it had open windows. I definitely felt like I was on an island here. Plus, the food here was a lot more wallet friendly than at the resort. Here I tried the Coconut Crusted Mahi Mahi. It was sooo good!
Hiking Diamond Head:
I am not much of an outdoors person but I really enjoyed this hike. From the research I did, it was a moderately easy hike. My research failed to mention all the steps. Ha! So, imagine my surprise when I was greeted with a set of two stairs that went directly up into the sky!! But don’t worry all those steps are worth the view at the top. We got there two hours before the park closed and got up within 45 minutes and back down within the same time frame as well.
Snack: Leonard’s Bakery
One of the most iconic baked goods places in Honolulu is Leonard’s Bakery! It’s a small bakery that almost always has a line out the door. The line moves quickly so you will be in and out with your hot malasada’s in no time! Seating is sparse so keep that in mind, but mostly everyone was eating their malasadas as they were walking out the door.
Hawaiian Art Tour at Aulani:
Aulani is beautifully decorated and on certain nights cast members will give you a tour of the lobby art. The tour which is around 45 minutes take through a brief history lesson of Hawaiian culture and art. You’ll also learn about some of the Disney twists that were added. I enjoyed this tour and had a greater appreciation for the art.
Day 4: Driving up to the North Shore
Breakfast: The Café
This was a little café in a plaza down the street from Aulani. It was quite packed by the locals. Here I tried a flight of pancakes which included mini Cookie Butter Luva, Likokoi & Chocolate Taro-haupia pancakes. These were far from mini and I probably should have shared them with someone. Ha! We also tried the Furikake crusted Spam. It was not only crunchy but flavorful.
2nd Breakfast: Waiahole Poi Factory
We really wanted to try Poi, which is pounded Taro root. The Waiahole Poi Factory is along the roadside. They also offer a variety of plate lunches and local favorites. The poi was a little sourer than I expected, but it added another level of flavor when paired with the Kahula pig.
Macadamia Nut Farm and Ali’I Tour:
This stop was our most favorite of the trip. Not only can you buy basically anything macadamia nut but farm also offers free macadamia nut coffee!! We purchased the rest of our souvenirs here. The farm also offers a tour at 11am and 1pm every day. For $20 a person you can tour the farm, watch a cultural performance and demonstration, and visit sites where tv and movies were filmed. At the end of the tour we sampled apple bananas that were grown right there on the farm.
Lunch: Mike’s Huli Chicken
For lunch we stopped at a food truck court to try Mike’s Huli Chicken. This place was highly recommended and when we arrived we even got to meet Mike himself. The service was quick, but to be honest, the food was not memorable. The huli sauce was very flavorful which is the star of this place.
Polynesian Cultural Center and Luau:
Our last stop of the say was at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here you can learn more about the Polynesian islands and watch a variety of cultural demonstrations. Due to the time we arrived, we were only able to watch 3 cultural demonstration in the villages of Samoa, Tonga, and Hawaii. We stayed for the Luau Dinner and night performance. The food at the luaua was buffet style and was okay. The night performance of Ha: Breath of Life Show was entertaining.
Day 5: Heading back to Phoenix
Breakfast: Room Service:
After traveling the previous day and an early morning wake up call. Room service was much needed. We also needed one last serving of Mickey Waffles.
Fly back to Phoenix:
So sad to leave but we made it back to the airport. Our luggage full to the brim and I was happy I didn’t back too much. We picked up some last minute souvenirs at the airport and was ready to go home!
The Weather:
A lot of you were curious about the weather while we were there. Since it was fall the weather was a lot cooler than the summer months. Temperatures ranged from 60 to 80 degrees. It was quite humid and overcast while we were there. I actually enjoyed the overcast weather, because I didn’t have to wear my sunglasses. It also made for some cooler temperatures. Because of the time of year, main tourist attractions seemed less crowded.
Mauna Kea:
A few of you had asked if I saw any of the Mauna Kea protectors or protests. We did not but it was mentioned at the Polynesian Cultural Center. It’s important to note that Native Hawaiians are fighting to save their sacred mountain, Muana Kea (big island) from a telescope being built at the top. The islands of Hawaii are native land although most of us may only see Hawaii as a vacation escape. I encourage you to learn more about this, support, and donate money to the protectors if you can. https://350.org/protect-mauna-kea-stand-in-solidarity-with-kanaka-oiwi/
Visiting Oahu was so much fun and I can’t wait to return! I hope you enjoyed tagging along with me on this adventure. Have you been to Hawaii? If so what are some of your favorite places to check out? Let me know below.
If you don’t already give me a follow on my social media channels:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefancynavajo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFancyNavajoblog/
Blog: https://thefancynavajo.com/
Want to read about my Fancy Navajo Rez Tour Part 3: Exploring Hubbell Trading Post & Canyon De Chelly? Then head on over to this post. https://thefancynavajo.com/2019/06/26/fancy-navajo-rez-tour-part-2-hubbell-trading-post-canyon-de-chelly/
