Five Adventure Musts in Oahu, Hawaii

Find yourself in Hawaii for a week without an itinerary, but with a desire to adventure? On my second trip to Oahu, I made sure I saw all that the island has to offer. From açaí bowls to a birds-eye-view of the island, to local-recommended hikes, I left the island saddened to return to a New England winter, but with the promise of returning to experience it again one day.

Given the travel restrictions in Massachusetts over the past few months, the only state we can travel to (without quaranting upon our return) is Hawaii. With that, Hawaii has been on my mind.

Here’s my list of five musts when visiting the forever dreamy Oahu:

1. Take a No-Doors Helicopter Ride

Hear me out if you read that and said absolutely not. It’s completely safe and totally exhilarating. Convinced yet? Magnum Helicopters offers a phenomenal tour from start to finish. I took this tour toward the end of my trip on Oahu, so it felt neat to see parts of the island from above that I had explored on my feet days earlier.

I absolutely love seeing places from a birds-eye-view. I’ve always been fascinated by it and every trip I take incorporates some form of this perspective (probably why I love hiking and flying so much). We flew over the Sacred Falls, Pearl Harbor, the Stairway to Heaven trail, the North Shore, Honolulu, and even the Makapu’u Lighthouse I write about next.

Flip through the pictures below to see Oahu through my lens.

2. Hike Around the Makapu’u Lighthouse

A stunning, two-mile trail to this lighthouse was a must for me. Maine is home to dozens of lighthouses, and I’ve been to many. I go out of my way to visit lighthouses in Texas and Savannah, Georgia, so when I found out Oahu had its own gem, it was at the top of my list.

This lighthouse trail needs to be on your list. Give yourself some extra time to head down a steep descent to the Makapu’u tide pools. Wear sturdy shoes for the trek down to the tide pools (and the slow ascent back up, you’ll thank me later!)

3. Take Your Tastebuds on an Adventure With Poke and Açaí Bowls

I’m not a big foodie in general, but I always aim to try what locals eat (like that time I tried guinea pig in Peru because when in Peru…). On Oahu, it was poke and açaí bowls. A lowkey adventure one afternoon was spent grabbing poke at the local market and heading to the beach at my friend Skyla’s suggestion. Poke bowls seem like all the rage now, but I was convinced back in 2017 that I could only get poke on Hawaii’s shores. Little did I know New Hampshire had a poke place along the coast and only a couple years later Western Mass would catch up. Nothing beats that Oahu grocery store poke though.

With the Hawaii sun year-round, açaí bowls are also always a good idea. Açaí stands are around the island like snowcone shacks in Texas.

4. Take the Stairs to Koko Crater

One early morning I drove out to the Koko Crater trailhead and began what I thought would be a scenic hike. As had been the case the entire week in Hawaii, this little island continued to exceed my expectations.

About 1,000 stairs (an old railroad no longer in service) up led me to incredible vistas of this island. The trail is easy to follow from the parking lot and it is right by Hanauma Bay for all your snorkeling excitement after this toasty climb.

5. Catch a North Shore Sunset at Turtle Bay

Turtle Bay Resort is the only resort on the island, but thanks to my local friend’s tip: it’s open to non-bougie visitors, like myself. Skyla and I went to catch the sunset one of my last nights in Hawaii. She said there was nothing quite like a Turtle Bay sunset. We sat outside by the bar that is open to the public and were mesmerized by the sunset. It was my first time, that I can remember, watching the waves engulf the sun fully into the ocean.