Aulani Trip In December

[lexiekate]

Hi! My family is going to Aulani for the 3rd time and we have a rental car. We are all over 21+ so we were wondering what must-do things around Oahu we should do during our 10-day trip?

 

[Paul Stupin]

Hi! My family is going to Aulani for the 3rd time and we have a rental car. We are all over 21+ so we were wondering what must-do things around Oahu we should do during our 10-day trip?

Explore Waikiki
Go to North Shore, visit Waimea Falls, Haleiwa, the beaches
Kuoloa Movie Ranch
Pearl Harbor if you haven’t been already
Hanauma Bay
Hike Diamond Head, or hike up to the lighthouse on Oahu’s south point
white sand beach at Kailua
but mostly I’d vegge out at Aulani and enjoy the resort

 

[Laura K]

Our family is big on food, so we love visiting any farmer's market (though my friend who's a local recommends Kaka'ako as it's closer to Aulani and has gotten a lot more vendors over the pandemic), poke at Foodland, and any garlic shrimp truck in North Shore, though I know Giovanni's is the most popular (the spicy shrimp is no joke though, our family eats spicy food and we were dying). We stayed closer to the SE side of the island when we were there, but also really enjoyed Moena Cafe, Cinnamon's, and Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha.

For non-food, an easy walk to nice sights is Makapu'u Lighthouse. I really enjoyed Hanauma Bay for snorkeling and general beach hangout, but I believe as a non-local, you need to make reservations in advance now. We went right at 7am as we were still on Pacific time and it got pretty crowded by 8am on a Monday during a long weekend, so I'd recommend going early if you do that. If you don't want to do Waikiki, Kailua Beach on the east side is popular with locals and had similarly soft white sand. Then on the North Shore, especially in winter, just watching the surfers ride a wave in from really far out in the ocean was very fun to watch.

 

[gdrj]

Explore Waikiki
Go to North Shore, visit Waimea Falls, Haleiwa, the beaches
Kuoloa Movie Ranch
Pearl Harbor if you haven’t been already
Hanauma Bay
Hike Diamond Head, or hike up to the lighthouse on Oahu’s south point
white sand beach at Kailua
but mostly I’d vegge out at Aulani and enjoy the resort

All good recommendations. Personally I would skip Kuoloa Movie Ranch And either han at resort, or extra time at beaches.

 

[Paul Stupin]

All good recommendations. Personally I would skip Kuoloa Movie Ranch And either han at resort, or extra time at beaches.

My wife and I had fun driving the ATV-esque “raptor” for two on the guided tour to all the movie locations, which is also the only way to see these huge beautiful tropical valleys that are privately owned on Oahu. Even if you don’t like movies the scenery is awesome.
That said, for us it was a “one and done” kind of activity, and we actually don’t venture away from Aulani much on our trips there since we too love the resort and beaches.

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

It might help if you list your interests, but some options:

Hike Diamond Head on a Saturday - then pig out at the Diamond Head (KCC) Farmers Market across the street. Lots of great local foods. Made even better when you’ve worked up an appetite. (Reservations now required for the hike)

Hanauma Bay for snorkeling. (Reservations now required).

Hike to a waterfall - there are many really great hikes - google info and pick the right hike for your family’s activity level.

Hike to the Makapu’u lighthouse (more of a walk than a hike)

If you’re foodies, definitely seek out some great local foods - Everything from casual to fine dining. Helena’s, MW Restaurant, and many others.

 

[algae]

Go to Manoa Chocolate for a tasting. And then buy a bunch of their chocolate for later.

 

[Paul Stupin]

Go to Manoa Chocolate for a tasting. And then buy a bunch of their chocolate for later.

My wife and I are planning to do the factory tour when we go in Jan. How’s the experience?

 

[algae]

My wife and I are planning to do the factory tour when we go in Jan. How’s the experience?

It's low-key fun. Don't expect a huge operation since they are a craft chocolate outfit. The best part is the tasting of chocolate from different parts of the world and seeing what you like. We've done that 2 Oahu visits in a row and plan to do it again later this year.