A Solo Week in Oahu, Hawaii: What I Did And Where I Stayed
Summary
I spent June 29 to July 4, 2021, on a solo trip to Oahu, staying right on Waikiki Beach despite hearing locals call the area “the zoo” for how many tourists pack into it. This wasn’t my first time in Hawaii, but it was my first time doing a full-day guided tour, which took me from Nu’uanu Pali Lookout and Dole Plantation to Waimea Valley and a temple I’d never even heard of before, Byodo-In. On another day, I took a surf lesson from a local instructor and finished it off with a catamaran ride along the coast. Here’s everything I saw, ate, and learned along the way.
Table of Contents
Solo in Hawaii, again
I booked the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, right on Waikiki (3 min away by walking) . I’d already heard locals call this area “the zoo” because so many tourists pack into it. But the hotel turned out to be a good deal, which mattered since I was traveling solo. Would I book it again? Probably not ha.
What makes the area work despite the crowds is Kalakaua Avenue. It’s lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and street vendors, and it never really quiets down. My hotel sat right on it. Every morning I’d step onto my balcony and look out at the North Pacific Ocean, which never got old no matter how many mornings I did it.
For breakfast, coffee, or lunch, I stuck to outdoor spots and just walked Kalakaua Avenue and the streets around it. There’s no shortage of options, whether you want coffee, a full breakfast, or ice cream. One brunch I tried was at the Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort, known as the “First Lady of Waikiki” since it was built in 1901. The building itself is worth seeing. The brunch was great; I was there for the atmosphere anyway. My favorite breakfast spot ended up being Heavenly Island Lifestyle.
One of my favorite things about visiting a new country is finding the local coffee shops, and Waikiki didn’t disappoint. Along with the usual spots, I came across one offering CBD coffee, which I didn’t expect to see on a coffee menu. See the image below. I think this coffee spot was on Kuhio Ave near my hotel.
Staying on that stretch of Kalakaua Avenue basically gave me two directions to pick from outside the hotel. Turn right, and you’re in the middle of the cosmopolitan side of the avenue. Turn left, and you’re heading toward the beaches and the surf culture Hawaii is known for.
Turn left to see Duke Kahanamoku’s statue on Waikiki Beach. He was a Hawaiian swimmer and surfer, born in 1890 in Honolulu, grew up riding waves at Waikiki and later traveled internationally doing swimming exhibitions. This statue honors him as one of Hawaii’s most significant cultural figures.
The banyan trees around Waikiki caught my attention too. I hadn’t seen anything like them anywhere else I’d traveled or lived in the US. Their trunks aren’t single trunks at all. They’re made up of these hanging aerial roots. They’re beautiful, but there’s also something almost gothic about them, like the outside of a gothic style church.Check out the pictures below!
I’ve also included a photo of Leonard’s Bakery below. It’s a bit inland from Waikiki, but it’s one of the more well-known spots on the island, worth a look even if you don’t make it there yourself.
Nu'uanu Pali Lookout and Halona Cove
Nu’uanu Pali Lookout was the first stop on the one-day tour I booked, and looking back, the whole tour was worth every penny. The lookout gives you a view of Oahu, down over green ridges toward Kaneohe and the coast. It was also really windy up there that day. We only had a few minutes, but it’s worth the stop even if you can’t stay long.
Halona Cove came at the end of the day, and by then the tour was running low on time, so we only got about ten minutes there. That wasn’t nearly enough for this spot but I guess they wanted to show us the spot. It’s a small, sheltered pool of water tucked away from the bigger, busier beaches, the kind of place you’d want to bring friends and just sit in the sand and sun for a few hours if you had the time.
Dole Plantation
It started raining on the way to Dole Plantation, and it hadn’t let up by the time we got there. Even with the rain, the place had a certain charm to it. It’s touristy, no question, gift shops and all, but I didn’t mind. I grabbed a coffee from the gift store and wandered past shelves of pineapple everything, jam, candy, soap, you name it.
That stop is also where I made a friend for the rest of the tour. I overheard a guy talking to someone with a French accent, then I approached him. Turned out he was traveling solo too, so we ended up sticking together for the rest of the tour.
Lunch at Pikake Pavilion, Waimea Valley Trail and Waimea Falls
Lunch at Pikake Pavilion turned out to be a fun stop, mostly thanks to a peacock wandering around and the green scenery surrounding the pavilion while we waited. The wait for our food took a bit, and when it came, it was simple, nothing that stood out or bothered us.
After lunch, we were on our own to walk the Waimea Valley Trail and see Waimea Falls. The trail was the real highlight for me. It’s green the whole way through, with a mix of different trees and several gardens along the path that I would have happily spent more time in. The falls themselves didn’t do much for me, probably because of how crowded it was by the time we got there, but the walk itself was worth it.
On the way to Byodo-In Temple, we made a quick stop at Tropical Farms’ gift shop and gallery.
Byodo-In Temple
I was still with my French friend from Dole Plantation by the time we got to Byodo-In Temple, and I was glad for it. We ended up taking pictures for each other and chatting a bit while we walked around. The temple itself was a surprise. I’d never heard of it before, even though this wasn’t my first trip to Hawaii, and being there felt more like standing in Japan than in Hawaii.
We waited a bit to ring the large bell since visitors are allowed to, then got in line, not realizing at first that the line was actually for the nine-foot Buddha statue inside. Once we got up to it, though, it was worth the wait. With some time left before we had to move on, we walked around the pond and watched the koi. It was quiet there, even with other tourists around.
A Surf Lesson and Catamaran Ride
I don’t remember exactly how I found my surf instructor, but we arranged to meet at the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial. He was maybe five years younger than me, a local Hawaiian who mentioned he wanted to become a full-time cop, and he turned out to be a great teacher. I’m glad I ended up with him. We spent a few hours in the water together, and it was genuinely fun, one of the highlights of the whole trip.
After the lesson, I decided to book a catamaran tour, and it turned out to be a good call. Seeing Hawaii from the water gives you a completely different view of the island than you get on land. I had drinks, food, music, and good company for a few hours out on the ocean. If you’re ever in Hawaii, it’s worth doing.
