Julie & Vincent
Things To Do
Tonkatsu Tamafuji
Delish tonkatsu! Julie brought Vince here during his first trip to Hawai'i in 2017.
surf at Canoes, Waikiki Beach
Waikiki has slow, mellow waves that are good for beginner surfers. Julie first started surfing here when she was 17 years old. You can rent a surfboard on the beach, or at nearby surf shops.
Lanikai Beach
Lanikai has some of the finest sand on the island of Oahu. For a pretty sunrise hike, you can go up to the Lanikai Pillboxes (there is also a Pillbox hike on the North Shore). After a hike and some relaxation at the beach, you can stop by ChadLou's Coffee Roasters for some island-flavored coffee, or check out Seaglass Coffee (new! We haven't tried this place yet). For the adventurers out there, you can also rent kayaks for a half or full day: https://www.kailuabeachadventures.com/kailua-lanikai-kayak-rentals
Musubi Cafe IYASUME
For all you musubi lovers, you can come here to find yummy musubi of various flavors.
Waikiki Yokocho Gourmet Alley
This alley has a good variety of Japanese restaurants, and is similar to the food alleys that you find in Japan. It's conveniently located in Waikiki, if you happen to be staying there, so check it out for some yummy food options.
Helena's Hawaiian Food
L&L Hawaiian Barbecue is not Hawaiian food! If you wanna try some ono, authentic Hawaiian food, this is the place to go.
Nisshodo Candy Store
Nisshodo has the softest mochi, with the perfect amount of Q!
Waiola Shave Ice
Located close to Punahou School, Julie grew up going to this small, locally run shave ice joint on Wednesdays, during cross country practice. Makes sense, right? Run a couple miles, eat some shave ice... They have all kinds of fun flavors, and you can add goodies like ice cream, mochi balls, flan pudding, azuki, and much more!
North Shore
We recommend renting a car and driving around the island to see the North Shore. If you first circle around the windward (east) side, you'll drive by Kualoa Ranch, where Jurassic Park and other movies were filmed. They have various tours, including ziplining, a Hollywood movie tour, and horseback riding. You'll also drive through Kahuku, where you can stop at one of the various shrimp trucks for lunch... garlic and butter shrimp, yum! Giovanni's has gotten really crowded over the years, but we also recommend Romy's. As you keep driving, right before you get to the famous Sunset Beach, you can make a stop at Ted's Bakery for delicious chocolate haupia cream pie (and many other delish flavors!). After that you'll hit a bunch of famous beaches, including Pipeline, Shark's Cove, and Waimea Beach, before you get to historic Haleiwa. Haleiwa is a cute surf town with cute shops and many more eats. Lasty, before heading back to town, stop by Paalaa Kai Bakery for a snow puffy!
Ka'ena Point
Ka'ena Point is a state park and bird sanctuary, and you can hike to the tip from either the Mokuleia (north) side or the leeward (west) side. From Waianae, it's a pretty easy hike, and you can see nesting albatross and Hawaiian monk seal. Waianae is a pretty far drive, but while you're out there, you can grab a bite at Aloha Poke or Ka'aha'aina Cafe, and catch the sunset at Makaha Beach. The west side has the best sunsets, after all! Be sure to be respectful out on the west side, as it is the most untouched side of the island, and tends to have the least tourists.