In the final stretch of a long winter, my friend’s request for a spring break Hawaiian getaway was not difficult to accept. After weeks of excitement and anticipation, the time finally arrived and we set off on our 15 hour travel day to the island of Oahu. There are a total of eight main islands in the state of Hawaii including Maui, Hawai’i, Kahoolawe, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau, setting Oahu to be the greatest tourist destination of the eight. The possible concern of the nation-wide spring break joined by the most highly visited island amongst the eight did little to break our joy as we flew over the most incredible mix of land and water imaginable. The ocean grew more electric blue as we made our way closer to the shore, the mountains held the most luscious deep forest green I’d ever seen and it was clear that any picture of this island that we had ever seen before was absolutely no match for the breathtaking scenery it was up close in person. 

We began our week-long vacation with a proper introduction to the island, the Diamond Head Crater hike. This hike allowed us to see a large chunk of the land and water as we climbed to one of the highest points of the Waikiki coastline. The hike encompassed not only the gorgeous landscape but an amazing history of the island. According to Hawaii’s Division of State Parks, the crater began forming about 300,000 years ago after a large volcanic eruption. As the tons of ash and fine materials began to settle and create a rock called tuff, the crater formed. This crater has then been used for Oahu’s Coastal Defense System and has been a beautiful scenic hike since the early 1900’s. Later hours were spent gathering essentials at target, eating wonderful foods and spending time at the beach.

The morning of the second day began with a cozy breakfast at Hawaii’s own Cream Pot. This adorable location is famous for their souffle pancakes, eggs benedict and crepes and we had to order all three. As I devoured the blueberry crepes with the view of luscious greenery and the Ala Wai Canal, it was clear this place had joined a special place in my heart. We later got the chance to drive up along the east coast of the island and land a few hours at Waimanalo Beach. This place has forever changed my expectations of a beautiful beach. Never have I felt sand more smooth below my feet or seen water more clear and blue. 15/10 recommend this beach. One cannot go to Hawaii without visiting Waimanalo. 

The next few days consisted of loads of shopping along the Waikiki coastline and nightly dinner reservations around Honolulu including the luxurious Sky Waikiki. This experience was much like the name sounds, as the restaurant is located on top of one of the skyscrapers along the coast, allowing an unforgettable view of the water and sunset while enjoying fabulous food. 

We capped off our adventure with a quick road trip up to the north shore. Along the way we stopped at various food trucks, historical sites and numerous scenic lookouts, although our main destination was Sunset Beach. Due to the current month of March, the beaches on the southeast edge of the island had been quite calm and relaxing. North shore, however, was a different story. This is where we got to lay and watch the countless surfers as they managed to conquer some of the largest waves I’d ever seen. As for me and my fellow travelers, so much as stepping even 10 feet into that water was a danger. The current made for a day sunbathing in the safe sand. Afterward, we cruised along the shore some more and found a festival type food truck area that we were able to grab a late lunch at and eventually head home. 

Even with the constant reminder of the large population of the island by the crowded beaches and restaurants, it was truly all about location and a little bit of patience. If you ever get the opportunity to go, join the locals by spreading aloha and taking some time to enjoy your surroundings. The entire trip was unforgettable and made for a solid way for me to convince my parents to let us go back.