Hola Honolulu

5 days in Honolulu

We spent five days on the Island of O’ahu, Hawaii. To narrow it down some more we stayed in the city of Honolulu, mainly in the Waikiki area. Honolulu has been a destination that Gavin and I have been looking forward to for some time now. From delicious poke to floating around in the ocean – If you’re planning visiting Honolulu – here are my recommendations.

Where to Stay in Waikiki

Hotel Renew: The cutest, modern boutique hotel in Honolulu. Located a block away from the beach and in a prime location to shops and restaurants. The decor is modern and aesthetically pleasing, from the lobby to the room. The hotel provides amenities such as:

• In-Room Fitness Equipment Rentals
• Boogie Boards
• Filtered Water Station
• Surfboard Storage
• Beach Chairs & Towels
• Snorkel Gear & Kids Beach Toys
• Weekly Yoga Class

Where to Eat in Waikiki

Before this trip, my only time spent in Hawaii was during an 8 hour layover. I remember trying and falling in love with Musubi. Ever since, I dream about returning and indulging once again in Musubi. Fifty percent of our trip consisted of eating fresh made food. Some of the places had a line but I promise you the wait is worth it.

Here are my top places worth checking out:

• Kai Coffee: for the coffee and acai bowls
• Five Star Poke: for the garlic or jalapeño poke
• Iyasume Musubi Cafe: for the best musubi. perfect for a beach day/road trip
• Hideout: for any meal of the day. breakfast was amazing
• Maguro Poke: for the spicy mayo poke and the rainbow bowl
• Ono Poke: for the sashimi
• MaiTai Bar: for drinks and food. the club sandwich was impressive and delicious
• Ice Monster: for the shaved ice
• Cinnamons: for breakfast
• Morimoto: for the frozen beers and sticky ribs

Where to Go

There is something for everyone in Honolulu. Whether you’re an adventure type or leisure, you can accommodate all interests. We kept this trip easy and spent our days at the beach.

My list of things to do:

• Lanikai beach: an hour drive from Waikiki – with stunning clear blue water and white powder sand. The waves are on the calmer side, which makes it perfect for snorkeling and floating around. We saw a sea turtle that seemed to hang around us majority of the day.
• The Royal Hawaiian Hotel: known as the pink hotel, this is my favorite hotel on the island. From the history to the aesthetics, I love this hotel. The food at the MaiTail bar was great and at sunset, everything seems to glow.
• Waikiki Beach: great place to relax, try to get there a little early to grab a spot or to rent chairs and umbrellas. If you’re into surfing or boogie boarding – theres plenty of rentals.
• The Hawaiian Shopping Center: For those that like to shop or if you forgot to pack something – the shopping center has everything from H&M to designer. I forgot eyeliner and a sun hat, so this area came in handy.
• ABC Stores: These convenient store are everywhere. You can find just about anything in these. Pro Tip – save your receipts and at the end of your trip take them in and you can redeem a fun prize. Gavin earned two mugs- they’re super cute!
• The Hide Out: A swanky rooftop with the nicest staff. We came here for breakfast, but I’d definitely come back to have a few drinks and relax, while taking in the views.
• Wang Chung Karaoke: We came here randomly and Gavin set the whole place on fire when he sang Girls in the Hood by Meg The Stallion

What to Pack:

Honolulu is humid no matter if it’s cool or hot. During our visit we experienced two days that were cool/ overcast and two days that were sunny and hot.

Here are somethings I recommend packing:

• Baby powder – kept me feeling dry and cool. I don’t do well in humid weather.
• Sun hat – the sun is strong on a sunny day.
• Sunblock – obviously. Don’t even think about that cheap kind, you’ll need a good one!
• Linen shorts – one of the best things i packed with me.
• Bodysuits – the second best thing I packed with me.
• Light clothing/dresses – beware of wind.
• Comfortable walking sandals – some sidewalks are made of uneven stones

After the essentials, bring whatever makes you happy! Honolulu is meant to have fun and no one cares what you’re wearing or what you look like- yes, even in a bathing suit. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve been to a location where no one cares or stares.

I hope this guide helps your plan your adventures to Honolulu and makes packing a little easier! Check out other travel guides, here.