Oahu Road Trip : Kalanianaole Highway Part 1- Koko Head District & the Windward Coast
HawaII Summer. VacAtion, 2024
July 2024
Koko Head District
Koko Crater Botanical Garden
Windward Coast
Kualoa Ranch
The time change was on our side on the first day of our 5-night Oahu vacation, and we were up and out of the hotel before cars make the drive along the Kalanianaole highway on the eastern side of the island, where it was increasingly difficult to find parking later in the day. People from large tour buses quickly filled viewing spots, but it was relatively easy to find parking in the early morning.
Our first stop after leaving Waikiki Beach was at the overlook of Diamond Head Beach Park to watch the surfers below. The misty morning made it a good spot for spotting a rainbow.
Koko Crater Area
From Diamond Head it was a 30-minute drive to East Honolulu and the Hawaii Kai Lookout, with western views of the town in the valley below and Koko Crater to the east.
The clouds gave way to the sun as we we arrived at Lānaʻi Lookout for our first ocean view from the southeastern side of the island. The color of the Pacific was stunning and we were glad that we had chosen one of the less overcast days in the forecast for this excursion.
With more planning we would have reserved time to visit the beach of Hanauma Bay, a well-known snorkeling spot. We paid the small entrance fee to park and look out over the bay. Guests were waiting with full beach-going gear in a line to tram down to the beach. We realized the activity would have been at least of half our day, and we hadn’t yet stopped to shop for beach supplies. We were also eager to keep exploring the Island on our first full day, before entering beach mode. Snorkels were included in the reservation fee and for environmental concerns guests were not permitted to bring their own equipment or use certain sunscreens.
The Koko Crater Botanical Garden was our next stop; one in a series of five Botanical Garden visits during our vacation.
Windward Coast
Mak apu’u Lookout & Lighthouse is extremely popular for tourists who are rewarded with a panoramic view of the southern coast after a moderate 2-mile hike.
We found a parking spot with the less adventurous travelers to take photos.
Our drive around the exterior of Oahu took place over two days. On this first part of the trip, we left the coast to go westward across the island on Highway 3 toward Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa, where we would stay for the next three nights. We returned to the Windward Coast. On our second trip, we went north on Highway 3 for a Movie Set Tour of Kualoa Ranch before continuing to the North Shore to swim at Shark Cove.
DAY 1:
Flight to Oahu, Hawaii from Norfolk, Virginia
Check-in for a one-night stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach
DAY 2:
Coastal Drive along the Koko Head Area and the Wayward Coast
Hikes at the Koko Crater Botanic Garden and the Ho’omaluhia Botanic Garden
Check-in for a 3-night stay at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa
DAY 3:
Breakfast at Green World Coffee
A hula performance, waterfall pool swim and garden tour at Waimea Botanical Garden
Swim at Sunset Beach on the North Shore
DAY 5:
Dole Pineapple Plantation
Wahiawā Botanical Garden
Byodo-In Temple
DAY 6:
Waikiki Beach
Foster Botanical Garden
Ala Moana Center
Flight from Oahu, Hawaii to Los Angeles, California for a 3-night stay at Disneyland
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