You've been on Oahu for a while now, what could possibly be left? Plenty!
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• General: DIY / How-To
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• General: Educational
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| Guide Series: Oahu Vacation Itinerary |
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Still with me on Day 6? Good, because there is still a lot to see and do but today won't be a zillion different places in a row. Instead, it's just going to be a few places where you'll see a ton of stuff.
If you're Day six lands on a Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday then starting off with a trip to the Swap Meet is a great place to do some shopping for souvenirs and gifts for those at home. Any other day of the week and they'll be closed so you may need to rearrange days a bit if you want to hit the Swap Meet.
While it is fun to see all of the crazy items they sell and to grab yourself a loud, obnoxious, and incredibly touristy aloha shirt for those casual Fridays back home, it's not really a must-see attraction. So if you miss it, well, you'll live. If you do go, go nice and early as it gets really hot there.
If you did miss the Swap Meet or simply don't want to go, then another good option for your morning would be the Honolulu Zoo or Sea Life Park Hawaii. Both are fun places to visit even if our zoo isn't exactly a world class zoo. Kids tend to enjoy our zoo more than adults do.
As lunch approaches, we're going to head over to the Hukilau Marketplace which is going to be a bit of a drive unless you're staying on the northshore. Assuming that you're coming from the Waikiki area or Ko Olina Resort, take the H1 freeway to the H3 freeway and use that to get to the east side of the island.
Why am I being so specific on this route? Because if you haven't yet been on the H3 it's almost an attraction by itself. This freeway will take you through some incredible mountain scenery before it passes through the Ko'olau Mountain Range via a nearly mile long tunnel. Note the weather before you enter the tunnel and after you get out because these mountains are so tall that it might be pouring rain on one side (usually the east) and sunny on the other (usually the west). If you like to roll the dice just go ahead and make sure that convertible top is down and hope for the best on the other side.
When you do exit on the west side of the tunnel you'll be in Kaneohe so take Exit #9 to the Likelike Highway (63) and then to the 83 or 830 which you'll take north and eventually be driving along the coast. It's a fun drive but a slower road so take it easy and enjoy the drive. As you continue along you'll pass familiar places like the Tropical Farms Macadamia Farm Outlet and Kualoa Ranch from Oahu Itinerary - Day 4.
Keep heading north along the coast until you reach the Hukilau Marketplace. This is a good spot to eat lunch and do a little quick shopping before we continue on.
Did I drag you all the way here just for that? No, of course not! You're really here for the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) which is one of Oahu's most popular attractions and run by nearby Brigham Young University-Hawaii. This is a great place for those who want to immerse themselves into Polynesian history and culture but also offers plenty of fun bits that even kids will love.
I won't go into all of the details of the PCC, you're better off reading our guide to the Polynesian Cultural Center for that. But this is basically broken down into three experiences. One is the main "village" experience and that's the must-see portion. Next up will be dinner options and then entertainment options.
Once you've experienced the village portion of the PCC (it will take hours) and you're ready to eat you can walk back to the Hukilau Marketplace or try the Island Buffet.
If you want to combine dinner and entertainment then look into the Ali'i Luau Buffet though I have another luau planned for tomorrow. Instead, I would suggest one of the dinner options I mentioned already and then follow that up with the amazing Ha: Breath Of Life show. It's an incredibly well done production. Regardless of what you choose here, I would suggest making advanced reservations.
The PCC is such a mega-attraction that it really will take up most of your day from lunch time and on. This means you'll be leaving later at night and it will be dark so drive safely and don't be in a big rush to get back. I'll go easy on you tomorrow.
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