I could use all the help I can get planning my itinerary for my November trip to Oahu. I will be renting a car. I am traveling with my 12 year old son. This is what I have so far.

Day 1:
Travel and arrive about 2:30.
Check in to hotel
Wander down to beach and take an outrigger canoe ride.
Have dinner and go to sleep early.

Day 2:
Hike Diamondhead
Tour Bishop Museum
Beach

Day 3:
Snorkel at Hanauma Bay (equipment from Snorkel Bob's)
Travel to blow hole, makapu point, pali lookout.
Beach

Day 4:
Polynesian Cultural Center including dinner and evening show

Day 5:
Swap meet at Aloha Stadium
Parasailing (anyone familiar with Sea Breeze Parasailing or know another company they can recommend?)
Beach

Day 6:
Horseback riding at Kualoa Ranch
Dole Pineapple Plantation and Maze
Creation-A Polynesian Journey at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani (can someone give me feedback on this...is it worth the price or should I skip it?)

Day 7:
Tour the north shore
Shaved ice at Matsumoto's
Can someone provide information on the shrimp truck located in Kahuku...I've read that it's a must stop but have no details

Day 8:
Atlantis Sub (I'm still unsure about this one)
Beach
Catch flight out in the evening.

Have I missed any "must do" activities??

I appreciate any feedback I get. Thanks so much!!

Tour the Dole Plantation on Day 7 when you are checking out the North Shore.

A couple suggestions --
For Day 3 I would just buy the snorkel equipment from an ABC store instead of renting it. It will probably be the same price and then you don't need to worry about retuning.
For Day 5 I would throw in a trip to the AZ Memorial and the Bowfin (WWII Submarine). The AZ Memorial may be a little boring for a 12 y/o, but he would probably like to tour the submarine. This is almost right across the street from Aloha stadium.
Day 7 I would bring the snorkel set and stop off at Shark's Reef (I believe that is the name) it's right past Wameia Bay. As for the Shrimp Truck you can not miss it. It is parked in a parking lot that is on the ocean side. The truck has a ton of grafetti on it. I also agree w/ Barbara tour Dole on this day. Their is really not much to see at the plantation.

Find a great beach and go boogie-boarding! This was my kids favorite on BI, but when we returned to Oahu, the boarding our end of Waikiki was not good. They also tried the Atlantis, but the anticipation was greater than the ride, which was OK but expensive. You might want to find a place away from Waikiki for a couple of days to get a different view of Hawaii.

I disagree about buying the snorkel gear because you can rent higher end gear at Bob's. It makes a huge difference in the experience. And sharks cove may be too rough in Nov. If I only had a week I would skip the museum. It would be educational for your child though.

You may be in town during Sunset on the Beach (movie on the beach) or Brunch in Waikiki.

You might see if there are any surf contests to watch with your son.

I agree w/ the suggestion to go boogie boarding. Waimanalo or Bellows Beach often have good conditions for this. Bellows is only open to the public on weekends. Also on day 3 as you travel from Halona blow hole to Makapuu, stop at Sandy Beach and watch the body surfers. You probably won't want to get in the water here as it is dangerous...but really neat to watch.

Also in Waikiki you can take a surfing lesson on the beach. I think your son would enjoy that.

I would recommend you get the book "Driving and Discovering O'ahu" by R. Sullivan. He has a website, I can't remember the address, but do a google for the title and you should find it. You can order the book there or I think from Amazon. It has detailed driving directions and photographs of a lot of neat spots.

Personally i would skip some of the most "organized" activities and go for more "natural" things. The Hawai'i Nature Center and the Sierra Club both have guided hikes if you are interested in that.

Also be sure to allow plenty of time to just laze on the beach!

Aloha Sahara,

My husband and I were on Oahu last November... we arrived the day after Thanksgiving. We stayed in Waikiki for 2 nights, then the north shore for a week.

The Triple Crown of Surfing Championship was going on during our entire stay. There are 3 phases to the contest, and we were able to catch the all of the surfing at Sunset Beach. This was phenominal... really the highlight of our trip. Great photo opportunities.

There are alot of things that we didn't do while in Waikiki, so we're headed back next March.

Your son would love the surfing though... I believe the Triple Crown of Surfing has a website. Maybe you can check ahead for the dates.

By the way, our stay on the north shore was at Ke Iki Beach Bungalows.... great spot. AND, the waves were HUGE. They sound like locomotive trains. Even if you don't catch the surfing competions,
spend some time sitting on the beach wave watching.

Enjoy!

Thanks very much to everyone..."BarbaraS", "NikkiS", "patg", "islandmom", "aloha" and "makai1", that responded to my request for help. Your suggestions will help me plan a great vacation.