We will be on Oahu from 12pm on Friday, April 11 to 12pm on Sunday, April 13. What should we do? We will have a car so getting around will not be an issue. We are staying in Waikiki but cannot check into the condo until later in the day.

We definitely want to go to the Arizona Memorial and the North Shore.

<We definitely want to go to the Arizona Memorial and the North Shore>

With barely 48 hours, I think those two things alone will pretty much fill your itinerary, besides a few nice meals somewhere, watch the sunset, walk on the beach.

The Pearl Harbor Memorials (Arizona and Missouri) can be very crowded during April and if you dont go really... realy early you could spend the better part of a whole day just waiting in lines. Go to http://www.sharinghawaii.com/oahu/ac...-memorial.html to get more tips and information about the Memorials. There are plenty of things to do in the North Shore so i will also strongly suggest that you plan out those 48 hours to maximize every single minute of it. I would also strongly recommend that you visit http://www.sharinghawaii.com/oahu/ac...t-do-oahu.html for some of the must do activities and general overall tips to help you while you are there. Good luck and have fun.

Definitely get to Pearl Harbor way before it opens. This will be the difference between finishing well before noon or at four o'clock in the afternoon. North shore is laid back - best to just enjoy the beaches and scenery and plenty of places to stop and eat. The rest of the time there is plenty to see and do in Waikiki. Enjoy! Aloha!

Here's how I would spend it:

FRIDAY
Arrive in Oahu and drive to the eastern coast. Snorkel at Hanauma Bay, or lounge on the beach in Kailua or Lanikai. Whichever's more your speed.

SATURDAY
Wake up as early as possible and drive to Pearl Harbor. Lines build fast and can get up to three hours long -- since you only have 48 hours on Oahu, you don't want to waste time waiting around. We got there at 7:00am and only had to wait 40 minutes.

After you leave Pearl Harbor, head up H2 to the north shore. Grab lunch at Haleiwa Joe's or a shrimp truck. Spend the afternoon at Sunset Beach or Waimea Bay, watch the surfers, or go for a swim if the waves cooperate.

SATURDAY NIGHT
Relax in Waikiki, walking around Beachwalk or just getting a mai tai anywhere.

SUNDAY
Walk around Waikiki until it's time to leave, or do an early hike to the top of Diamond Head if you're feeling energetic.

Have fun!!

great plan above! really optimizes your short amount of time yet builds in some relaxation.

Thanks suze! I agreed with your post -- I could easily spend 48 hours on the north shore. (Or a month...whatever!) But I figured with 48 hours, you've gotta go with the sampler-platter style!

I would not do the eastern coast or Hanauma Bay on Friday. You will have all of your luggage in the car. even though it will probably be safe, why take a chance.

I would take a chance Friday & go to USS Arizona Memorial. You may get lucky & have no line, or they may have already given out all of the tickets for the day. Either way, it is not really out of your way to stop to find out. Your luggage will be safer there than anywhere else on the island if you leave it in the trunk. Don't open the trunk there & put things in the trunk. (If you need to put something in the trunk or take something out, stop someplace before you go to the parking lot). That is for any parking lot on Oahu.

If you cannot get tickets the same day, then you can go to National Cemetery of the Pacific & Tantalus/Round Top Drive.

If you have time left, you can park at Honolulu Zoo parking lot & stroll Waikiki until you are able to get into your condo.

You have all day Saturday to tour the island including the North Shore.

Sunday, climb Diamond Head.

Lots of info including a couple of driving tours:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564

As for that mai tai, the deck at Duke's in the Outrigger Hotel is a fantastic spot (although probably a long wait unless you go at an off-hour). Once we got a table on the rail, we didn't want to leave, so we ordered appetizers with our drinks and that was dinner.

Thanks to all for your recommendations. One thing I did not mention is that we will have spent 5 days on Kauai so we will not need to snorkel or swim.

We plan to have lunch after we arrive so we could always go by the AZ Memorial to see if there are tickets left for a later tour and then go for lunch. Any recommendations for lunch in that area??

If that doesn't work, then on to the N. Shore and explore and go back to the AZ Memorial early the next day.

Is it worth going to the swap meet at the Stadium while we are in the area?

It will only take an hour or so. It is within a few blocks of USS Arizona Memorial parking lot. But, with only 2 days on the island, I would not make swap meet a priority.

Ditto on the swap meet. Lots of the same trinkets, stand after stand.

I know you say you will not "need" to snorkel or swim -- and for that I think Dusty's Friday plan could work out well. But try to spend a few hours on a beach, even if it's at the North Shore. Ignoring the beaches on Oahu is the reason so many people leave and then tell their friends, "Eh, it's just a big city."