My girlfriend and I will be traveling to Oahu for 6 nights in mid-Oct, and we'll be staying in Waikiki. I've been researching sights and activities, and frankly, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at all there is to see and do.

What would be considered must-see's and -do's during our stay? This will be my first time and her second. We are both 30 and in relatively good shape. Neither of us can swim. We plan on getting a car for part of our stay, but we're not sure how many days we will need it.

I've also been thinking about spending one night of our stay in some place like Kailua, but I'm not sure if this will be worthwhile given our schedule.

Any itinerary advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

You don't need to change locations. The island is small enough that you can easily tour the island from one location.

Also there are very few hotels outside of Waikiki & they are expensive.

There are a lot of private condos & beach houses on sites like www.vrbo.com but most require at least 5 nights.

There is one hotel in Laie that isn't the best in the world. But it is fairly inexpensive. Laie Inn. It looks more like a motel. If you want to tour the island and go to PCC and continue around the island the next day, Laie Inn might not be too bad for one night. Just don't expect much.

Rent a car for your entire stay. You can see the island much better with a car. By the time you pay for shuttles, cabs & buses, you won't save any $$ by not renting a car.

Lots of info including a couple of driving tours:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...trip-to-hi.cfm

Kailua is beautiful but it's not very far from Waikiki. I was going to suggest a kayak trip out of Kailua but I guess if you don't swim, that wouldn't be such a good idea?

I'm not into sightseeing (museums and such) in Hawaii, but I do think one trip to Pearl Harbor is sort of "required" for all Americans! I would also drive up to Haleiwa (cute little poke-around town, with great shave ice -- we like Aoki's), and the beaches on the northwest part of the island. The beaches at Kailua and Lanikai are gorgeous.

I would rent a car with a GPS. The island is pretty simple to navigate since there are only 3 main highways (freeways). But you wouldn't want to lose time by getting lost! It'll be helpful to find gas stations, food places etc...

As for the sight seeing, yes, it can get overwhelming but don't despair! It really all depends if you like nature, you can go hiking at Manoa Falls (it's a bit of a hike but so worth it), if you like history, Bishop Museum and Pearl Harbor is good. Shopping-The Swapmeet @ Aloha Stadium or the International Marketplace in Waikiki. Hawaiian Culture, book a night at one of the luau's (it's kind of a 2 in 1, you'll get dinner and a cool show). Also you may want to take your girlfriend on a nice sunset dinner cruise. A bit pricey but VERY romantic and the food is good too. Hope that helped a little.

Aloha,
Karen
BestHawaiiPicks.com

plumeriagirl~ You're not supposed to be advertising on this forum (or on Trip Advisor).

The problem with your post is you don't tell us your intrests.

If you are at all interested in history, Pearl Harbor is a must. For Hawaiian culture and history, the Bishop Museum. Waimae Canyon is a beautiful hike. Lanikai is a super beach. Sunset beach for watching surfing. Haleiwa for shaved ice. Alan Wong's for an unforgettable meal. The Doris Duke house tour to see how billionaires lived in the 30's. Drinks at the Pink Palace at sunset. Hike Diamond Head. Go play on the man-made beaches of Ko'olina. No waves, it's about as safe as water can get. Oh the Byodo-In Japanese Temple is located on the windward side of Oahu. An exact replica of Japanese Buddist temple. Very beautiful and peaceful.

Bill