44 Best Sights in Oahu, Hawaii

Both Chinatown's main mauka–makai drag and Bethel Street, which runs parallel, are lined with art galleries, restaurants, tattoo parlors, bars and pubs, an antiques auctioneer, dress shops, one small theater/exhibition space (The ARTS at Marks Garage), and one historic stage (the Hawaii Theatre). You can also take in the unique early 1900s architecture of the buildings.

In this tenant-owned market founded in 1904, you'll find a taste of old-style Chinatown, where you might spot a whole butchered pig, head intact, on display, and where glassy-eyed fish of every size and hue lie forlornly on ice. Bizarre magenta dragonfruit, ready-to-eat char siu (Cantonese barbecued pork) and pork belly, and bins brimming with produce add to the color. You'll find some of the cheapest Oahu prices on fruits and vegetables in this and other Chinatown markets.

A new and expanded Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum opened in 2021 after a $20 million renovation. Its centerpiece is the USS Bowfin, which launched one year to the day after the Pearl Harbor attack and which claimed to have sunk 44 enemy ships during World War II. Like the Arizona Memorial, the so-called Pearl Harbor Avenger commemorates the lost, but the mood here is lighter. Perhaps it's the childlike scale of the boat, a metal tube just 16 feet in diameter and packed with ladders, hatches, and other obstacles, like the naval version of a jungle gym.

Compartments aboard the vessel are fitted out as though "Sparky" is away from the radio room just for a moment and "Cooky" might be back to his pots and pans any minute. Among the intriguing artifacts is a vintage dive suit known as JAKE that looks too big for Shaquille O'Neal and is now in the gift shop window. A guided audio tour is included with admission to this privately operated museum. A snack bar is also on-site.

For safety reasons, children under four are not allowed aboard the submarine, though they can visit the museum. You can also purchase shuttle tickets to access the USS Oklahoma Memorial at the Bowfin's ticket counter, though you'll probably want to include that stop with a visit to the USS Missouri or the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, both of which are on Ford Island along with the sunken Oklahoma submarine.

Opened on December 7, 2006, this tribute to aviation in the Pacific battlefield of World War II is on Ford Island in Hangars 37 and 79, actual seaplane hangars that survived the Pearl Harbor attack. The museum consists of a theater where a short film on Pearl Harbor is shown, an education center, a restoration shop, a gift store, and a restaurant. Exhibits—many of which are interactive and feature sound effects—include an authentic Japanese Zero and various other vintage aircraft that help to narrate such great battles as the Doolittle Raid on Japan, Midway, and Guadalcanal. The actual Stearman N2S-3 that President George H. W. Bush flew is housed in Hangar 79.

Ride in Fighter Ace 360 Flight Simulators, and take a docent-led tour for additional fees. Purchase tickets online, at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, or at the museum itself after you get off the shuttle bus that departs for the museum and the USS Missouri from the visitor center.

This gorgeous swimming and snorkeling beach is protected by a long breakwater left over from a now-defunct boat harbor. The entire length is sand, and a reef creates smallish waves perfect for novice surfers. Amenities: parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

Re-created individual villages showcase the lifestyles and traditions of Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, the Marquesas Islands, New Zealand, and Tonga. In addition, the 42-acre center, which is 35 miles from Waikiki and which was founded in 1963 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has restaurants, hosts luau, and demonstrates cultural traditions, such as hula, fire dancing, and ancient ceremonies. The Hukilau Marketplace carries Polynesian handicrafts.

There are multiple packages available, from basic admission to an all-inclusive deal. Every May, the Center hosts the World Fireknife Championships, an event that draws the top fireknife dance performers from around the world. Get tickets for that event in advance. If you're staying in Honolulu, see the Center as part of a van tour so you won't have to drive home late at night after the two-hour evening show.

Once the site of Queen Liliuokalani's beach house, this strand near the Waikiki Aquarium draws locals and tourists of all ages—and it seems as if someone is always playing a steel drum. Banyan trees offer shade, the bronze Surfer on a Wave sculpture by artist Robert Pashby honors surfing, volleyball nets welcome pros and amateurs alike, and waters that are part of an aquatic reserve provide superb snorkeling opportunities. The beach is also near what is considered the area's premier bodyboarding spot: the break called The Wall. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

Dolphins leap and spin, and penguins frolic at this marine-life attraction 15 miles from Waikiki at scenic Makapuu Point. The park has a 300,000-gallon Hawaiian reef aquarium, a breeding sanctuary for Hawaii's endangered honu sea turtles, penguin and Hawaiian monk seal habitats, an aviary, a seabird sanctuary, and many more marine attractions. Sign up for a dolphin, sea lion, or shark encounter to get up close and personal in the water with these sea creatures.

A few minutes and a world away from Waikiki and Honolulu, this scenic drive shaded by vine-draped trees has frequent pullouts with views of Diamond Head and the ewa side of Honolulu. It's a nice change of pace from urban life below. At Puu Ualakaa State Wayside (Tantalus), stop to see the sweeping view from Manoa Valley to Honolulu.

To start the drive, go to the Punchbowl cemetery (National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific), and follow Tantalus Drive uphill. You'll spot wild chickens, darting mongoose (the squirrels of Hawaii), and maybe the occasional wild boar along the road as you drive.

Now known more for its namesake resort than its magnificent beach at Kuilima Cove, Turtle Bay is mostly passed over on the way to the better-known beaches of Sunset and Waimea. But for those with average swimming capabilities, this is a good place to be. The crescent-shaped stretch is protected by a huge sea wall, so you can see and hear the fury of the northern swell while blissfully floating in cool, calm waters. The convenience of this spot is also hard to pass up—there is a concession selling sandwiches and sunblock right on the beach. The resort has free parking for beach guests. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

This small yet fun attraction harbors more than 3,500 organisms and 500 species of Hawaiian and South Pacific marine life, including an endangered Hawaiian monk seal and a zebra shark. The Living Reef exhibit showcases diverse corals and fascinating reef environments found along Hawaii's shorelines. Check out exhibits on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (which explains the formation of the island chain) and Ocean Drifters (about various types of jellyfish). A 60-foot exhibit houses sea horses, sea dragons, and pipefish. A free self-guided mobile audio tour is available via your own smartphone. The aquarium offers activities of interest to adults and children alike, with a focus on the importance of being eco-friendly and keeping our oceans clean.

One of the most beautiful beaches on Oahu, Waimanalo is a local pick, busy with picnicking families and active sports fields. Expect a wide stretch of sand; turquoise, emerald, and deep-blue water; and gentle shore-breaking waves that are fun for all ages. Theft is an occasional problem, so lock your car. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; swimming; walking.

This 29-acre family attraction has waterslides, water cannons, and waterfalls.

You'll be one of the few outsiders at this Waianae coast beach at the very end of the road. If it weren't for the little strip of paved road, it would feel like a deserted isle: no stores, no houses, just a huge sloping stretch of beach and some of the darkest-blue water off the island. Locals come here to fish and swim in waters calm enough for children in summer. Early morning brings with it spinner dolphins by the dozens just offshore. Although Makua Beach up the road is the best spot to see these animals, it's not nearly as beautiful or sandy as "Yokes." Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); showers; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming.