A GUIDE TO OAHU, HAWAII

                     A GUIDE TO OAHU, HAWAII 

Here you have it, a long overdue guide to Oahu! Hawaii is a true gem, and I'm lucky enough to have been twice in the past few years. Oahu happened to be my second trip, and I loved how this vacay was filled to the brim with activities and places to explore. Unfortunately I cannot recommend any restaurants I enjoyed, nor can I remember any for that matter. Minus the good eats, I have plenty of local spots to share that is a must-see if you're planning a future trip!

                                  BEACH FRONT 

For this trip I tagged along with my friend Emily and her family on their summer vacation, so because we had a larger party, we voted for a condo/house and ditched the hotel or resort idea. The beach house was perfect and made my stay extremely "homey." The best feature about this house, is that is comes with a private beach, and separate balcony from the house! The ocean was so beautiful and clear, perfect for someone who isn't particularly a fan of the water (like me). The house comes with everything a hotel normally would, so towels, sheets, blankets, fans, etc. The kitchen table seats over ten people, and the kitchen is a perfect size for many to participate in the cooking - bonus! When I was swimming in our private ocean, some locals were visiting their home along the shore, and kept asking how we found out about this particular spot, because it's truly a gem of the island that most locals don't even know about! Definitely recommend something like this, because the experience of living in a house for one week, truly captures the lifestyle of the locals much more than any hotel, or more-American resort!

                    DOLE PINEAPPLE PLANTATION 

If your a realy pineapple lover like me, than this dole plantation can be super fun! Now, head's up I found it all to be a little corny (gift shop) and not a lot to do, but it was fun to take some photos, and sip on a homemade pineapple/dole whip smoothie! I think if you have little one's of your own, this place is perfect because you can take a 20 minute train trip and view the plantation and then head back and explore the maze!

                   SWIMMING WITH THE DOLPHINS

This was a dream come true! By far the best decision I ever made, because nothing beats this experience, and do you see the view? Unlike Sea World in San Diego, Sea Life Park offered an atmosphere that felt less like a tank but more like swimming with dolphins in their natural habitat. The trainers were wonderful and made me feel so at ease! You can read more about my experience here, but I definitely recommend Sea Life Park to everyone - even if you decide against swimming with the dolphins because they offer so much more to see and do, such as shark encounters, sea turtles, sea lions, and Pink's to grab a hotdog and pink lemonade if it's a warm day!

                      CATAMARAN BOAT RIDE 

Even if you're a scaredy cat like me, this adventure on the open sea is just for you!! It truly captured the beauty of Waikiki beach and the view of the skyscrapers. If your live in LA this view is typical and therefore isn't too special, however the underwater life in the ocean is. The feature of this boat ride is being able to jump off and snorkel. I'm afraid of the ocean, and heights so I ended up being the last one in the water, but it was worth the risk. The fish I was able to see were so incredible, and the colors were so vibrant. They swam so close to my body I could literally touch them all. The local spot they take you to is commonly known as the "turtle location" because it's where all the sea turtles hang out and eat. Luckily, I was able to see more than five sea turtles underwater, and they were so green and beautiful! Ah, writing about this makes me feel like I'm holding my breath, wearing my oversized goggles, while floating on top of the water, and looking down only to find the most exquisite underwater creatures!

                                       BLOW HOLE 

If you're visiting Sea Park for the day, drive down the road about a mile longer and you'll find this look out spot of this famous blow hole. This view is so beautiful and honestly my photos do not do it justice! It's extremely windy, so prepare yourself when you take photos or video. Your hair will be crazy, and you may feel a strong mist from the water below, but this spot is the perfect Oahu view!