Looking for “Secret” Things to Do on Oahu? These Gems Are Hiding Right Under Your Nose
I hate to break it to you, but Hawaii isn’t “undiscovered” anymore and with the rise of social media, there aren’t really any “secret” places anymore.
BUT there are definitely places on Oahu that are overlooked or more off the beaten path. Here are five of my favorite places that I always recommend to visitors when they ask me for “hidden gems”:
My Favorite “Secret” Things to Do on Oahu
This post may contain some affiliate links, which means I’ll make a little money on anything you choose to purchase. But of course, I only recommend my absolute favorites to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that make HulaLand possible.
Secret Beach in Ko Olina
One of my favorite hidden gems on Oahu is Secret Beach in Ko Olina.
If you follow the beach walk around past the Four Seasons, you’ll find this little sandy cove that’s often home to a sunbathing monk seal or turtle.
And it’s such a scenic walk around the coast up to the Paradise Cove beach.
Wear shoes though because parts of it require you to walk along the rocks.
And a PSA: If you come upon seals or turtles resting on the beach here (anywhere!), be sure to give them plenty of space. The rule of thumb is 50 feet (these pictures look WAY closer because of the zoom).
If you’re not staying in Ko Olina, there are several places to park in the area. There are about six or so small lots around the different lagoons that offer free parking. The lot at Lagoon 1A (behind the Four Seasons on Olani St) is the closest but it only has 10 or so spots.
There’s also some free parking at the Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute (pull in near Paradise Cove Luau and follow the signs for public parking).
The other lots are located on the other side of Aulani ( on Kamoana Pl) and then at lagoons 2, 3, and 4 (also the marina). There’s a lot more parking at the further lagoons.
Otherwise, you can pay to park by the hour at the shopping center across the street or at Aulani or the Four Seasons (they’ll validate with a purchase).
Byodo In Temple
Dedicated in 1968, this replica of the Byodo-In Temple in Japan commemorates the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Hawaii’s first Japanese immigrants.
Nestled in Valley of the Temples Memorial Park in the beautiful Ko’olau Mountains, the Byodo-In Temple is a sight to see. It’s incredibly peaceful, and definitely worth a stop when you’re exploring the Windward side of the island.
Admission is $7 per person ($4 per child).
Read more about things to do on Oahu’s Windward Coast here.
Turtle Bay Hike
Places on Oahu’s North Shore like Haleiwa, Waimea Bay, and Sharks Cove are well visited (and rightly so), but one of my favorite parts of the North Shore is a little more off the beaten path.
Whether or not you’re staying at Turtle Bay (it’s my favorite place to stay on Oahu!), the beaches, stables, and hiking trails around the property are one of my favorite spots to explore.
Book a horseback riding tour with the Stables at Turtle Bay. They’ll take you along the beach and through all the trails around Turtle Bay.
Even if you’re not interested in riding the horses, this is still such a great spot to visit. There are miles of hiking trails along the beach and through the forest leading to the hidden Kawela Bay (a great spot to find turtles in the afternoons).
If you’re staying at the resort, follow the signs towards the Stables and from there you can pick your trail along the beach or through the forest. There’s a pillbox on the point you can explore too.
If you’re not staying at the resort, there’s plenty of parking around the stables.
Read more about staying at Turtle Bay here.
Shangri La
Okay, this is my #1 “secret thing to do on Oahu” right now. It is soooooo stunning, and such an absolute treasure that it blows my mind that more people don’t talk about it.
Originally the home of Doris Duke (heiress to the American Tobacco fortune), it now houses her extensive collection of Islamic art.
Shangri La has got to be one of the best house museums anywhere in the world.
The property can only be explored via a guided tour from the Honolulu Museum of Art, and if you have ANY appreciation for art, culture, and beautiful homes then I think this is a must do.
Your tour also includes admission to the Honolulu Museum of Art, which I was surprisingly impressed with. Honolulu is such a cultural crossroads and the museum does a great job representing so many different styles and cultures.
Besides their interesting temporary exhibits, and fairly impressive European Impressionist collection (always something I look for), my favorite part was the Georgia O’Keefe collection. She’s most known for her work in the American Southwest, but in 1939 she traveled to Hawaii with the Hawaii Pineapple Company (later the Dole Company) to work on a magazine advertising campaign.
Read more about visiting Shangri La here.
Kilolani Hula Show
Most people know about the free hula show on Saturday evenings at the Kūhiō Beach Hula Mound on Waikiki Beach, but they’ve recently started shows on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday MORNINGS at 9:30. And it’s AMAZING.
The show is a modern reimagining of a classic hula show featuring Merrie Monarch Festival dancers.
Honestly, I enjoyed it more than the shows at the big luaus because it was relaxed and felt very intimate.
Also, the timing at 9:30 AM is kind of amazing if you’re adjusting to the time change from the mainland.
Highly recommend adding this to your itinerary!
Read more about the best luaus on Oahu here.
Want to read more posts about Oahu? I’ve got plenty!
My Favorite Things to Do on Oahu // Things to Do in Waikiki // 5 Day Oahu Itinerary // Oahu North Shore Guide // Oahu Windward Coast (Kailua) Guide // Easy Hikes on Oahu
My Favorite Boutique Hotels in Waikiki // Where to Stay on Oahu Besides Waikiki // The Laylow Review
The Best Luaus (and the Worst) on Oahu // Paradise Cove Luau Review // Is the Polynesian Cultural Center Worth It? // Paradise Cove vs Polynesian Cultural Center
Where Locals Eat in Waikiki // Jurassic Park at Kualoa Ranch // Shangri La and the Honolulu Museum of Art // Tips for Visiting Pearl Harbor
Tips for Staying at Aulani // Is Aulani Worth It? // How Many Days to Spend at Aulani // Aulani Character Schedule // Ka Wa’a Luau Review // Things to Do Near Aulani (in Ko Olina) // Where to Eat Near Aulani
Everything You Need to Know BEFORE You Go to Oahu
P.S. One of the reasons I’m able to travel to Hawaii so often is by using credit card points. And right now my go to travel card has a GREAT limited time sign up offer.
If you sign up for this Chase Sapphire Preferred card, you’ll get 100K bonus points to use on travel.
These are my favorite kind of travel points because they’re so flexible. You could…
Transfer them to Southwest or United to book round trip tickets to Hawaii.
Transfer them to Hyatt to book a stay at the Andaz Maui (such a great luxury resort!)
Transfer them to Marriott for a stay at one of my favorites like the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Royal Hawaiian, or Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay.
Or book a hotel through the Chase travel portal with a cash value of $1250.
The 100K bonus point offer is just for a limited time, so if you’re looking for the best travel card, sign up >> here.
P.P.S. Here’s one more really important thing you need to know before your Hawaii trip…
You’ve got your airfare, hotel, rental car and your big activities booked, so you should be good to go, right? Wrong!
Travel is BOOMING in Hawaii and a lot of state and national parks have instituted reservation systems at some of the island’s most popular spots to help manage the crowds and make things a little more sustainable.
That means that there are now over half a dozen sites (beaches, trailheads, etc.) that require advance reservations. And some sell out well before you arrive on the island so you really need to have some sort of a plan.
I recently saw somebody in a Hawaii travel group post in a panic that they didn’t know they had to make reservations for things in advance…they thought they could just show up and “go with the flow.” I was tempted to say, well, “as long as the flow doesn’t take you somewhere that requires reservations, you can!” ; )
But I don’t want YOU to be that person, so I’ve pulled together a list of all the places you need to reserve entry in advance (plus all the details on booking windows, price, links, etc.) and a handful of popular tourist hotspots that book out really far in advance too.
Get that info >> HERE