The west side of Oahu, also known as the “leeward side” is the most local, least touristy, and has the best sunsets. On your drive you’ll head towards Kapolei, which is called the “second city” after Honolulu. Lots of people move here because the price of living is more affordable, and it sounds like there’s lots of building and infrastructure taking place with restaurants, gyms, attractions, etc. – everything you could need is in Kapolei (aka people no longer need to brave traffic into Honolulu). I don’t know much about Kapolei since much of this development is recent…please report back!
On the south western tip of the island is Barber’s Point. They have a military facility there – I think you can rent some sort of cabins for an amazing military rate…never checked that out. They have a great beach, but this is also the only place I’ve ever seen a shark so I’m ruined for White Plains for life.
Next up, Ko Olina is a big fancy resort (home to a few hotels, including the Disney Aulani Resort). I went to lots of military balls / events out here but never stayed the night – consider yourself lucky if you do! Ko Olina has a number of different beach lagoons that are gorgeous and great for calm swimming. Now that I have children, I would definitely make it a priority to come swimming here since it’s so kid friendly (and Aulani has a water park, complete with Disney characters!). The free parking lots are small and fill up quickly so make sure to get here early. Roy’s is a famous place to eat, and all of the dining options at the hotels are amazing, but $$$$. Monkeypod is my favorite. Get the poke tacos and the mai tai with the pineapple foam. SO GOOD! Ko Olina also has some sweet golf opportunities if that’s your thing.
Electric Beach is a great place to snorkel and swim with dolphins. There are also some good dolphin swimming / deep sea fishing / scuba touring companies on this side of the island, but at Electric Beach you can do it for FREE. The beach is nothing to write home about, but worth it for the aquatic life. If you are looking for something more scenic, try Makaha Beach. It’s pretty and also famous for it’s surf competitions. Sometimes it has outrigger races, which are also a treat to see!
Two of the best places to try a luau are on the west side at Germaine’s and Paradise Cove. I love watching all the dancing and drinking fruity drinks. Both of these luaus are actually on the beach so you get a really nice sunset (compared to other luaus that are hosted in a hotel). Expect somewhat crappy food and a lot of kitsch but they are still fun.
One thing you HAVE to do on the West Side is drive all the way up the coast and go to the beach at Yokohama….one of the prettiest views on all of Oahu. “Yokes” maaaaaay be my favorite beach. And it’s a trek to get there, so there’s less people, which is always a win. From Yokes you can “hike” (read: walk) to Ka’ena Point, which is the northwest tippy tip of the island with insane views, but it’s a long, hot, boring trek to get there. I prefer to take a 4WD vehicle from the north side of the island to reach Ka’ena Point instead. Make sure to note: the north side and west side of the island don’t connect via road, so if you are on the west side, don’t expect to continue on to the North Shore. If you want to reach the north shore, you’ll have to drive back towards the center of the island, and then up the H2 (aka – not worth it).
Finally, an amazing rec for where to eat in Waianae from a friend (which didn’t exist when I lived in Hawaii and I sure wish it did!): The Beach House. Highly recommend eating here – food varies between awesome and not great. Stick with the fish & chips and enjoy the live local band & sunset. Small parking lot so go for an early for dinner (4:30) then enjoy the sunset. Bring suits in case anyone wants to take a dip in the beautiful ocean. We always see sea turtles here too. It’s a mix of military and Waianae locals who dine here.
In a nutshell: the west side of Oahu is probably the least popular side of the island and very local, which in my personal opinion, makes it a gem. If nothing else, make sure you catch a sunset at one of the beaches out here.
Jelly Side Up 