Oahu - What to do, how many days?

We are planning to go on the seven-day NCL cruise among the islands. But we want to make sure we experience the best features of Oahu before we begin our cruise as we will probably never go to Hawaii again.

I've heard that must-sees are the Pearl Harbor memorial and the Polynesian Cultural Center, but there are probably more things to see and do in Oahu. Are there other sights that we should definitely see?

As the NCL cruise leaves on a Saturday, we're wondering when we should arrive in Oahu so we can see all the best sights. Should we arrive on Wednesday, which would give us two full days of sight-seeing? Is that enough time?

Thanks for your help.

You could go as much as a week early. There is a lot to see in Waikiki as well as around the Island. The Polynesian Cultural Centre is a good place to go. There is also a Sea Life Park, smaller and like Sea World. I have been a few times and still not seen everything. The Waikiki Zoo is really good and cheap too. Haunauma Bay for snorkeling, Aloha Stadium Market Place for shopping...:D

We spent six days on Oahu before our cruise last year. There is plenty to do but my favourite was the Diamond Head Crater hike and the views are fantastic.

A week at minimum.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g29222-Activities-Oahu_Hawaii.html

We are planning to go on the seven-day NCL cruise among the islands. But we want to make sure we experience the best features of Oahu before we begin our cruise as we will probably never go to Hawaii again.

 

I've heard that must-sees are the Pearl Harbor memorial and the Polynesian Cultural Center, but there are probably more things to see and do in Oahu. Are there other sights that we should definitely see?

 

As the NCL cruise leaves on a Saturday, we're wondering when we should arrive in Oahu so we can see all the best sights. Should we arrive on Wednesday, which would give us two full days of sight-seeing? Is that enough time?

 

Thanks for your help.

You are coming from the East coast. It's going to take a few days to get acclimated to the time difference. I'd extend your vacation as far as you possibly can. If you are able to tack on several days, you might want to break the time up between pre and post cruise. Nothing worse than getting off a port intensive cruise worn out and having to head straight to the airport. 3 or 4 days both before and after would be perfect. You will not run out of things to do.

Do some research on O'ahu. Just google it for a ton of information. Read some reviews of Polynesian Cultural Center. IMO, just a tourist trap and a waste of an entire day. See the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. Waikiki has its charms, but get out and see the island's natural beauty. See the mountains, coastlines and beaches outside of Waikiki, all easily driveable and within quick access from Waikiki. As lovely as anything you'll see on the other islands.

Oahu is my favorite island because of it's diversity. Besides Pearl Harbor, Waikiki, Punch Bowl, and Diamond Head there are so many things. Some of my favorites are the Iolani Palace, Doris Duke's Shangri-La, and all of the North Shore. The Iolani Palace is the only royal palace in the U.S. and has been restored beautifully, with either a guided tour or a self-guided audio tour. It is a fabulous history of the Hawaiian Islands. Shangri-La is Doris Duke's home in a stunning location outside of Honolulu and is available for tours through the Honolulu Museum of Art. Besides the tour to the home the museum has wonderful exhibits and an open air restaurant. The North Shore is a totally different experience from Waikiki and I think staying at Turtle Bay for a couple of nights is fabulous. Evenings on Waikiki are magical and you can enjoy music at most hotels along the beach while enjoying food, beverages, and the evening sky. JMO, Cherie p.s. If you are there on a Friday night we like the First Friday in China Town.