Oahu is my first love, island style. We lived on the gorgeous Kaneohe Bay in the small town of Kaneohe, located on the windward side of Oahu. Kaneohe is nestled up against the one of a kind Koolau Mountain range and is next to a great beach town, Kailua.
Our youngest girls were born in Kailua at Castle Medical Center. If you live on Oahu and are looking for a place to give birth, Castle Medical Center is like a birthing resort! Our room was complete with wood flooring and stunning mountain views. Their staff took great care of us as a family.
Honolulu is on Oahu and is my favorite major city. Honolulu is the most beautiful city I have ever seen, offering the greatest in shopping, restaurants, and history. The world famous Waikiki Beach is a fun hotspot in Honolulu. Many refer to Honolulu as a concrete jungle. I've never seen it that way but instead, I see it as full and buzzing with opportunity.
Our favorite restaurant on Oahu was The Palomino but sadly has closed.
Our favorite lodging on Oahu is The Hilton Hawaiian Village, which is close to downtown. The village offers everything from great beaches, pools, shopping, restaurants, and a spa.
When we prefer to be out of the hub bub of downtown, we stay at the Koolina Resort which is located on the leeward side (west side) of Oahu. Koolina is a slower pace offering three beautiful lagoons for swimming/snorkeling, 5 Star Restaurants, and an amazing spa, the Ihilani.
Our favorite scuba spots are Shark's Cove and Three Tables on the North Shore; however, these sites cannot be used in winter months because the waves are too high making the surf too rough but is great for photo ops from the shore.
For extremely seasoned divers Cathedrals (east side) is a great dive spot but only in perfect weather conditions. Diving Cathedrals required us to walk down a road in very heavy traffic, completely geared up in full scuba, humped our gear across the road, walked through a culvert, then onto a huge rock. Entrance is a giant stride in, once we reached about twenty feet in depth, we turned right and swam through the cathedral made by lava. It is a phenomenal site but entry and exit is very strenuous.
Hanauma Bay (east side) is a great snorkel spot but if you are not kamaaina (state resident) there is a charge. Blow Hole (east side) is a great spot for photo ops. Portlock in Hawaii Kai, (also on the east side) is a great dive/snorkel spot. Portlock requires perfect weather conditions. I learned that lesson the hard way. One winter, I entered using a giant stride and the ocean literally spit me back out and slid me on my behind across the (thankfully) smooth rock shelf. One side of my body was a most beautiful purple hue so prior to diving this spot, we always insure perfect weather conditions.
There are so many gorgeous beaches on Oahu from Kailua Beach to Waimea Bay. I suggest you set aside a day or two to explore the whole island allowing time to stop off at various beaches, etc. And if you want to hit a mall, my all time favorite without a doubt is Ala Moana. Also, when on Oahu, a visit to Pearl Harbor is an absolute must.
Another Oahu must see is the Polynesian Cultural Center. It is a large property set up like small villages in the Pacific. Each "village" offers food, dance and games associated with the village. It also has one of the best luaus on Oahu.
Pros
Oahu offers everything!
Cons
Honolulu is a large city so with large cities come higher crime rates, heavy traffic and huge crowds.
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