Favorite Things To Do in My Favorite City in Hawaii – Honolulu

In every city there’s this person, and that person that “knows” exactly what you should do in every city. My dentist is one of them. Of course, that’s when we are talking about San Francisco, where he went to dental school. Don’t get me wrong—he truly is an expert there because he loves San Francisco. I love Honolulu and maybe one day, I will be considered an expert here too.

Growing up in East Honolulu, you pretty much don’t have to leave that side of the island. Yes, for you mainland people, there are sides to an island. It gets a little confusing, even for those of us who grew up here, especially when you talk about Central Oahu. I don’t want to confuse you, so remind me to get back to you on that.

Now that I’ve been here for 3 decades, which is my entire life, I feel confident that my favorite things to do in Oahu, specifically in the city of Honolulu, will soon become your favorite things.

Bogarts before the lines start—get there early, or stroll in, order at the counter, and have a friend score a table

Right now, I can truly say my life revolves around food. As cliche as that is, I’m pretty sure none of us can survive without it. When I start the weekend off, I only think of brunch, and where can you get brunch? Well, there are a few places. However, I’d recommend Bogarts in Kapahulu. You may have to wait in a long line and hover over tables, but it is well worth it.

Being I am a “townie,” we don’t wait in lines, but I make a few exceptions every now and then. Make sure to have the Belgian waffles with strawberries and Nutella, and any of their omelets. I always choose one with avocado for some reason. I once saw Grace Park from Hawaii Five-O. Now you know it is even star worthy.

Second on my list is to go to the Kapiolani Community College’s Farmer’s Market every Saturday from as early as 7:30a.m. to 11a.m. I am not a big fan of waking up early, so I normally stroll in about 9ish, the parking is horrendous, but as I said, some places are worth it.

The Farmer’s Market is full of life every Saturday in Kapahulu—A fresh scene where you can do your part for the islands and buy “local”

Many of my friends that live in Waikiki walk there and enjoy the many fruits, veggies, spices, sauces, and kettle popcorn as often as they can. There are many places to grab breakfast or lunch while you search through the week’s produce. There is always a variety to choose from, so one will never get bored here and will always have something yummy filling their tummies.

There are many things to do in this city, from Art After Dark to First Friday, and almost everyday there is some networking event. Sometimes, even that can be exhausting. My top pick for my favorite things to do in Honolulu is something so simple most of you may never have done it before! As a proclaimed “townie,” we don’t like the outdoors as much, but I’ve been running, walking, and skipping my way through Ala Moana Beach Park after work.

It’s not always sunny in Honolulu, but you can always find a sunset and a bench, or piece of sand to “people watch”

It is great because, if you are a “people watcher,” there are many people to watch. They are either exercising on their own, like you, exercising in a group, or just having fun with their friends or family. You will almost see a wedding everyday, which reminds you about how other people think you are lucky to live in this beautiful place.

My favorite part is diving into the shallow water and swimming out about 20 yards to tread water and watching the sunset as the swimmers and stand-up paddle boarders move swiftly past me. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to rent a kayak on New Year’s Eve, or the 4th of July, and just watch the fireworks out in the water. Truly peaceful.