Planning a trip to Oahu? You might want to go here.

When we went to Hawaii, we had the most magical trip ever. It had always been my mother’s dream to see Hawaii, but she never thought she would make it out there simply because of how expensive it was. From low income to middle class, my parents didn’t raise us with a ton of money.,

With the help of saving for seven years, and both of my working sisters helping out, we had our dream trip to Hawaii. It cost about $20,000 with everything we did, but we truly went all out, including a VRBO that was on the beach of Waikiki. We could walk around each night, enjoying the nightlife, and see the sunrise each morning.

That said, we rented a car—which is a necessity if you can afford to rent one. A car really frees up the island for you to explore, and you’re not limited by public transportation or expensive Ubers. Traffic wasn’t bad on the island at all either.

With the car, we were able to see a good chunk of the island and all of the beauty it has to offer. I felt like we really made the most of our limited time in Hawaii, especially considering the odds of us ever coming back weren’t high.

Here are some of the places that are hidden gems and must-sees on the island!

Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art and Design

When she was alive, cigarette billionaire heiress Doris Duke once lived on the cliffs of Oahu in her private mansion. Now a part of the Honolulu Museum of Art, you can tour her estate and the passion she once had for Islamic art.

Everything in this estate/museum was either constructed in the Middle East, or heavily inspired by artisans. The tour guides took us around and even explained how she acquired some of the items, which led into some heavier thoughts about colonialism and privilege.

For example, they mentioned how one of the walls is a part of a now destroyed shrine in either Syria or Iraq. When Duke purchased it, it was inside of the mosque. Other items were also brought from the Middle East, then hid in a bunker when World War II broke out in Hawaii.

Anyways, there are some really gorgeous spots inside of the museum, and I would very much want to go back if I ever find myself in the area.

Haleiwa Joe’s had one of the most beautiful dinner views I’ve ever seen.

We went to the Haleiwa Joe’s at Haiku Gardens one night, as my sister declared that it had the most stunning dinner view she had ever seen on the Internet. Because this is a popular spot, we arrived on a weekday about thirty minutes before they opened, and were the second family in line.

Back then we didn’t really need to do that I would say, as by the time we finished our dinner there were still quite a few open tables. We were seated in the outdoor section, and were stunned by the beautiful gardens that were beyond the balcony that dinner guests were seated at.

I ordered a galbi dish with a kimchi slaw, which was okay. My family members liked their food, but I wasn’t too impressed by what I had to eat. It was definitely a more Hawaiian take on a Korean dish, and I wasn’t used to that.

After eating our meal, we walked down the hill and entered the gardens. You can come into the gardens for free, and we took some pictures and admired the views we had just gawked at while eating.

Iolani Palace is a must visit for acknowledging Hawaiian history and sovereignty.

Something that has become increasingly important to me, as someone who has had more opportunities to travel in recent years, is learning about the cultures that we’re immersing ourselves in. I think a lot of Americans are disrespectful in some ways because they come onto sacred lands and only take for their pleasure.

Hawaii is one of those places that it is critical to acknowledge why Americans have such a sinister history of empire. This was where the royal family once had their affairs, and because of the Americans like the Doles, an entire way of living and being was completely destroyed.

Hawaiians are still feeling the impacts of this to the modern day, and it’s not something we can just ignore. By coming to Iolani Palace, you can learn the history from the tour guides, and see how the furniture was even looted and keeps popping up in thrift stores throughout the United States.

Some might see this stop as a bit of a drag if you get a guide that rambles for too long, but as I said before, it’s the least we can do considering the history of the islands. They didn’t choose to be a part of the United States; they were basically forced into it as a territory.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden had some breath taking views.

There are many botanical gardens in Hawaii, and the islands themselves have an incredible amount of beauty when you’re just driving around and looking out the window. I sure saw some great views simply peering out the window as we drove the perimeter of the island.

Ho’omaluhia is one of those locations that’s famous on social media, but maybe put down your phone once you snap a shot or two. We saw a bunch of cars stop, people would pose, and then they would leave the park entirely.

The views here are absolutely stunning. There are multiple stopping points that you can turn into as you drive throughout the gardens, and you can get out of your car and wander around.

We saw quite a few locals just chilling with some drinks, picnic baskets out, and enjoying the weather while we stopped here. Maybe make a friend or two while you’re here!

The Bishop Museum is an excellent place to learn more about Polynesia.

The Bishop Museum is pretty big, and I was thrilled to discover they had their own publishing press where they put out books about Hawaii and broader Polynesia. I ended up ordering a book from them when I returned back home to the mainland.

For those looking to learn more about Polynesia and the cultures surrounding this area, it’s the perfect stop. There are a lot of exhibitions to go through, from the history of villages and housing to the animals that lived in the surrounding area.

In the science adjacent building there’s even a volcano simulator going on. We also spotted a small art exhibition from a Polynesian artist while we were there, which was cool to see. I really had wanted to go to the Honolulu Museum of Art, but settled for this because we didn’t have time.

I’d love to go back to the Bishop Museum though! I felt a bit rushed with my family there.

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