Looking for the best things to do in Waikiki Beach (along with great photo ops)? I had the amazing opportunity to stay at Aston Waikiki Beach while visiting Hawaii in early November, and I wanted to share my absolutely MUST DO’s while staying on site!

Must-Do’s at Aston Waikiki Beach

Get Lei’d

Get your mind out of the gutter, I’m talking about getting a Hawaiian Lei — a traditionally gifted flower necklace that you’ve probably only seen in plastic form at a beach themed frat party. A local friend sent leis to the front desk at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel to welcome our arrival, but you can also buy fresh leis from shops around town. Something about wearing fresh flowers around your neck really gets you into vacation mode, and they make a beautiful photo prop and outfit accessory — especially if you get a great view from your 21^st floor balcony like I did.

Taste the Fruits (& Fish) Of the Island

Food in Hawaii is fabulous if you love fresh seafood and tropical flavors. Just around the corner from the hotel is a cute little “picnic food” spot called Tucker & Bevvy that has delicious smoothies and sandwiches. The Aston has its own Dole Whip station right by the pool, but also a gelato shop downstairs with delicious passionfruit sorbet and a sweet spot called “Cookie Corner.” For fish, locals swear by Ono Seafood for classic poke (it’s about a mile walk from the hotel), and there are tons of sushi spots and food trucks you can try in the area as well. You can pretty much just walk in one direction from the hotel and chances are you’ll stumble upon something yummy, like we did when we found the yummy Cuban café pictured above called Castro’s.

Explore Oahu On Your Own Time

You may assume that Hawaii is all about R&R. That’s not untrue, but there’s much more to Oahu than laying by the resort pool or booking a couple’s massage. My boyfriend and I spent our entire first day walking around Waikiki and exploring all the shops, restaurants, and sweet views. The Aston’s location is super walkable, and there’s stuff to explore (and eat) in both directions for miles. My friend said her favorite part of Oahu was driving around the entire island, so we booked a rental (a red convertible, naturally) for a day and did a road trip. If you’re looking for a rental, check out Discover Cars. They have a ton of affordable options around the island and you can book online! It was a blast driving around the beautiful island and stopping off at all the pretty beaches, smoothie shacks, and hiking summits we wanted to — and of course taking photos along the way (I packed multiple outfits because I’m extra like that).

Snag Some Sweet Souvenirs 

If monogrammed keychains and tropical magnets aren’t your thing, there are two unique and slightly more useful souvenirs to grab while in Oahu (because unfortunately you can’t bring home a piña colada). First, snag some Maui Babe Browning Lotion, a heavenly coffee-scented lotion to lather yourself in while getting your bronze on. The small size is 4 ounces, but I had no trouble getting it through Airport Security. They sell the larger size in the hotel gift shop! The second souvenir you might want to try: fresh honey! Hawaii’s bees produce more honey per hive than nearly anywhere else in the US, and many of the shops and restaurants sell their own mini bear bottles in fun flavors like coffee honey and coconut honey. One of the rarest honeys in the world, kiawe honey, is grown on the Big Island—but you can probably find some while in Oahu.

I hope this quick list was helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram with any other questions you have about visiting Oahu!