Honolulu Beach Hopping Itinerary Feat. Foodland Poke

It’s the second day of our Honolulu family vacation, and we’re getting active with sunrise hikes, beach hopping, and Foodland poke! Today, my mom and I woke up early for a 5 am Diamond Head hike to catch the sunrise. We show you some of the best spots to get your beach snacks. Then, we headed to some of the most beautiful beaches for a picnic day. If you’re planning your next Hawaii trip and you love hiking and beaches, this is the perfect Honolulu beach day itinerary for you!

5 AM Diamond Head Hike

I am not a morning person at all. If you asked me a few months ago I would have told you that waking up before noon was a struggle. Lately, I found so much peace in the stillness of the early Hawaii mornings. So here I am at 6:00 a.m., hiking Diamond Head with my mom. I’ve been to Diamond Head many times before, but never at sunrise. The hike takes about 1.5 to 2 hours round trip, but it can get a little steep.

The hush of the early morning in the crispy salty air is interrupted only by the distant sound of waves. In these moments, I don’t know why but I just feel so small in the best way possible. Experience sunrise at Diamond Head is like a new fresh start – it’s a breathtaking moment that feels like the world has reset.

If you’re interested in doing the 5 am Diamond Head hike, make sure to bring water and wear walkable footwear. Even if it’s sunrise, don’t forget to apply sunscreen! Reservations online are required for non-residents to enter the park, and the entrance fee is about $5.

Aloha Cafe Pineapple

A block away from the Diamond Head trail area we found this cute little cafe called Aloha Cafe Pineapple. After a 5 am hike, my mom and I needed a quick recovery with some lattes and breakfast. This little breakfast cafe serves typical breakfast and lunch fares like French toast, acai bowl, and avocado toast.

My mom and I shared a simple Classic French Toast ($9), which came with whipped cream and fresh fruit. She also got a iced latte ($5), while I grabbed a matcha latte ($6). It was a simple, but refreshing breakfast. Whether you’re getting ready for your hike, or just finishing and need something to refuel, Aloha Cafe Pineapple is an easy pit stop for everyone.

Rinka Japanese Restaurant

For lunch today, we’re stopping by Rinka Japanese Restaurant for some authentic Japanese Unagi. Dom is trying this spot for the very first time! Rinka was introduced to me a few years ago by a local friend, and it’s been one of our Hawaii favorites ever since. They make amazing unagi, almost as well as Japan. I love to come here for their lunch sets, which comes with 2 small dishes, rice, and seaweed.

Before we get to the main character, we have to talk about their deep fried creamy crab croquette ($13.75). If you love a crispy, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, this is for you. It’s delicately flavorful, and just the perfect way to start a meal.

Now, the start of the show: Unaju, the deluxe eel rice bowl($39.75). The set comes with steamed egg, miso soup, pickles, and 2 side dishes. The eel itself is tender, buttery, and glazed in that delicious, slightly sweet sauce. Each bite melts into the rice with the perfect charred smokiness.

Food here is really good, but it can get a bit pricey. However, we love the experience and food here every time regardless. Rinka opens daily for lunch and dinner. They can get busy, so I’d recommend a reservation during peak hours.

Ala Moana Beach Walk

After a tasty lunch, we headed off to Ala Moana Beach to walk it all off. We’ve been doing 20K steps every day in Hawaii, and the beautiful views of these beaches certainly help! Ala Moana Beach includes about half a mile of beautiful white sand beach. Within the area, there’s tons of venders for paddleboarding, surfing, and other beach activities. There’s also the iconic Magic Island, an artificial peninsula, where you can snorkel and explore.

The Ala Moana Beach park area is open daily from 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM. It’s near plenty of shopping and activities, so you’ll have plenty to do in the area. There’s tons of free parking, but they do fill up fast. Ala Moana is right next to Waikiki Beach, so it’s a super short walk over.

Foodland: Fresh Poke of All Sorts

Did you know that one of the best places to get poke is actually the grocery store? Foodland’s poke counter has been some of the best pokes I’ve tried in Honolulu. We obviously had to grab some poke and beach snacks before swimming! Walking into Hawaii’s groceries stores full of fresh tropical fruits and tons of poke varieties is like walking into a candy store.

From Foodland’s poke counter, we grabbed a pound of spicy Hawaiian-style poke, 1/2 pound of Ahi Limu poke, and 1/2 pound of Salmon Limu poke. To pair with our poke, we also had to grab our favorite Maui Onion Potato Chips ($4.99). The crispy, slightly sweet chips are perfect for pairing with our super fresh fish.

We also grabbed some fresh pineapples, oranges, and cans of beer. We also grabbed some POG juice to sip on during the sunset.

Foodland’s poke counters are good quality, well seasoned, and are sold at a great value. I highly recommend heading to Foodland to grab all the essentials before your beach trip. It’s a great way to have a cost-effective tropical picnic!

Swimming at Lanikai Beach

We gathered all of our Foodland beach picnic haul, and drove over to Lanikai Beach in Kailua. Located on the east side of Oahu, Lanikai Beach is the quintessential white sand beach. With perfectly blue skies, white sand, and the clearest of water, there’s no resisting a dip in the water. The sand here was so powdery soft, it was amazing for swimming!

Lanikai is an open stretch of public beach, so there’s no lifeguards or public bathrooms. The spots here are first come, first serve, and can fill up quickly during the weekends. There’s only residential street parking around Lanikai, so it can be tricky to find parking.

Maui Mike’s Fire-Roasted Chicken

Every time after leaving the beach, we always end up starving. Instead of sitting in traffic, we headed to Maui Mike’s Fire-Roasted Chicken, which was the BEST decision. Locally owned and with 2 locations in Honolulu, this unassuming chicken shop serves rotisserie chicken packed with a ton of flavor. Walking into Mike’s you can instant see and smell their racks of slow roasted chicken grilling in their kitchen.

You can choose between a grilled chicken combo, or one of their fun grilled chicken melts. We had to go for 2 of the 1/2 chicken combos with a drink($16.59 each). The chicken is juicy, smoky, and grilled until fall-apart tender – exactly the kind of meal you want after a beach day.

Henry’s Place Ice Cream

For the second time this week, we had to visit Henry’s Place for some ice cream again. This tiny little ice cream and fruit shop is a must-visit every time I’m visiting. Their ice creams ($9.55), packed in Styrofoam drink cups, are made with the freshest Hawaiian fruits and ingredients. You can taste it, too!

This time, we tried their POG ice cream, which is the iconic Hawaiian Passion Orange Guava combination. It starts nice and tangy with passion fruit and orange, then rounds out with a sweet guava flavor. It’s so good! It’s no wonder why Henry’s always has a crowd in front. Don’t worry, it moves really quickly, but be sure to bring cash!