If you’ve taken our quiz that helps people discover the best hawaiian island based on vacationing preferences, you may have noticed that all else being equal, we recommend Oahu for first time visitors. A big reason for that recommendation is all the historic and cultural sightseeing Oahu offers visitors. From Pearl Harbor and the US Army Museum to Iolani Palace, Queen Emma’s Summer Palace, Byodo-In Temple, and the remains of several Heiau (Hawaiian temples). Oahu also has the magnificent Bishop Museum, the largest museum in the state, and containing one of the largest natural history specimen collections in the world.

Bishop Museum

Bishop Museum features 5 main exhibit halls. The recently renovated Hawaiian Hall spans 3 floors and takes visitors “on a journey through the different realms of Hawaii.” Here you will learn about key moments in history, Hawaii’s kings, the fascinating area of Hawaiian mythology, and also learn about the connection that Hawaiian’s have with the ocean, land and nature.

The 2 story Polynesian Hall focuses on Hawaii’s Polynesian roots, while the Science Adventure center teaches about Hawaii’s unique geology and environment. Two other exhibits honor Hawaii’s Monarchy and athletes.

Bishop Museum also has rotating exhibits. On Display through January 3, 2010 is Dinosaurs Unearthed featuring life sized robotic dinosaurs, sure to be a huge hit with kids. In fact, many of the Museum’s exhibits have interactive components which children tend to find especially enjoyable.

It’s unfortunate that so many visitors to Oahu miss out on the best the island has to offer. Whether it’s the fabulous beaches of the east and north shores, or wonderful cultural experiences like Bishop Museum. Remember, you can’t spend the entire day out in the sun. And if you’ve taken your kids out of school to go on vacation (an excellent strategy to save money), taking them to Bishop Museum will surely make up for a lost week of lessons!

Bishop Museum is open Wednesday to Monday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If you’re staying in a vacation rental, one of the first orders of business is to stock up on supplies and groceries. Some people go directly from the airport to Costco. Yes, Costco has an affordable and large selection of everything, but wouldn’t you rather eat fresh local produce that’s in season instead of fruits and vegetables that were shipped from thousands of miles away? Familiarize yourself with the farmers market schedule and then plan your shopping accordingly. Oahu has a staggering number of farmer’s markets, as shown on the map below. If you’ve visited any of these, please share which ones are the best. We’ve been to the markets in Kailua and they are great.

View Oahu Farmers Markets in a larger map

Barack Obama is from Hawaii so it’s not surprising that he frequently visits the state and relatives on Oahu. On his last vacation in August he rented a vacation home on Kailua Beach - a very good choice for a quiet family vacation.

So besides enjoying Kailua beach, what does the soon to be U.S. President do while on vacation? How about body surf at Sandy Beach!

As a child Obama spent a considerable amount of time at Sandy’s and he knows how to handle the waves. He makes it look easy, but the waves at sandy beach are notoriously dangerous, it’s very easy to get pile drived into the sand and get a neck or other injury. Reports indicate he left his family to have fun at Hanauma Bay while he and a couple buddies (and the Secret Service) opted for a little more excitement.

[In the first part of the video he is throwing flowers into the ocean for his mother who passed away many years ago. Note: standing on lava ledges beside the ocean is a dangerous proposition - a slightly bigger wave and he would have been in trouble]