How’s this Itinerary?

Question

Aloha!

We’re a family of four, including 2 active tweens. We’ll be traveling to Oahu for 10 nights in July, arriving late evening on a Monday (from EST Time Zone). We have a condo booked at the Waikīkī Banyan and a rental car gut the duration of our stay. Our flight home is also later in the evening.

I’ve intentionally kept the last 2 days pretty free/open for any last minute activities or if any planned visits/sights need to be rescheduled (or if any of the days are too packed, if we need to move things around.

Are each of the days doable? does this allow for enough time to enjoy each location, considering traffic, stopping for lunch, etc?

Mahalo!

Day 1 (Mon)

Late evening arrival

Check-in

Day 2 (Tue)

Waikīkī Beach

Day 3 (Wed)

Diamond head hike

Leonard’s Bakery

Ala Moana beach

Day 4 (Thu)

Hanauma bay snorkel

Halona blowhole lookout

Makapu’u Point Lighthouse trail hike

Day 5 (Fri)

Byodo-In temple

Ho’omaluhia Botanical garden??

Lanikai Beach

Day 6 (Sat)

Ko Olina beach

Day 7 (Sun)

Kualoa ranch

Kailua Beach

Day 8 (Mon)

Laniakea beach (for turtle watching)

Waimea falls hike/swim at falls

Waimea bay beach

Day 9 (Tue)

Catamaran/Snorkel tour

Manoa falls hike

Day 10 (Wed)

Kona Coffee purveyors (coffee for home)

Beach surf lessons or flex day

Day 11 (Thu)

Flex day

Evening flight home

Answer

Your 10-night Oahu itinerary is already very well structured, balanced, and realistic for a family with active tweens. You’ve spread out the major hikes, beaches, and long drive days, and you’ve wisely built in two flex days at the end. Transportation times, parking, and crowds in July can add delays, so that buffer will be extremely helpful.

Below is a detailed breakdown of each day, with suggestions on timing, pacing, and small tweaks that will make your trip smoother. Overall, the itinerary is absolutely doable, but a few adjustments will help avoid backtracking or exhaustion.

Day 1 – Arrival
Late arrival and check-in is perfect. Don’t plan anything else, and expect to wake up early due to the time change.
Day 2 – Waikīkī Beach
An easy, relaxing beach day is exactly what you want after a long flight and time zone adjustment. Tweens will love swimming, bodyboarding, and exploring the Waikiki strip. This day is ideal as-is.
Day 3 – Diamond Head → Leonard’s Bakery → Ala Moana Beach
This is very doable. Start Diamond Head early (6–7 AM window) to beat heat and tour groups. Leonard’s is a short drive away afterward. Ala Moana Beach Park is calm, clean, and perfect for afternoon swimming and relaxing, especially after a morning hike. Good pacing.
Day 4 – Hanauma Bay → Halona Blowhole → Makapuʻu Lighthouse Hike
Excellent grouping because everything is along the same coastal drive. Hanauma Bay requires an advance reservation and ideally a morning time slot (best visibility before crowds). Halona Blowhole is a quick stop. Makapuʻu Lighthouse Trail is paved and family friendly; just avoid midday heat if possible. This day is full but totally doable.
Day 5 – Byodo-In Temple → Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden → Lanikai Beach
This is a busy but manageable windward side day. Start with Ho‘omaluhia early since cars line up at the entrance. Drive to Byodo-In next (beautiful and peaceful). Finish at Lanikai; parking can be tricky—arriving late afternoon is usually easier. Consider skipping either Ho‘omaluhia or Byodo-In if the day feels rushed, but doing all three is possible.
Day 6 – Ko Olina Beach
This is a great slower-paced day in the middle of the trip. The lagoons are calm, perfect for kids, and easy for parking if you go early. Relaxed and simple.
Day 7 – Kualoa Ranch → Kailua Beach
Kualoa activities can take 2–5 hours depending on the tour. If you’re doing a major adventure (Jurassic ATV, zipline, movie sites), you’ll likely be tired after. Kailua Beach is gorgeous, but you may want to make it optional or a shorter visit. Very doable but will be a long day.
Day 8 – Laniakea Beach → Waimea Falls → Waimea Bay
Excellent North Shore sequence. Parking at Laniakea can be crowded—early arrival recommended. Waimea Falls is a beautiful, easy family hike with swimming at the end. Waimea Bay is ideal for afternoon sun and cliff jumping (summer conditions are usually calm). Pacing works very well.
Day 9 – Catamaran/Snorkel Tour → Manoa Falls Hike
You can do both on the same day, but it’ll be high activity. Consider doing Manoa Falls in the late afternoon when it’s cooler. The hike is short but can be muddy. This day is absolutely doable but busy; adjust based on your energy level.
Day 10 – Kona Coffee Purveyors → Surf Lessons or Flex
A perfect way to wind down. Getting coffee for home is quick and easy. Surf lessons are best early in the morning, especially in Waikiki when conditions are ideal for beginners. Good, light day.
Day 11 – Flex Day → Evening Flight
Great planning. Use this day to repeat a favorite beach, revisit a spot with poor weather earlier in the week, or simply relax before the flight.

The overall structure of your itinerary is strong. You’ve arranged your days logically by geography, balanced active days with easier ones, and planned the busiest activities for earlier in the trip while saving flexible time for the end. This is exactly what most families wish they had done.

A couple of tiny optional tips:

If any day feels too full, Ho‘omaluhia, Kailua Beach (Day 7), or Manoa Falls (Day 9) are the easiest elements to move or swap.
For Diamond Head and Makapuʻu, early mornings help avoid heat and crowds.
Parking is tight on Lanikai and around North Shore—early arrival is your friend.

But overall—yes, your itinerary is very doable, well balanced, and perfect for an active family visiting Oahu in July. You’ve done a fantastic job planning a smooth and rewarding trip.