Kualoa Ranch tops every Oahu bucket list. This 4,000 acre nature reserve is the film setting for many popular movies and TV shows, including Jurassic Park and Lost. Join a film tour, ride an ATV, zip line through the trees, or simply explore the park’s beaches and nature trails. Kualoa Ranch is open again to visitors, with social distancing and other safety protocols in place.

Head to Oahu’s North Shore for small towns with big waves. Popular with the surf set, the North Shore’s best beaches are open, including Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. Historic little Haleiwa Town has a laid back, hipster vibe with plenty of cool cafes, galleries, and shops to browse. Plus, you’ll find a thriving food truck scene. Ever-popular Giovanni’s Shrimp Truck and their garlicky shrimp scampi is always worth the wait.

While in the North Shore, plan to spend some in the lush Waimea Valley. Recently reopened to visitors, Waimea Valley is a place of important cultural significance to Hawaiians. This lush, tropical valley is home to many historic structures, as well as a magnificent 45-foot waterfall, surrounded by blooming botanical gardens.

With 112 miles of coastline, Oahu’s most beautiful beaches are once again open to the public. One of the best is Lanikai Beach, on the east end of the island. This picture-perfect Hawaiian beach offers plenty of soft, white sand to sink your toes into — along with calm, clear waters ideal for swimming, kayaking, and sailing.

The famous Diamond Head crater hike in Waikiki remains closed, but there are plenty of other scenic hiking trails to enjoy around Oahu. In the east, Makapuu Lighthouse Trail is an easy, 2.5-mile hike with rewarding ocean views. During the winter months, you may even catch a glimpse of the annual humpback whale migration along the way. Just outside downtown Honolulu, the Judd Trail culminates in a refreshingly cool swimming hole at Ginger Pond.