The Easy Oahu Hike with the Best Ocean View

The view from the Lanikai Pillbox Hike

If you're looking for iconic crystal blue-green Hawaiian water views, the Lanikai Pillbox Hike delivers. It's named after old army bunkers, which are still on top of the hill.

It's also known as the Kaiwa Ridge Trail, and is suitable for all ages (after the initial challenging incline). It's ranked as an "intermediate" trail because of the loose dirt, rocks, and gravel which cover the first part of the steep incline. The trail gets easier as you climb higher.

The Mokulua Islands (the "Mokes"), beaches, and mountains all come into view quickly, as you make your way up the trail.

The hike is about a mile up to the first pillbox, and then another short trip to the second one (with a better view).

I'd definitely recommend continuing to follow the trail along the ridge, after your time at the pillboxes. You'll hike through tall grasses and trees, and experience new views of the island with very few people in the way. The trail goes all the way back down into a neighborhood, but we backtracked to leave the way we came.

The pillboxes make for great photos. They were observation stations, installed in the 1940s. After World War II, a series of private landowners owned the pillboxes and surrounding land. In the 1980s, the State of Hawaii purchased the site, based on its historic value and popularity among hikers.

Depending on traffic, the pillbox trailhead is about 45 minutes to an hour from Waikiki.

Parking is the only challenge. You'll have to circle through the neighborhoods to find a spot. The entrance to the trailhead is across from the Mid-Pacific Country Club.

You're in luck if you feel like relaxing on the beach after your hike. Kailua and Lanikai Beaches are two of the best on the island, and just a short drive away!