With seventy-five percent of residents in the state of Hawaii calling the 597 square mile island home, Oahu lives up to its nickname of "the Gathering Place.
" Honolulu, the largest city in the islands as well as the state's capital, is truly the entry point where most visitors to the islands get to know the island state of Hawaii.
 The island of Oahu has it all - from breathtaking, tropical rain forests to pounding and dramatic ocean surf to bustling city life.
Choosing just 5 things to see and do out of the multitude of interesting and exciting things to see and do on this wonderful island is indeed a daunting task.
 That being said, the 5 things to see and do below are the absolute minimums that even the shortest vacation to the island of Oahu must include: 1.
  Of course, no one could forget the significance of December 7, 1941 to U.
S.
history and no visit to the island of Oahu would be complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.
 Visitors can take a quick boat trip into the harbor to visit the somber Arizona Memorial perched over the sunken wreckage of the once formidable battleship stationed in this harbor.
 The stark white Memorial, visited by over one million people each year, marks the final resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors who gave their lives that tragic day.
2.
  The next, not to be missed place to see on the island is the city of Honolulu itself.
Most visitors will probably stay in the popular resort area that spreads along Waikiki Beach.
 This 2 mile stretch of man-enhanced beach is home to some of Oahu's high end hotels and condos.
 Waikiki Beach offers opportunities for sunning, swimming and just plain people watching so some visitors spend most of their time in this area.
The Waikiki Aquarium, International Marketplace and Honolulu zoo are some of the interesting things to do while spending time in this area.
Other not to be missed things to see and do within the city are a visit to Iolani Palace, a trip to Chinatown and of course a hike to the top of Diamond Head.
3.
  If you want to get a feel for Polynesian culture and attend a wonderful luau, the Polynesian Cultural Center is a must on your list of things to see and do on Oahu.
Located on Hwy 83 in La'ie on the windward side of the island, it is a great place to take in Hawaiian culture and the aloha spirit.
The Rainbow of Paradise Canoe Pageant is also a great experience.
4.
  The islands are famous for world-class surfing and no where are the waves higher and more majestic than on Oahu's north shore.
Be sure to drive along this gorgeous coast and watch expert surfers skim across the top of the water under the impending hang of a wave in the tumultuous Bonzai Pipeline.
It will take your breath away! 5.
  If you want to learn more about Hawaiian history, a trip to the Dole Pineapple Plantation or to experience the sugar industry at the Hawaii Plantation Village are in order.
These plantations help visitors understand the former industries that dominated the Hawaiian economies just a few decades back.
Both places are informative as well as fun to visit for young as well as old.
A visitor to Oahu could easily spend a year on the island and only scratch the surface of the wonderful things to see and do on this amazing island.
Hopefully you were able to get a taste of the many great experiences that await you on your visit to the island of Oahu.
Once you have visited this island beauty her magic will call you back again and again.