That said, staying in Honolulu isn't the worst. It's typical and therefore 'passe' and folks here will tell you it's terrible. I'll say that even if you stay in Honolulu you'll enjoy yourself immensely. And there's a lot you can easily do there just with some many options easily built in. You'll love it if you stay there and I wouldn't turn my nose up at it, the way some do.

But I would agree. Staying at the North Shore or somewhere else on Oahu is a great compromise. Gives you a slightly less curated experience while leaving the 'best' tourist locations easily accessible. For a first trip, I'd either do that or try to take a day (or two) to a different island during your trip