HAWAII-WAIKIKI ADVENTURE

     The Hawaiian Islands, a tropical paradise that makes up our 50^th state, is definitely worth a visit. The stunning ocean views, beautiful beaches, and lush mountains create not only wonderful pictures, but also lasting memories. The state is a total of 137 islands, and of the 8 main islands that you usually see on a map, one is not inhabited and one island is restricted, leaving 6 to visit. They are Hawaii (referred to as “the big island”), Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, and Lanai. Each of the main islands offers unique experiences, but if you have never been to the Hawaiian Islands before, we recommend starting in the state capital city of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, and specifically the Waikiki neighborhood.

WAIKIKI

Waikiki is the primary resort and tourist center for Honolulu. It is where the concrete meets the sand, and is comprised of sunny beaches, large luxurious resort hotels that compete for ocean views/beachfront, a variety of restaurants/shopping, and scenic mountains. Waikiki beach was actually created from draining a swamp and importing sand to create the beach you see today. The city offers many activities and is a good base for other tours around the island.

WHEN TO GO/WEATHER

Honolulu is serviced by the Daniel K Inouye International airport (HNL). There are many direct flight options, but some will connect in L.A. or San Francisco. We took a direct flight from Phoenix that lasted 6-1/2 hours. L.A. is about 5 hours 45 minutes and San Francisco is about 5-1/2 hours.

     The best months to go to Hawaii are April, May, September, and October. These months are considered in the “shoulder season,” which is prior to Memorial Day in May and after Labor Day in September. As a travel tip not only are the costs a little less during this time period as a general rule for traveling, but also the crowds tend to be thinner.

      Although the driest months are typically June thru August, the average rainfall for April, May, September, and October is only around an inch. Rain will fall for a few minutes and then move on. Tropical storms or hurricanes, although rare, could occur. Daytime temps usually hover between 80-85 degrees and nights are pleasant in the mid-60s. Ocean temperatures average around 80 degrees. Very nice weather overall.

ACCOMMODATIONS

There are several options for accommodation from a simple hostel costing under $100 per night,  to 3, 4, and 5-star hotels costing hundreds to thousands per night. The Beach Waikiki Hostel is a couple of blocks from the beach and gets good reviews at about $85 per night. We also visited the Westin Moana Surfrider Resort and Spa which was built in 1901 and is right on the water. This splendid hotel will run you $450-$500 per night. We opted for a 3-star hotel for budgetary purpose. The Vive Hotel is located 3 blocks from the beach and is situated nicely to walk to various attractions. Rooms run between $150-$250 per night. The rooms could use a little TLC but were large and comfortable. The friendly staff was helpful and accommodating, the buffet breakfast was good, and they have beach equipment for free use. We liked the fact that we could walk to the beach, shopping, restaurants and other sights/attractions.

GETTING AROUND

Waikiki is a very walkable city, but if walking is not your thing, there are some options. One option is The Waikiki Trolley. There are four routes, designated by color, that will take you through various loops in Honolulu. It is a narrated tour and the drivers we had were entertaining. The green trolley will take you to the start of the Diamond Head hike, for example, and other lines will take you to shopping and other sights. If you are going to be there for a few days, we recommend getting a multi-day pass. You can buy tickets online and use you phone for your pass. There is a trolley stop right in front of the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue on the beach just down from the Vive Hotel. He is recognized as the “Father of Modern Surfing” and an Olympic champion. The statue is also a good meeting spot!

     Taxis are available but not hailed from the street. You need to go to a taxi stand. Uber and Lyft are also available. We did Uber to and from the airport and found it efficient. There is also the city bus. Not only does it service portions of Waikiki, but also various locations around Honolulu like the airport and Pearl Harbor. We used it to get to Pearl Harbor and found it efficient and cost effective.

      Biking is another option although it is a bit tricky. Streets congested with traffic and tourists can be hard and frustrating to negotiate. It is illegal to ride on sidewalks and could result in a steep fine if caught. There are some bike trails like the Ala Wai Canal (don’t swim in it!) and the Waikiki Loop (starts at the Duke statue) for a casual ride. It is not recommended and actually dangerous to try to ride to Pearl Harbor. There are Biki bike rental stations around the city, especially on/near the bike paths.

SHOPPING/RESTAURANTS

Waikiki is full of shopping opportunities. Shops abound along Kalakaua ave, around the luxury hotels, and in the malls. The Ala Moana Center is the big shopping mall offering the regular mall stores and lots of food options. The Royal Hawaiian Center, The International Market Place, and Luxury Row shopping mall are also worth a visit. The ABC stores are the local convenience store.

      When it comes to restaurant variety, Waikiki does not disappoint. From high end steak houses to “the chains” to hole-in-the-wall local favorites, there is something for everyone. We ate at several places. Honorable mention to: Shorefrye Beach Bar + Grill-Hawaiian food-good breakfast/lunch, Duke’s Waikiki-seafood-good food/view, Eggs and Things-good breakfast/local favorite, Hy’s Steak House-steak and seafood-high end dinner, Maguro Spot-Hawaiian poke and seafood-local favorite, Thai Tacos-delicious/local favorite food truck, and The Pioneer Saloon-Japanese food-good food served in a Western atmosphere.

THINGS TO DO

1. Pearl Harbor Memorial-moving memorial to those who died and were wounded during WWII attack. Well worth a visit.
2. Circle Island Tour-several companies offer this driving tour of the island. See sights such as Waimea Bay on the North Shore and Sunset Beach home to the big waves, Makapuu Lighthouse, and the Dole Pineapple Plantation.
3. Hike Diamond Head-It is approximately a 1-3/4 mile hike to the top with an elevation gain of approximately 560 feet. It is moderately strenuous. The trail is easy to follow but on uneven ground. We recall 252 stairs during the hike to the top, but the tremendous views and photo opportunities are well worth it. We took the green trolley line up and did the hike in two hours perfectly timing our green trolley ride back. Be aware that the last green trolley leaves at 3:20pm from the trail start. You need a permit ($5 at the time) and a timed entry which gives you a one hour window to enter. You can also take a taxi, Uber/Lyft, and e-bike/bike.
4. Sail/Snorkel-Take a catamaran to Turtle Canyon, a sunset cruise with or without dinner, fireworks cruise on Fridays, a glass bottom boat tour and/or outrigger canoe surfing. Fishing, kayaking and other water activities are also available.
5. Spend time at the beach, swim in the ocean, take a surfing lesson (if the waves are calm as in May), paddleboard, walk in the surf, visit tidepools, take in a sunset, relax with a good book, picnic. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
6. Attend a Luau. Check around as they vary in food, entertainment, time, and location. Try to find one that takes place on the beach.
7. Attend a show/live music. We went to The Magical Mystery Show at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa and saw magician Shoot Ogawa. It was a very entertaining show and Shoot was amazing. We sat in the front and he pulled off amazing tricks right in front of us!
8. Visit the Honolulu Zoo/Waikiki Aquarium. See Hawaii’s wildlife up close and personal.
9. Visit the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet & Marketplace. Held Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, this open air market offers over 400 vendors, crafters, artists, and retail units. There are also some other farmers markets on Saturdays.
10. Other tours. See downtown Honolulu where you can see scenes from Hawaii Five-O, do a ghost tour, pub crawl, or food tour.

We stayed one week in Waikiki and found it a sufficient amount of time to see the sights, hang out at the beach, swim in the ocean, do some shopping, and try various cuisines. Pearl Harbor, our catamaran ride/snorkeling in Turtle Canyon, sunset dinner cruise, and hiking to the top of Diamond Head were the highlights of our trip. The weather was perfect staying in the low 80s daily and hardly any rain. The umbrellas stayed packed! The adventure is there. Go get it!