Oahu, Hawaii in 2 days. Best recommedations, beaches, parks, ect?
wai_puna asked:
Going in march 06
well thanks for all the responses, i have 2 days only, but i have half day (day of arrival) , a whole day, and half day (day of departure)
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Going in march 06
well thanks for all the responses, i have 2 days only, but i have half day (day of arrival) , a whole day, and half day (day of departure)
waipuna was my nickname while i lived in Maui a few years ago!
June 26th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Two spots that we liked:
1) Drive to Diamond Head and hike up to the top (not a bad walk up) The views are wonderful!
2) Drive to the north shore. The beaches are lovely – not really crowded; the surf is spectacular; there are a couple of really quaint small towns.
We were there last April….enjoy!
June 28th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Sports Mom has it nailed! The north Shore is much nicer than say, Waikiki. Waikiki is overrun with petty thieves and criminals who prey on tourists, so keep your guard up and if you are a woman, don’t carry a purse. Purse snatchers as well as every other criminal run rampant around downtown and the International Marketplace. Last but certainly not least, do not stay at The Waikiki Towers. Hotel Security is even on the take there. I know from experience.
July 1st, 2008 at 6:53 am
Aloha kakahiaka Wai Puna:
If your Hawaii DL or State ID Card is current, bring it so you get kamaina discounts.
Okay, let’s modify this for your new schedule: (presuming you arrive around noon):
Day 1-
12:00 Noon: Arrive and pick-up the car at the airport. Call the hotel and tell them you’re arriving late, reeaaaal late.
1:00 PM – Eat at the Poi Bowl inside the Ala Moana Shopping Center food court. Try the Chicken Long Rice, Kalua Pork/Cabbage, and Macaroni salad plate. Top it with a side of Lomi-Lomi salmon, haupia, and a soft drink.
2:00 PM – Go upstairs and check out the Main Stage area. There might be a free hula show or local artist performing on stage.
3:00 PM – Head out to Diamond Head and take that drive and hike to the top that “Sports Mom” recommended. On a clear day, breathtaking panoramic view at the top!
3:30 PM – Drive back down towards Monssarat Avenue and head towards Kalakaua Avenue. Might be something free happening along the way, local art exhibits, local hula demonstrations, flea market in the park, a big private picnic you can crash…
- Alternate venue: Head out to Highway 1 and go to Byodo Temple: enjoy the tranquil gardens, feed the koi, make an offering to Buddah, pray to Buddah for a romantic evening…
4:30: Walk along Waikiki Beach, park your okole on a table at Duke’s and just order a cocktail and salad. That way you can tell all your friends that you ate at Duke’s on Waikiki Beach. (don’t order dinner – too expensive for too little).
6:30 PM: check out International Marketplace across the street, but do not eat at their food court – there’s no telling how long the food has been sitting in the trays! If you happen to see something you like, barter the price down, or else you just got ripped off (betcha you knew that already). If the International Marketplace isn’t your venue, go across the street to the more elaborate and plush Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. (As an alternative: The Ilikai Hotel, further up on the corner of Ala Moana and Hobron offers a free almost-2 hour live music & hula show by their pool every Fri and Sat evening.)
9:00 PM’ish: check in at the hotel.
Day 2 -
6:00 AM: Eat breakfast at one of the hotels on Kalakaua Avenue.
7:00 AM: Pearl Harbor USS Arizona, it’s free and educational. See where WWII started. Afterward see where WWII ended on USS Missouri (not free).
10:00 AM: Head north to Dole Pineapple plantation. Nice place to visit but don’t hang out here too long. If you do, everything starts looking like a pineapple… including your friends!
11:00: AM: Continue north to Haleiwa – good old fashion surfing town and nice local shops. Look for someplace to eat.
1:00 PM: Head towards Polynesian Cultural Center and check out the beaches on your left as you drive… no…better yet, just keep your eyes on the road! (If today is Sunday, you’re out of luck… the Center is closed!) Stay for their dinner and evening luau/show.
10:00 PM: Head back to hotel
NOTE: Polynesian Cultural Center is pricey but worth the price; very culturally authentic and culturally correct (no neon colored nylon grass skirts here). Better to reserve tickets a day or two before.
Day 3 -
6:00 AM: Check out of the hotel and eat breakfast at McDonald’s, try rice with Portuguese sausage and Kona coffee.
6:30 AM: Pick up some snacks at the ABC Store to take to Haunauma Bay
7:00 AM: Leave for Haunauma Bay, go snorkeling, say hello to fish, work on tan, take pictures.
10:30 AM: Leave Haunauma Bay, getting crowded with tourists, tan’s looking good anyway and stomach is getting hungry
11:00 AM: Lunch at O’no Hawaiian Foods on 726 Kapahulu Avenue. Local hole in the wall but good eats. Local favorite (pigeon English spoken hea). Waitresses are over 60 but tell them they don’t look a day over 40, or else they’ll step on your toes. The cook is even older. Walls are covered with autographed pictures of every celebrity who’se eaten here. From Hollywood stars, entertainers, sports legends and even a former president of U.S.
12:00 Noon: Pau! Leave for airport. Whew!
Me ka `oia`i`o,
Kala