Honolulu Gateway to Hawaii

Honolulu is the only place in Hawaii that has the big city feel, which is very different from what you will experience in the rest of Hawaii. From my standpoint, you go to Hawaii to escape the big city. Despite this Honolulu still has a quite to offer. There are quite a few beautiful beaches to enjoy. The most famous of these is Waikiki, which is right in the heart of Honolulu and is the center of activity. Even though it is quite crowded with tourists it is must visit. If you want to escape the crowds of the Waikiki there are a number of other less crowded and still beautiful beaches on other parts of Oahu. Just down the coast from Waikiki is the famous outline of Diamond Head. It is just a short drive away to the peak of Diamond Head where you can enjoy some spectacular views. Another must stop on Honolulu is a visit to the Arizona Memorial, which you should devote a half-day to.

Quick Tips:

If you want to be where action is, stay at one of the big resorts in the heart of Waikiki. However, if you are looking for a more quite and secluded vacation, you should look at one of the resorts on the other side of Oahu or one of the other islands altogether. If you are unsure or looking for a little of both; I would recommend spending a few days in Waikiki and then spending a few days on one the other islands such as Maui or Kauai.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you plan to go anywhere outside of Waikiki a rental car is a necessity. Within Waikiki itself, you can walk quite easily. However, if you plan to venture at all to any other sites, such the Arizona Memorial or any beaches outside of Waikiki, the best method of transportation is by car.

The Royal Hawaiian is one of the oldest hotels in Hawaii. Despite its age, it is quite well maintained. It is also known as 'The Pink Palace' because it is painted entirely pink. The Royal Hawaiian is a nice contrast to some of the large resort hotels on Oahu. The Royal Hawaiian is by no means a small hotel, but it feels much more personalized than some of the other very large hotels in Waikiki. The hotel offers a sense of tranquility from the frantic pace of all the comings and goings in Waikiki. This is despite the fact that the hotel is right in the heart of Waikiki. The fact that you can still be in center Waikiki, but quickly escape to a place that feels like it is in Hawaii of a past era is the main drawing point for me.

The rooms are well appointed. Ours came with a four post canopy bed appointed with fixtures that had local flair and offered a nice view of the courtyard.

Even if you don’t stay here, I would recommend stopping by to view the gardens and courtyard. The grounds here are quite spectacular.

I’ve actually eaten at a number of Duke’s restaurants in Hawaii and in Southern California. The Canoe Club in Waikiki is by far my favorite location. This is due primarily to the locations and atmosphere of this one.

Duke’s Canoe Club is located is located right in the heart of Waikiki. You can actually walk right off the beach in to the bar. When we visited there was live music playing all day long and Duke’s was actually the center of attention, people spilling out from the bar on to the beach. All of this creates a fun beach party atmosphere during the day at Dukes. As the day turned to night the atmosphere turned a little more sedate, but still very fun.

In addition the fun atmosphere the food at Duke’s is fantastic. The menu features fresh seafood prepared in variety of local styles. Everything we had was excellent. I would recommend the mahimahi prepared with the macadamia nut crust.

The Royal Hawaiian offers a fantastic spread for Sunday brunch, served on the patio over looking the beach. All of the food was fantastic and there was a wide variety to choose from. However, for me the view is equally impressive. You are practically on right on the beach. There is nothing quite as relaxing as sitting on the beach enjoying a great meal over looking one of the most famous beach view in the world.

In my opinion, the Arizona Monument is a must stop on a visit to Honolulu. The again I am a bit of history buff. Still I think most people will find the trip here quite moving. Tickets are free on a first come first serve basis. So it is recommended that you arrive early. You will pick up your ticket from the front desk and be assigned a time to begin the tour. The later in the day the longer the waits usually until tickets run out for the day.

After you begin the tour you see a short film on Pearl Harbor and World War II. After the film you board a boat to ride out to the memorial. The memorial is floating in the harbor above where the Arizona sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor. You can actually see parts of the memorial in the water. On the memorial itself there is a well listing all of those who died on the Arizona. When we visited there was an Arizona survivor there and it was quite interesting and moving speaking to him.

In addition the memorials itself, there are a number of other interesting sites to see in the area. In the waiting area there is a small museum with pictures and items from World War II. Nearby, for a fee, you can tour the USS Missouri a battleship from World War II and a World War II submarine. Both of these are quite interesting and worth visiting while you are in the area. The Missouri is where the Japanese surrendered to officially end World War II. So you can tour memorials to where World War II started for and ended for the United States.