Week in Oahu

Hit the North Shore/Sunset Beach area to watch the sun go down. Snorkel at Hanauma Bay. Great beach, and educational for the kids as well. Take an outrigger canoe ride with the Beach Boys of Waikiki

Quick Tips:

Check out 101 things to do on Oahu on the web. There are coupons offered in one section. Or you can pickup up a copy when you arrive at the airport, along with other traveler magazines right near the luggage area.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you are staying in the Waikiki Beach area, walking is the best way to go. Lots to do in that area without having to rent a car. Or, rent the car for a day or two to go explore other areas to avoid paying daily parking fees at your hotel.

Since my husband was on Oahu for business purposes, his company made the hotel reservations. We were in the Tapa Tower on the 10th floor. Looking from our lanai one way we had a partial ocean view and a view of the lagoon; looking to the right we had partial mountain/city view. This is fine with us since we don’t spend that much time in the room anyway! The room was one of the biggest hotel rooms I have been in. There was a king-sized bed, a desk, chair, and armoire area, another chair and footstool, plus a small table and chairs set that could be used for dining. Separated by a wall, there was a counter/sink area that included a small refrigerator and coffee pot along with the mini bar.

Across from this was a double closet and another chest for storage. The bathroom was off this area with a tub/shower, another sink and the toilet. The curtains on both the window and the sliding door had room -darkening features. There was plenty of space in the room plus two luggage stands for use. This was a great hotel room. The grounds of the Hilton Village are beautiful with winding pathways, lush plants, waterfalls, and ponds complete with koi and other small fish. The kids will get a kick out of the penguins and flamingos! There are several restaurants and lounges with entertainment nightly. You could spend your whole vacation here (but don’t! There is plenty to do outside the Hilton grounds!) The beach area is large and you can rent umbrellas, chairs and chaise lounges for a daily fee. There are also beach activities available along with the Atlantis boat dock right on site.

Yes, this is a splurge, but worth it. We had reservations on my birthday, which happened to fall on Mother's Day. We were seated front and center with an unobstructed view of the ocean. Service is very high end. The food was wonderful. My husband and I were given a complimentary glass of champagne and appetizer to start the meal, and although we ordered a chocolate soufflé for dessert, our waiter also brought me a special little three-layer chocolate dessert as well. Evening attire is expected, but it is always nice to get jazzed up for an evening out. We had a very lovely evening, and would return in a heartbeat.

On the third floor of Macy's Department store, we had lunch here before heading into the mall to shop. Don't think because this restaurant is in a department store that it is below par--quite the opposite. Service is great, and the tables are set with cloth napkins and table clothes. This place is a great way to get a taste of Alan Wong’s without having to pay dinner prices, since the restaurant on King Street only serves dinner. Our waitress answered questions about preparation , and made recommendations for her best pick. Try the Kalua pig "BLT" on an onion bun! Very tasty!

To get a sense of history in Waikiki,take the 2-mile Waikiki Historic Trail. You can follow the trail by looking for the 6-foot surfboards that explain the history of favorite resort area. You can follow this trail on your own for now cost. It is a pleasant walk if you go the whole way, or you can break it up and find the markers as you go along Here is a link to explain more: http://www.waikikihistorictrail.com/trail.pdf