Oahu: Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I've got to say that Oahu wasn't my favorite destination ever, as it was more industrial and city-like than I pictured Hawaii to be. However, there were some pluses to stopping here to visit for a few days.

The best place on Oahu, in my humble opinion, is North Shore. I'd seen surfing on TV, but it's much more fascinating in person. The Bonzai Pipeline had 15-foot waves the day we were there (they can reach up to 30 feet) and because of the topography here, they curl nicely. I could've easily sat on the beach for hours watching them "hang loose."

I wouldn't have cried if I had missed it, but I'm glad I visited Pearl Harbor. It was a well-organized tour experience, and moving. We had the most beautiful sunny day when we went, and we left our lei flowers as a tribute to those who lost their lives there on the U.S.S. Arizona.

And who doesn't enjoy some pool and beach time? And take time to look up and catch the hundreds of rainbows. Hawaiians probably think that they're old hat, but we enthusiastically pointed out every one!

Quick Tips:

1. The ABC Store will be your best friend. Buy water and snacks here for WAY cheaper than your hotel options.
2. Don't eat on the hotel property. There are far better and cheaper options within a 10-minute walk.
3. A map is a must.
4. Bonzai Pipeline is across from the Sunset Beach Elementary School. We'd have NEVER found it if our concierge hadn't told us that.
5. Get to Pearl Harbor EARLY! As a matter of fact, if you're doing a tourist thing, do it early - it'll be less crowded.

Best Way To Get Around:

You'll need a rental car on Oahu most definitely, and bring a map. I have never been in a place in the U.S. that was so poorly marked as far as roads and attractions - and that from someone who has lived near Washington D.C.! The pre-printed directions we got from our hotel were always missing some key fact - like the road you need is only accessible from the left lane or something, so you'll need your driving patience.

I had many recommendations for the 4-star Hilton Hawaiian Village, including an endorsement from my travel agent. The hotel is both beautiful and convenient, but its service could use some work.

Having had to re-book a flight due to winter weather, we arrived later than expected, tired and cranky. Finding the hotel using the directions supplied on the Website was a struggle. Then, finding valet parking was a challenge, so we ended up self-parking (which costs $20 a day, even for partial days) and hauling our luggage through the garage and down the stairs on our own. We were not given the "Aloha" I expected, but greeted rather gruffly and without a smile. The front desk clerk asked to see my reservation documents, then took them in the back to ask the manager what room I should be given. (Huh?) She then came out and said I’d been upgraded from my partial oceanview to an oceanview room, and shoved us on our way without even asking if we needed assistance with our bags.

The first room was horrible. I don’t know if an ocean view counts if you have to look at it through a garage. And the bathroom tub looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned for weeks and reeked of mildew. When I called, they offered to come clean it – within 2 hours. It was 2am EST and I wasn’t going to wait. So they changed my room. It was back to a partial oceanview, but the room looked out over the pool, so that was fine with me. The bathroom didn’t stink and the room was in the Ali’i Tower – an upgrade in itself. It featured a private pool for guests of that tower only, its own private pool bar with complimentary afternoon snacks and a gym available to all tower guests – without having to pay the extra resort fees. The greeters in the Ali’i Tower treated me like I expected to be treated at the front desk, and there was a doorman who always opened the door for us (even if he was asleep).

The room in the Ali’i Tower was comfortable and clean, and the non-feather pillows and duvets were brought as soon as we asked (I’m allergic). The hotel grounds were well-kept and featured penguins, flamingos, koi ponds, and more. It was hard to find seating at the main pool after about 9am, but we never had issues at the pool in Ali’i. And the concierge desk was awesome!

The hotel is adjoined by the Rainbow Shops, which features an ABC store. (This is the place to go to stock up on bottled water and sundries without paying hotel markups to put in your hotel fridge.) There were lots of high-end stores as well, with a few pricey restaurants.

My suggestion is to walk across the street and eat breakfast at the little diner. $5 all-you-can-eat pancakes, vs. $6 blueberry muffins at the hotel.

The highlight of my stay on Oahu had to be my drive to North Shore. Make sure you get really good directions before you go, because NOTHING in Oahu is well-marked. We would have never known what beaches we were visiting had our concierge at the Hilton Hawaiian Village not given us landmarks to look for.

We started at Sunset Beach and wondered at the rough surf and the surfers who sat on their boards out in the water waiting for that perfect wave. What a contrast to Waikiki’s almost non-existent surf. The north, windward sides of the islands have the better surf conditions, and the locals know it! We stayed here about an hour and then managed to get our car out of a crowded lot with the help of a local resident, who gave us the ‘hang loose’ signal when we said "Mahalo" to her.

From there, we headed south to the Bonzai Pipeline (look for the Sunset Beach Elementary School that’s across the street, otherwise, you’ll never know it’s anything other than a parking spot). Here the waves are not only quite large (they were 12-15 feet when we were there, and the competition surfers occasionally see 30-footers) but they curl (thus the name "pipeline"). This was just like watching surfing on TV. You could see about 10 surfers try to catch a big wave, with only one or two actually making it and then riding inside of that curl. I could’ve watched them all day. The surf was so rough that one guy came hobbling into shore with his board broken in two! We even caught site of a young woman surfer who was giving the hotties a run for their money.

There are several beaches along the way to stop and explore – so plan a whole day for this drive. Stop at the Waimea Audobon Park to see Waimea Falls (it's about a 1-mile hike each way) I’d suggest taking some snacks and bottled water with you. It’s windy, so also know that you’ll get a lot of sun and some wind burn in there, too. Hold onto your hat!

Also, stop in the ABC Store before you depart to get yourself a $2 woven beach mat so you can more easily sit on the beach and watch ‘em surf!

The best advice I could possibly give for seeing the Pearl Harbor memorial is to get there EARLY! The complex opens its doors at 7:30am and the first boat leaves for the memorial at 8am (and every 15 minutes after that) The bus tours start dropping people off at around 7:30am, so the lines snake pretty far. The good thing is that it moves fast. We got in line by 7:30am and were in the door by 8am, and on the boat at 8:30am.

Here’s what surprised me. It’s not a site to see at your leisure. You’re assigned a tour time when you’re given your free ticket. (The tour is free, there’s an audio tour option which costs $5, and proceeds go to the museum upkeep. Also note the back of your ticket, each one memorializes someone who gave their life that day.) You’re supposed to get in line 5 minutes before your tour time at the movie theater (there are two lines. Get in the shortest one, and get in line right after the group before you goes in.) You’re then presented with a 10-minute film depicting the events of December 7, 1941 (with a surprisingly un-harsh look at the Japanese actions, a bit propaganda-like to me, but educational at any rate). If you’re sentimental, you’re going to want to bring in a tissue. After the film, you’re ushered onto a navy boat which takes you to the memorial itself. (Note for picture freaks like me, sit in the front right of the movie theater, as the exit doors to the boat are located there. Position yourself on the right side of the boat for a few of some warships, instead of a view of a bridge.)

When you arrive at the memorial, you’re given 15 minutes to look around before the next boat comes to take you back. I suggest that you skip the hoards of people crowding the entrance and move from back to front instead of front to back. The wall of names is in the back, and you may bring and leave leis here as a tribute. In addition, the park ranger can help you de-string your leis (the string hurts marine life) and set the flowers afloat over the sunken U.S.S. Arizona as a tribute. If you’d like good pictures of the memorial itself, I suggest getting in line for the return boat early, and sitting on the back left side to get some parting photos of the memorial in the water.

It was a very organized, if not overly structured tour. It’s also quite moving to be standing on the hull of a ship where over 1100 people died in an attack on our freedom. The oil still colors the water in places even after 60-some years. Most everyone remains reverent and quiet

On the way to North Shore, you’ll find the Dole Pineapple Farm at your halfway mark. Should you stop? Well, that depends if you like pineapples.

There is a train tour, a plantation walking tour, and a giant maze. I found the train tour to be a waste of time and $7.50. The tour is narrated by a soundtrack over the speakerphone in the cars, and it’s pretty hard to hear, and kind of kiddie to me. (There’s a song about the Pineapple Express that just reminded me too much of Barney the purple annoying dinosaur.) But should your kids get a kick out of it, you can buy the CD in the gift shop. But please don’t share it with me!

At the end of the train tour, however, we were given a sample of fresh pineapple. YUMMY! It was good enough for us to stop again on our way back from North Shore to buy a big bowl of it to eat that night for dessert. But for a refreshing morning snack, can I recommend the pineapple whip? (Essentially pineapple ice cream.)

So here’s the skinny (but not if you do all that eating). If you have kids, they’ll get a kick out of it. Adults and kids will probably enjoy the food and the gift store. Adults should stay away from the train tour if they’d like to keep their sanity. If nothing else, it’s a good potty stop on the way to North Shore.