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Honolulu Attractions
Boat Tours
Cruises and boat tours are available aboard anything from a junk to a catamaran. Some explore the reefs off Waikiki or visit Pearl Harbor; others sail to neighboring islands. Still others offer recreation--chiefly swimming and skin diving--or dinner and dancing.
Bus, Limousine, Trolley and Van Tou
One of the best ways to get an overview of Honolulu and the rest of O'ahu is on a guided tour. Costs vary with the mode of conveyance and itinerary. For example, a van tour will run about $40 per adult for a half-day trip and $60 for a full day; a bus tour will cost a little less, a sedan a little more.
One advantage of a smaller vehicle, such as a van or limousine, is that it allows more opportunity for rapport with the driver/guide.
Waikiki Trolley, (808) 591-2561 or (800) 824-8804, offers three different narrated tours: Honolulu City, Ocean Coast, and Ala Moana Shopping Shuttle. Depending upon the trolley tour chosen, riders may get off and board a later trolley all day. The first trolley departs at 8:55 a.m. and the last trolley pickup is between 4:15 and 9 p.m., depending upon the tour; trolleys leave every 10 to 60 minutes and run daily. One-day fare $25; over 61, $18; military with ID $15; ages 4-11, $12. Four-day pass $45; over 61, $27; military with ID $25; ages 4-11, $18.
Lu'aus
A lu'au is a Hawaiian picnic featuring traditional food and dance. The lu'au food is cooked in an imu, an underground oven, which is formed by pohaku (heating rocks) in a pit in the ground. The pit is lined with fresh leaves, filled with native vegetables and the pua'a, or prepared pig, then surrounded by heated rocks that also are placed inside the pig. The whole feast is then covered with leaves or canvas and allowed to cook for about 6 hours.
The pork tends to be salty--a nice contrast with the traditional poi, the pounded taro-root dish of which there are many variations. Polynesian entertainment adds flavor to the colorful proceedings.
Found at various locations, lu'aus last about 3-4 hours and are only by reservation. Adult prices are $58-$125, generally with discounted prices for students and children. One of the more established lu'aus is at Germaine's, (808) 949-6626 or (800) 367-5655, daily 6-9 p.m. Other lu'aus include Paradise Cove, (808) 842-5911 or (800) 775-2683, daily 5-9 p.m.; and Royal Hawaiian Hotel, (808) 931-8383, Mon. 6-8:30 p.m.
Sports and Recreation
Swimming, surfing, snorkeling and sailing focus, of course, on the beaches, of which Waikiki Beach is primary. Beginning at Kuhio Beach, just diamondhead (east) of Kapahulu Avenue, it runs the length of the peninsula to the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Waikiki is one of the safest beaches on the island, with lifeguards overseeing the activities and beachboys coaching surfing or taking passengers out to run the breakers in an outrigger canoe. Surfboards also can be rented without an instructor. Concessions often are connected with the hotel facing that strip of beach.
Sailing is a good way to see the island. Honolulu Sailing Company, (808) 239-3900 or (800) 829-0114, offers charters, instruction and cruises. Honolulu is also a center for hang gliding.
Scuba diving and snorkeling are particularly rewarding in O'ahu's clear waters. Equipment can be rented by divers who have a certification card, or instruction can be taken at one of several dive shops such as Aloha Dive Shop, (808) 395-5922.
Deep-sea fishing is excellent, particularly during the marlin and tuna runs in late spring and summer. Boats can be chartered for a full or half-day at Kewalo Basin at the foot of Ward Street. One company that offers fishing charters is SportFish Hawai'i, (877) 388-1376.
Foremost among nonaquatic sports in Honolulu is jogging. It would seem from the number of entrants in the Honolulu Marathon (roughly 30,000) that almost everyone does it. One heavily frequented route encircles Kapi'olani Regional Park; you can learn of others by visiting one of the many shops that cater to runners' needs.
Hiking also is possible within sight of the city; trails traverse Round Top Forest Reserve. Certain trails, particularly those in areas farther from the city, might be frequented by undesirables. Prospective hikers should first obtain information about safety and trail conditions, and trail maps from the Division of Forestry, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813; phone (808) 587-0166. The office is open Mon.-Fri. 7:45-4:30; closed holidays. Free park information brochures can be obtained from the Division of State Parks, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 310, P.O. Box 621, Honolulu, HI 96809; phone (808) 587-0300. This office is open Mon.-Fri. 8-3:30 and is closed holidays.
Touring the island on a bicycle or taking a short ride through Waikiki can be a rewarding experience. Consult the telephone directory for information about bicycle rentals. Horseback riding can be enjoyed at Kualoa Ranch, (808) 237-8515 .
There are free public tennis courts at Ala Moana and Kapi'olani Regional parks, where the wait is often 2 hours. Time can be reserved at the 'Ilikai Hotel, but there is a charge of $8 per person per hour.
Golf is both pleasant and challenging on O'ahu's numerous courses. While some are open only to club members, others are open to visitors by agreement with their hotel. Of the public courses, Ala Wai is the closest and therefore has the longest wait to tee off; Hawai'i Kai and Olomana also are popular.
College and high school athletes play baseball, football and basketball in University of Hawai'i Stadium, Neal S. Blaisdell Center or Aloha Stadium. There also is auto racing at Hawai'i Raceway Park. Sports events and schedules appear in the daily newspapers.
Shopping
Honolulu's several strikingly designed complexes offer shoppers everything from toothpaste to precious black coral and from tube socks to mu'umu'us. Music, dance and other entertainment are frequent added incentives.
Ala Moana Center, at 1450 Ala Moana Blvd. across from the park of the same name, is the largest shopping mall in both Honolulu and the state. Amid gardens, pools, fountains and sculpture, more than 220 stores sell products from the entire Pacific area. The department stores--Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Sears and Shirokiya--balance the center's establishments of haute couture, such as Christian Dior and Escada, as well as other upscale establishments such as Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co.
Across from Kewalo Basin at Ala Moana Boulevard and Ward Avenue is another Honolulu hallmark, Victoria Ward Centers. Its six contemporary buildings house more than 120 specialty stores and restaurants. Free outdoor events and programs of Hawaiian entertainment are held at Ward Warehouse. , 7192 Kalaniana'ole Hwy. near Hanauma Bay, offers 60 shops and eateries as well as water sports rentals.
Downtown Honolulu, like mainland cities, is experiencing some urban revitalization. One successful result was the conversion of Fort Street into an attractive pedestrian shopping mall. Chinatown is a 15-block area bounded by N. Beratania Street, N. Nimitz Highway, River Street and Bethel Street; the proudest development of its renovation is , where Chinese shops and restaurants are forerunners of what will be a showcase of the multicultural character of Hawai'i.
One of Honolulu's most recognized landmarks is the centerpiece of the , on the waterfront off Richards Street. This 11-story tower, built in 1926, was for decades the tallest building in the city. Residents would line up along the docks and welcome the sailing ships and big steamers with a hula dance, music performances and flower leis. Today the tower can still be seen from the water, and the observation decks on the top floor provide a scenic view of the Honolulu skyline. The surrounding marketplace includes more than 80 shops and dockside restaurants.
In Waikiki, the most concentrated shopping district is Kalakaua Avenue. The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is the area's answer to Ala Moana Center. Stretching three blocks and four stories, the center has 150 shops, restaurants and services.
Centered around a five-story water sculpture that is one of the area's favorite attractions, are the 40-plus establishments of the Waikiki Shopping Plaza at 2250 Kalakaua Ave. International Market Place, 2330 Kalakaua Ave., combines 130 restaurants, nightclubs, shops and open-air stalls purveying goods from around the world; its centerpiece is a giant banyan tree.
Other Waikiki area temptations are the slick 70-unit Hyatt Shops complex at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Hotel, 2424 Kalakaua Ave.; , off Kaiulani Avenue between Prince Edward Street and Koa Avenue, resembles Hawai'i in the 1890s and boasts 45 shops and restaurants; and Waikiki Town Center, 2301 Kuhio Ave., which presents free hula shows Mon., Wed. and Fri.-Sat. at 7 p.m. and Thurs. at 11:45 a.m. Another favorite is the 25-store , which brings items from Polynesia, Japan and southeast Asia to the grounds of Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Along the on Monsarrat Avenue more than 100 local artists display their wares on Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4. The outdoor art mart offers unusual and, unlike the malls, often less expensive shopping. Aloha Swap Meet, at Aloha Stadium, offers great bargains Wed. and Sat.-Sun. 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Admission is 50c; under age 12 are free.
, 650 Iwilei Rd., a converted factory, houses nearly 20 specialty shops and eateries. Bus and trolley systems stop at the cannery, which is open Mon.-Sat. 9-5 and Sun. 10-4.
Two large suburban shopping centers are Kahala Mall, beyond Diamond Head via H-1 at 4211 Waialae Ave., and Pearlridge Center, at Pearl City via Kamehameha Highway. Kahala's more than 90 specialty shops and eateries are anchored by Macy's. At the Pearlridge, a monorail connects the center's two buildings which house more than 170 stores, restaurants and services that are anchored by Macy's, JCPenney and Sears. Waikele Premium Outlets in Waipahu off H-1 exit 7, includes nearly 60 stores, including Off 5th Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, OshKosh B'Gosh and Coach.
Most of O'ahu's shopping centers open daily at 9 a.m.; closing times vary.
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