Oahu Honolulu Waikiki Hawaii Travel Advice

manhn

Well-Known Member
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14,747
First week of December, my parents, aunt and cousin and I will be going to Oahu. This will be my first time in Hawaii. Looking forward to it. It will be just for a week (I will be running the Honolulu Marathon). We are intending to stay put in an airbnb in Waikiki with the occasional day trip here and there. As you may have noticed, I am not one of those "So....what's fun to do in ____?" people. My questions are very precise and specific. Any and all suggestions are welcome. I do a good number of things suggested by people.

1. Best Coffee in Oahu: A very important question for me. Any and all suggestions will likely be tried out by me. And yes, I realize Oahu is a big area, but I will be visiting most parts of the region at some point in my trip (specifically, Waikiki, Downtown, Chinatown, Pearl Harbour, Koko Head, North Shore--probably not the east coast region).

2. Best Shave Ice:

3. Best Place to Eat Spam:

4. Best Ice Cream: Yeah, I will get shaved ice, but I always love ice cream.

5. Best Lookout: There seems to be 18 billion lookouts. TBH, after one scenic view atop a mountain or building, I generally don't need to do another one, just from a different vantage point. What's the best? Also, what's the easiest (little to no hiking) for seniors who may end up too tired to walk/hike?

6. Best LOST Locations: Yes, I am a fan. I even loved the series finale. I will be visiting Koko Head, the Hawaiian Convention Centre, the Buddhist Temple, and Manoa Falls, all location sites for the show (I'm sure there are other virtues to visiting those places). I'm assuming the the all-girls Catholic school that was used for the Church in the finale is off-limits. Any potential sites would be greatly appreciated.

7. Best Loco Moco: I will probably try Rainbow Drive-In, but my aunt may not want to visit because she's vegetarian (and in case she finds out that Obama likes this place, she may not want to step foot in it). Other places? Zippy's

8. Best Poke: TBH, I don't really like it (I prefer my raw fish without all of that marinade), but maybe if I try poke in its original habitat, I will change my mind.

9. Best Stops between Waikiki and North Shore: I'm thinking Green World Coffee Farm, Dole Plantation, Waimea Falls, Turtle Beach, Matsumoto Shave Ice, and the Shrimp Trucks. Is that too much in one day? And is driving there (and back) in the dark okay?

10. Best Shrimp Truck in North Shore: Is it Giovanni or somewhere else?

11. Best Place to Buy Exotic Fruits: We will going to the KCC Farmers Market Saturday Morning near Diamond Head, but is there an actual store? My family loves fruits like dragonfruit, mangosteen, rambutan, lychee, etc.

12. Best Luau: I would prefer it be within Waikiki, not so far away like the Polynesian Cultural Center.

13. Best Place to Observe Hipsters: Yes, I am a big fan of gentrification.

14. Best Vietnamese in Oahu: Besides The Pig & The Lady

15. Best Bookstore in Oahu:
 
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MacMadame

Doing all the things
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57,956
5. Best Lookout: There seems to be 18 billion lookouts. TBH, after one scenic view atop a mountain or building, I generally don't need to do another one, just from a different vantage point. What's the best? Also, what's the easiest (little to no hiking) for seniors who may end up too tired to walk/hike?
Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout

When I lived in Hawaii, we would go there anytime we had a rental car available to us. You can't get there by bus and we had no car. But it's spectacular and worth going to if you have a car.
 

KCC

Well-Known Member
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2,753
Not a recommendation, but rather an observation from the H marathon back in 2002. There was an older gentleman ahead of me that was only wearing a t-shirt and thong. A quick giggle, and then I got ahead of him as quickly as I could. Good luck and have fun!!
 

manhn

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,747
Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout

When I lived in Hawaii, we would go there anytime we had a rental car available to us. You can't get there by bus and we had no car. But it's spectacular and worth going to if you have a car.

Excellent, I am intending to visit when we check out the Buddhist temple.
 

AxelAnnie

Like a small boat on the ocean...
Messages
14,463
Have fun! And get a spray tan before going (at least my daughter always does).
 
D

Deleted member 1204

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I have a condo in Waikiki and lived there for 6 years. I used to visit 3-4 times a year before I moved to Germany. I'm going to retire there. There are like a billion tourists to Oahu every year and everything has been reviewed to death online, and clearly you have done your research already, but here are my meager suggestions:

1. Best Coffee in Oahu: I'll qualify this by saying that I don't drink coffee, but whatever you do, try some Kona coffee (beans grown on the Big Island). You could visit the Kona Coffee Purveyors in the International's Market Place in Waikiki.

2. Best Shave Ice: definitely Matsumoto's up in Haleiwa, but to be honest, shave ice is shave ice.

3. Best Place to Eat Spam: gross... but Spam musubi is worth a try- you can get it at any of the ABC stores or a 7-Eleven. Don't make this a priority.

4. Best Ice Cream: I would say Lappert's in the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

5. Best Lookout: there are a million- try the Pali Lookout for a great view of the Windward side, Tantalus for an incredible view of Waikiki and the volcano, maybe Punchbowl cemetery for a view of Honolulu, and (if you can do a hike) Pillboxes in Lanikai. You can drive to the first 3... It sounds hokey, but even the relatively easy hike to the top of Diamond Head is worth it and offers a unique view of Waikiki.

6. Best LOST Locations: if you're willing to pay, KOS tours are supposed to be well worth the money.

7. Best Loco Moco: I prefer Zippy's to Rainbow Drive In, but they are cheap local dives so don't have high expectations :) Hawaiian comfort food, very basic with 2 scoops of white rice and a scoop of mac salad.

8. Best Poke: can't help you here... gross. For great seafood, though, try Nico's Pier 38.

9. Best Stops between Waikiki and North Shore: Waikiki to the North Shore and back is a great day trip. Driving at night is not a problem at all. You basically take the H1 to the H2 (two of the 3 major highways on Oahu) and head on up. Do not do this on a weekend- traffic is bad. Clearly you have done your homework- Dole Plantation, explore Haleiwa, maybe eat lunch at Haleiwa Beach House, Turtle Beach won't take much time, I haven't been to Waimea Falls in years, Waimea Beach Park is gorgeous but the surf will be crazy in winter, I really love Three Tables and Shark's Cove but you won't be able to swim there in the winter, Sunset Beach, keep going as far up as Turtle Bay Resort and just beyond that, the shrimp trucks, then I usually turn around and head back the way you came. If you keep going onward to the Windward side, it will make for a very long day.

I would also consider another loop on a separate day- starting in Waikiki and heading east (I know you said probably not the east region but I find it the most scenic). Diamond Head Road through Kahala, to the H1 on out to Hawaii Kai, consider stopping at Koko Head (the hike to the top is STEEP!) or Hanauma Bay, then maybe do the hike up to Makapu'u light house or just stop for the view of the Windward side, stop at Halona blow hole, continue on through Waimanalo into Kailua, if you want a super casual local lunch stop at the Shack for a burger, stop at Kailua Beach and visit Lanikai for an wonderful view of the Mokulea Islands. Or better yet, rent kayaks and paddle out to the islands for a fun day, you can hang out on the small beach there. Visit Byodo-In temple. Take the Pali highway back to Waikiki. Don't eat pork while driving on the Pali- it is supposed to be very bad luck.

Visit Iolani Palace in Honolulu. The Pearl Harbor tour is nice. Chinatown is a bit sketchy. Sample malasadas at Leonard's Bakery on Kapahulu Ave. in Waikiki. Or anything at Liliha Bakery. Get a chicken sandwich on French bread at Ba-Le Sandwiches. And definitely Marukame Udon in Waikiki (they are closed for renovations through mid-November but supposed to be open again in December) - GREAT udon!

10. Best Shrimp Truck in North Shore: they're all the same, just pick one.

11. Best Place to Buy Exotic Fruits: no idea. There's a Whole Foods in Kahala and in Kailua :)

12. Best Luau: I don't think here are any in Waikiki. Polynesian Cultural Center is so touristic- very educational and well-done, but not my thing. There are other luaus, just don't know them.

13. Best Place to Observe Hipsters: I don't think I have ever seen hipster on Oahu.

14. Best Vietnamese in Oahu: no idea. There are plenty of places around though.

15. Best Bookstore in Oahu: what's a bookstore? There used to be a Borders, but it closed about a decade ago...
 

Vash01

Fan of Yuzuru, T&M, P&C
Messages
55,319
Hanauma Bay is a beautiful lookout (in addition to the Pali lookout). There are city buses going there, if you don’t want to be on a tour bus.

Dole plantation is good. There are many other scenic spots along the way.
 

lmarie086

missing my cat :(
Messages
4,089
I went to Oahu in June - I have a few friends stationed there, and one of them is leaving for upstate NY so we made sure to go before he left lol. It's beautiful - you'll have a wonderful time!

We stayed on the North Shore at an Airbnb right on Sunset Beach - there's a cute little coffee stand that my friends were obsessed with - they went every day lol.

If you like pad Thai, Rajanee Thai in Haleiwa is excellent. It's BYOB and there's a liquor store right nearby (that liquor/convenience store has a ton of local jams and jellies and whatnot - I recommend the spicy guava mustard! I was obsessed with it and I've been so sad since I ran out, haha).

Cafe Haleiwa was excellent for breakfast - big portions and low prices.

Paddle boarding is a lot of fun too - if you're interested I'll check the name of the place I went to in Haleiwa! It's one of the surf shops, I just can't remember the name, but they were less expensive than a lot of the people who were at the beaches.

If you like beer, the Brewseum in Honolulu is pretty cool. I'm gluten free so I couldn't partake much, but my friends loved it there.

The Dole plantation is pretty cool. Idk what the crowds will be like in December, but it was mobbed in June. Still, the dole whip was worth it - delicious!

The mall in Pearl City has a pretty good pho place, from what I heard; we didn't go, but my friends who live in the area go alot.

We went to Kono's Northshore for breakfast (after we did the Koko Crater Stairs hike-which if you feel like doing a hike in addition to the marathon, the view from the top is breathtaking); we didn't have a single bad meal on the island, but that was definitely one of the best meals we had. Soo good - try their smoothies, too!

I really wanted to check out Iolani Palace, but we ran out of time. If you want another museum option, I highly recommend the Bishop Museum. It's incredible, and I could have easily spent a full day there.

Waimea Beach and Electric Beach were two of my favorite beaches - they're all gorgeous, but I just enjoyed those two the most. However, I think my absolute favorite was Bellows Field Beach; unbelievably gorgeous there. It's not open everyday because the Marines do training there, but I definitely recommend making a trip if you can. Just wear a lot of strong sunscreen; that was the only place I actually got a sunburn! Went from 50 SPF to 70 SPF after that day haha.

ETA: If you're ever in Wahiawa, Kiani's Original Guava Chicken is excellent.

Good luck in the marathon!
 
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MacMadame

Doing all the things
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57,956
12. Best Luau: I don't think here are any in Waikiki. Polynesian Cultural Center is so touristic- very educational and well-done, but not my thing. There are other luaus, just don't know them.
When I lived in Hawaii, we had luaus at work the way the mainland has BBQs. :D

I think there is at least one Luau in Waikai at one of the hotels. I suspect the one at the Polynesian Cultural Center is better though. For this one, you might be better off just checking Yelp.

13. Best Place to Observe Hipsters: I don't think I have ever seen hipster on Oahu.
Not even at the bus stops? :D

Hanauma Bay
Oh, I forgot about that place. I went there for a beach day once and the water was insanely gorgeous, much better than Waikiki beach.

I wasn't very active when I lived there so those are the only two places I went swimming. :lol: Did a lot of walking due to not having a car, of course, but I wasn't into triathlons then or anything like that. I never even went surfing! I did take a ton of pictures and had a gallery show of them. Hawaii is so photogenic!
 

Rukia

A Southern, hot-blooded temperamental individual
Messages
21,109
If you don't want to do the PCC for a luau but you will still travel out of Honolulu for it, go to Paradise Cove. I had several friends who worked there, and it was super fun. I love the PCC, but I feel like you really have to make a day out of it. Go to Zippys I say. Their chili is simultaneously the best and worst thing you will ever have. They also have a fake coco puff, but if you want the real think you'll have to go to Lililha Bakery. Definitely go to the Dole Plantation. And be ready to eat tons of Dole whip. If you want a lot of different Japanese options just go to Shirokiya in Ala Moana. They have a food hall there now with all kinds of stuff.

All my other suggestions are way out of town because I didn't live in town. Hahaha. If you're looking for places in Aiea/Pearlridge though I have lots of ideas. I also know some good places to make out...:shuffle:

Oh and slightly Lost related story: my friend had an old clunker of a car and she was driving me and my now husband up to the North Shore for...something (I don't remember). Traffic was terrible. We were stopped, and then someone came and told her she had to turn her car off because it was too loud and they were trying to film. So that's how we interrupted the filming of Lost.
 

easilydistracte

Geezette
Messages
527
While you're in the Pali Hwy/Nu'uanu Ave vicinity--and if you have a spare hour or two--you may want to check out the Queen Emma Summer Palace (Pali Hwy) and the Royal Mausoleum (Nu'uanu Ave). The guided tour at the Summer Palace is interesting and informative. The artifacts are fascinating and I found the history of the Hawaiian royal family to be so heartbreaking. Full of surprising connections, too. I think the Royal Mausoleum would be best viewed after a visit to either 'Iolani Palace or the Queen Emma Summer Palace just to get the context of the various names on the monuments. I think my sisters and I spent maybe 20 minutes at the site. It's a state park but we didn't see any staff there. There's a beautiful Gothic-esque chapel on the grounds. Unfortunately, that building wasn't open on the day we went.

The road along the south shore of the island between Hanauma Bay and Makapu'u Point has a couple of spots where you can pull off the road and look out over the ocean. Since it's getting into the winter, you may see some humpback whales swimming off shore. They migrate down from Alaska to calve and spend the winter and return north in the late spring. The moms don't feed the entire time they're down in Hawaiian waters and they're nursing their babies the whole time. (You may be able to see the faint profile of Moloka'i, too, from one of those lookouts.)

When I visited back in July/August, Honolulu Airport (HNL) was undergoing a lot of construction. I think Hawaiian Airlines is expanding their concourses. Actually, I can't remember a time when HNL did not have some type of construction going on and I've been flying through there since the 1960s. Also, the state government is currently building an extremely controversial light rail system that's supposed to eventually connect western O'ahu to the west side of Honolulu. Expect some detours.

I remember visiting my sister back when she was still living in 'Aina Haina and we went to Kahala Mall. We were down at the Long's Drugs end of the mall and I happened to see Daniel Dae Kim just strolling casually through the mall. I don't remember whether that was when he was still in Lost or whether he had already started working on Hawai'i 5-O. I was surprised by how short he is.

Re: Zippy's--try one of the variations of Saimin that's on the menu. Some of those variations are huge, though, so they have a tendency to get cold before you can finish the whole serving.

Re: Spam. My family's from Hawai'i Island, so we grew up eating spam. It's not the worst thing in the world and I still eat it occasionally. I liked the coarser texture of it that I remember from when I was a kid. The product today is a little bit too processed. I still like Spam Musubi, especially when the spam has been marinated and the rice has been cooked just right and sprinkled with furukake and the nori wrapping is wider than just a small strip.
 
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CantALoop

keeper of Rinka's isopod plushies
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2,960
Hawaii Native here, born and raised in Honolulu, living in Waikiki - keep in mind these are my personal tastes.
1. Best Coffee in Oahu: TBH I think Kona Coffee Purveyors' coffee in Waikiki is overroasted and bitter, but their pastries are to die for (but expensive). I prefer Honolulu Coffee Co., or if you like Starbucks, there's a small Starbucks Reserve in the Waikiki Trade Center.

2. Best Shave Ice: Waiola Shave Ice if you're downtown, or Matsumoto's on the North Shore

3. Best Place to Eat Spam: If you want inexpensive, any local plate lunch place (L&L, Zippy's, Rainbow Drive Inn). If you want something a little more creative, Side Street Inn.

4. Best Ice Cream: I like Via Gelato in Kaimuki, but I also like Butterfly and Lucy's Lab in the Kaka'ako neighborhood of Honolulu.

5. Best Lookout: Diamond Head is probably easy for most, but bring good shoes because some parts are well-trod to where the pathway consists of smooth rocks made slippery by the dust. You can also try the Pali Lookout, Lanikai Pillboxes.

6. Best LOST Locations: Make a trip to Kualoa Ranch.

7. Best Loco Moco: I second Rainbow's, but TBH most places are pretty similar. If you want huge and delicious, try Ted's Bakery in the North Shore

8. Best Poke: Marinade and seasoning is what makes poke authentic - the flavors need to meld together. That's what most mainland shops get wrong and their poke ends up being a veg salad with raw fish and dressing on top. Foodland (yes, a supermarket) has a really good variety. Tamura's and Tanioka's is also good.

9. Best Stops between Waikiki and North Shore: I'm thinking Green World Coffee Farm, Dole Plantation, Waimea Falls, Turtle Beach, Matsumoto Shave Ice, and the Shrimp Trucks. Yes. And is driving there (and back) in the dark okay? It's okay but watch out for other tourists and people illegally trying to pass.

10. Best Shrimp Truck in North Shore: TBH they're all pretty equal.

11. Best Place to Buy Exotic Fruits: Farmers' markets are your best bet. Supermarkets rarely carry exotic local produce

12. Best Luau: I don't think I've heard of any great ones in Waikiki. The most popular are Germaine's and Paradise Cove. Germaine's is less fancy but has better food and more booze tickets - people also think it's more of a fun atmosphere. Paradise Cove has very body-beautiful dancers, but less food and less booze. YMMV.

13. Best Place to Observe Hipsters: SALT in Kaka'ako, Downtown/Chinatown border.

14. Best Vietnamese in Oahu: Anywhere in Chinatown. Avoid Ba-Le if it's not run by Vietnamese - there is a quality between franchises. One of my favorite places is Insomnia Cafe in Kaka'ako - I hate fish sauce because of the smell, but I love their lemongrass chicken banh mi.

15. Best Bookstore in Oahu: Few bookstores remain and none really stand out in my mind TBH. Only one B&N has survived and most bookstores I can think of are specialty shops (Japanese, Hawaiian, university, religious).
 

manhn

Well-Known Member
Messages
14,747
I had an amazing time! I would recommend Honolulu fully. I demand a Skate America in Hawaii.

In case you are planning a trip to Oahu and know how to use the Search function...

1. Best Coffee in Oahu: Lion Cafe & General Store near the airport, Kona Coffee, Brew & Foam, ARS Cafe near Diamond Head, Green World Coffee Farm

2. Best Shave Ice: Matsumoto!

3. Best Place to Eat Spam: Musubi Cafe

4. Best Ice Cream: It was only okay, but Il Gelato Hawaii

5. Best Lookout: Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout. We tried Tantalus, and I have no idea if we missed it or not.

6. Best LOST Locations: Byodo-In Buddhist Temple, the Convention Centre, and the All-Catholics School. I happen to go past the school on one of my morning runs. I would have taken photos but it was during the week and school was still in session. Didn't want to look like a creeper.

7. Best Loco Moco: Rainbow Drive-In. It was...an acquired taste? I was stone-cold sober while trying it.

8. Best Poke: Ono Seafood. It was fine, pretty much like any other poke I ever tried.

9. Best Stops between Waikiki and North Shore: Green World Coffee Farm, Dole Plantation, Turtle Beach, Matsumoto Shave Ice, and the Shrimp Trucks. We skipped Waimea Bay. We stopped a few times for photos. A lovely day, and traffic was not an issue like it was the rest of my trip.

10. Best Shrimp Truck in North Shore: Giovanni. Get the scampi!

11. Best Place to Buy Exotic Fruits: Chinatown. Farmers' Markets rip you off.

12. Best Luau: Didn't go to any

13. Best Place to Observe Hipsters: Maybe, just maybe, the Ala Moana Center, on the outskirts. MAYBE.

14. Best Vietnamese in Oahu: The Pig & The Lady!!!!

15. Best Bookstore in Oahu: Do they have even books in Hawaii?

Loved my time. The Marathon was a blast, literally and figuratively.
 

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