Introduction to O'ahu & Waikiki Area

Before we take you on a tour around the island and all the great spots to visit, let's discuss the most asked question and one that will save you loads of money, to get a rental car or not to get a rental car.

You DO NOT need a car in Waikiki. Everything in Waikiki is walking distance. There is little parking in Waikiki, and what parking there is, is very expensive. We recommend that all visitors rent a car for just 1-2 days after arriving to drive around the island but 80% of your time will be walking around and enjoying Waikiki. From the airport, you can take a Waikiki Hotel Shuttle Bus for just $15 round trip per person or appx. $40 by taxi to the Ilikai Resort. The bus leaves every 20 minutes and takes 20 minutes to the resort which is the second or third stop.

Valet parking at the Ilikai Hotel is $18 per day with in/out privileges, $17 for self parking next door at the Ilikai Marina parking lot or $0.25 an hour / $9 a day at the lagoon parking spaces, just a 1 minute walk behind the hotel on the ocean side. Please be advised, parking at the lagoon at night is fairly easy but from morning till 6pm, the lot is filled with surfers and local workers and almost impossible to get a space. There is also no in/out privilages. If you move the car, you have to pay again.

Visiting locations on this side of the island is a snap without a car. There are tons of companies that service the whole area with super inexpensive shuttle bus service. For example, for just $11 round trip, they pick you up at the front door and take you to Hanama Bay, includes snorkel, mask and fins. Same price to the huge flea market at Aloha Stadium. Pearl Harbour is also appx. $12 round trip with shuttle bus and you get inside info from the drivers.

Choosing which of Hawaii's many visitor attractions to see is no easy task. There are surely more things to see than you'll ever be able to see in one trip, even if you stay entirely on one island.

Such is the case on O'ahu, home Hawaii's largest city Honolulu, and to most of Hawaii's population. It is an island steeped in Hawaii's rich history.

We'll take a look at some of the most popular visitor attractions on O'ahu. We'll look at Waikiki and the world famous Waikiki Beach; downtown Honolulu; Windward O'ahu and finally Central O'ahu to Pearl Harbor. Many of these attractions are free. Others charge a nominal entrance fee.

We urge all of you to pick up the current editions of the various visitor publications when you arrive in Hawaii. Many of these publications offer discounts, and often even two-for-one admission savings for many of the most popular attractions.

Waikiki

More than likely if you're staying on O'ahu, you're staying in Waikiki. There are many attractions in Waikiki within easy walking distance of any hotel. Afterwards you can see just how much you can view within walking distance on our Waikiki Walking Tour.

Aside from the world famous beach, which is, in itself, a major attraction, you'll want to consider a visit to the Honolulu Zoo. Located on the west side of Kapi'olani Park. The Honolulu Zoo is the largest in the state of Hawaii. In fact, it's the largest within a 2400 mile radius!

Highlights of the zoo include the "African Savanna", the "Tropical Rainforest" and the "Islands of the Pacific" exhibits. If you're in Honolulu during a full moon, check into their once-a-month "Moonlight Walk".

Located within easy walking distance of the zoo is the Waikiki Aquarium. Built in 1904, this is the third-oldest public aquarium in the United States. Their exhibits, programs, and research focus on the aquatic life of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific.

The over 2,500 organisms found in their exhibits represent more than 420 species of aquatic animals and plants. Every year, roughly 350,000 people visit the Waikiki Aquarium.

Other worthwhile attractions in Waikiki include the Damien Museum where you can learn about the life of Father Damien, famous for working with those suffering from Hansen's disease.

The downtown area of Honolulu, located just minutes from Waikiki, offers many wonderful attractions.

Aloha Tower is famous for greeting all who arrive in the port of Honolulu by ship. Recently restored, you can take an elevator to the top and get the best views of Honolulu and the surrounding area.

The Bishop Museum is a must see for anyone interested in the history and culture of Hawaii. The museum contains the world's largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific artifacts. The museum is not within walking distance of downtown or Waikiki, but there is plenty of free parking available and public transportation does service the museum.

The Hawaii Maritime Center is located near Aloha Tower. The museum details the maritime history of Hawaiian and the Polynesian people. An excellent audio tour is available and highly encouraged.

Be sure to see the historic ship the Falls of Clyde, the world's last four masted, fully rigged ship which is designated as a National Historic Landmark. See the famous Hokule'a, the Polynesian sailing canoe that retraced the voyages of ancient Hawaiians throughout the South Pacific by using the stars and ocean currents to navigate.

The historic area of downtown Honolulu should not be missed. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:15 pm, the 'Iolani Palace, built in 1882, is the only royal palace on American soil.

The palace served as the residence of the last two Hawaiian monarchs from 1882 to 1893. The Palace is now operated by the non-profit Friends of 'Iolani Palace. Renovations are ongoing as are the efforts to regain the original furniture and belongings that stood in the palace in the days of the monarchy.

Located nearby to the palace is the State of Hawaii Capitol Building which offers tours on a limited basis. Also nearby is the Mission Houses Museum which honors the memory and lives of the missionaries who came to Hawaii in the 19th Century.

While you're visiting the historic area be sure to see the famous statue of King Kamehameha I which stands across the street from the 'Iolani Palace in front of the Hawaii Judiciary Building.

Sitting atop Punchbowl Crater is the National Cemetery of the Pacific, the final resting place for more than 40,000 war veterans who served the United States in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. This is a solemn place but one filled with much beauty and peace.

Other sites of interest include the Queen Emma Summer Palace, the summer retreat of Queen Emma, wife of Alexander Liholiho (King Kamehameha IV). The home is wonderfully maintained by the non-profit Daughters of Hawaii.

Located at 2261 Nu'uanu Avenue is the Royal Mausoleum, where the remains of six of the eight Hawaiian monarchs are interred.

O'ahu's Southeast Shore and Windward Coast features some of the island's best beaches separated by rugged rocky shores, lush green valleys and wonderful attractions.

In Hawaii, windward refers to the eastern side of an island and leeward the western side. The prevailing winds in Hawaii blow east to west as opposed to the mainland where winds tend to blow west to east.

Whether you drive past Diamond Head and Maunalua Bay and around Koko Head Crater past Hanauma Bay, Sandy Beach, Makapu'u Point and Waimanalo or begin your drive at the end of the Pali or Likelike Highway at Kane'ohe Bay, a drive along O'ahu's Eastern Shore and Windward Coast makes for a perfect day trip from Waikiki.

For the purposes of this feature we'll define O'ahu's Southeast Shore as the area from Koko Crater to Kailua and the Windward Coast as Kane'ohe Bay all the way to just before Laie, the gateway to the North Shore.

The Kalaniana'ole Highway is the main road along the Southeastern Oahu Coast. The Kamehameha Highway and the inland Kahekili Highway are the main roads from Kaneohe northward.

In order to explore O'ahu's Southeast Shore you'll need to drive past Diamond Head towards the residential area of Hawaii Kai and past Koko Head Crater.

Assuming, however, that you drive from downtown Honolulu north on Pali or Likelike Highway, you will begin the next part of your trip at the beginning of O'ahu's Windward Coast. Look for signs to the Kahekili Highway. The Kahekili Highway parallels the Kamehameha Highway, but a bit inland.

If you take this road you will come to the Valley of Temples and the Byodo-In Temple. This temple is a precise replica in concrete of a 900 year old temple in Uji, Japan. The grounds of the temple are lovely. Chances are you'll see a wedding either going on or about to begin.

After you rejoin the Kamehameha Highway you'll come to the intersection of Pulama Road. Up the road to the left you'll find the plantation and gardens of Senator Hiram Fong. Born in China and immigrated to Hawaii, Senator Fong became a successful lawyer, businessman, and U.S. Senator for seventeen years. After 35 years of planning and planting his property was opened to the public in 1988 and still may be seen only from a tram with a tour guide who does, however, make frequent stops.

Proceeding north on the Kamehameha Highway you will pass Mokolii Island, more popularly known as Chinaman's Hat, for obvious reasons.

Before you reach the town of Laie and the North Shore of O'ahu, you'll come to Kualoa Ranch. Many motion pictures and TV shows have been filmed on the ranch's property including LOST, Jurassic Park and 50 First Dates.

The ranch offers over 15 outdoor activities including ATVs, horseback rides, target shooting, helicopter rides and a ranch and movie set tour. Many choose just to relax at Secret Island, the ranch's secluded beach.

Apart from the amazing beaches where some of the world's largest surfing competitions are held annually, the area from Laie to Haleiwa - the North Shore, is best known for two major attractions, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Waimea Valley Audubon Center.

In Laie you will find the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii's most popular privately owned attraction. Here you will find re-created villages of seven Polynesian cultures, Fiji, the Marquesas, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga and Hawaii.

Students at nearby Brigham Young University Hawaii who come from these islands share their culture, their art and their dance. The students work in exchange for tuition, room and board.

Activities abound at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The afternoon canoe pageant is a popular attraction as is the evening luau and show.

If the drive to La'ie is too far for you, there are many tour companies that offer round-trip bus transportation and admission to the Polynesian Cultural Center with pickup from your hotel in Waikiki.

After rounding the northern tip of O'ahu, the Kamehameha Highway passes some of the most famous surfing beaches in the world. If you're on O'ahu in winter, you're likely to see the very high waves that make O'ahu's North Shore famous. The highway eventually makes its way to the town of Waimea, home to the Waimea Valley Audubon Center. The Center provides a unique experience where visitors can immerse themselves in Hawaiian natural and cultural history.

The center is a leader in native flora collections and offers insights into Hawaiian ecosystems and pre-contact history. This is a self guided experience where visitors to the valley are invited to explore the many botanical, cultural and historical resources distinctive to Hawaii.

The drive through central O'ahu from the north shore town of Haleiwa will take you past much of O'ahu's history. You will pass through areas which once were planted with sugar as far as the eye could see - until the sugar industry began to die on O'ahu. Many of these fields are now full of a newer crop, coffee.

You'll pass through some fields still planted with pineapple for the Dole Corporation. Along the way you can stop at the Dole Plantation Visitor Center where you can sample many pineapple treats, purchase lots of souvenirs and even try to make your way through the world's largest maze.

The road south takes you past much of Hawaii's military history including Schofield Barracks, considered by many to be the most beautiful military base in the world.

As you reach the end of H2 you will find yourself near Pearl Harbor. A visit to Pearl Harbor requires at least a half day, or more, if you intend to visit all of the sites.

Pearl Harbor is home to the USS Arizona Visitors Center and the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park and the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial.

We've now made our way around a big circle and arrived back in Honolulu. You certainly can't see all of these attractions in one day or even one trip. That's one of the reasons that so many tourists come back to Hawaii and and the island of O'ahu again and again.