Things to do in Honolulu/Waikiki

[rossthebosssf]

Business is taking me to HI in a couple days. Looks like I might have a day or so off. Any must do's while there? I'm excited to hike near a volcano, but not sure what else. Any recommendations would be great including restaurants.

[Guy Fawkes]

Volcano is on the big island, so you'd be taking a commuter flight.

 

Hanauma Bay has a bus goes out there, best snorkeling around. Ask nicely if you can go to the toilet bowl and take pictures; occasionally they'll say yes. Clockwise around the bay to the end and the back up beside the bay.

 

Queens Beach is at the tip of WakiWaki and has lots of Eye Candy (Bus Trip)

 

If you have a Rental Car drive out to the North Shore around Sunset.

 

Iolani Palace (Only Royal Palace in USA) and surrounding area for history buffs downtown has easy bus access.

 

Military History would be the Pear Habor tour.

 

Miltary Sightseeing @ Fort DeRussy (entrance to WakiWaki) and area around Hale Koa Hotel (Military Only).

 

Our bars tend to be friendly and will update you on what's new. Enjoy! Miss the place something fierce.

[ted]

Daddy hit the high points as far as sights - although if you are a snorkeler, there is at least one area on each of the islands that is very good. Hanauma Bay is wonderful for those who know not what they are doing, like me; you can see a great variety of marine life without venturing out very far.

 

Oh and if you are a golfer take your clubs-along with plenty of money. If possible, you said you are going on business, see if one of the folks you are visiting will go with so you can get a kama'aina rate which is often close to half the "regular" rate. The other good rates are on the military courses if you can qualify. Although it can be windy, practically every day is a golf day.

 

As far as restaurants you don't mention a type of cuisine or price range but some of my favorites on Oahu

 

Roys - Asian Fusion original in Hawaii Kai is the best but you need a car to get there-taxi is awfully expensive to go out there. You can take the bus if you know where you are going. But if no car there is a Waikiki outpost in the Embassy Suites Asian Fusion with excellent sauces food is fairly priced but drinks on the high side. If a chocoholic his was one of the original chocolate souffle's(melting chocolate cakes) and still one of the best

 

House Without a Key - an open air venue facing an old Kaiwe tree in front of the ocean in the Halekulani Hotel

low key Hawaiian music and hula dancer for 2 shows nightly. Lowest price venue in the Halekulani, limited menu but everything I've had is good American

 

Orchids- next step up in the Halekulani American Asin fusion

 

Keo's Kuhio where it splits from Kalakaua, Thai Sate is fantastic, we always ask for extra sauce and not a drop goes uneaten

 

Tanaka's of Tokyo - Teppanyaki, probably the best of the local teppanyaki choices

 

Kobe's teppanyaki second on the list of teppanyaki places and if you want sushi and teppanyaki it moves to number one, although its badly in need of a facelift.

 

Alan Wong's probably top rated restaurant in Honolulu asian fusion continental

 

Michel's - French one of the most romantic restaurants in Hawaii, somewhat off the beaten path at Diamond Head end of Waikiki, but short taxi ride or walkable if you are staying at that end of Waikiki

 

Ala Moana shopping center there are quite a few restaurants here and practically all the buses routes stop here. The restaurant in Nieman's is actually quite good as are some of the other choices

 

Outer Islands

Big Island Merrimans - this may be my "Best restaurant in Hawaii" candidate. Off the beaten path - you definitely need a car to get here, but you need a car on the outer islands anyway. Its in Waimea-Kamuela, half an hour or so from Waikoloa, Mauni Lani, maybe a bit less from Hapuna but worth the drive. Reservations a must

 

Roys - there's a Roys on every island - 2 on Maui I think. They are all slightly different, but all good.

 

Maui - Mama's fish house on the east side of the island at the head of the Hana Road, but wonderful seafood

[rickinoc]

If you like Thai food I would recommend Siam Cafe in the Nimitz Center..great food and very reasonably priced..

 

RickinOC

[raulgmanzo]

Daddy mentions some great things to see. Ahh the Toilet Bowl at Hanauma, used to be nothing stopping one from hiking to it from the beach at Hanauma and as kids we used play in it. Though that didn't make our parents happy as people have been seriously hurt and worse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanauma_Bay

Yes the place for volcanoes (and the place called Volcano) is on the big island. However all the mountains on O'ahu as in most of Hawai'i are volcanoes though they are mostly extinct or dormant.

Some places like Koko or Diamond head, or Hanauma Bay are obviously volcanoes or remnants but the Wai'anae and Ko'olau mountains are parts of what would have been incredibly enormous volcanos.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/02/Koolau_Range.jpg/220px-Koolau_Range.jpg

There are many incredibly beautiful trails heading up to and along the Ko'olau summit. A spectacular hike is up the almost 4000 steps of the Haiku stairs.

 

Originally built in the 40s for a Naval Radio station (later a Coast Guard Omega station).

http://davewjessup.smugmug.com/ Almost as spectacular (for a geeky kid anyway) was the view of the atomic clocks and VLF transmitters inside the station. Of course we only got to see that after we got caught sneaking onto the then still active military installation.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/HaikuLadder.jpg/220px-HaikuLadder.jpg

http://web.archive.org/web/20080420111816/http://friendsofhaikustairs.org/

http://www.examiner.com/hiking-in-honolulu/koolau-summit-trail-video

http://www.unrealhawaii.com/2010/05/haiku-stairs/

 

Getting around O'ahu is easy even without a car, I would recommend a trip through the Ko'olaus to the Windward side (even the bus has awesome views). Any of the three trans-Ko'olau highways have stunning vistas including of course the Nuuanu Pali lookout.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Cliffs_of_the_Koolau_Range%2C_Oahu_58.jpg/300px-Cliffs_of_the_Koolau_Range%2C_Oahu_58.jpg

 

Volcano is on the big island, so you'd be taking a commuter flight.

...Hanauma Bay ... Ask nicely if you can go to the toilet bowl and take pictures...

...If you have a Rental Car drive out to the North Shore around Sunset...

[Guest Merlin]

Very nice aquarium at park at one end of Waikiki. I don't know my directions. the WWII battleship Missouri is at Pearl Harbor, open for visitors.

[ted]

Aquarium is at east end of Waikiki, by the zoo at kapiolani park. Haven't been there in awhile so they must have redone it cause there wasn't much there before

[rossthebosssf]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I'm here now and having a great time despite it being for work. I met a great escort a couple nights ago and going to be spending the weekend with him taking me around to some of the sites. Paradise.

[Rapaz]

Getting around O'ahu is easy even without a car, I would recommend a trip through the Ko'olaus to the Windward side (even the bus has awesome views). Any of the three trans-Ko'olau highways have stunning vistas including of course the Nuuanu Pali lookout.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Cliffs_of_the_Koolau_Range%2C_Oahu_58.jpg/300px-Cliffs_of_the_Koolau_Range%2C_Oahu_58.jpg

Is this where they filmed LOST? lol it looks familiar

[ted]

Lost was indeed at least partially filmed in Hawaii. A lot of movies have utilized Hawaii scenery from South Pacific to Jurassic Park to a lot more, and of course we have Hawaii 5 0, Magnum and the last season or so of Baywatch representing TV. Kauai in particular has been used for the less urban shoots as there a lot more vistas with no evidence of our changes.

[+ Axiom2001]

If this is your first trip to Honolulu-- make sure you take in the Polynesan (sp) Cultural Center and Show. Although this is a tourist haunt-- you'll enjoy the various pavilions which have been established. You'll see a lot of hot men along with the culture of the various peoples who now inhabit the Hawaiian islands--indigenous one's anyway! I can still see those hot natives from New Zealand. After going to the various sections, you might want to have a light meal there before entering the show/program.

 

My friend and I enjoyed ourselves while there in 1998. Also, take in the Bishop Museum. I've never been there, but apparently it's "a must" also. Lastly, go to http://www.Fodors.com and do some reading. Also, read what is provided at http://www.TripAdvisor.com.

 

When my friend and I were there-- we were much younger than we are at present. We went to the gay clubs, but strangely most of them had few locals/natives. They were virtually empty, even on New Year's Eve. He and I were perplexed. Hope it is better now!

[MscleLovr]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. I'm here now and having a great time despite it being for work. I met a great escort a couple nights ago and going to be spending the weekend with him taking me around to some of the sites. Paradise.

 

Please can you tell me about the escort as I'd like some company the next time I'm there. If you don't want to publish brief details here, I'd appreciate a private message.