01-02-2008, 09:19 PM
Well I've lived here for a little over a year now and try to keep a good list of fun touristy things for visitors...I seem to get a lot of them since moving.
Sea Life park is OK for kids, but Adults might not find it all that exciting. They do have a program where you can go into the reef tank and feed the turtles and rays. If you're not afraid of the sharks. My daughter loves to feed the turtles.
Pearl Harbor needs to be done early in the morning, you need to be there 30-45 minutes before it opens. Otherwise you end up sitting for hours waiting for your tour. The Arizona memorial is the most dramatic and free. The Bowfin and Missouri are also there, but more for the history buff.
If you're up for some snorkeling, Hanama Bay is also a morning stop, be there when they open the gate at 6AM (by the way, with the time difference it will be easy to get up that early). The buses of Japanese tourists show up at 9 am, you'll have already seen a great sunrise and finished snorkeling by then. Plus early morning is the best time to see turtles and squid. There is a very nice canyon just before and to the right of the channel marking buoys, you can see it from the trail down into the caldera. Note: There are no lifeguards on duty until 7-8 depending on the season and swimming past the buoys puts you in deep water with a strong current.
You'll want to do a circle island tour, but I usually break it up over 2 days (if you have the time).
North Shore to see the waves (if they're up) and for some shave ice. Most people go to Matsumoto's because they're more famous, but Ijust think they're too sweet. Every flavor I try tastes the same, like sugar. Just down the road there is the Aloha Market in the Northshore marketplace. Their shave ice has flavor and a better consistency.
Pupukea Beach/Shark's cove - Just outside of Haleiwa (traveling north-east) you'll pass some of the more famous surf beaches (Sunset etc.) then a firestation on your left (this is Pupukea) there is a hugh tidepool here...about the size of a football field. If the waves a big they surge against the volcanic shelf then smash against the outer ring of rocks. Bring a video camera and look around the tidepool for a bit (if you're willing to get wet).
If you're going up to Pali lookout from Honolulu, there's a cutoff that takes you through the Rainforest. Awesome drive and then it drops you right back on Pali Hwy before the lookout.
Round Top Drive lookout - start at the Punchbowl memorial and head north into the rainforest. There is a washout on roundtop so you have to go back where you came from, but just before (it's at the center of a sharp turn, maybe .5 to 1.5 miles before the washout) the washout there is a park with a lookout. You can see everything from Kokohead to Pearlharbour.
Diamondhead hike (if you're up for it), bring water and a flashlight.
Bellows Airforce Base has a beach that the public can visit and maybe even camp at during the weekend.
Sunset Cruise (aka "The Booze Cruise") - this is a must for any visit. Walk along waikiki beach and select your favorite sailboat (they all charge different amounts and some include drinks).The Na Hoku II used to give 1/2 off if you said repeat, but I haven't seen it in a while. Check that, we went surfing on Christmas day and she was back, but I didn't recognize the crew.
Aloha tower - go before 4:30 and they have fish food vending machines in front of the boats. Throw some in the water and you'll be greeted by a great assortment of fish. I got a very large ray to come up off the harbor floor once. My daughter loves this too.
And a new addition to this list, just for the spicy food lovers. There is a Phuket Thai restaurant at the McCully shopping center (mccully and kapiolani) great thai food and moderately priced (I say that because it's inexpensive here, but more expensive then where you're from I'm sure ($7-15/plate, family style). Parking is horrible skip the lot and try a side street.
Sea Life park is OK for kids, but Adults might not find it all that exciting. They do have a program where you can go into the reef tank and feed the turtles and rays. If you're not afraid of the sharks. My daughter loves to feed the turtles.
Pearl Harbor needs to be done early in the morning, you need to be there 30-45 minutes before it opens. Otherwise you end up sitting for hours waiting for your tour. The Arizona memorial is the most dramatic and free. The Bowfin and Missouri are also there, but more for the history buff.
If you're up for some snorkeling, Hanama Bay is also a morning stop, be there when they open the gate at 6AM (by the way, with the time difference it will be easy to get up that early). The buses of Japanese tourists show up at 9 am, you'll have already seen a great sunrise and finished snorkeling by then. Plus early morning is the best time to see turtles and squid. There is a very nice canyon just before and to the right of the channel marking buoys, you can see it from the trail down into the caldera. Note: There are no lifeguards on duty until 7-8 depending on the season and swimming past the buoys puts you in deep water with a strong current.
You'll want to do a circle island tour, but I usually break it up over 2 days (if you have the time).
North Shore to see the waves (if they're up) and for some shave ice. Most people go to Matsumoto's because they're more famous, but Ijust think they're too sweet. Every flavor I try tastes the same, like sugar. Just down the road there is the Aloha Market in the Northshore marketplace. Their shave ice has flavor and a better consistency.
Pupukea Beach/Shark's cove - Just outside of Haleiwa (traveling north-east) you'll pass some of the more famous surf beaches (Sunset etc.) then a firestation on your left (this is Pupukea) there is a hugh tidepool here...about the size of a football field. If the waves a big they surge against the volcanic shelf then smash against the outer ring of rocks. Bring a video camera and look around the tidepool for a bit (if you're willing to get wet).
If you're going up to Pali lookout from Honolulu, there's a cutoff that takes you through the Rainforest. Awesome drive and then it drops you right back on Pali Hwy before the lookout.
Round Top Drive lookout - start at the Punchbowl memorial and head north into the rainforest. There is a washout on roundtop so you have to go back where you came from, but just before (it's at the center of a sharp turn, maybe .5 to 1.5 miles before the washout) the washout there is a park with a lookout. You can see everything from Kokohead to Pearlharbour.
Diamondhead hike (if you're up for it), bring water and a flashlight.
Bellows Airforce Base has a beach that the public can visit and maybe even camp at during the weekend.
Sunset Cruise (aka "The Booze Cruise") - this is a must for any visit. Walk along waikiki beach and select your favorite sailboat (they all charge different amounts and some include drinks).The Na Hoku II used to give 1/2 off if you said repeat, but I haven't seen it in a while. Check that, we went surfing on Christmas day and she was back, but I didn't recognize the crew.
Aloha tower - go before 4:30 and they have fish food vending machines in front of the boats. Throw some in the water and you'll be greeted by a great assortment of fish. I got a very large ray to come up off the harbor floor once. My daughter loves this too.
And a new addition to this list, just for the spicy food lovers. There is a Phuket Thai restaurant at the McCully shopping center (mccully and kapiolani) great thai food and moderately priced (I say that because it's inexpensive here, but more expensive then where you're from I'm sure ($7-15/plate, family style). Parking is horrible skip the lot and try a side street.