Oahu - The Gathering Place  Aloha Stadium Swap Meet Other Oahu swap meet info HERE ALSO. The place to go to save money on Hawaiian trinkets. Wear good walking shoes (not flipflops), and bring a hat and sunscreen.  Aloha Tower Marketplace And their current promotions Arizona Memorial  Barber's Point Beach Cottages Military only. Beaches of Oahu And here's more good info from the Lifeguards themselves. Beach - Bellows Beach Park & Cottages Great boogie boarding, if the waves cooperate, and nice sand beaches. Please note: the cottages are military only, and portions of the Bellows Beach is open to the public only late Friday and the weekends. Waimanalo beach, right next door, is open to the public if you're there during the week.  Beach - Hanauma Bay Has to be done at least once. ALERTS: Closed Tuesdays. Parking closes when it's full, usually re-opens again when folks leave, but you can't wait outside the entryway on the road...they'll wave you on. Have to take a short film the first time, good for a year ONLY IF you register your name after. Hope the water's calm for you on your visit. Beach - Ko'olina Lagoons Good beaches, and the more info, & best for children on Oahu. A few fish, but not great snorkeling, except for the nice, protected, calm waters. Beach - Lanikai and Kailua Beaches Beach - Sandy Beach Powerful shore breaks make for dangerous boogie boarding part of the year--I won't go there for that--but the fields near it are great for kite flying if you're in the neighborhood. Zero stars for inexperienced visitors. Beach - Waikiki Beach There are so many more beautiful beaches on the island, but Waikiki Beach is conveniently located. Bishop Museum One of the best museums in Hawaii. Prices are right, and it's an entertaining half day learning about Hawaii and the Pacific. NOTE: Call ahead or check their web site to make sure they're back open again...major remodel underway, should be done soon. Botanical Garden - Foster Botanical Garden Botanical Garden - Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden Botanical Garden - Senator Fong's Plantation & Gardens Botanical Garden - Koko Crater Botanical Garden Botanical Garden - Lyon Arboretum Byodo-In Buddhist Temple More info here The Contempory Museum at Makiki Chinatown More detailed info at this link Diamond Head Hiking Trail brochure here Diamond Head Winery Dillingham Field and Mokuleia Beach A beautiful, quiet little part of the island, seldom seen. Dinner Cruise - Star of Honolulu Had a great time at this one, just like I did many years ago. Pay the extra and get the best window seats and service you can afford. Last time I went for the all-you-can-eat crab, but ran out of time to really enjoy the time and company. The bottles of champagne at the table were quite pleasant on the upgraded package. Recommend getting on the starboard side...we put up with the sun on the way toward Diamond Head, but then saw the city and nice views on the way back. The boat can rock, though, so be warned. Queasy stomachs may want to side nearer the middle. Duck Tours Hawaii Always wanted to do this...still might some day. Father Damien Museum Hale Koa Hotel High demand, so reserve your rooms EARLY. Just your BASIC hotel room...nothing fancy. Military only. Haleiwa Arts Festival Hawaiian Adventures Water Park We liked it. A bit sore after, but I'm no spring chicken anymore. The Hawaiian Railway The only active railway on O'ahu. Hawaii State Art Museum And a complete list of Hawaiian Museums and Cultural Attractions. Hawaii Winter Baseball Good minor league fun. Played at two locations on Oahu. Schedule runs Sep to Nov. Ask for Clyde or Hervy and tell 'em RJ the email guy sent you. Hilo Hattie's A tourist trap, but a nice one. Slightly pricey, quality aloha wear. Honolulu Zoo Lots of photos from the zoo here. International Marketplace Go to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet for anything you could buy here. WAY inflated Waikiki prices. Most vendors will dicker, but not all.  'Iolani Palace Kakaako Waterfront Park A hidden gem near downtown. Well maintained and beautiful views from the top. Nice picnic area, or get a dinner to go and watch the sunset. Kole Kole Pass Restricted road...need a DOD ID to pass through. Kualoa Ranch A little known corner of Oahu...yet famous. More to follow. LOST Virtual Tour Thanks be to visitor Mike again...we're big LOST fans, and this find was golden...the show takes on a whole new meaning when you can relate to the filming locations. Besides that, the site's making some tours that show you everything you see on, for example, the trip from the Airport to Waikiki...would have been nice tha have that the first time I came here. Good Job! Luau - Hale Koa Hale Koa's price is good, & convenient location. Military only. Luau - Paradise Cove Just went again recently. Still loved it. Very fun and entertaining. We recommend this luau above the others. This other review agrees. Luau - Germaine's We have to go back to see if it's improved any...until then... Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Mamala Bay Golf Course Hickam Air Force Base Manoa Falls more info BE WARNED! Vehicle break-ins are common. Use common sense: leave nothing in plain sight, and put anything else in the trunk (if you can't leave it elsewhere) BEFORE you get to the parking lot. Best options: take The Bus or a taxi, or have someone drop you off and take your cell phones. Mission Houses Museum Pacific Air Museum Thanks to reader Mike for this suggestion I'd overlooked. Used to live near the National Air and Space Museum in Dayton, Ohio, so I hadn't gone to this museum yet...but we will now. Their web site tells of expansions planned that will make this an even more world-class place to see. Our review to follow. Pali Lookout Best if it's windy! BE WARNED! Vehicle break-ins are common, so don't leave your car there and then go hiking for hours. To go the the lookout and back on a normal busy day is probably OK, but there were FOUR piles of window glass in the parking stalls last time we were there. Use common sense: leave nothing in plain sight, and put anything else in the trunk (if you can't leave it elsewhere or take it with you) BEFORE you get to the parking lot. If you have to hike from there, take The Bus or have someone drop you off and take your cell phones. Polynesian Cultural Center Barely earns a star in our opinion. Boycotting this sorry excuse for a tourist trap. If you REALLY want to go, we'll get the discount tickets and send you off on The Bus. lol Punchbowl Cemetery aka the "National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific" Be sure to park and get to the top where they have the murals. Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau Queen Emma's Summer Palace We've only stopped by here briefly. Looks good, & will go next time friends come. The quality of the guided tour will make or break the small admission price. Sea Life Park and the Dolphin Swim Adventure Shangri La House Tantalus Drive Be sure to stop at the lookout--some folks miss it. Convenient to combine this with a visit to the Punchbowl Cemetery. UH Baseball The field's getting completely new faux turf this year. U.S. Army Museum Free and open to the public. USS Missouri Waikiki Waikiki Aquarium Waimea Valley Park I give up trying to find anything on the current status of this park since the Office of Hawaiian Affairs took it over from Audubon. Do the web searches and call ahead. Oahu Restaurant Info Various Hawaii Restaurant Web Sites I've reviewed several dozen blogs and food sites. These are the best and most current. (Grayed out means defunct, but still has useful info)  A Sybarite in Paradise He stopped updating in Sep 08, but good info. 'Ono Kine Grindz Another one defunct since Sep 08, but links to other sites.
Da Weekend Foodie Nice, candid and lots of pix
The Free Range Gourmet Some reviews, but great local food news
ma'ona Very rarely updated, but a few nuggets. Epicurean Appetite
The Tasty Island Great little "Honolulu Food Blog" with lots of pix
Lunch Time Grinds
Adventures in Bentomaking Our Restaurant Reviews BC Burritos You won't go away hungry. Kinda like a Chipotle's restaurant, but not quite as good. Bubbies Bubble drinks are second to none. But their mochi balls and ice cream are great, too. We recommend THIS LOCATION when coming back from Haunama Bay or points east. Cholo's Mexican (North Shore) Now this place was good, don't get me wrong, but we're still looking for a better, more authentic Mexican place. But around these parts, it's about as good of Mexican as you're going to get. Dixie Grill Bar-B-Que & Crab Shack Only the Aiea location now...the one near Ward Centers is no more. Know what you're getting into, though...this ain't no fancy cuisine. It's just good, fattening American grub. Giovanni's Shrimp Truck We prefer the Kahuku one, but the Haleiwa one is good too. Please don't bother going to the other shrimp places. Giovanni's is consistently, hands down the best of them all. Oh, go ahead if you must, try the others. You'll be back. Great review on ma'ona's blog, March 27, 2007 entry. Don't waste your money on the "hot" ones...they're too hot to enjoy, and I've found them repeatedly tough. Get the normal garlic ones and ask for a hot sauce. Dip it and you'll definitely feel the same heat. The lemon ones are good, too, for those that don't like garlic. I think I could eat there every day. Haleiwa Joe's Great for lunch or dinner, and a better alternative than Jameson's by the Sea, in our opinion. If we want to stop at a nice place on the North Shore, this is now it for us. Consistently good food and drink and great location. A little pricey, be aware. Hard Rock Cafe Honolulu Hard Rock Cafe is so 90's, but I'd go there again. Always good music, and pretty good food. Ichiriki Japanese Nabe Another review HERE. This is now our favorite place to eat in Hawaii. Where to start? Their basic broth for two in the paper bowls (that absorbs the oil and fat) is outstanding, and gets better as it simmers. The meats and vegetables are fantastic. It's a fun, leisure social event to enjoy this meal, and there's lots to eat. Then came the fresh ramen or udon at the end to cook in the flavorful broth and I was stuffed, but nicely so. Consider this a must do, but call ahead for a reservation. Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks If you want a big-ass burger, this is the place. You like spice? The Kilauea burger will leave dents on your taste buds. Jameson's by the Sea (North Shore) Well, some people love this place, but I've eaten there several times, trying to figure out the draw, giving the every opportunity to get it right. Yes, the location and sunsets are nice, but each time there's been serious problems with the service or food. And they just never seemed as friendly and willing to make something right as a restaurant with their reputation AND LOFTY PRICES should be. We won't go back. For that money, we'd rather go to Haleiwa Joe's down the street, and have had better results there every time. If you go, hope you fare better. Kau Aina Sandwiches Strike one: no web site on this one--anywhere. Strike two: cash only(?) Strike three: We've been there four times now, and it's literally been worse each time. The fries this last time were very skinny and way overcooked--inedible. And both the pineapple burger and avocado burger had zero flavor. If you want a good sandwich, forget it. If you want a good burger, you'd do better at Islands Fine Burgers in Ala Moana, or almost anywhere else, especially for the price. Keneke's A family tradition when we take folks out to the Waimanalo side of the island. Don't know what it is, really, but I love this place. Matsumoto's Shave Ice (North Shore) World famous original North Shore shave ice stop. This is the famous one, the classic. And no, these are not "snow cones." Shave ice is much better, as are the flavorings. They're really world-class shave ice, but be ready for long, slow lines. Yeah, you're on Hawaii time and all, but If you can hit them at a time without busloads of tourists in line I'd do so. Or leave someone in line while you shop the T-shirts. Otherwise try again on your way back. McDonald's in Laie Why in the heck would I put a McDonald's in here? Only because this one is one of the most unique I've ever seen. Formerly another restaurant, converted to McD's in 1984, it really fits into the local decor. You just have to see it to believe it. Also, it's right next to the Polynesian Cultural Center, so if you find yourself there early or traveling around the island one day, it's worth a stop, even if you don't eat there. Picture credit to this page. Million Restaurant OK, the pictures are kinda scary, but this hole-in-the-wall has the best Yakiniku Korean food. You grill your meats at the in-table grill, so it's done just the way you like it. The meat is always tender, and washed down with a Korean beer, mmm, it's good. Gotta trust us on this one. Morton's Reviews and reservations HERE. I'd put it at par with Ruth's Chris. For an unforgettable steak experience, this is the place to go in our opinion. Not cheap. The two of us got out with 2 drinks apiece, shared salad, shared vegetable side, a filet mignon and rib eye for about $185. But you get what you pay for. To save, skip the expensive drinks ($10-13 each), and even the side veggie. But we'll be back. Ask about the huge lit bottle of liquor behind the bar...quite expensive. Oceanarium Restaurant, Pacific Beach Hotel One entire wall of the restaurant is a huge 3-story Oceanarium filled with critters...and although you can order from the menu, or sit in the more formal dining room, it's best to go with the great buffet in seats near the aquarium, especially during feeding time. Fantastic memory if you have little ones. And the divers will place your message inside the glass at feeding time for you (for a small price...call ahead). Old Spaghetti Factory For the best (so far that we've found) basic Italian fare at VERY reasonable rates near the Waikiki area, this place is a must. You can pay more elsewhere, and get more ambiance, but we tried that route and were disappointed, especially when the check came. Puka Dogs (Waikiki) They sound tasty! Restaurant Kunio Consistently awesome Japanese. In Waikele Center, it can become busy near the dinner hour, but worth the wait. Tempura, Dragon Roll, sushi to die for...not cheap, but not a rip-off either. And the sake washes it down nicely (we prefer the hot sake). A regular stop for us. Across the street from the Waikele Outlet Center, so if you're shopping there you can stop by for lunch or dinner. Highly recommended. Teddy's Bigger Burgers Them burgers are BIG, by golly, and the fries are skin-on and nice. We'll definitely be back, but like Island Burger or even Big City Diner's burgers a bit more. Town (Kaimuki) See what looks good on the tables around you...the food is great. Service can approach "neglect," but if you're around Kaimuki and want a nicer dinner, we recommend it. Might need reservations. Wai'oli Tea Room (Manoa) Wonderful location, nicely romantic and historic but not stuffy, anyone would enjoy this place. One of our favorites to just get away from the hustle and bustle and feel like we're in old Hawaii. Bring the GPS or a map...it's a little hard to find, but worth it.
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