We saw cop cars, patrols, and local, friendly informational guides all along Kuhio and Kalakaua Avenue. While there are homeless, especially around Kuhio Beach, the area felt safe for us and our toddler. Waikiki is also famous for partaking in Hawaiian cultural celebrations along the beach.
There is a nightly hula pageant at Kuhio Beach Park, starting with a torch-lighting ceremony and the call of a conch shell. It was delightful. Then jump to another part of the island or another island like Maui for authenticity, outdoors, and some peace and quiet. Two for the price of one on why Waikiki Beach is famous. Facing southwest, the shoreline of Waikiki is near perfect for sunsets. Tiki bars, beach bars, swimming pool bars, and rooftop bars line Waikiki Beach.
All ready to serve up happy hour drinks and sunsets. Waikiki is famous for its sunsets. Only a few beaches on Oahu have such an epic setting and viewpoint for the sunset. One can feel safe in numbers while swimming and surfing in Waikiki. A large number of people make shark attacks less likely. The lack of shark attacks helps to build Waikiki as a safe spot to vacation and builds its popularity around the world.
Lifeguard towers and an army of lifeguards do patrol the beach. They keep an eye on the sharks in the water, as the sharks are swimming out there. They may have the best job in the world. Vintage posters with surfers cruising down a wave, a girl on their shoulders of course, and Diamond Head behind them.
It puts the viewer in the action. It gives us a perspective on the size and scale of this beach and the people who are vacationing on it. Perhaps, another music festival held in the crater. In the s and s, the Hawaiian version of Woodstock would be held in the crater with 75, in attendance.
The likes of the Grateful Dead and Santana would play. British sailors mistakenly thought the volcanic calcite crystals on the side of the crater were diamonds, hence calling it Diamond Head. Silly sailors. More Waikiki and Oahu itineraries should recommend hiking Diamond Head. Get some exercise after a night in Waikiki by hiking to the military bunker dug into the top of Diamond Head. If more people could experience the jaw-dropping view of Waikiki Beach from feet, then more people would respect the volcanic formation that makes Waikiki famous and picture-perfect.
The view from the top of Diamond Head. The hike is easy and a great way to shake jet lag. Waikiki Weather Of course, the weather. The reason why most people spend their hard-earned savings to fly thousands of miles into the middle of the Pacific.
Hawaii is in the Tropic of Cancer, sitting at As a Michigander who relocated to Hawaii, I get it. Thus, making Waikiki Beach a reliable vacation destination. That is why you never see wetsuits on the surfers in Waikiki. It does rain. Waikiki is in the tropics. But rain is localized. If it is raining in Waikiki for the day, then hop to another part of the island. It also hardly rains all day. We visited Waikiki in February, a little vacation from our Maui abode.
As the second wettest month, it did rain on us one day during our five-day trip but it came and went. The beach was still rocking. The trade winds provide a light breeze to sway the palm trees, flicker the tiki torches, and keep you cool.
The weather in Waikiki and Honolulu makes doing activities a breeze. One or two beach days is all we can usually handle, especially with a toddler.
He craves more action. Luckily for us, Waikiki Beach is famous for its activities in and around Waikiki. Kapiolani Regional Park is the largest park in Hawaii.
The park hosts concerts in its bandstand all year long. It is also an ideal place to run with a 2-mile circumference. There is a plethora of shopping in Waikiki. Major shopping centers have gotten a facelift in the last decade and look amazing. The International Marketplace in the heart of Waikiki has all been redone with an amazing food court inside.
There is high-end shopping by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Chanel to lower-priced options like local t-shirt salesmen. You can find what you are looking for at the right price. Best of all, Waikiki is within a half-hour of a variety of Oahu attractions. For a taste of local Honolulu neighborhoods, not as touristy as Waikiki, head over to Kapahulu Avenue and the arts district of Chinatown. You will find amazing plate lunch dining options and hip bars. From Hawaiian royalty to Hawaii regional cuisine, Waikiki continues to evolve with the times.
Waikiki Beach will continue to be a famous tourist destination for the foreseeable future. The City of Honolulu keeps the neighborhood safe and clean. The resorts and restaurants keep the place a culinary epicenter. The entertainers sing the aloha spirit. And the Hawaiian culture stays front and center even though the fake grass and shopping malls. That is why we recommend staying in Waikiki for the first 3-nights in our 5-day Oahu itinerary. It is too popular and special to miss the place.
Plus, Waikiki is centrally located on Oahu making it an ideal home base to jump to other activities, beaches, and scenic drives. For more of a visual experience of why Waikiki is famous, check out our video. Subscribe for more tips and information on traveling to Hawaii. We like it here, I bet you will too.
We live on Maui with our toddler Henry and our sweet but quirky dog Hattie. I have a thing for photographing pineapples and learning to surf. With sparkling waters, stunning sand beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes, and more, Hawaii is an amazing vacation destination. After living here for over four years and visiting dozens of times before Maps of Oahu Hawaii learn more. Things to Do in Waikiki learn more. Oahu Accommodations learn more. Royal Hawaiian Luaus on Oahu learn more.
Pearl Harbor Tours on Oahu learn more. Big Kahuna Luau on Oahu learn more. Oahu Helicopter Tours learn more. Oahu Driving Tours - App learn more. Food Tours on Oahu learn more. Bike Tours - Oahu learn more. Explore Diamond Head Crater book online. Waimea Waterfall and Circle Island Adventure book online. Jurassic Park Waterfall Adventure book online. Star of Honolulu - 3 Star Dinner Cruise book online. Star of Honolulu - 5 Star Dinner Cruise book online.
Star of Honolulu Dinner Cruise book online. Waikiki-South Shore 30 min book online. Recommended Oahu Tours. Download our Hawaii Map Packet Includes most major attractions, all major routes, airports, and a chart with estimated driving times for each respective island.
Year of Trip - Select - Undecided. Email Required. Name Optional. Download Maps. Hawaii Visitor Information Honolulu Airport. Oahu Rentals. Oahu Maps. Oahu Tips. Oahu Weather.
Oahu Attractions. Travel Supplies. Our Mailing List. Hawaii Airlines. Vacation Planner. Vacation Packages. The beach is spectacular, offering tons of activities such as snorkeling, surfing, and swimming, and Whalers Village shopping center is within close proximity as well.
Lahaina is set back from the beach in a city-like area and is a fun, active town to visit. The south side of Maui includes the towns of Kihei and Wailea. With the resorts and hotels more spread out than Kaanapali, this side tends to be quieter and have more of a relaxed beach atmosphere.
With portable restrooms and picnic tables, this is a great family beach location , so pack a picnic and spend the day along this gorgeous coastline. On this side you can also indulge in divine cuisines, authentic luaus, and the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium. You can also enjoy free hula shows at the Lahaina Cannery Mall and visit the giant Banyan tree, a park-like setting fun for kids and mid-afternoon activities.
The windy road to Hana carves around mountains with dramatic cliffs that drop into the ocean and lush rainforests alive with vibrancy.
Here you will also find black sand beaches, Haleakala National Park, and cascading waterfalls, all sights to be had while visiting Maui.
Without many hotels or resorts, these areas act more as sightseeing and point of interest locations than actual vacation destinations. But with interesting and unique places like Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Enchanting Floral Gardens of Kula, pineapple canneries of Haiku, cemeteries, small restaurants, and rolling fertile hillsides with misty mountains, these high elevation areas still provide amazing scenery and unforgettable experiences.
With incredibly diverse landscapes from molten lava rivers to snow-capped mountains to beautiful rainforests and black sand beaches, this island is a place of wonder and excitement. On the sunny west side of the Big Island you will find Kona , a bustling place of activity home to historic villages, shops, dining, nightlife, and beaches. The beaches here are sheltered and calm, creating perfect places for tranquil swimming and snorkeling.
Along the Kona coast you will discover the Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park that highlights Hawaiian fishponds, native wildlife, and sacred temples. You will also find the famous Kona Coffee Plantations here, so have fun on a guided tour or explore on your own. Hilo and Puna is where you will find tropical rainforests, flowing falls, and blooming gardens. The east side of Big Island acted as the farming and fishing community during earlier times, which sheds light on its present day fertile landscaping.
The Liliuokalani Gardens boast 30 acres of beautifully landscaped Japanese gardens with koi fish ponds, pagodas, and rock structures. The southern tip of Big Island is know as Ka Lae, but the south side is named Kau, a vast, rural, and remote part of the island.
You can find a quaint bed and breakfast to stay in or choose a hotel, but wherever you stay, this side will offer solitude, respite, and tranquility.
North Kohala and Waimea are locations on the north side of Big Island, with green pastoral landscapes home to paniolos Hawaiian cowboys , ranches, and scenic drives.
Here you will also find the charming town of Hawi with unique boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Enjoy activities such as horseback riding through lush fields, ATV All-Terrain Vehicle explorations, snorkeling, swimming and much more.
0コメント