In this section you will find some of the favorite places to go and things to do from the people who have been there before.
Looking for something to do or a place to eat before you do it, then this is the place to check. Updates will happen monthly and suggestions are always welcome. Contact Hazel Ando and let her know what your favorites are.
Neil Santiago's
Ideas For FWATA 2010!
Breakfast:
Koa Pancake House
930 Valkenburgh Street
Honolulu, HI - (808) 422-6700
MAC 24/7 (located in the Prince Kuhio Hotel)
2500 Kuhio Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
(808) 921-5564
Boots n Kimos (Kailua)
151 Hekili street suite 150
Kailua, HI 96734
(808) 263-7929
Lunch and Dinner:
Lahiana Chicken Company (Ala Moana shopping center)
Lahaina Ala Moana Center.
808-946-4588
Giovanni's Shrimp Truck (North Shore)
83 Kamehameha Highway
Kahuku, HI 96731
Rainbow Drive Inn (Kapahulu Ave)
3308 Kanaina Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815-4214
(808) 737-0177
Get directions
Longhi's (Ala Moana shopping center)
Ala Moana Shopping Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Space 3001
Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Bubba Gumps (Ala Moana shopping center)
Ala Moana Shopping Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd, Suite 3253
Honolulu, HI 96814
Tel 808-949-GUMP (4867)
Soon's BBQ (Korean BBQ - Located near Aloha Stadium)
898 Ala Lilikoi St
Honolulu, HI 96818
(808) 836-7665
Little Village (Chinese - Downtown Honolulu)
1113 Smith Street
Honolulu, HI 96817
PHONE:808-545-3008
FAX: 545-3738
Shabu-Shabu House (Downtown Honolulu)
1221 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 597-1655
Curry House
1450 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 949-4590
Big City Diner
1060 Auahi St, Honolulu, HI 96814-4153
Sansei Sushi Bar and Karaoke
Waikiki Beach Marriot Resort and Spa
2552 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815
Shokudo Japanese Restaurant and Bar
Ala Moana Pacific Center, Ground Floor
1585 Kapiolani Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
Zippy's
1765 S King St
Honolulu, HI 96826
Aloha Tower Marketplace
1 Aloha Tower Drive
Honolulu, HI 96813-4815
(808) 528-5700
The Aloha Tower Marketplace has the following restaurants;
- Aloha Sushi
Eat-in or take-out freshly made Japanese food - Bikini Cantina
“Tex-Mex style” food the Hawaiian way, in a casual setting right on the waterfront. - Casa Mia
Italian fast food takeout. - Chai's Island Bistro
Thai and Pacific rim cuisine, quality restaurant and bar, home of Hawaii’s best entertainers. - Don Ho's Island Grill
The famous waterfront restaurant and bar, with live Hawaiian music. - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
Hawaii's first micro brewery restaurant - Hooters
A fun dining atmosphere with jukebox music and hula-hooping wait help. - Island Vintage Coffee Co.
Gourmet Kona coffee, Hawaiian teas, chocolates, macadamia nuts, and drinks. - June's Gelateria
Gelato, yogurt, sorbets, and Italian coffee drinks - Kabuto
Serving Japanese and American meals and drinks - Makino Chaya
Delicious menu options include salad, sushi, hot foods, tempura, and desserts - Subway
Subway sandwiches, soups and salads - Sweet Memory Chocolates
Fresh-made gourmet chocolate products - The Waterfront
Site of the monthly "Night Market", available for private parties and special events - Try My Dogs
Located at the base of the Aloha Tower, this kiosk serves up much more than just hot dogs.
Top 10 Things to Do on Oahu
Oahu is known as "The Gathering Place." There are so many things to do that you'll never be able to do them all in just one visit. We've chosen our top ten things to do on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
1. Attend a Luau
Oahu offers a number of excellent luaus. Germaine's Luau is held on a private beach on Barber's Point east of Honolulu. The Polynesian Cultural Center's Alii Luau is held in Laie on Oahu's North Shore. A fan favorite luau on Oahu is the Paradise Cove Luau which is held on a 12-acre beach at the Ko Olina Resort and features great food, Polynesian entertainment, traditional Hawaiian games, and lessons in lei making.
2. Discover Historic Honolulu
Located in the heart of Honolulu you'll find many of Hawaii's most historic buildings including the Iolani Palace home to Hawaii's last monarchs and the only palace on U.S. soil. You'll also want to visit the Hawaii State Capitol, the Kāmehameha I Statue, Kawaiahao Church - the first Christian church in Hawaii, the Mission Houses Museum and the Old Federal Building. All of historic Honolulu is within easy walking distance of downtown parking at the equally famous Aloha Tower.
3. Drive to Oahu's North Shore
Oahu's North Shore is home to the top world-class surfers in the world when the winter waves reach their majestic heights. It is an easy hour's drive from Waikiki to lovely Haleiwa town where the North Shore begins for most visitors as they travel in an eastward direction around Oahu. Be sure to stop at the Bonzai Pipeline where you can see surfers make their way through the middle of a wave. Our favorite place to eat is Giovanni's shrimp truck and Matsumoto's Shave Ice!
4. Explore the Bishop Museum
The Bishop Museum is recognized as the State Museum of Natural and Cultural History. While the name of the museum is officially the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, the museum was actually established by her husband Charles Bishop to whom Bernice had left her personal property upon her death in 1885 fulfilling their dream of preserving Hawaii's cultural heritage. Throughout its history, the museum's commitment has been the gathering and the dissemination of information on Hawaii and the Pacific.
5. Hike to Makapu'u Point
One of Oahu's most rewarding hikes is the 2.5-mile round trip hike to Makapuu Point, the most eastern point of Oahu. The hike to the point is mostly uphill and takes about an hour each way. If you take the hike, do it early in the day when the sun will be behind the cliff face as you climb. The views of Waimanalo Bay to the north and Sandy Beach and Koko Head to the southwest are spectacular. Is a a great spot for whale watching from December to May.
6. Honor America at Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial
Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial remain top tourist destinations in Hawaii with over 1,500,000 visitors annually. The addition of the Battleship Missouri and the 1999 opening of the USS Missouri Memorial have further enhanced the importance of this historic area. A visit to the Arizona Memorial is a solemn and sobering experience, even for those who were not alive when the attack occurred. You are literally standing over a gravesite where 1177 men lost their lives.
7. See Waikiki and Oahu from the Top of Diamond Head
Diamond Head looms large over the Waikiki. Actually named Leʻahi by Hawaiians, it received its more well known name in the late 1700's when British seamen saw calcite crystals sparkling in the sunshine and thought they had found diamonds. A hike to the top of Diamond Head takes about an hour over a well-worn path. The summit offers a spectacular 365-degree view of Oahu and is a must trip for photography enthusiasts.
8. Shop in Waikiki and in the Greater Honolulu Area
Waikiki is a great place to shop and offers prestigious retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Chanel, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent as well as more modest stores such as the ever-present ABC Stores and the world-famous International Market Place. The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is undergoing a major renovation and contains 150 stores and restaurants on four levels. The DFS Galleria the only place for foreign guests in Hawaii to enjoy duty-free savings on the world's leading luxury brands.
9. Tour the Polynesian Cultural Center
The Polynesian Cultural Center is Hawaii's top-paid visitor attraction. The PCC features seven Polynesian "islands" in a beautifully landscaped 42-acre setting. The Aliʻi Luau takes guests on a nostalgic rip back in time to learn about the royalty of Hawaii while enjoying traditional Hawaiian luau food and entertainment. The Center's Rainbows of Paradise Canoe Pageant show is performed daily on the main lagoon. The PCC is also home to Hawaii's first and only IMAX™ Theater.
10. Visit the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium
Located in Kapi'olani Park on the east end of Waikiki, the Honolulu Zoo is the largest zoo within a radius of 2,300 miles and unique in that it is the only zoo in the United States originating from a King's grant of royal lands to the people. It is too often overlooked by visitors. Located nearby at the shoreline, the Waikiki Aquarium is the third oldest public aquarium in the United States. Exhibits, programs, and research focus on the aquatic life of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific.
Surf Spots On Oahu:
Waikiki and the Southern Shores
beaches range from beginners to advanced. Summer time is when the southern shores of Oahu produce the most consistent surf.
East Shores
Sandy Beach - For experienced surfers, bodyboarders, and bodysurfers only! This beach has the highest risk of neck and back injuries in the nation!
Makapuu - Still presents some dangers, yet a little more forgiving than Sandy's.
North and West Shores
Are typically flat and best for tourists swimming, site seeing, and snorkling. The country feel and unique foods (Giovanni's Shrimp Truck and Matsumoto's Shave Ice) are hot spots
Post Convention Island Cruise being organized for July 3-10th.
Bill Chambers has set up this cruise for anyone interested. Extend your stay in Hawaii and visit the other islands o Norwegian Cruise Line’s “Pride of American”. Sailing out of Honolulu at 8pm on July 3rd and returning on July 10th. Ports include 2 full days in Maui, 2 full days in Hilo on the Big Island Hawaii, a full day on the other side of the Big Island in Kona and 1 ½ days on Kauai. Rates range from $1,279.00 - $1,159.00 per person with balconies and $909.00 for inside cabins with the additional tax of $254.00 per person. For more information contact Ann at 866-707-7368 or ann@sentineltravel.com.