Waikiki Beach - Hawaii

[Barry Izbak]

We know that NSC covers the world and because this time next month I'll be on Waikiki Beach, along with another from this board, I thought I'd ask for NSC's Hawaiian tips

• What should we make sure we go and do, see, drink or eat?
• What - if anything - to avoid?

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I used to live in Honolulu and celebrated Leon Knights play off winner at none other than Waikiki Beach! I'll post dome tips up later when I have time. How ling are you there for and are you planning on staying on Oahu or visiting some other islands too?

 

[Barry Izbak]

I used to live in Honolulu and celebrated Leon Knights play off winner at none other than Waikiki Beach! I'll post dome tips up later when I have time. How ling are you there for and are you planning on staying on Oahu or visiting some other islands too?

Cheers. Frisco for a week, then Oahu 5th - 12th July. We want to see Pearl Harbour and do a bit of snorkelling, but apart from that your recommendations most welcome

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've been to Maui, watching the windsurfing off Hookipa beach is something I'll always remember. A tour around the north end of the island is also pretty breathtaking. I maybe wrong but Hawaiian islands seem to have a split personality; one half catering for the all american holiday, the other half full of cool surf hangouts, great little towns and restaurants.

 

[NMH]

Go to a luau, try the underground-cooked pork, plantains, and other succulent delights - but taste the poi before you heap any of that shite on your plate - it's like feckin' grey mud!

Rent a car for a day at least, and go round the island (you can't go all the way around as the road ends on one side). Snorkel at Hanauma Bay and feed the fish (peas or bread). You can swim along the cove and with a bit of luck find a giant turtle to follow along the rocks as they feed. They're shy though, and if they see you they will take off at speed.

A mile or two further and there's a long beautiful stretch of beach where sailboarding is popular. It's also classic palm-lined and soft sand - romantic to take in a sunset with a laytee and do stuff in the waves under the moonlight.

Macadamias covered in chocolate.

The North Shore is amazing - outrageous waves and tiny children on boogie boards rockin' the surf all over them - but not to be even paddled near unless you know what you are doing. In any surf - if you get wiped out roll into a ball with head between knees and let the wave roll past or over you. Otherwise you can drown, easily, and in shallows.

 

[NMH]

Cheers. Frisco for a week, then Oahu 5th - 12th July. We want to see Pearl Harbour and do a bit of snorkelling, but apart from that your recommendations most welcome

'Frisco'? Don't call it that when you are there, it's looked down upon!
Go to The Mission for good Central American grub. Castro District have breakfast at the Patio Cafe - mincer central but actually the better area where they are least likely to bother you or give you the hairy eyeball.
24th Street is nice for a wander (just up the hill and down left) and there are excellent restaurants there, as well as cool shops. The was once home, to me.
Market Street is great during the day, street entertainment and people watching.... then pop into the Hiatt Hilton and have a Marg or coffee by the water-fountains under the hanging gardens inside. Embarcadero Centres have nice shops and walkways to wander too. A tram ride from the Powell turntable, over the hills to the Marina, Girardeli Sq. (famous chocolate), Fishermans' Wharf (clam chowder!), and Pier 39. Take a boat to Alcatraz. Sausalito is worthwhile, sit by the waterfront and maybe an evening meal on the quayside. Tiburon is brilliant for arty shops that though touristy are actually still good quality. Take the ferry around Angel Island back to SF for another aspect of the city. Lombard Street is cool, the winding bit is to the East end, just up a small hill and over. Haight Street is a must, it was the famed home of hippydom in the 60's and still has some of that tie-dye attitude. Amoeba for a good record shop, cheapo CDs and posters and t-shirts. Ifyou are there at night head for The I-Beam (night club/dance place). Golden Gate Park is at the end of the street - you have to have a walk through - it's huge but worth looking into at least a part of it and lose your way.
Seal Rocks is at the Pacific end of the peninsula, Ocean Beach and the Camera Obscura. There's a brill restaurant perched atop the cliffside for a great view of the crashing waves.

You have plenty to do - and you'll undoubtedly find more to get into.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Good choices. Am lucky to have been to Hawaii a couple of times and several times to SFO (family there). Agree with other replies and would add:
1. Waikiki is a fab beach but sits right in front of a bustling city and shops, a sort of Brighton type resort only better and on polynesian steroids, with a tropical setting and the Diamond Head volcano as a backdrop. Great place to kick back and people watch over a few MaiTais. We really noticed the mix of pacific peoples and cuisine. The polynesian girls are gorgeous. Just savoured sitting there taking it all in and that feeling of chilling on the other side of the planet...
2. Worth going to the quiet north coast for the contrast, turtles on the beach and maybe the notorious 'banzai pipeline' surf waves.
3. Tremendous sunsets - very romantic if that's your thing.
4. The smaller island of Kuaui is very green, Jurassic Park was filmed there and has the so called famous Bali Hai beach from 'South Pacific'.
5. SFO is just about our favourite city, very laid back with loads to do and see as previously suggested. Maybe hire a bike at Fishermans Wharf and cycle to Sausalito via the Golden gate bridge, have lunch then catch the ferry back to the city all of which gives great photo ops. Check out a baseball game maybe. If you have time try a drive to Monterey & Carmel or up to the Napa wine valley for a leisurely lunch (but dont drink much!). Probably too ambitious to get to Yosemite National Park but stunning scenery.

Enjoy!

 

[APACHE]

Enjoy everything, SF as well, do as much as you can. All the usual tourist stuff, you'll find there won't be enough time. If you've got the time any of the other islands are worth a visit, even on a day trip.

 

[seagullsslimjim]

Things to do - done by me in 2004
1) go to the gun club at the top of the shopping mall - shoot upto 6 guns inc a beretta and Magnum
2) Hire car to the North Shore- travel up the east coast and around - boat trip and shark cage out to sea (saw Tiger shark and sand bar sharks)
3) stunt glider flight at the local airfield - they had the TV series set of 'Lost' at the end of the runway on the beach
3) 6 islands flight - land on the Big Island next to the ever active volcano

You can find all these by do a Google search

 

[seagullsslimjim]

Most of the big waves are in teh winter so don't expext much in July - we went September and it was dead calm

Did San Fran too
1) Harbour cruise and Alcatraz
2)Mini bus tour and over the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin County (bullit style ride over a few hills at the end)
3) Hire a car and drive down Highway 1
4) long day trip but Yosemite Park - most beautiful place I have been to in my travels

 

[TottonSeagull]

I proposed to Mrs Totten Seagull on Waikiki Beach!!!! Stayed at the Royal Hawaiin Hotel, try a Royal Mai Tai there, fantastic. Really liked Waikiki but it is a bit commercialised, definately need to hire a car and get round to the other side of the island to North Shore.............loads of surfer dudes and cool places to stop and eat etc.
Another must is Pearl Harbour, very moving place, totally free to visit and a great memorial to 'the day of infamy'.

You'll have a top time there, you will see an unnerving amount of Japs taking photos of everything!

Have Fun!

 

[Bry Nylon]

Went there for 10 days a few years back now.
Waikiki itself was, to be honest, disappointing as it is very commercialised and nothing like the Hawaii I was expecting / hoping for. It's a bit like the Costa Blanca for Japanese tourists.
The rest of the Island was pretty nice. We hired bikes and had a good ride round, although some of the poverty in the inland areas was shocking - people living in tin shacks etc. As others have said, the North Shore is worth visiting. Also, day trips to the other islands are well worth it.

 

[devonsi]

Bloomin good thread Barry Izbak, hope you've taken notes m8, cos i've defo penned you in as Head of Entertainment, reckon these tips are a good start to our "Bucket List" see you on the beach Dude! & F-Fecks sake stop callin it Frisco eeh

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Do go on an Island bar crawl one of the ones that use a yellow school bus. Do go for a Helicopter tour of Big Island or Maui.
Do bring home as many Macadamia nuts as possible people luv em. Buy something at the Harley shop so you get a bag.
We stayed at the Prince Kuhio on Prince Kuhio Avenue there were a lot of restaurants around there.
Do visit the Society of Seven show if it’s still going.
Don't get taken in my Aussie sales patter

 

[robbie c]

Waikiki over rated;
Pearl harbor solemn but do go

NORTH SHORE - the best
Swim with sharks; paddle with turtles; sea the sun set on sunset