Oahu Attractions
Oahu Attractions
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Bishop Museum - This forbidding, four-story Romanesque lava-rock structure holds safe the world's greatest collection of natural and cultural artifacts from Hawaii and the Pacific. The museum was founded by a Hawaiian princess, Bernice Pauahi, who collected priceless artifacts and in her will instructed her husband, Charles Reed Bishop, to establish a Hawaiian museum "to enrich and delight" the people of Hawaii. Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park - If you have kids, you have to take them here! This 29-acre water-theme amusement park opened in spring 1999 with some $14 million in attractions. Plan to spend the day. Highlights are a football field-sized wave pool for bodysurfing, two 65-foot-high free-fall slides, two water-toboggan bullet slides, inner-tube slides, body flume slides, a continuous river for floating inner tubes, and separate pools for adults, teens, and children.
Honolulu Zoo - Nobody comes to Hawaii to see an Indian elephant, or African lions and zebras. Right? Wrong. This 43-acre municipal zoo in Waikiki attracts visitors in droves. If you've got kids, allot at least half a day or more. The highlight is the new African Savannah, a 10-acre wild preserve exhibit with more than 40 uncapped African critters roaming around in the open. The zoo also has a rare Hawaiian nene goose, a Hawaiian pig, and mouflon sheep. For a real treat, take the Zoo by Twilight tour, which offers a rare look into the lives of the zoo's nocturnal residents.Polynesian Cultural Center - Even if you never leave Hawaii, you can still experience the natural beauty and culture of the vast Pacific in a single day at the Polynesian Cultural Center, a kind of living museum of Polynesia. Here you can see first-hand the lifestyles, songs, dance, costumes, and architecture of seven Pacific island nations -- Fiji, New Zealand, Marquesas, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, and Hawaii -- in the re-created villages scattered throughout the 42-acre lagoon park.
USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor - On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona, while moored here in Pearl Harbor, was bombed in a Japanese air raid. The 608-foot battleship sank in 9 minutes without firing a shot, taking 1,177 sailors and Marines to their deaths -- and catapulting the United States into World War II.
Nobody who visits the memorial will ever forget it. The deck of the ship lies 6 feet below the surface of the sea. Oil still oozes slowly up from the Arizona's engine room to stain the harbor's calm, blue water. The memorial is a stark white 184-foot rectangle that spans the sunken hull of the ship; it was designed by Alfred Pries, a German architect interned on Sand Island during the war. It contains the ship's bell, recovered from the wreckage, and a shrine room with the names of the dead carved in stone.
Today, free U.S. Navy launches take visitors to the Arizona. While you're waiting for the shuttle to take you out to the ship -- you'll be issued a number and time of departure, which you must pick up yourself -- you can explore the interesting museum's personal mementos, photographs, and historic documents. A moving 20-minute film precedes your trip to the ship. Allow a total of at least 4 hours for your visit.
Content provided by Frommer's Unlimited© 2012, Whatsonwhen Limited and Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Oahu Activities
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Exploring Oahu's Rainforests. In the misty sunbeams, colorful birds flit among giant ferns and hanging vines, while towering tropical trees form a thick canopy that shelters all below in cool shadows. This emerald world is a true Eden. For the full experience, try Manoa Falls Trail, a walk of less than a mile that ends at a freshwater pool and waterfall.
Snorkeling the Glistening Waters of Hanauma Bay. This underwater park, once a volcanic crater, is teeming with a rainbow of tropical fish. Bordered by a 2,000-foot gold-sand beach, the bay's shallow water (10 ft. in places).
Hiking to the Top of Diamond Head Crater. Almost everyone can make this easy hike to the top of Hawaii's most famous landmark. The 1.4-mile round-trip goes up to the top of the 750-foot volcanic cone, where you have a 360° view of Oahu.
Heading to Waimea Bay When the Surf's Up. From November to March, monstrous waves -- some 30 feet tall -- roll into Waimea. When they break on the shore, the ground actually shakes and everyone on the beach is covered with salt spray mist. The best surfers in the world paddle out to challenge these freight trains. It's amazing to see how small they appear in the lip of the giant waves.
Watching the Ancient Hawaiian Sport of Canoe Paddling. On weekday evenings and weekend days from February to September, hundreds of paddlers gather at Ala Wai Canal and practice taking traditional Hawaiian canoes out to sea. Find a comfortable spot at Ala Wai Park, next to the canal, and watch the canoe paddlers re-create this centuries-old sport.
Finding a Bargain at the Aloha Flea Market. Just 50¢ will get you into this all-day show at the Aloha Stadium parking lot, where more than 1,000 vendors sell everything from junk to jewels. Open Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6am to 3pm.
Visiting the Lei Sellers in Chinatown. There's a host of cultural sights and experiences to be had in Honolulu's Chinatown. Wander through this several-square-block area with its jumble of exotic shops offering herbs, Chinese groceries, and acupuncture services. Be sure to check out the lei sellers on Maunakea Street.
Experiencing a Turning Point in America's History: The Bombing of Pearl Harbor. Standing on the deck of the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor, with the ship underneath, is an unforgettable experience. On that fateful day -- December 7, 1941 -- the 608-foot Arizona sank in just 9 minutes after being bombed during the Japanese air raid. The 1,177 men on board plunged to a fiery death -- and the United States went to war.
Watching the Sun Sink into the Pacific from a 1,048-Foot Hill Named after a Sweet Potato. Actually, it's more romantic than it sounds. Puu Ualakaa State Park, at the end of Round Hill Drive, translates into "rolling sweet potato hill" (which was how the early Hawaiians harvested the crop). This majestic view of the sunset is not to be missed.
Ordering a Shave Ice in a Tropical Flavor You Can Hardly Pronounce. In Haleiwa, stop at Matsumoto Shave Ice, 66-087 Kamehameha Hwy., for a snow cone with an exotic flavor poured over the top, such as the local favorite, li hing mui (lee hing moo-ee), or with sweet Japanese adzuki beans hidden inside.
Content provided by Frommer's Unlimited© 2012, Whatsonwhen Limited and Wiley Publishing, Inc.
