Okay, this isn't really like me - - but I had some reasons (excuses) for not planning our trip to Hawai'i in detail - - 1.5 days in Maui/2 nights, then 4 days/nights on the Big Island, and finally from 7:30 am to 4 pm on Oahu. We have done okay with the first two islands - - but with just a little over 24 hours before we fly to Honolulu, we now realize that we have no plan whatsoever for (this) Friday. I believe that we want to go to Pearl Harbor/the Arizona memorial - - and then probably just shopping (art? home decor?), but we would welcome any one other idea as an altternative to the aimless shopping part.

Should have thought more about this before we left, and I will look at what is here on Fodors "Destinations". But as always, nothing compares to the advice from knowledgeable Fodorites here.

Thanks in advance... and...

Best wishes,

Rex
(from the Europe forum)

Rex, I can't remember if you found out if the airline will keep your luggage that long or not, but will assume that you will be luggage free......at the airport, you are VERY close to Pearl Harbor, not to mention it's early enough in the day for you to beat the big crowds (I'm pretty sure).

Let's say you're done with Pearl Harbor in time for an early lunch. You could go to Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch & Crab on Nimitz, or across the street at the Gentry Pacific Center (where there are lots of stores for home decor). If you drive about 5 minutes farther down Nimitz, you will find yourself at my lovely workplace, Aloha Tower Marketplace. You can have a harborfront lunch at Don Ho's Island Grill or Gordon Biersch, or a lovely dim sum lunch at Hong Kong Harbour View. (Let me know, I may join you!) If you still have time, you can catch the elevator up to the top of historic Aloha Tower for a breathtaking view. Still have time??? Then maybe a little bit of shopping in my mall. Oh, and don't leave without feeding the tropical fish (in the water between my place and the Maritime Museum, another spot you can go to)--this is one of the things I do to de-stress and it's fabulous. Fish food is just 25 cents per handful.

After feeding the fish, turn around and the cabs will be right behind you. The ride should be about 10 minutes back to the airport.

I just assumed that we should rent a car, and the luggage will stay in it.

I'll consider the alternative view.

Thanks for the quick reply.

With a rental car & after Pearl Harbor you could simply go into the heart of Waikiki, park somewhere, stroll along the beach, have lunch at the Moana Surfrider or Royal Hawaiian Hotel (classics) or somewhere else right on the beach?

There's loads of shopping on the main boulevard there.

If you were thinking of more educational pursuits perhaps fit in the Bishop Museum or Iolani Palace?

Allow plenty of time to get back to the airport as Honolulu freeway traffic can be a real bear.

Once you are in Waikiki everywhere along the street has boxes w/ free tourist guides like "101 Things To Do" for quick ideas.

Riding the trolley around Waikiki might be fun.

I wish I knew how to get you from the airport to Pearl Harbor/the Arizona the quickest way, that seems like the part you most need specific instructions for.

Also driving to Diamond Head might be another option?

rex, I would only have one concern -- leaving your luggage in the trunk of your car. I distinctly remember signs at the AZ Memorial advising people not leave things in the trunk of their car (you have to check your packages/purses -- can only take a camera out to the Memorial). There's a place in a tent near the Memorial where you can check stuff for a small fee.

Additionally, there are signs when you open the trunk of your rental car advising you not to leave things in the trunk unattended. Same case for Kauai rental cars.

Ergo, high probability there are thieves in Hawaii who professionally break into trunks of cars and steal.

I would check with someone (Melissa) to see if there are lockers somewhere you can store your luggage.

Thanks for the concerns, Budman - - anyone want to advise on secured parking? Maybe not actually AT Pearl/Arizona - - we would be willing to take a cab ride from the secured parking location. It seems that the most tourist-predominant locations are the greatest risk for break-in. Everyday locations (like a mall) would be presumably be no more high risk than any everyday parking.

I really appreciate all the tips so far.

I can't think of any truly secured parking options for you. The typical parking options may have a security guard who patrols infrequently, but someone breaking into a car can do it very quickly and will likely be long gone before the security guard patrols the area your car is in.

I'm not sure of any other option than leaving the luggage in the car if the airline won't hold it for you. I'm assuming you're flying an interisland airline then flying another carrier home, since checking your luggage all the way to your final destination doesn't seem to be an option.

Also, seconding the advice to make sure you leave plenty of time to get back to the airport. The traffic can be really bad, especially from 3:00 p.m. on.

Arizona Memorial parking lot is fairly safe to keep luggage in the car trunk. They have security guards and cameras.

The biggest thing is to not open the trunk, take out items and then put luggage back in the trunk (or passenger compartment) at any tourist site. Don't leave any valuables in the passenger compartment.

Do a search - highlite Hawaii and search: circle island
for a lot of ideas if you only have a few hours on Oahu.

A follow-up... and thank you, to all who replied.

For starters, I did at least... on some minimal level... follow the advice I almost always give to others: "get thee to a bookstore" - - it was hardly a detour or waste of time, as it turns out we were in Kona on our final day (and three days out of four, actually), and the Borders there is right in the middle of everything (and in particular, fit well with our plans to go to La Bourgogne for dinner our last night - - but that's another story). Considering how many other big cash outlays I made last week, the $7.95 for an Eeyewitness Guide to Oahu seemed hardly extravagant. (Besides, while we were there, I put 30 minutes to good use, listening to snippets of at least 20 different Hawaiiana CDs, something that makes Borders very, very appealing to me - - and bought one... "Ke'alaokamaile" by Keali'i Reichel)

So, anyhow, we did stay with our plan to rent a car. I'm sure we could have saved money by taking some other approach, but it's what we're used to, and again... it hardly seemed like such a big splurge.

And we felt like we put it to good use at least four times/ways... one, as our luggage storage...

Two, to simply drive the length of the downtown/Waikiki area.. from Aloha Tower to the end of Waikiki; it gave us a perspective that I just could not grasp from maps alone (three and four will follow, below).

And ultimately, the allure of Waikiki was indeed (as some of you projected) the magnet that drew us to where we spent the biggest chunk of time. I really didn't believe that "one more beach" (setting) could have any such impact on me. But... as is true with Lucerne, or San Sebastian or Charleston (SC) - - it's the incredible wonder of that waterfront, right there in the heart of a real city that is indescribable. And none of the former three matches Waikiki, of course. Where else can you ride a city bus to a location like that?

So, we shopped, and walked and people watched, and just gazed out on the beach - - its surfers and sunbathers, its aquatic blues, its surf and the development-opolis which is there... for about three hours, punctuated in the middle by (yet another overpriced) breakfast - - but still, very, very enjoyable... beachside at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider. There might be nicer properties on Waikiki, or better bargains... but this sure made a favorable impression on me. I'm curious as to who has what to say about actually staying there. If the Japanese clientele (on one specific day, at random) is any indicator, then clearly they are doing something right there.

We finished with the easy drive (by way of the State Capitol, Iolani Palace, Honolulu Academy of Arts and other "uptown" downtown landmarks) to Pearl Harbor (benefit number three of the car) - - arriving at about 1 pm. We were actually quite content to not go out to the Arizona herself but rather take in the modest museum and bookstore there.

Several observations come to miind - - and I would like to read and learn more about Hawai`i history (especially in the 19th century)...

There is the usual (seemingly a bit desperate) begging appeal to ask for funds to develop a more proper museum there. It occurred to me and my wife that one tiny sliver of the cost to make the latest Hollywood version of 12/7/41 would make one heck of a foundation budget for a museum (like maybe the catering budget alone, or the cost of hair and makeup staff for even one week for Ms. Beckinsale, or...)

... but I digress.

I would also hope that the new museum would devote more coverage to how the US military installations came to be at Pearl Harbor in the first place.

In a single panel, there is a four placard display summarizing key timeline events, prior to World War I...

a) In 1873, General J.M. Schofield submits a report recommending the US obtain Pearl Harbor, where a modest "coaling" station existed, noting that the islands would make for the ultimate strategic location, to control all of the Pacific.

b) In 1887, Congress allows the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base, in a trade agreement which permits the nation of Hawai‘i to have exclusive rights for duty free import of sugar.

c) and d) the remaining two placards note important landmarks in 1908 (construction, in earnest, of the Pearl Harbor Naval Yard)... and 1917, the purchase of Ford Island by the Navy, in the middle of the harbor.

But whoa, wait a minute! Didn't something important happen in 1893? Didn't the United States simply put a sitting monarch under house arrest, and "annex" her country? Although the process was more gradual, I think I am having trouble understanding how this is different from Iraq laying claim to Kuwait, in 1991.

Anyhow, I yammer on and on too much... and I haven't begun to read as much of the history of this period as I would like.

Follwing a nice hour at Pearl Harbor, we easily made it back to HNL for our onward flight (advantage number 4, of having thr car), and the remainder of our journey home was uneventful - - unless you count the 50 degree drop in temperature, and the withdrawal symptoms for palm trees, blue skies and slack key guitar music.

Sorry we didn't connect up with you, Melissa, but thank you for sharing your city and your state with us for a day.

Still missing it...