Highlights Of A Trip To Hawaii ... Part 2

Old Oct 7th, 2008, 04:46 PM
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Highlights Of A Trip To Hawaii ... Part 2

This is the second part of my Oahu report ... not too exciting, as we mostly drank Mai Tai's and walked on the beach! I will give you the highlights though.

Since we'd had a rental car from National for our first week in Kailua and driven to most of the places we wanted to see outside Waikiki, we dropped off the car at National's Waikiki location when we arrived on the 10th, and walked for the next 8 days! We never missed the car OR needed to worry about finding or paying for parking!!! We never even used a bus or trolley. We're in our sixties but walked from the Outrigger Waikiki to Ala Moana Center and back one day, no problem. (However, if you're based in Waikiki for your whole trip, DO get a car for part of that time. Otherwise, you'd miss so much of the island.)

We stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki, and for the most part, LOVED it. We only paid $185/night Entertainment rate supposedly for a city-view room, but we were upgraded to partial ocean-view, I think, because we were celebrating an anniversary. I didn't request it ... just mentioned *our occasion,* and that a friend had enjoyed a particular type of room on the 12th floor. The front desk was pleasant and helpful, and understanding when I wiped out two card keys with the magnetic clasp on my purse ...

The only negative thing I could say about the hotel is that the walls ARE thin, and when you get someone very noisy next door, you can hear their conversations at times. BUT during eight nights there, we only really noticed that twice ... once when someone came in in the middle of the night, and partied for an hour or so in their room, and another early morning for an hour or so. I'd read the reviews citing noise before I went, and had decided that if the problem arose, I'd just ask to be moved but it was never a real problem. The room itself was lovely, and the TV and free internet fine. We had free phone calls and safe ... I think Outrigger gives you a lot for your money! Housekeeping was superb, and gave us plenty of extra towels, etc. when we asked.

The pool was very clean, and we found loungers every time (we used it quite a bit!) Pool staff very nice ... and firm with people who tried to sneak in! You could get drinks and food from Duke's, or buy something from the sandwich/shave ice stand near the pool, over by the laundry area (another plus, though I didn't use it.)

We'd go back to the Outrigger Waikiki in a heartbeat! Great restaurants (Duke's, Hula Grill, Chuck's ... wonderful views from all these), good shops, wonderful location!

We could see a lot of ocean from room 1208, and also had a dead-on view of the Aloha Parade going down Kalakaua Ave. on the 13th, although we were down on street level most of that day taking pictures. The block party the night before was so much fun, with several stages of entertainment ... hula troupes, contemporary Hawaiian music(Ten Feet, i.e. ... GREAT!), and loads of food and craft vendors. You wished you could see and hear everybody, and eat something from all the stands, but that would kill you!!!

The parade was gorgeous, with representatives from the different islands in their colorful garb riding horses, and the tropical flowers decorating the floats (hula dancers and Hawaiian musicians on many of them.) If you can manage to be there for this event one year, DO ... we didn't know about it when we booked our stay; it was just a happy coincidence!

The only time we left Waikiki in that 8 days was to take the Stars & Stripes Tour with RobertsHawaii. We were picked up about 9:30 a.m., dropped off about 3:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency across the street (big comfy bus, great guide.) We had visited the Arizona Memorial before but wanted to go again (they seem to be allowing more people at a time on site now, as opposed to years ago, and I think that diminishes the experience a little bit.) I can never put into words the feelings that I have when standing there ... but I hold such gratitude and respect for these men who made the ultimate sacrifice for us all.

The second leg of the tour was the USS Missouri, which my husband would liked to have stayed on even longer, and the third part Punchbowl Cemetery. I wasn't prepared for how gorgeous the Cemetery is ... You also ride past historic sites in Honolulu. The tour cost about $100 total for both of us, and was so worth it. It doesn't include lunch but you can buy lunch during the USS Missouri leg. We also used Roberts airport shuttle for our trip to the airport on our last day. Always clean, reliable, pleasant drivers.

We were on a search for the best Mai Tai in Waikiki. Hawaii Magazine had just named those at Lewers Lounge, Moana Surfrider Beach Bar (right next door to the Outrigger) and Tiki's as the top three. We never made it to Lewers (never dressed up enough), but the Moana Surfrider Beach Bar came through big-time, and we had quite a few there (you should see the umbrellas I have! ;-) ), under the Banyan Tree (perfect Hawaiian atmosphere ... could live there!) THE BEST, and so beautiful with the umbrellas and floating orchids! (The Nachos there were great, as well.) Tiki's was okay, but not good enough to go back for. However, Hula Grill's WERE ... in these super-cool Tiki glasses so big you could hardly fit your hand around, and delicious! The ones at Duke's were good, but the ones at Shorebird Grill Beach Bar were just passable (tasted like a mix.)

Speaking of the Shorebird Grill Beach Bar ... another fabulous atmosphere at night, open-air with tiki torches glowing. We were right on the wall by the ocean with live music ... a couple of guys were doing the Eagles, James Taylor, etc. I asked for Hall & Oates, so he did "Sarah Smile" for me. We had Mai Tai's and a beer, also shared their Hukilau Basket which was fried calamari, scallops, coconut shrimp and mahi-mahi with fries. Really good food!

Our top restaurant experiences were at the new Waikiki Roy's (but I didn't like his Sangria), where I had the classic fish trio (with the seared ahi ... I've now eaten virtually RAW fish ... and it was very tender, and tasted like ... nothing??? Other two fish were GREAT.) DH had carmelized scallops with a cherry-blue cheese bread pudding (fabulous.) The chocolate souffle ROCKED as usual! Also, had a beautiful dinner oceanside at Hula Grill right in the Outrigger ... tiki torches blowing in the breeze, live Hawaiian music drifting over from the bar area, and FABULOUS food and service. DH had a macadamia-encrusted mahi-mahi, with bok-choy and special rice. I had a char-grilled steak with shiitake mushroom cream and lilikoi butter, with mashed potatoes and Asian green beans. Just incredible!

We also had two other meals in the Hula Grill bar area (GREAT cheeseburgers, really!), one night listening to Bruddah Iz's cousin, Walt Keale, doing all Iz's songs! What an experience, and we didn't even know he'd be playing there ... Sweet, sweet guy, and very talented.

There was also live Hawaiian music outdoors by the pool at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel (across the street) every night. We just happened by one night ... lovely setting ... and realized that was the music we heard from our balcony at night!

We had the yummy breakfast buffet at Duke's twice. The pineapple-coconut bread pudding is just sinful, and the Eggs Benedict very good! We don't like to eat heavily in the morning though, so sometimes breakfast was just half a papaya (bought at Costco) and a little cereal, saving our appetites for later. We ate dinner in Duke's Bar the first afternoon, and the food is very good ... loved their macaroni salad, of all things!

Once we picked up lunch at a Wolfgang Puck Express, just down the street from the hotel, to have with a bottle of wine on our lanai. OMG, what yummy stuff! I had a Chicken Aioli w/Cilantro sandwich with Herbed fries, DH had the BBQ Chicken with mixed baby green salad. Can't wait to eat at one of his restaurants sometime.

The last dining experience, I promise: Alan Wong's Pineapple Cafe in the Macy's at Ala Moana Center. I hadn't realized the restaurant was there when we walked there to go shopping. Never having a chance to eat at one of his places, I just HAD to! So, we ended up at the bar rather than wait an hour for a table. Food FANTASTIC ... we split a Cobb Salad, then Alan's version of Loco Moco ... the rice, hamburger patty, egg dish, except his was Fried Rice, Kiawe Grilled Steak Patty, Fried Eggs, and Veal Sauce to make you howl. RUN to this place ... the bartenders/staff were so nice, and it was such a fun experience!

We enjoyed Seattle's Best coffee every morning, conveniently located right in our lobby. (We had coffee maker, coffee, etc. in room ... but I never used it.) On our last day we had a great cold coffee drink, something called a Frosty, I think, at the Honolulu Coffee Co. at the Moana Surfrider. It's a great shop, where you can sit by one of two huge windows, and watch Waikiki walk by!

The ABC stores are so convenient (one on every corner, I think), with just about everything ... so I bought most of my souvenirs there, except for clothing items, which I shopped for at Macy's at the Ala Moana Center.

Our favorite place to play in the ocean was at Kuhio Beach Park where they've built the offshore retaining wall, and you have the protected area for those who aren't confident ocean swimmers or don't swim at all. Just stay away from the openings in the wall, as you get some deep spots in those areas. It was a short walk up from the beach at the Outrigger (nothing is THAT far away in Waikiki ... it's not that big!)

I hadn't been to Waikiki in ten years, and I'm very impressed with the *new* Waikiki. Just terrific, with it's winding stone walkways, flowers, palms. Yes, it's "city" ... but a tropical, beautiful one right on a gorgeous beach! (Apparently most of Australia and Japan feel the same way! We were really the minority when we were there ... but everybody was lovely, so we had great fun with them!)

Any questions, please ask ... it was a lovely trip! (And Suze, thanks for that POG recipe! )

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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 11:18 AM
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you're welcome (for the POG idea!)
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 11:27 AM
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elsiemoo: It is usually best to post each part of a trip report as a response on the original thread. Otherwise they get separated and no one can find the first part w/o clicking on your name and scrolling back, back, back.

I couldn't find Part 1 going back through more than 50 of your threads
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 12:04 PM
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janisj, the first part of the report was Kailua Beach/Oahu, but I could have kept them together ... I don't think anyone was that interested anyway!
Thanks for your reply.

Still drinking that POG here at home, suze!!!
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 12:07 PM
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Okay, janisj, for you! The first part of my Hawaii report (it was on TA that I put Kailua Beach in the title, I think ...)
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 12:07 PM
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Hit post too soon!

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35159753
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 04:32 PM
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elsiemoo, I don't know why I didn't see your trip report when you first posted again, but I'm glad you posted the link.

Great report. It sounds like you had a wonderful time.
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Old Nov 20th, 2008, 04:48 PM
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Nice tr part 2.
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