Oahu Honeymoon - What to do?
 

My fiance (soon to be husband) and I are heading to Oahu for our honeymoon October 3-13. We are staying at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach for 5 nights and Santa's by the Sea in Haleiwa for 4 nights.

I have been to HI several times, FI has not. What are the must do's, must see's and the best restaurants to go to. We hope this to be a romantic trip!

Thanks!

Since he's never been, definitely take him to a luau, go to Hanauma Bay, Pearl Harbor, North Shore, Pineapple Plantation, Nuuanu Look-out.

Are you looking for fancy schmancy places to eat or does it matter as long as the food is good??

BigJim - Just as long as the food is good! Any suggestions?

Honolulu has a lot of options if you are interested in history and/or architecture. Iolani Palace, Doris Duke's ShangriLa, Mission Houses, Bishop Museum, Honolulu Academy of the arts, Chinatown.

Personally I would not consider Pearl Harbor or the Pineapple Plantation a must do on my honeymoon. And for a luau I would try to find a smaller more authentic one rather than go to Polynesian Culture Center (which no one has recommended yet but I know they will -LOL).

ditto suze....seems like I am the one always making Iolani Palace a priority over all other historical sights typically mentioned on here.

Not sure about the mission house and shangrala as must do's

Pupukai (sp): North Shore Heaui
Also check out what is going in during your stay.

Congratulations! You will love your location on the beach in Waikiki. I would recommend the Royal Hawaiian for a romantic dinner. I took DH there on a special occasion and he marks it as the most memorable meal he has ever had ever. You can go fancy but smart casual is fine. It is expensive though. Sometimes it is good to splurge for the right occasion. The grounds of the Royal Hawaiian are beautiful and very romantic IMHO. It is an easy walk from your hotel location.
There is also a very nice Italian restaurant right across the street from your hotel. It should still be there. Sorry I can't remember the name of it but I'm sure you will see it. It was also romantic and not expensive. I believe it is right on Kalia St. and thier menu is posted outdoors so you can see prices beforehand.
Another restaurant we enjoy is Coconut Willy's. It is located in the International Marketplace. It is very casual but a fun place to grab a burger. They usually have a band playing and people get up and dance. A fun place!
Best wishes!

Just wanted to say the Italian restautant is not in front of your hotel Outrigger Waikiki. It is by the Outrigger Reef. I was confused - but now I'm back :-).
Enjoy!

For a special meal have dinner on the veranda restaurant with the banyon tree in the courtyard at the Old Moana Surfrider at sunset. Doesn't get much more romantic than that!

Hi --
DH and I just got back from 8 nights at the Outrigger Waikiki for our 1st anniversary. We also spent a couple of nights there on our honeymoon. It is a GREAT hotel in a great location, you will love it. We enjoyed lunch at Duke's, but thought dinner was much better at Hula Grill and ate there several times. Both are located at the hotel. I will be writing a trip report this weekend, there will be plenty of advice and tips on what we did in Oahu. Enjoy :)

Arancino's 255 Beach Walk is an excellent small and 'hip' Italian restaurant. It's next door to two other similar styled sushi and asian noodle places.

I checked www.moana-surfrider.com and sure enough the restaurant I enjoyed so much is called The Banyan Veranda!

Micheles in the Colony Surf is one of our favorite romantic places. Excellent Grand Marnier souffle. You could see if the University of Hawaii Warriors (football) will have a game while you there. We love catching one of those at Aloha Stadium.

It depends on what sort of things you like to do as to what is considered a must do, but I enjoyed Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens. Also, if you are active types you might consider a hike to Manoa Falls, walk up Diamond Head, taking a surfing lesson or taking an outrigger canoe ride. Since you are staying at the Outrigger definitely take advantage of Duke's and or the Hula Grill for meals. I thought the breakfast was great at the Hula Grill and enjoyed dinner at both. Another restaurant I liked though fairly pricey, was Hy's Steakhouse on Kuhio Ave. Go and get drinks at the Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and enjoy the sunset and the entertainment. Another option is getting cockatils at the Banyan Court at the Sheraton Moana-- it's a lovely setting. For a view of all of Waikiki to Diamond Head go to the Cobalt Lounge within the Hanohano room in the Sheraton Waikiki-- great view at night.

These are some hints/suggestions for things to do and see on Oahu. Many of the websites listed are good for all islands.

Arizona Memorial: (free) get there early, preferably by 8am. Opens at 7:30am. If you get there after 10am the lines can get long and you may spend 1-2 hours in line. Battleship USS Missouri and Submarine USS Bowfin are in the same area. These are about $15 each so you can go or skip them. Look for coupons in brochures for two for one. You can take pictures of them from Arizona Visitors Center and the Arizona tour ferry. Go on the lawn behind the Visitor's Center for great pictures. You can also walk around the Bowfin Memorial area for free without taking the tour. Its worth the time. The Swap Meet is only a couple blocks from here at Aloha Stadium.

Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC): www.polynesia.com General Admission about $50 or the luau buffet package ($80). The evening 'Horizon' show is the best Polynesian show in all of Hawaii. It comes with all ticket price options. The higher priced ticket packages get the better seating for 'Horizons'. Also the earlier you get there, the better the seating is for 'Horizons'. The Ali'i Luau Show that is part of the luau package is also a good Polynesian show. IMAX, Canoe Pageant, Samoa and Tonga villages and Canoe ride are the best other attractions (these are included with any type ticket). Plan on this as an all day event. Get there by 1pm (earlier if possible), leave around 9:30pm. When I take visitors, I try to keep on this schedule: IMAX 1:30, Canoe Pageant 2:30, Samoa 3:00, Tonga 4:00, Canoe Ride around 4:30, regular buffet or Ali'i luau buffet 5pm and 'Horizons' at 7:30. The other villages are nice also, but there is not enough time for all of them. You will have time to do some shopping or looking around between the buffet or luau and 'Horizons'. Closed on Sundays. You can go back for free for two days. Check with PCC employees for instructions before leaving the Center if you want the extra days.
Coupon in Entertainment Book to save $27.

Diamond Head Summit: Drive right into the crater and hike to the top. ($5 per carload or $1 each if you walk into the crater). I prefer to drive in. Awesome 360 degree view from the summit. Best time is around 8am or around 4pm. In between it can get hot walking to the top. Takes about 1 - 1 1/2 hours roundtrip.

Punchbowl (National Cemetery of the Pacific): (free) While you are there, drive to the overlook area. Short walk to the summit that overlooks the entire city. If you have time, take the Mt. Tantalus/Round Top drive through a rain forest. Stop at the Puu Ualakaa State Wayside about 2/3 of the way to the top of the mountain. It has an awesome view of the city from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor. Punchbowl is near the bottom of Mt. Tantalus.

Hanauma Bay: Snorkel. Its for any age. You can rent snorkeling equipment there or some places in Waikiki or bring your own. Closed on Tuesdays. Try to get there as early as possible. If you drive, the parking lot gets filled up by 9:00 or 10:00. ($1 for parking, $5 for each person). You can reserve snorkel tours with several companies. They provide equipment, transportation, etc. They seem to have better equipment than the park does. You can also take the city bus. But the first city bus doesn't leave Waikiki until 8:30 am. Website: http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/parks/f...ay/welcome.htm

Byodo-In-Temple (Valley of the Temples): $2 each. Just past Kaneohe. Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe is close by.

Chinaman's Hat: (free) Kualoa Regional Park is just past Byodo-In-Temple. Nice for pictures, picnic, swimming. Also nearby is Macadamia Nut Factory.

Swap Meet: You can buy almost any souvenirs here much cheaper than anywhere else. All items are new. Vendors wrap around the stadium twice. Located at Aloha Stadium near Arizona Memorial. Open Wed, Sat, Sun.

Hilo Hattie's: Nice place to shop. Higher prices than swap meet, but not too much more on many items. Has good selection of clothing, candies and souvenirs. Check brochures for coupons. Can take free Hilo Hattie's shuttle from Waikiki.

Ala Moana Beach Park: (free) Nice beach. Great sunset location in the winter. Walk all the way out to the end of Magic Island. Great view of Waikiki, Diamond Head, Ala Wai Boat Harbor (shown in opening scene of Gilligan's Island).

Hike to Manoa Falls: (Free) You can drive right up to the trailhead and park for free. Or you can pay a few bucks in a nearby lot to have someone "watch" your car. One mile one way. Short hike through a rain forest also bamboo there. Treetops restaurant there (at the previous Paradise Park site) has a good Chinese buffet. Lyon Arboretum is nearby. It is a nice botanical garden. You can park there and walk a short distance to Manoa Falls trail.

Hike to Makapuu Point Lighthouse: (free) Great view from here. Easy one mile hike. In winter months (mid-November to mid-April) it's great for whale watching.

Other Hiking on Oahu:
http://www.hawaiitrails.org/ (good for all islands)
http://www.backyardoahu.com/
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/oahuhikingtrails/home.html
http://oahuhiking.com/

North Shore Beaches: Haleiwa, Banzai Pipeline (Ehukai Beach), Waimea Beach, Sunset Beach, Shark's Cove & Chun's Reef. Chun's Reef (Laniakea Beach) has sea turtles. Other nice stops for pictures in the area. Can be huge waves in winter. Good snorkeling at Shark's Cove and Chun's Reef in the summer. Chun's Reef (Laniakea Beach) is located about 1/2 way between Waimea Bay and Haleiwa.

Other beaches: There are close to 100 beaches on Oahu. Besides North Shore and Waikiki beaches these are some of the better ones: Makaha Beach (west shore), Waimanalo Beach, Waimanalo Bay Recreation Area, Lanikai Beach, Sandy Beach, Hanauma Bay and Kailua Beach (east/Windward side), Ala Moana Beach Park (south shore). All public beaches are free except Haunama Bay.

Dole Pineapple Plantation: On H-2 just past Wahiawa. Can visit on the way to or back from the North Shore. Nice gift shop to browse, but expensive. Go behind the center for pineapple exhibits, gardens and carp feeding pond.

Kualoa Ranch: Several movies have been set here: (Jurassic Park, Mighty Joe Young and others), ATV rides, horseback riding, tours. Located across from Kualoa Regional Park.

Waikiki: Beaches, shopping, dining, nightclubs, shows, some museums. Wide range in dining prices. $3-4 breakfasts, $6-10 lunch buffets, $20-$25 fine dining and anywhere in between. Best Waikiki shows: Creation: A Polynesian Journey, John Hirokawa's Magic of Polynesia, Society of Seven, Blue Hawaii (Elvis impersonator), many more to chose from. Many Waikiki shows offer cocktail show along with the dinner show. They seat you after everyone else has eaten. Regular price of shows around $40-$60. Cocktail show about $25-$35. There are several other short free hula shows and other demonstrations in Waikiki daily. Check the brochures for location, days and times. Check brochures & Entertainment Book for coupons for shows/dining/shopping, etc.

Downtown Area: Aloha Tower (take elevator to the top, nice view), Chinatown, Hawaii Maritime Center, Iolani Palace, Bishop Museum, other museums.

Botanical Gardens: Oahu has many botanical gardens. Most are free, the others charge a few bucks. Haiku Garden in Kaneohe is nice and is a nice stop if you are taking an island driving tour. Located near Byodo-In-Temple (Valley of the Temples).
Here is a nice site for gardens in the state: http://www.hawaii.edu/sciref/botgarden.html (all islands)
Check brochures or get info on-line for others. Search: oahu botanical gardens

Other: Sea Life Park, Zoo, Aquarium, dinner cruise, whale watching cruise, submarine tours, parasailing, helicopter tours, horseback riding, Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, scuba, surfing lessons, other luau shows (Germaine's, Paradise Cove). Many other attractions, things to do. Check the brochures.

Brochures: (free) Can be found in the airport baggage claim area or at hundreds of news stands throughout Waikiki, in hotels, in stores, and at some attractions. These are excellent "things to do and see" guide books (maps, attractions, beaches, dining, night clubs, etc.). There are a lot of coupons in these for dining, shopping, etc. The best brochures are: 'This Week on Oahu', 'Oahu Gold', '101 Things Oahu', 'The BEST of Oahu'. Some of these brochures can also be found for other islands (Maui, Kauai, Big Island) unique to that island. Most of these brochures also have on-line versions.

Websites:
www.thisweek.com 'This Week On Oahu' They will send up-to-date brochures for a few bucks. Also This Week Maui, Kauai, Big Island.
www.spotlighthawaii.com 'Oahu Gold' They will send up-to-date brochures for a few bucks. Also Maui Gold, Big Island Gold, Kauai Gold.
www.gohawaii.com This is the official site for Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. They will send a free brochure.
www.101thingstodo.com
www.visit-oahu.com Oahu Visitors Bureau, for free brochure 1-877-525-6248 (toll free)
www.hawaii.com Good site for comparing hotel locations, prices, etc.
www.hawaiiweb.com
www.alternative-hawaii.com
www.portaloha.com/SecretsOfHawaii
www.alohatower.com
www.honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours (driving and walking tours)
www.driveguidemagazines.com (good island maps)
www.hawaii-hotels.com Compare hotels
www.bookit.com Compare hotels
www.alohafriends.com
www.alohafriendshawaii.com
www.honoluluadvertiser.com one of two main Honolulu newspapers, has dining & entertainment guides, TGIF calendar
www.starbulletin.com one of two main Honolulu newspapers, also has dining & entertainment guides

Automobiles: Oahu is the only island that you can get around by bus. Oahu has a good bus system, but a rental vehicle gets around a lot better. Parking in Waikiki can be a problem at times. If you plan on renting a car, make sure your hotel allows parking at the hotel or in a nearby lot or garage. Get the parking pass at the hotel registration area. Probably $8-$14/day to park at the hotel. You can get city bus passes at any ABC store in Waikiki for $20 for 4 days ($40/month). Or you can pay $2.00 per trip. There are also many shuttles, tour buses and vans and trolleys that go to many places (some are free). Also 1 or 4 day Waikiki Trolley passes available.
www.thebus.org
www.waikikitrolley.com

Internet Search Engines: Use Yahoo, Google, Dogpile or any other search engine to find information on any thing else on Oahu (or other island) that may interest you. Type in: hiking hawaii, hiking oahu, bed and breakfast oahu, condominiums oahu, botanical gardens oahu, oahu hotels or any other terms that will get you information.

Hotels: Most hotels (or hotel chains) have their own 800 numbers and/or websites:
www.outrigger.com
www.sheraton.com
www.ohanahotels.com , etc. Or you can use a search engine to find the website or use the search engine's yellow pages for the phone number.
also try www.vrbo.com for more options

Entertainment Book
Entertainment books for Hawaii and many other locations can be purchased online at www.entertainment.com. They cost around $35-$40 plus shipping or if you wait until mid-March, the price is reduced to about $25 (or less) with free shipping, $15 after mid-May. Expires November 1.

Coupons include half price tickets for John Hirokawa's Magic Show. Hundreds of other coupons for reduce price luaus, shopping, dining, movies, attractions, etc. The Hawaii book also has many mainland coupons for hotels, car rentals, Universal Studios, Sea World, etc.

Phone Cards: If you don't have a cell phone, the best phone cards right now can be found at Costco or Sam's Club. Right now they are only $.03/m, 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no monthly charge. Can be used from pay phones ($.25 or eight units surcharge from pay phone), hotels, homes.

Sarah, Like you said all my list is not necessarily "must do", but since it is a honeymoon and only 5 days I would pick one of those over Pearl Harbor anyday. Iolani Palace is the best suggestion, I agree.