Oahu with best friend. Where to stay?
 

Spending a few nights on Oahu with my best friend. We are two girls in our late 20s hoping to have relatively close beach access. A block or two away isn't a problem but want to be close to nightlife, restaurants, etc. so that we only have to rent a car for a day. We were planning to rent a car to drive up to the North Shore for a day but otherwise planning to utilize public transportation or stay within walking distance. We were thinking we would stay in Waikiki but what part? Thanks! Any and all tips appreciated!

Waikiki isn't very big. You don't say what your budget is, but look at www.discounthotelshawaii.com/waikikimap.html to see lots of the hotels. You can drag the map at the bottom to see the whole beach. The red and blue areas are the closest to everything.

There really aren't "parts" of Waikiki. It's a very small area. You can easily walk central Waikiki end-to-end in maybe 25 mins. or across it in about 10 mins.

What kind of hotel (what price range) are you seeking?

budget is the key - condo or hotel, ocean view important? VRBO is a good place to look., Condo/Hotel is the Waikiki Banyon, I believe it is an Aston. Not overly fancy but nice, has pool and bar-b-que area - short walk to beach (2 blocks) most units have ocean view or Mt view from Lanai- higher up you avoid looking directly into the neighboring building. You can find this on VRBO as well and it will be cheaper. My sister stays there every year for 30 days. Waikiki Shore is another condo that can be found on VRBO - it sits right on the beach but I'm sure they don't have a pool if that is of importance but there are some very nice units that I have seen on line. It is closer to the Hilton Hawaiian Village for reference point.

Shar, true Waikiki Shore doesn't have it's own pool but if you book thru Outrigger Reef next door you get priviledges at theirs.

I can recommend Waikiki Sand Villa as a solid budget choice (in the $75/night range).

The Ala Moana Hotel is a nice place that is very convenient to a HUGE shopping mall. Our relatives have stayed there--it's a short walk or bus ride to Waikiki and has many restaurants within convenient walking distance.