mschau

Hi everyone,

Our trip is so close! We're heading to Waikiki on March 12th and staying for a week at the Marriott Waikiki Beach. Both of us are 22 and looking to relax and enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer. This is our second trip together to Waikiki. We're both college students, so our budget is not the biggest, but we do love to splurge for delicious meals and fun activities. We're looking at doing the Na Hoku cruise one day, and hiking another day up to Diamond Head.

Any suggestions on good restaurants or places to go at night? Shops we shouldn't miss? We love Duke's!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Molly

SiteC_er

Snorkel at Hanauma Bay...cost a few buck to get in but worth the money

suze

www.shangrilahawaii.org
I thought Doris Duke Shangri La estate tour thru the Honolulu Academy of the Arts was very fun and interesting. You want to reserve tickets online in advance because they only take small groups on limited times/days.

The Saturday morning Farmers Market at Kapiolani Community College.

montereybob

I also recommend snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. It gets really crowded there at Spring Break so go as early in the morning as you can. Your hotel concierge can set up a shuttle to take you there --- it's about a 25 minute drive.
We just returned from Waikiki, and besides Dukes we loved: Hula Grill, Sansei, Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, Shorebird at the Outrigger Reef Hotel. For good cheap eats we liked the many choices in the various mall food courts

mschau

Great! All awesome suggestions. Thanks so much!

suze

I agree w/ montereybob's suggestion about the food courts. there's some really great options and very inexpensive. at International Marketplace, Royal Hawaiian, and Ala Moana mall.

For a great cheap breakfast go to ME Korean BBQ at the Royal Grove hotel ($4.25). It's a simple place with outdoor seating only. Really nice people, fresh food.

I also really enjoyed the buffet brunch at Shorebird at Outrigger Reef ($12.95).

mschau

Thank you everyone!

carolyn

I like breakfast at St. Germaine's Bakery on Kuhio Street, sort of behind the Princess Kaiulani Hotel. They have wonderful croissants and chocolate-frosted, custard-filled Long Johns as well as doughnuts and other goodies.

McDonalds sells cups of fresh pineapple.

suze

Take surfing lessons? Those are right there at Waikiki. There's also paddle boats for rent in front of Fort de Russy park (far end of Waikiki beach).

mschau

We're definitely going to take surfing lessons. And the paddle boats sound like so much fun. Any good outdoor restaurants for a splurge night anyone can recommend?

sf7307

The bar at Duke's is right at the beach and is great for apps or a light dinner and drinks.

montereybob

In addition to the Dukes bar, the actual Dukes restaurant adjacent to it is open on the ocean side. So if you get a table on that side you will be pretty much outdoors. The same goes for the Hula Grill right above Dukes. All these are in the Outrigger Waikiki hotel property. A really great hawaiian style Italian cuisine restaurant that has some tables on an outdoor patio is called Il Lupino. It is near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Also, in the beachside patio of the Moana Surfrider hotel there are a couple of outdoor eating options.

mschau

Thank you so much for all of these great suggestions. Can't wait!

StarTGIF

Aloha! Every Friday, there is a guide to events, a Pau Hana Patrol happy hour review and more in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser's TGIF section. You can find it online at HonoluluPulse.com/tgifinprint. (And thanks for participating in the Spring Break special on HonoluluPulse.com!) Also, check out HonoluluPulse.com for a guide to good eats on the North Shore. Definitely go to the North Shore, you'll love Haleiwa - it has cute bikini shops and lots to see, including surfers for people-watching. LuisBuenos is the best place to eat there. ... Back in Waikiki, Sansei is great for sushi. To be swank, have a sunset cocktail at Waikiki Edition at the pool bar - you can swim there, too, and it is a very hip and sleek hotel. Enjoy!

MelissaHI

You might also check out www.nonstophonolulu.com — every Thursday, Tracy posts a blog with a list of the best events for the coming weekend.

When you go to Duke's, look for bartenders Jesse Greenleaf & Aimee Fujiwara! They just published a cocktail handbook. I have Aimee on video in my blog (3/15) on nonstophonolulu.com mixing two of the drinks.

Here's a list of where I like to take out of town guests:
http://bit.ly/nshaloha