I've not stayed at Queen Kapiolani but dropped in for a visit and look around last year. I'd definitely be happy staying there. The pool area was especially nice. Sunny terrace overlooking Diamondhead. I prefer to have a kitchenette, is the only reason I haven't stayed there yet.

I know rusty's comments have been buried now, but I just had to make a comment after going to Waikiki 4 times last week with a visitor.

That cmera is focused on the statue of Duke, but just outside the margins of the photo are three beach boy stands...where they rent Umbrellas, lounge chairs, surfboards and surf lessons! So of course this spot is the absolutely most crowded on the entire beach. You have all the people who want to sit comfortable, all who are waiting for friends taking lessons or out on rental boards, the people who want a photo of themselves in fromnt of the statue, those who have arranged with mainland friends to be "live in Waikiki" at a certain time, and all the people who use the statue as a meeting point!

i was there for a portion of our visits (doing all of the above), and was having a fine time watching people. When we were done with the rental stuff, we moved about 20 yards down the beach where it was much, much less crowded.

...and of course, a lot of his comments were made on Labor Day, which--hello!--draws many locals to the beach for picnics. Queen's Surf was packed that day! Not much other days.

What is the Waikiki Shell? I saw it on the hotel map?

The Waikiki Shell is a venue for outdoor concerts.
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/oahu/sites_...kiki_shell.htm
There's seating on chairs, and there's also seating on the grass behind the seats...great place to picnic during the concerts. Saw Rudolph Nureyev dance there many years ago...and too many May Day Concerts with the brothers Cazimero to count. It's a wonderful place to see a concert underneath Hawaiian Skies. ><

Icuy, you picked ONE web cams on Waikiki Beach. You conveniently forget about the other three or four or more cameras. They ALL show the same thing - crowds.

And as Shea said above: "They groomed the beach each morning - we watched them from the veranda each morning over breakfast. After breakfast we headed for the beach & had a choice of any spot we wanted in that area"

Just proves my point. You have to get to Waikiki Beach at breakfast time to get a spot.

<<You have to get to Waikiki Beach at breakfast time to get a spot>>

That is absolutely ridiculous and simply not true.

I think I took a picture of this very area (stretch of beach with a long breakwater) on a short visit over the Fourth of July weekend - which is what I would think of as a peak tourist season.

If anyone can tell me how to post this photo to a website, I can at least show my experience of Waikiki beach on a holiday weekend, taken around noon (it was not exceptionally crowed, IMO).

benny, you can post it to www.worldisround.com, that seems to be a pretty easy site to use.

Thanks MelissaHI. I just posted my one (rather poor) photo. The site said it may take a few hours to show up because I am a new poster. Anyway, the photo (when it shows up) was taken sometime over the 4th of July weekend (don't remember exact day) at around noon. I didn't know the name of the beach at the time, other than generic "Waikiki Beach" but I think it's the one the original poster was referring to - with a long breakwater.

Rusty, unlike you, depending on Web cams strategically located to watch the busiest beaches, I live here! I go to the beach (Waikiki, Natatorium or Ala Moan), and my husband surfs on the south side of Oahu just about every day there is surf there.

You do not need to go early to get a good spot. You will not be sitting on top of other people unless you choose to. You can find less crowded areas simply by walking a bit up or down the beach. The beaches get crowded on holidays or during Golden week, and there are no deserted beaches in Waikiki, but there is plenty of space for everyone.

If you want a deserted beach, just drive, what, 10 minutes away to the Diamond head or Kahala areas,. On weekdays you may be there all by yourself!

My guest last week actually left Ala Moana beach because it was too deserted at 9:30 on Friday morning. Some guy came to talk to her and there was no one nearby, so she called for me to come get her!

I have not been to Waikiki beach when we couldn't find a place for our mat or neat sheet. If you look at the view of the statue go to the left towards the Kuhio Beach stage and the banyan tree this is the area we usually go. The added benefit if we are there later in the day is we can just move our mat over by the stage for the evening show. We found the neat sheet is big enough to be able to offer seating to others for the show that way we have met people from all over the world.

Thank you for all the replies.
Bennyb I would love to see your photo once it is posted but How?

benny just needs to post the link to the picture here.....

But Dawn, there's almost no need to see it. Once you get to Honolulu, you can see for yourself along the stretch of beach, how crowded/uncrowded it is and where to plant your beach towel!

Dawn, in additon to beautiful and interesting Waikiki Beach, are youplanning trips around the island to Oahu's other beaches?
MelissaHi, if you are seeing this...did you know that the cover photo of the current (March edition) AAA Honolulu map is of your Aloha Tower Marketplace? Ahhh... can feel those lovely breezes on my face, and shopping bags in my hands, when i hear those words.

calinurse, I did not know!!! how do I get one?

I have been there before but only went to Waikiki at night because we could not find any nightlife on the north shore. I have been to many other beaches on the island, took a glider plane ride, snorkeled that (hard to spell bay) but that was YEARS AGO! I now want to experience Waikiki Beach this time around. I have also been to the Big Island (favorite) 3 times, Maui and Kauai.

I think I am going to stay at the Pacific Beach Hotel. I found out that they have a 280,000 gallon aquarium in the lobby and restaurant. It is more then I wanted to pay so I will have to watch my spending. One of my favorite places to vacation is at a resort called Atlantis in the Bahamas. They has several large aquariums including a water slide that goes through a shark tank. Went there for my honeymoon and we loved it so much we went back the following year.

"I think I am going to stay at the Pacific Beach Hotel. I found out that they have a 280,000 gallon aquarium in the lobby and restaurant."

It is in the restaurant. So you won't see much of it from the lobby.

There is also a walk through aquarium (free)in one of the shopping centers. Almost directly across from Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

Dawn, I agree with Dusty (as usual) --please don't chose PB Hotel, if you're basing your decision on its aquarium, esp'lly as you say it is out of your original acomodation budget. It 's nothing like what you describe in the Bahamas.
You've rec'd good advice on this thread about Waikiki and nearby hotels. Just "go for it" so you can get the hotel choice out of the way, and have the fun of learning about other great stuff to see and do in Honolulu!

Try to get a good Honolulu street map , or at least an online print out of the Waikiki area, before you go.

MelissaHi, you should be able to get that map at your local AAA ofice, 1130 Nimitz Ave-- about a mile(?) down the road , so to speak, from Aloha Tower. If not available there, let me know, and I'll be glad to send you the latest one c/o your office there, or wherever convenient. (Would love to deliver it in person, but alas )-: no trips there til next yr )
I hope you won't be disappointed by the photo. There are so many gorgeous photo ops there (as you know FAR better than do I--wish there'd have been a pic including one of the hula girl statues, or the wonderful scene looking through to the ocean from the shopping promenades . Alas, it is just of the outside front area. Oh well--at least they say where it is, and it's the on front cover of a widely used map, as a symbol of Honolulu.

I would not choose my hotel only because of its exact location on the beach. It's easy enough to get out and walk up and down Waikiki to various places... ones with chairs for rent, places with lesser surf, more people, less people, etc.