Our 2nd visit to Hawaii, 1st visit to the island of Oahu. We stayed ~1 week.
Notable Activities:
- Hiked Diamond Head
- Pearl Harbor (USS Arizona Memorial, USS Bowfin submarine, Pacific Aviation Museum, USS Missouri)
- Snorkling at Hanauma Bay
- Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History
- Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens, and drove past Byodo-In Temple & Laniakea Beach
- Cat Cafes (Hawai'i Cat Cafe, Cat Cafe Moff)
Notable Food & Drink:
- Rainbow Drive-In
- Leonard's Bakery
- Ice Monster
- Gecko Girlz Shave Ice
- Dole Whip
- Lulu's Waikiki
- Ali'i Coffee Company
- Tipsy Tiki
- Secret Spot
- Honolulu Coffee
Mai Tai - Tried from these vendors (ordered by my preference):
- Tipsy Tiki
- Lulu's Waikiki
- Redfish Waikiki
- Appetito Craft Pizza
- Kamukura Surf + Dine
We tried at least 2-3 times to visit Kona Coffee Purveyors in Waikiki, but each time the lines wrapped out the door and quite a distance, so skipped. Belatedly we learned, "Please don’t support this business. The owner is an atrocious human being who mistreats his workers. He’s also extremely racist and sexist." 😬 So, it all worked out.
Considered hiking to Koko Crater, but went to Bishop Museum instead.
Weather was tropical (good & bad).
Sea turtles - no sightings this trip 😝 Snorkeling & Laniakea Beach were a bust 🐢 However, snorkeling was an excellent idea, as we now have confidence to try again. Heard parrot fish chomping ☺️
Byodo-In Temple parking was overwhelmed on Labor Day, and just able to back out of the dead-end lot by the entrance. Wish they had attendants turning vehicles away a bit farther up the road, where easier to turn around.
In-flight entertainment:
- United Airlines (seats with screens & in-flight entertainment options):
- 🌟 On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2024) - directed by Rungano Nyoni
- 🌟 The Room Next Door (2024) - directed by Pedro Almodóvar
- Friendship (2024) - directed by Andrew DeYoung (watched first 40 minutes before plane landed)
- Hawaiian Airlines (no seats with screens--but had free Starlink wi-fi so streaming available via our personal devices)
- 🌟 Sherlock (TV series) - 2010
Nice memories:
- Laughing while having Dole whip at Kai Fresh
- Sighting a Monk seal sunning on beach ☺️
- Birds walking around our feet while seated on a bench at Diamond Head visitor center
- Ocean breezes & views
- Hiking
- Cat cafes
- Leonard's malasadas
- Back-scratcher given with Tropical Itch drink at Tipsy Tiki
- Li hing mui (shave ice, gummies, etc.)
- Interior spaces of Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum 👀 Especially Hawaiian Hall and Pacific Hall 🌟
- Standing on USS Missouri, in the spot where the signing of the Japanese surrender took place in 1945
- Sampling Mai Tai drinks
- Watching videos sent by our cat sitter
- Kiawe trees - yellow seed pods look like French fries
DETAILED ITINERARY
26 August (Tuesday)
Travel day
- 4:45 a.m. - Wake up
- 6:15 a.m. - Rideshare to airport
- 9:20 a.m. - Flight departs to Honolulu
- 11:00 a.m. - Arrive Honolulu (Aleutian Standard Time, GMT -10)
- Noon - Pickup car rental
- 1:00 p.m. - Check-in to hotel (Wayfinder Waikiki)
- 2:00 p.m. - Kamukura Surf + Dine (Gyoza (8 Piece, Deep Fried), split Kamukura (Pork) Fried Rice, HH Ume Cucumber, drinks)
- 2:15 p.m. - Ice Monster (Mango shave ice)
- 3:00 p.m. - ABC Stores: water shoes, beach towels, buns for breakfast, Li Hing snacks, other sundries
- 6:30 p.m. - Dinner at Redfish Waikiki (split poke bowl, Furikake fries, drinks)
27 August (Wednesday)
Diamond Head hike
- 7:30 a.m. - Coffees at B-side Coffee (hotel coffee shop - B-Side Brew, Coffee Slush)
- 8:00 a.m. - Lulu's Waikiki (breakfast: Lulu's stuffed toast, side house potatoes, drinks)
- 9:00 a.m. - ABC Stores (water for hike)
- Morning - Hike from Waikiki to Diamond Head summit and back
- 12:45 p.m. - Gecko Girlz Shave Ice (Lilikoi Sour shave ice, scoop of macadamia nut crunch)
- 4:15 p.m - ABC Stores (sundries)
- 4:45 p.m. - Crazy Shirts (shirt)
- 5:00 p.m. - Mitsuwa Marketplace (buns for breakfast)
- 5:15 p.m. - Cat Cafe Moff (shirt)
- 5:15 p.m. - Honolulu Cookie Company (pumpkin mini bites)
- 5:45 p.m. - Rainbow Drive-In (loco moko, mix plate, Caramel Brownie)
28 August (Thursday)
Pearl Harbor
- All day - Pearl Harbor
- 6:15 p.m. - Rainbow Tiki shop at Rainbow Drive-In (shirts, pin)
- 6:15 p.m. - Rainbow Drive-In (slush float, tator tots)
- 6:45 p.m. - Hawai'i Cat Cafe (shirt)
- 6:50 p.m. - Waikiki Banyan (pay for 1 night parking garage)
- 7:15 p.m. - Spam musubi (snack) & maple + strawberry buns for breakfast
29 August (Friday)
Snorkling at Hanauma Bay
- 8:00 a.m. - Breakfast at Redfish Waikiki (hotel restaurant - 3-egg omelette, banana French toast, latte, cold brew coffee)
- Morning & early afternoon: Hanauma Bay Guided Snorkel Tour
- 2:15 p.m. Leonard's Bakery (7190 Kalanianaole Hwy) - 6 malasadas (1 each flavor: original, cinnamon, Li hing, custard, dobash, Haupia)
- 5:30 p.m. - Kuhlo Ave Food Hall (2 falafel gyro wrap)
- 5:30 p.m. - Tipsy Tiki - drinks
- 6:45 p.m. - Kai Fresh (dole whip - half&half with strawberry)
- 7:15 p.m. - ABC Stores (Buns for breakfast, sundries)
30 August (Saturday)
Polynesian Cultural Center
- 8:45 a.m. - Coffees at B-side Coffee (hotel coffee shop - classic tune, drip coffee)
- 11:00 a.m. - L&L Hawaiian BBQ at Laie (garlic shrimp, spam musubi)
- Noon - evening: Polynesian Cultural Center
- Huki - A canoe celebration
- Samoa - Tree of Life
- Aotearoa - Toi Whakaari Maori
- Tahiti - Introduction to French Polynesia
- Canoe Ride
- Tonga - Cultural Core Values and the Nafa
- Rapa Nui exhibit
- Ali'i Lu'au
- Skipped: Pacific Theatre evening show
- Overnight parking at Lilia hotel garage
- 8:30 p.m. - Redeem drink tokens at hotel Lost + Found poolside bar
31 August (Sunday)
Bishop Museum
- 10:30 a.m. - Ali'i Coffee Company at 35 S. Beretania (local sandwich & breakfast sandwich, drinks - King & Prince)
- All day - Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaiʻi State Museum of Natural and Cultural History
- 5:00 p.m. - The Makeke, Honolulu (card, snacks)
- 6:30 p.m. - Appetito Craft Pizza (portobello fries, margherita pizza)
- 7:15 p.m. - ABC Stores (buns for breakfast, snacks)
01 September (Monday)
Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens, north shore drive
- 9:00 a.m. - Secret Spot (breakfast - Avocado Toast, veggie Bagel Benedict, Cappuccino, Caffe Latte iced)
- Morning - Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens
- Drove to (but no parking) - Byodo-In Temple
- Drove to (but no parking or sea turtles) - Laniakea Beach
- 3:15 p.m. - Longs Drugs (sundries)
- Dinner - Seven Brothers Burgers
02 September (Tuesday)
Travel day
- 7:15 a.m. - Honolulu Coffee at Moana Surfrider (quiche lorraine, local latte, pumpkin latte)
- 9:15 a.m. - DFS at Inouye International Airport (souvenirs, candies)
- 11:05 a.m. - Flight departs Honolulu (Aleutian Standard Time, GMT -10)
- 7:20 p.m. - Flight arrives San Jose (PDT, GMT -7)
- 8:00 p.m. - Arrive home (via rideshare)
