BigRedDog

i'm leaving next week to spend 9 days or so in Oahu... i wanted to know if anyone had any good suggestions on things to do on the island or maybe some informative site that could point me in the right direction... thanks for the help!

RiceBurnerTX

Aside from the obvious such as Pearl Harbor and Diamond Head (Volcanoe with about a 2 mile hike to get to the top), I love catching the big surf. Just tune into the radio and catch the surf report. Usually in the summer the South Shore will have the big surf, but just depends where the storms are at. Not sure if you'll be out there over a Saturday, but if you are, check out the Swap Meet (Flea Market). It's awsome. If you have time, I'd go to the Polynesian Culture Center as well. They have an Imax about how Hawai became populated and they have a pretty good Luau there too. There's also Waikiki, which is pretty fun at night, mostly tourist stuff, but it's pretty cool. There is also a street market in that area with little vending carts that you can pick up pretty cheap souvenirs at. Not sure if you've ever seen a pineapple plantation, but Dole is out there as well. Don't forget to get some Portuguese sausage too if you like spicy sausage. You can buy it everywhere there, including at McDonalds for breakfast :-) My other favorite breakfast food up there is Moco Loco, which is hamburger patty ontop of rice topped with gravy and an easy over egg :-) Ok, ok, I guess that's enough, you got me thinking about home heheh. Have a good time and let us know how your trip goes!

CHIX RULE

Riceburner just touched on what I would say! The polynesian cultural center is a must I think, I thought that was one of the best things I had seen while I was there. Go to the flea market at the stadium for all of your souvenier stuff. They have lots of stuff plus macadamia nuts in lots of flavors and things at the flea market are very nicely priced. The view from Diamond Head is killer.
here is a pic

Hunama Bay, a great snorkeling place and just pretty.

Sunset on Waiikiki


have fun

vader1

North shore is cool, especially if you want to pull off the road and watch surfers. If you have a decent rental car, a drive around the island is nice, I thought the Like Like highway was scenic. Hana Uma Bay is nice but can be real crowded and touristy. If you like to snorkel, keep some gear in the car, just drive around the island and you can snorkel pretty much anywhere.

I found that hard to believe until I went there, but there are little areas to pull off the road and have access to the ocean every few miles. Some have bathrooms, picnic tables and showers, others are just a dirt driveway with a stretch of beach. But you get in the water and bingo, octopus, sometimes sea turtles, unicorn fish, blah blah blah. All the islands are sourounded by reef. Fishies everywhere.

But I love to scuba and snorkel. If you have never done it before, I highly recommend you give it a try. There is also a big mall that is ok to kill half a day at, can't remember the name. You can also rent boogie boards at Turtle Bay resort with good surf, or find them for rent on Waikiki but the surf is small.

I like the other islands better, but that is not to say Oahu is a slouch. I would take a vacation there any day. The natural beauty is so amazing it will stick in your mind and make you want to go back as often as you can. Enjoy, I am jealous.

RiceBurnerTX

Red Dog, one thing to be careful of though, if you aren't an experienced snorkler, or not experienced around the ocean, be very aware of the tide and rocks. Have fun, but as all loacals will tell you, respect the ocean and it's power. Have fun!

vader1

Oh yeah......I don't think they are that great on Oahu, better one the other islands but helicopter tours are cool. My girlfriend is from Honolulu and says that they ALWAYS crash, but Blue Hawaiian has a great safety record. More of a Maui, Kuai thing though. Pricey.