Getting to Know Hawaii: My Honolulu and South Oahu Favorites

In order to shorten the number of posts I could potentially do on the topic of my Oahu Favorites, I decided to combine my Honolulu (town) favorite spots and my southern Oahu favorite spots.  In this case, southern Oahu consists of everything from Diamond Head to Makapu'u, including the town of Hawaii Kai.  Hawaii Kai is located just to the east of Honolulu and is absolutely beautiful and charming.  It has some of the best scenery on island in my opinion!  

And then, of course, Honolulu is a huge, beautiful, and diverse city with so many different options when it comes to eating and sightseeing.  Since it is so large, you'll also have to forgive me for this post for being so long.  I couldn't narrow down my favorites to anything less than what I have below sadly!  But trust me when I say everything I do have on here are places that I truly enjoyed in the time we were lucky enough to live on Oahu!

FAVORITE EATS

Nico's Pier 38

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Website

Open from 6:30AM to 9PM Monday-Saturday; 10AM to 9PM Sunday

Nico's is a delicious gem located off of Nimitz Highway right where fishermen bring in their catches daily for the rest of us to purchase and enjoy.  Because of their location (which has a very nice interior, by the way), you can pretty much guarantee that Nico's will always be serving up something fresh and delicious on its specials menu in the evenings!  We actually prefer to eat here for lunch thanks to more traditional dishes like chicken katsu, loco moco, salads, and other "lighter" fare, but the dinner choices like the ahi, soups, and fresh catches can be pretty great too!  Looking back, we definitely should have eaten here more!

La Tour Cafe

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Open from 10AM to 9PM Sunday-Thursday; 10AM to 10PM Friday-Saturday

La Tour Cafe was always one of my favorite stops on island.  What first drew me to this little gem were the macarons that they serve up every day.  I was on a macaron kick for quite a while and La Tour definitely helped satisfy my cravings!  Then I began to try all of the other yummy things on their menu, like the flatbread pizzas, the crispy chicken sandwich (so good!), the chicken pesto sandwich, the La Tour burger...yep, I could keep going for sure!  I am definitely missing this place something fierce!

Tanaka of Tokyo West

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Lunch from 11AM to 2PM; dinner from 5PM to 9:30PM

For the longest time, Mr. L and I always went to another teppenyaki restaurant on island to get our hibachi fixes.  Then one day towards the end of our time in Hawaii, we gave Tanaka of Tokyo a second chance.  I'm so glad we did!  It turned out to be way better than we remembered and knocked our old favorite out of the park.  We were super lucky to go in at a random mid-afternoon time and scored our own table, so that definitely helped.  But the food and service were so good!  Even when a mistake was made on one of our orders, the chef treated it like it was no big deal and I got a free steak out of it!  If we were still on island, Tanaka would absolutely be our number one teppenyaki restaurant of choice, hands down :)

Duke's Waikiki

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Breakfast buffet from 7AM to 10:30AM; lunch from 11AM; lunch buffet from 11:30AM to 2:30PM; dinner from 4:45PM to 10PM; Barefoot Bar open from 11AM to midnight

Duke's really won me over, but unfortunately for me, that didn't happen until our very last night on Oahu.  I wanted to go somewhere memorable with our friend SJ to celebrate all of our wonderful memories in such a beautiful place, and I'd heard a lot about Duke's from many people.  I'd actually eaten here before for the breakfast buffet, and it was really tasty, but I'd never gotten a chance to try it for dinner.  Let me tell you, they really hit it out of the park for us!  Our food was outstanding.  The beef tenderloin and ribeye were divine, the sides were delicious, and that hula pie they serve is to die for!  We were bursting at the seams but we still couldn't stop ourselves from trying just one more bite.  Our waitress was also very personable, polite, and helpful which made the experience that much nicer.  This was one of the meals I just didn't want to end -- partially because of the food, partially because of the company!  SJ, if and when we make it back to Oahu, I'm taking you back here and it'll be my treat this time!  :)

Leonard's Bakery

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Open from 5:30AM to 10PM Sunday-Thursday; 5:30AM to 11PM Friday-Saturday

Leonard's is one of those must-visit places down in Honolulu.  It's iconic sign and pink boxes of deliciousness won their way into my heart as one of the best places on island to get malasadas, or Portuguese donuts.  You can get these little beauties plain (no filling) or with a custard, dobash (chocolate) or haupia (coconut) filling.  My favorite was always the custard!  They also offer monthly "special" flavors, and let me tell you, if you are ever visiting Oahu in the summer months, keep an eye out for the pineapple filling.  It is the best!!

Liliha Bakery

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Open from 6AM to 12AM daily

Liliha Bakery is another bakery gem that I was lucky enough to live relatively close to.  The owners have another location in town, but seeing as how I'm not a traffic person, I never made it to that particular location.  Fortunately I got to try this Nimitz location and was able to experience the magic of the coco puff myself.  A coco puff is a delicious pastry treat with chocolate filling and a delicious pastry cream-esque topping.  Mr. L and I could eat these every day!  They also have plenty of other baked goods on hand as well as a full restaurant, although we never did get to try it.  However, we were plenty happy with the boxes and boxes of coco puffs :)

Waiola Shave Ice

Source

Location

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Open from 10:30AM to 8:30PM Monday-Saturday; 10AM to 6PM Sunday

Waiola Shave Ice was another recent find for me and Mr. L.  That was one thing that was wonderful about Honolulu -- there was always something new to try or experience, no matter how long you lived there!  And this find?  Well, it was a doozy, people.  After coming to Waiola's new location in the Ward Center, I officially found my new ultimate favorite shave ice.  Matsumoto's is great and Aoki's was fabulous when it was still open, but in my opinion, neither holds a candle to Waiola.  The ice is so smooth and the flavors are an explosion of deliciousness.  I'm drooling just remembering it!  Now, while I go ponder if purchasing this in a response to my severe lack of shave ice is a responsible decision, if you're on island, just make sure you go to any of the Waiola Shave Ice locations -- it's worth it!

FAVORITE SPOTS

Eat the Street

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More Information

Eat the Street was always one of my favorite events on Oahu.  Dozens of food trucks would gather in a parking lot on South Street and serve up all kinds of delicious treats to thousands of people on the last Friday of every month.  Every time Mr. L and I got to go, we were never disappointed!  Over the years, we naturally developed our favorite food trucks out of the bunch.  Some of them included Soul Patrol, Paul's Poppers, Wow Wow Lemonade, Tin Hut BBQ, Hawaiian Fresh Farms, and SO many more.  Keep in mind that since this is an assortment of food trucks, it's best to bring cash, and there are ATMs on the premises.  Now I have to go start campaigning to bring an "Eat the Street" event here to Alabama!  :)

Diamond Head

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Diamond Head is the most well-known natural landmark in all of Hawaii.  As many as 2,000 people per day climb this 0.75-mile hike, and it's very easy to see why it's gotten so popular.  The 360 degree views from the top of Diamond Head overlooking everywhere from Barbers Point, Waikiki Beach, Hawaii Kai, Koko Head, and the Ko'olau mountain range are stunningly breathtaking as well as the highlight of many a visitor's trip to beautiful Oahu.  Because it can become SUPER crowded and also very hot, I would always take my friends and family early in the morning, starting our hike between 7 or 8AM.  It's definitely a great way to wake yourselves up and have an awesome start to your day!

Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park

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Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park has one of the best views of Honolulu and Diamond Head that also happens to be super easy to get to.  You just have to drive to the park!  When friends or family would visit, I would always plan to start the morning with hiking Diamond Head and then come here soon after.  It was really nice to get such different points of view of the city of Honolulu and beyond!  This park is tucked into the backside of the Ko'olau mountain range and is actually usually pretty secluded.  It's a great place to take a picnic and even watch the sunset.  Just keep an eye on when the park closes -- it changes depending on the time of the year.

KCC Farmers' Market

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KCC Farmers' Market was probably one of my favorite farmers' markets on island.  They have a wide selection of fresh produce and prepared food from stands, and although it can get very, very crowded, I still think it's worth visiting.  The market is located very close to Diamond Head on the Kapiolani Community College campus.  I definitely recommend getting there sometime around opening to ensure you get the pick of all of the delicious foods the vendors bring.  And pro-tip: try the Portuguese sausage stand towards the back -- the sausage is fantastic!

Bishop Museum

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The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum is an absolutely fantastic museum located in Honolulu.  It has a myriad of artifacts and knowledge that really help expose each visitor to the rich history and culture of Hawaii as well as its present-day accomplishments.  Their permanent exhibit includes an incredible three-story open hall with hundreds of displays with an incredible amount of information regarding Hawaii's founding, its monarchs, its people, and how it became apart of the United States.  Their rotating exhibits are also great.  The last time we went, the exhibit was about rollercoasters, and they've done things like Legos in the past.  Super fun!  I highly, highly recommend that anyone who wants a more thorough background of how Hawaii came to be what it is today visit the Bishop Museum -- it's completely worth it!  

Hanauma Bay

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Hanauma Bay is one of those very special places on Oahu (and therefore very popular).  This bay is one of the top snorkeling locations on Oahu, and for good reason.  It's absolutely teeming with all kinds of sea life!  It's a great location for diving too, although you do that farther out into the water.  Since Hanauma is so popular, you need to arrive there before 9AM -- preferably around 7 to 8.  You get a much better experience without the crowds, and you get to choose the best snorkeling areas before they become overrun (I prefer the two open areas and the reef in between towards the bottom of the above picture).  There is a steep admission fee, but if you're military or kama'aina you get in free!  Now that's a price anyone would be happy with ;)

Spitting Caves

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Spitting Caves (AKA China Walls) is a very special coastal area located in Hawaii Kai.  The smooth, layered rock is a testament to the power and force of the Pacific Ocean, which pounds the coastline daily.  At this particular location, there's a cave that actually "spits" back out waves that roll violently into the cave, creating a spectacular effect.  I absolutely loved coming here to watch the waves roll in and out of that cave and gaze out into the ocean.  It's also a great place to watch a sunset!  Since it's in a neighborhood, just make sure to remain respectful, pick up after yourself, and don't block any driveways if you choose to visit this beautiful place.

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Other posts in my Oahu Favorites mini-series:

My North Shore Oahu Favorites

My Windward Oahu Favorites
My Central and Leeward Oahu Favorites

Getting to Know Hawaii: KCC Farmers' Market

The Need to Knows:

• The Kapiolani Community College Farmers' Market (a.k.a. the KCC Farmers' Market) is located at Kapiolani Community College, 4303 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816.  Its exact location can be found here:

• This market is open every Tuesday from 4PM to 7PM and every Saturday from 7:30AM to 11AM. 
• Parking is free and is located in the lot adjacent to the lot where the market is held, but it is definitely cramped and usually VERY packed.  If you're patient though, you'll find a spot (we always have), but there is street parking if you'd prefer it.
• Cash is a must here, and also bring a reusable bag for your purchases.
• Just like any other open air market, it can get hot very easily, so wear sunscreen and/or a hat to keep your skin protected.  An umbrella is always a good idea to have on hand as well in case it starts raining or you need more shade.
• Unfortunately for all of us animal lovers out there, pets are not allowed at this particular event, so take them on a walk later to make up for leaving them behind :)

Getting to Know Hawaii: Eat the Street

April 2015 - It looks like ETS has officially moved locations from South Street to Kaka'ako Gateway Park.  Click here for the Google Maps location!

The Need to Knows:

• The main location for Eat the Street events is in downtown Honolulu at 555 South Street.  The exact location can be found here:

• Eat the Street (ETS for short) is held every month on the last Friday of the month in the downtown Honolulu location.
• ETS can also be held in other cities like Mililani or Kapolei during other parts of the month, but I'm not exactly sure how often this happens.  You can always check out ETS's website, www.eatthestreethawaii.com, and see what events are coming up!
• ETS in Honolulu lasts from 4 PM to 9 PM each time.
• There is no fee for ETS, but you do have to pay for food of course :)
• Parking is available in the same lot ETS is held in for free or there is metered street parking available around the lot -- Halekauwila Street normally has a good bit if you don't get there too late.  ETS put out a nice blog post recently describing the best ways to get good parking at the event over on their blog.
• I highly recommend arriving early.  The later you come, the less likely you'll be able to find any close parking (a lesson I've learned all too well).  You also run the risk of stands running out of food (especially their speciality themed dishes for the month) if you come late!
• There is a covered eating area and some tall tables you can stand at and eat, but you can also bring your own chairs since they all fill up fast!

Getting to Know Hawaii: Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park

The Need to Knows:

• Pu'u 'Ualaka'a State Park is located off of Round Top Drive off of Makiki Street.  The entrance's exact location can be found here (the end of Nutridge Street is where the lookout is):

View Larger Map

• The park is open from 7 AM to 7:45 PM from April 1 to Labor Day and 7 AM to 6:45 PM from after Labor Day to March 31.
• There are no fees to enter or park.
• There are two separate areas to check out -- the lookout area (pictured above) and a sheltered picnic area.
• Restrooms, trash cans, and water fountains can all be found here.
• There are a few parking spots, but don't leave anything valuable behind in your car just in case.
• It gets a bit windy here, so hang on to your hair or hat if necessary!
• A trail called the 'Ualaka'a Trail begins here; click this link for more information.

Getting to Know Hawaii: Mount Tantalus Drive

The Need to Knows:

• Tantalus Drive is a road located north of Waikiki and the H1.  Here is the exact location of the road as well as the path we took on this drive (Tantalus Drive to Round Top Drive):

View Larger Map

• The drive starts off in a pretty residential area, and even though the houses get fewer in between as you progress, just keep this in mind and remain respectful.
• Since there are so many curves and switchbacks to this drive, I would highly recommend motion sickness medicine if that's something you're prone to.
• If you're renting a car, I'll go ahead and say that a convertible would be a great way to experience this drive ;)
• There is a trail head along Tantalus Drive called the Tantalus-Arboretum Trail.  I didn't know it existed until later, but it could be a great way to stretch your legs a bit if you feel so inclined.  It's location and more information on it can be found here.

Getting to Know Hawaii: Hiking Diamond Head

The Need to Knows:

• Diamond Head State Monument is located off Diamond Head Road in Honolulu, specifically here:

View Larger Map

• It costs $5 per car to park in the lot and $1 if you walk in.  Some people prefer to park outside of the crater (or get dropped off by The Bus) and walk to the trail head, although I'm not sure what the parking situation is like outside.
• The park is open from 6 AM to 6 PM, and the last hikers are let in at 4:30 PM to be able to get up, down, and out in time for closing.  They start turning hikers away after that time and the gate is locked by 6 PM.
• The trail is very clearly carved out for you (and if you go later in the day, just follow the herd of people!) but it can be uneven and rocky.  Wear proper footwear!     
• It isn't stroller friendly (due to uneven terrain and stairs) and it isn't dog friendly either.
• There isn't shade on this trail, so I highly recommend sunscreen, a hat, and a bottle of water.
• The trail is just shy of a mile each way.  We personally budget about 1-2 hours to spend climbing, admiring the view at the top, and making our way back down.
• Trash cans are around, but there aren't restrooms.  There are normally food trucks near the parking lot waiting for you to finish the hike and satiate your hunger and thirst though!

Getting to Know Hawaii: DIY Mini Oahu Driving Tour

Hello and welcome to my blog!  If you like this guide, feel free to click on my my Travel page and check out all of the cool places I've traveled to in Hawaii and elsewhere, or you could hop over to my Recipes page to see some yummy food I've been cooking up lately.  And don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!  Thanks for looking!  :)

***Since Mr. L and I no longer live on Oahu, I can no longer guarantee the accuracy of some of the information in this post.  However, the majority of information should stay the same (stop locations, etc.) and if I hear of any changes, I'll be sure to update them ASAP!***

Last Updated:

June 9, 2014 - Added WARNING for Spitting Caves

May 13, 2014 - Added a new stop, Spitting Caves, revamped Google Maps map, and updated the Printable Guide

UPDATE:  I've now updated this post and added the above "Printable Guide" button so you can print out the guide to take with you on the road!  I removed the pictures and reformatted a little bit to shrink the size down to 6 printed pages.  I hope this makes it easier on you in case you don't want to use a cell phone or tablet the whole time.  Just click the button to take you to the print page!

In my last driving tour post, I covered a popular route that involves driving all around the island of Oahu (minus the leeward side) and taking up the better portion of your day.  But if you're interested in doing a driving tour but don't have a full day to commit to exploration, what do you do?  Well, I'll tell you -- you go on a mini road trip!

This route begins exactly the same way as the original driving tour, but takes a different turn when you get to the windward side of the island.  Because it begins the same way, my advice still applies regarding time to leave and when you'll probably get hungry, so be sure to visit the original driving tour post to check out the additional tips before you get on the road.

Getting to Know Hawaii: DIY Oahu Driving Tour

Hello and welcome to my blog!  If you like this guide, feel free to click on my my Travel page and check out all of the cool places I've traveled to in Hawaii and elsewhere, or you could hop over to my Recipes page to see some yummy food I've been cooking up lately.  And don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!  Thanks for looking!  :)

***Since Mr. L and I no longer live on Oahu, I can no longer guarantee the accuracy of some of the information in this post.  However, the majority of information should stay the same (stop locations, etc.) and if I hear of any changes, I'll be sure to update them ASAP!***

LAST UPDATED:

June 9, 2014 - Added JUMP WARNINGS to the Spitting Caves, Laie Point, and Waimea Bay stops

May 12, 2014 - Revamped the Google Maps map, added two new stops (Spitting Caves and Pu'u O Mahuku Heiau State Monument), and updated the Printable Guide

April 29, 2014 - added new picture for Waimea Bay Beach Park

April 1, 2014 - added new picture for Hanauma Bay; added new picture for Sunset Beach

February 27, 2014 - changed link to Laie Point to direct to new blog post

January 22, 2014 - added picture for 'Ehukai Beach Park

January 17, 2014 - added new info on Laniakea Beach and updated Laie Point's description and picture

UPDATE:  I've now updated this post and added the above "Printable Guide" button so you can print out the guide to take with you on the road!  I removed the pictures and reformatted a little bit to shrink the size down to 8 printed pages.  I hope this makes it easier on you in case you don't want to use a cell phone or tablet the whole time.  Just click the button to go to the print page!

When Mr. L and I first moved here, we heard about doing a driving tour around the perimeter of Oahu ourselves, but we really didn't have more to go on than "Just drive all the way around Kam Highway!"  So in order to be prepared for the arrivals of friends and family when they came out to visit us, I decided to come up with my own guide, complete with directions, pictures, tips, and even restaurant locations/suggestions!

This guide is about sampling a bit of what Oahu has to offer.  It doesn't include everything because it shouldn't, but it lets you get a taste of some things you might not otherwise see.  The guide is 100% interchangeable to suit your needs and preferences.  Don’t like one of the stops I have listed or want to add another?  Change it!  You decided to spend a whole day at the North Shore and don’t want to do any stops there yet?  Skip them!  Do what bests fits your schedule and what you find the most fun.  You probably won't get to every single one of these stops in one trip, and that's okay.  Skip stops if you're running low on time -- I normally do!

Keep in mind that if you don't like something you see on the restaurant lists I've suggested, search out Yelp and other resources to find something that better suits your tastes.  They are merely suggestions that I've personally been to or have been suggested to me.  I hope you get some good use out of this and are able to enjoy this beautiful island with your loved ones!  Aloha!

*All pictures my own unless otherwise noted.

Getting to Know Hawaii: Honolulu Zoo

Aloha and welcome to the start of a new post series!

After realizing that I haven't done much posting at all on my new home, I figured it was time to get my butt in gear and start =)  This series will feature notable and fun places that Mr. L and I have discovered so far here on Oahu (and other islands when we start island hopping!).  Hopefully this series will become a guide of sorts for anyone interested in visiting this beautiful state =)  Let's get started!

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