Recommendations for Honolulu?

I’m going to Honolulu for the first time in ten years and would like some recommendations on where to go. I’m mainly wanting to go to the Aloha Stadium flea market and the Bishop Museum, but want to find the new local specialties. Oh, heck, I’d even halfway consider cheesy tourist traps. Know of anyplace special?

Are any plate lunch places still going anywhere in Oahu, or has McDonald’s shut them all out? (And please, help me continue ten years after to curse the fool who tore down the Kahaluu Drive-In.)

I would also appreciate any information on whether Aoki’s is still going in Haleiwa or if the kids wouldn’t take over after the owners retired, and how much longer Shirokiya’s will be open. (Cannot BELIEVE they’re folding! That’s the coolest department store on the planet! Arrrgh!)

Thanks in advance,

James.

You’ll want to go to Waiola Shave Ice which is on, to nobody’s surprise, on Waiola St for the deliciousest shave ice anywhere. (Go, um, away from Waikiki on McCully and turn right on Waiola.)

As far as plate lunches go, McDonalds and their McPlate Lunch (or whatever they call it) will never compare. It’s quite the joke as I understand it (McDonalds’ saimin, OTOH, isn’t half bad). I’ve always been an L&L Drive In and/or Zippys fan (hey, they’re everywhere), personally. Masu’s plate lunch on Liliha is supposed to be pretty good, though.

Speaking of Liliha, the island’s favorite bakery (seriously, everybody loves this place) is definitely worth trying as well. Their cocoa puffs are great (though they can get soggy if you let 'em sit long enough) as are their ice cream puffs. Yummy!

Um, am I food oriented much? No, not really. :slight_smile:

Other stuff to do… Check out Kailua beach. It’s a longish drive (by Hawaii standards), but it’s my favorite “popular” beach. Just go there during the week while everyone’s at work, otherwise it’ll be too crowded (for my tastes anyway; there’s nothing wrong with being surrounded by bikini clad women, on the other hand).

If you just want some nice quietness, you can try Kahala beach, though it really, really sucks for swimming. (Too much in the way of rocks and coral and whatnot.) Another great beach is, if course, Hanauma Bay (which I can no longer spell), though it does tend to be swarmed by tourists.

I’d also recommend hitting a public library and leafing through a book of hiking spots. There are some really good ones, though I’ve always been too much of an indoors kinda guy to hit many of them.

Well, let me know what other interests you have and maybe I’ll be able to help you out more. Have fun!

Hi don Jaime!

The flea market is on Sundays and Wednesdays. I get the feeling the better one is the Sunday one. No particular reason behind that, just a feeling.

KKB mentioned McD’s plate lunches. Despite my disdain for McDs (former employee here) and my reservations about plate lunches from a fast-food place, they’re not bad. (Rainbow’s, L&L, and even Zippy’s are still a billion times better.) Anyway, there’s three to choose from: chicken katsu, hamburger steak, and a fried fish plate. They’re all made with McIngredients (McChicken, Quarter Pounder, and Filet-O-Fish patties, respectively) and come with rice and macaroni salad. The rice is pretty decent for McDs-- it’s not igloo rice (hard on the outside, soft on the inside :slight_smile: ).

I don’t know about Aoki’s, but the Shirokiya in Pearlridge is no more. They closed up sometime in February or March (I was in CA at the time, so I’m not sure exactly when it happened). The Ala Moana one is still open, and IIRC will remain open. That one’s got the best chance of surviving anyway, I think, what with all the Japanese tourists and more serious shoppers there. But yeah, I was sad to hear they were closing, too. I didn’t realize that my last trip to the Pearlridge one would indeed be my last trip there.

Speaking of Ala Moana, they’re mostly finished with a very extensive renovation/expansion. If you haven’t been there in ten years, you won’t recognize the place. Neiman Marcus is there, as are a whole bunch of hoity-toity pricey places, like Gucci, Chanel, Georg Jensen (snicker), Tiffany… I’m forgetting quite a few, I bet. Eddie Bauer and Old Navy are also there now (finally).

Hmm, let me think… oh, there’s the (relatively) new Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. It’s in Kapolei, which is kind of a long drive from Honolulu. Well, long by Hawaii standards–45 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic. I’ve never been to the park, but it looks like a lot of fun.

I second stopping by Liliha Bakery and having a cocoa puff. Heck, anything from that place is great. The butter rolls, for example. I used to have butter rolls for breakfast from there on Sundays when I was a little kid. (We lived literally across the street from there. If you do go, look across the street from the entrance at the fire station there; we lived in the yellow two-story apartment building to the left of it.) It might be out of your way if you’re going to be staying in a Waikiki hotel, but you could make it the first stop of the morning on your way to the mall or wherever you plan on going.

Of course, if you do go to Rainbow’s in Kapuhulu, you could always have a heart-stopping malasada from Leonard’s instead. Or better yet, you could take your plate lunch and malasada and take them to the nearby Karaoke Hut and sing the afternoon away. :smiley:

Kailua Beach is my favourite beach in Hawaii. Waikiki and Ala Moana are beautiful, but the sand at Kailua is cleaner and softer on your feet. There’s some shady spots perfect for setting up your mat and cooler. It’s far from the traffic, grime, and noise of Honolulu and Waikiki, so it’s nice and quiet there.

If I think of anything else, I’ll let you know. Oh, and my long-standing offer to ship Hawaii information/activities brochures and coupon booklets to any Doper who wants 'em still stands. :slight_smile:

I forgot to mention, even in the midst of all the other food stuff, Hungry Lion, off of Nuuanu (it has a giant banyon tree growing out the top of the restaurant if that helps any). It’s my favorite place for “local” food. Free refills, open late (24 hrs?), and great food.

Aloha Tower Marketplace has also undergone a fairly extensive renovation in the past few years and is actually pretty cool for a spot designed to be touristy. A good selection of bars (including a Gordon Biersch and a Hooters :)) along with live music many days out of the week.

Also, if you’re willing to drop the cash, I’d recommend one of the evening cruises, especially if there’s a Mrs. Don Jaime along with you. They’re quite nice and romantic and the Navatech (spelling, and possibly the name is wrong) has the anti-sea-sickness ship.

For more history oriented stuff, there’s Pearl Harbor (of course), with the recent addition of “Mighty Mo” (the USS Missouri).

While Oahu ranks towards the bottom of my list of places I want to re-visit, [sub](don’t hate me, Hawaii people! I was a Midwestern farm chick stuck there for 3 years with someone who eventually became my ex-husband!!!)[/sub] there are a bunch of individual places that I’d love to see again.

Not the least of which is Kaena Point. Not the Point itself, necessarily, but that turn-off on the North Shore (take H-2 to Wahiawa, follow 930 to Waialua and hang a left) right before the road ends. If you get tired of traffic and people (the place is normally deserted) take your S.O., a bottle of wine, and various foodstuffs (which you may want to purchase in Millilani during your drive - things tend to be a bit cheaper away from main tourist areas) up there for the sunset. Stick around for a while and stargaze.

Iolani Palace is definitely worth the price of admission. Not sure what it was like the last time you visited, don Jaime, but the building that was once the police head quarters for Hawaii 5-0 has been restored (minus a lot of furnishings) to its condition during the reign of Queen Liliu’o’kalani.

Just Diamondhead of Aloha Tower is the … ??Maritime Museum?? … I forget the exact name. This is definitely worth a couple of hours of your time. Spend the big bucks for the audiotape tour and a tour of the ship moored nearby. This place has one of the most OUTSTANDING displays of scrimshaw I have EVER seen and a goodly amount of whaling information, as well. One of the most interesting things there (after the scrimshaw) is footage from a a silent movie which was actually filmed aboard a whaling ship back in the days.

Also near Wahiawa (help me with my faulty locator memory, you locals) Dole has a pineapple tourist trap that my family was impressed with when they came to visit me.

Is all I can remember right now - will stop by later if something else jogs my memory :slight_smile:

Sounds like I am gonna gain a lot of weight when I am in Hawaii next month.

The Hungry Lion is indeed open 24 hours. Perfect for those late night loco moco cravings. :smiley: It’s a charming place. I won’t tell you what it’s like there-- you’ll have to see the place for yourself. Just FYI, tt’s about half a mile from the aforementioned Liliha Bakery.

One half of our class’ Project Graduation took place aboard the Navatek, and I had a great time, so I’ll back the suggestion for that. There’s also the Navatek II, and I think both boats still run. I’m not sure what types of cruises they offer, but I’m sure there’s info on that somewhere. If you do go on a cruise (especially the dinner cruise), bring a jacket. It can get quite chilly on the boat, and if you go outside or up on deck to look at the water and city lights, you’ll freeze your butt off. I certainly did. It was well worth it, though. :slight_smile:

If you find yourself in Waikiki (and chances are you will at one point), be sure to stop by the aquarium. It’s one of my favourite attractions on the island.

Hey chique, I’ve always been curious about Kaena Point. To me, anything on the H-2 past Haleiwa is pretty much a foreign country. :slight_smile: I live in Waipahu, at the edge of Mililani. If the sunsets I get where I live are any indication of what a Kaena Point sunset is like, then damn, I can see why you miss it. We get some spectacular sunsets; the sky becomes a palette of fiery oranges and golds before it fades to lavendar, pink, and blue. It’s a shame the mountain blocks so much of the view.

The Hawaii Maritime Center and Falls of Clyde (that’s the name of the ship there) are pretty neat. The museum/FoC and the Aloha Tower Marketplace make a good double-feature, IMO. You can park in the nearby Amfac Center and walk a block over (whoever planned the place didn’t allow much room for parking), or you can take the bus. The HMC and ATM are located just off downtown Honolulu, so bus routes flow pretty steadily through there.

The Dole tourist trap chique’s referring to is off Kamehameha Highway, about thirty miles or so northwest of downtown Honolulu. They grow pineapple out there (boy, do they).The center’s a cute little place where tourists can buy Dole logo merchandise and watch employees pick pineapples and taste some of the fresh fruit for themselves. I went there when I was little, and all I remember was the pineapple being sour but delicious, and the sun beating down on my poor little head. I advise a hat and sunscreen.

To cool off afterwards, have a shave ice. I hear they’ve got some great shave ice places in Haleiwa Town, which is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Cyndar, I was wondering when you were going to come here. I remember your thread, and I recall thinking you’d be here in April or so. Hope you enjoy your stay. :slight_smile:

Hey, Audrey, did I ever tell you the story of when I took my kids (when I was teaching) to the aquarium? Never gonna look at those “sanitary napkin” (still, I maintain, the most misleading term ever for those things) disposal bags the same way again. :slight_smile:

Anyway, you remember that outdoor pool thing they were talking/arguing about restoring? What ever happened with that?
</hijack>

FTR, the view off Tantalus at night (and presumably) around sunset is just gorgeous. Sunsets from Magic Island/Ala Moana Beach (just across from Ala Moana shopping center, predictably enough) are also beautiful if you’re around there at the right time. If you have a camera that takes panoramic photos, that’d be the place to use it.

Along similar lines, seeing the sunrise from Blowhole (follow the Kalanianaole Highway - officially the tongue-twisterest highway I’ve come across - past Hanauma Bay to, IIRC, the second lookout point) is quite the site. If you’re a morning person, it might not be such a bad idea to get up early, drive down to Blowhole to watch the sunrise, nip into Hawaii Kai for breakfast somewhere, then visit Hanauma Bay and/or Sandy Beach for a few hours. Don’t forget the high SPF suntan lotion, as this’ll probably see you at the beach at high noon, and trust me, the beaches get hot around this time.

Another restaurant you may want to visit is Pietro’s. Of all possible things, it’s “Japanized” pasta. Spaghetti noodles with Japanese themed sauces, basically. I highly recommend the sesame miso, though the ume sauce is great as well. One of my best friend’s SO likes to mix 'em all together. It’s interesting, anyway. :slight_smile: There’s one right next to Ala Moana shopping center, BTW.

Is anybody getting the impression that I’m the tiniest bit homesick?

Um, I’m not sure I want to know what happened. :slight_smile:

Gosh, I have no idea. I haven’t been there in a long time… too long, I’d say. I found a news story that said they re-opened in 1994 after a renovation, but it didn’t talk about the outdoor tank. If I go (and I want to before I leave), I’ll check it out and let you know.

Now that you mention it…

[sub]Home misses you too, hon.[/sub]

The Waikiki Aquarium website: http://www.mic.hawaii.edu/aquarium/

Great thanks!

For anyone else using this thread to prepare, let em add that Kailua Beach Park is just that good, like powdered sugar. Also take in the Byodoinji - look for a wooden Kamehameha sign north of Kailua then drive till the cemetery runs out and Foster’s Botanical Garden downtown.

And definitely hit the grocery stores. Mainland guava juice never compares. And I need to see a carton of Cackle Fresh Eggs just to know they’re still there.

Dammit!

I grew up in Kailua, just an easy 5 minute walk from the Beach Park and Kalapawai Market. Haven’t been home in almost four years.

You guys have made me soooooooo homesick!

Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono.

Wow, every time we do this we uncover another Doper with Hawaii ties.

Aloha, panzermanpanzerman! :smiley:

They went ahead and repaired the fascade but not the pool itself. And that was only after a LOT of bickering. They still are argueing whether or not a salt water pool can be clean and pass health regulations. Too bad I wouldn’ swim there though even if it was clean. I saw a ray at the bottom when I was a kid and it scared the HELL out of me.

Jaime, sounds like you’re into shopping but can you hike? If so there are some awesome hikes, especially for experienced hikers. Sitting on top of Olomana is simply an awesome sight. One of the best experiences in my life. Too bad you’re too early for the guavas, they come out in the summer. If you want to catch a classic movie in a neat little theatre with large fluffy leather chairs the Movie Museum up on 11th avenue is a neat little place.

The Water park is a blast, they only have about 7 or 8 rides though but lines are surprisingly short, probably due to the cost.

Do they still have live music at the Coffee Gallery in Haleiwa? That was really cool.

If you’re looking for good plate lunches I always just look for a small store with a window on to the street with a line. There are several on King St.

The University has a couple quality museums, last month I went to an awesome show of 16th to 18th Century paintings from Japan.

And my vote for best beach goes to Ehukai. Out of the way, not crowded and the softest sand I’ve ever walked on. It’s just south of Sunset beach.

You guys make me soooooo homesick!

It’s been nearly two years since I’ve been back home (where I belong).

Braddah James, you forget about da Graces chicken katsu. I gotta serious jones.

And also, for those interested, Honolulu is the US capital of the hostess bar. You dum (that means ignorant) haoles don’t know what this is, so I’ll explain.

A hostess bar is a special place where, for $20, a beautiful girl will sit next to you and make you feel like the greatest man on earth for about 5 minutes. You buy her a drink which costs $20, and you can be her hero. Believe me guys, it’s the greatest ego trip.

This is a product (actually more like a service) originating from the Orient. It’s so great, and I can’t find it here in Nevada. This and Graces Inn, I can’t wait to go back.

Aloha.

How is that place? I was looking at possibly renting it out for a group graduation party when I was graduating from high school, and the chairs looked kinda torn up. We ultimately ended up not doing it (obviously), but I was always curious.

Oh, and thanks for the info on the outdoor pool thing. Biggest cluster-f*ck since the failed mass transit proposals if you ask me. Oh, and the teacher strikes, of course. (Hey, I’m in CA, I don’t keep up with the “local” news, okay?) :stuck_out_tongue:

Okay, I don’t know how the heck a bold tag got there… :rolleyes:

Wow! I thought I was the only one from Hawaii on this board! Well,there goes my novelty :frowning:

Anyways all the places they named are winnaz,espically Kailua beach park. Other places are Kualoa ranch and of course Hanama Bay.

By the way If you have a rental car,I suggest you make your way up to school street to a little know plate luch shop clled Michiken. It’s an Okazaku joint and serves the cheapest and best breakfast food. Try the Fried Garlic Chicken if you c. But it’s only open from like 4:30 A.M or so untill 1 P.M

If your staying in Waikes (Waikiki), there arent many plate lunch places (As yes while Macdonalds does TRY they cannot compare to an authenti plate lunch at ALL) But there is one good one LUAU JOES. Also good burgers there. Check it out on Lewers street.
Yes Rainbows on Kapahulu is still open. It’s good but it dosent beat Gina’s down the street.

Also try You Hungry? (yes that’s the name of the resturant) over on Ala Moana side by the Convention Center. Good Mac Salad and Mochiko chicken. :slight_smile:

I can imagine a Hawaii Dopefest: instead of meeting up at some restaurant, we’d go buy plate lunches and then drive down to Kailua and have a picnic on the beach. :slight_smile: