Hawaii Island Vacation Travel Information and Tips » Waikiki

Waikiki Hawaii Shopping Centers

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:07:17 +0000

Surfing, sunbathing, and sightseeing all compete with shopping in Waikiki, Hawaii, at such fine malls as Royal Hawaiian Center, International Market Place, Waikiki Beach Walk, Ala Moana Center, and Aloha Tower Marketplace. With more than 100 shops and restaurants, Royal Hawaiian Center is one of Hawaii’s largest shopping centers. Retailers range from Fendi, Ferragamo, and Hermes to Kate Spade, White House/Black Market, and bebe.
International Market Place boasts over 150 shops and kiosks run by local craftspeople, as well as sit-down restaurants, a diverse food court, and stunning waterfall and banyan tree. Waikiki Beach Walk offers eight acres of retail stores, restaurants, and an outdoor entertainment plaza. Ala Moana Center, the largest outdoor shopping mall in the world with almost 300 stores and 70 restaurants, is anchored by Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Sears. Aloha Tower Marketplace is a refurbished shopping center on Honolulu Harbor that features unique waterfront shopping, dining, and complimentary entertainment, everything from hula to jazz performances. Upscale Victoria Ward Center is home to over 120 specialty shops, 19 restaurants, a 16-screen multi-plex movie theatre, and a quaint farmers market where you can purchase fresh local produce. Luxury Row is where you’ll encounter Chanel, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Coach, Tod’s, Tiffany & Co., Bottega Veneta, and Hugo Boss, eight of the finest luxury retailers in the world. Great bargains can be found at the Aloha Swap Meet & Flea Market, which features over 700 vendors.

Waikiki, Hawaii Shopping Centers & Malls

Royal Hawaiian Center
International Market Place
Waikiki Beach Walk
Ala Moana Center
Aloha Tower Marketplace
Victoria Ward Center

Waikiki, Hawaii Boutique Shopping

Luxury Row

Waikiki, Hawaii Bargain Shopping

Aloha Swap Meet & Flea Market
Waikele Premium Outlets

For more information shopping in Waikiki, visit www.aquaresorts.com/about-hawaii/oahu/shopping-about-waikiki.aspx

Honolulu, Hawaii Marathon

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:01:05 +0000

There are 25,000 runners who will take part in the annual Honolulu, Hawaii Marathon, the 10th largest marathon in the world, which draws 50,000 spectators. The 2010 Honolulu Marathon will take place on Sunday, December 12. It all begins on Ala Moana Boulevard at Ala Moana Beach Park in Waikiki, a 100-acre area with beaches and recreational facilities. The course takes runners through downtown along Honolulu Harbor and the historic Aloha Tower. Runners then turn into Chinatown and proceed through downtown past Iolani Palace, the statue of King Kamehameha, Kawaiahao Church, and Mission Houses Museum. From there, the course angles back to Ala Moana Boulevard and across the bridge spanning the Ala Wai Canal at the entrance to Waikiki. The course turns right onto Kalakaua Avenue where shops selling everything from souvenirs and t-shirts to high-priced designer items abound. From there, the route circles Diamond Head, the extinct volcanic crater, and then turns right onto Kilauea Avenue, taking participants through Kahal’s residential and commercial sections. After four more miles, runners approach Koko Head, a volcanic crater near Hanauma Bay. At the 22nd mile, the course makes its way onto Kealaolu Avenue along the Waialae Country Club and then comes upon a neighborhood of luxury homes situated on Kahala Beach. The last mile of the course curves around Diamond Head along Kapiolani Regional Park and goes past the Waikiki Aquarium en route to the finish line near the bandstand at Kapiolani Regional Park. The Honolulu Marathon, which competes with major marathons, such as the ones in Boston and New York, began in 1973 with 151 participants.

For more information about the Honolulu Marathon, visit www.honolulumarathon.org

Aqua Hotels & Resorts Waikiki Spa

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:56:25 +0000

Indulge in a rejuvenating massage or facial at one of three Waikiki Beach Aqua Hotels & Resorts day spas. Aqua Aloha Surf and Spa, Aqua Palms and Spa, and Aqua Bamboo and Spa each feature experienced massage therapists and a varied menu of offerings. Shiatsu massage is an ancient Oriental technique that stimulates specific acu-points to increase energy flow. Swedish massage is a relaxing way to relieve tension. Lomi Lomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage. Sports massages involved deep-tissue manipulation that’s perfect for chronic pain or specific bodywork. Additional treatments include papaya and pineapple body scrubs for all skin types, citrus body polishes for cleansing and moisturizing, and the AquaSPA essential customized facial, which combines skin-type specific cleansing, exfoliation, and massage with steam.

Aqua Spa Waikiki Massages

Swedish
Lomi Lomi
Reflexology
Shiatsu
Sports
Hot Stone
Couples Massage
Massage A Trois
Chair Massage

Aqua Spa Waikiki Treatments

Noni, Papaya and Pineapple Body Scrub
Citrus Body Polish
Aqua Sampler for Two
Facials
Aromatherapy

For more information on Aqua Spa Waikiki, visit www.aquaresorts.com/aqua-spa/aqua-spa-menu-page-2.aspx

Waikiki, Hawaii Hotel Travel Specials

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:46:18 +0000

There are innumerable ways to save on your next vacation or business trip to Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach. Take advantage of a wealth of value travel specials from Aqua Hotels & Resorts. A hip, contemporary hotel chain, Aqua has Honolulu, Waikiki Beach, and guests covered with a great location and terrific rates year round. Savvy Surfer Rates give you the lowest possible rate when you book online. Whether you’re planning a well-deserved vacation in Waikiki, a Kauai outdoor expedition, a romantic getaway on Kauai or a veritable Hawaiian experience on Molokai, reservations made 30 or 60 days in advance of your arrival can save you between 15% and 20% on well-appointed accommodations. For those visitors who have trouble saying “aloha” to Hawaii’s serene surroundings, we make it easy to avoid heading back to reality by offering to make the fifth night free. Plus, Aqua helps everyone celebrate Hawaii’s turning 50 with a Nifty to be Fifty Statehood Special, which features a fabulous first-night rate of just $50.

Aqua Hotel Waikiki Travel Specials

Savvy Surfer Rates: Book online and get the lowest possible rate.
Advance Purchase Discount: Make a reservation 30 or 60 days in advance and save 15% to 20%.
5th Night Free: Stay four nights and get the fifth night free.
Nifty to be Fifty Statehood Special: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Hawaii with a $50 first-night rate.

For more information about Waikiki, Hawaii travel specials, visit www.aquaresorts.com/special-packages.aspx

Hawaii Vacation Travel Packages

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:39:38 +0000

Escape to Hawaii for an unforgettable getaway courtesy of one of more than a dozen Aqua Hotels & Resorts. A hospitable hotel chain, Aqua makes visiting Hawaii affordable by providing a multitude of vacation travel packages. Whichever island you choose to visit, Oahu, Maui, Kauai or Molokai, there’s a deal waiting for you, along with beautiful beaches and breathtaking sunsets. Celebrate Hawaii’s 50th anniversary with the Nifty to be Fifty Statehood Package and get your first night’s stay for just $50. The Stay Free in Hawaii Package offers guests an opportunity to receive five night’s lodging for the price of four. Get your room and car needs met at a great price with the Snooze-N-Crooze Package. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate both our Kiteboarding Adventure Package and Family Paddleboarding Package while couples seeking a secluded getaway will be drawn to Aqua’s Romance Package. Additional travel deals include the Wailea, Maui Golf Package and the Bed and Breakfast Package. What’s more, there are extra ways to save with advance 30-day, 60-day, and pre-pay purchase discounts along with AAA, senior, military, government, corporate, and kamaaina special rates.

Oahu Travel Packages

Nifty to be Fifty Statehood Package – $50 First Night Special
Stay Free in Waikiki – 5th Night Free Special
SPA-licious – Renew Your Spirit and Your Senses
Snooze-N-Crooze – Oahu Room and Car Package

Maui Travel Packages

Kiteboarding Adventure Package
Family Paddleboarding Package
Maui Romance Package
Wailea, Maui Golf Package

Kauai Travel Packages

Stay Free in Kauai – 5th Night Free Special
Snooze-N-Crooze – Kauai Stay & Drive Package
Bed and Breakfast Package

Molokai Travel Packages

Stay Free in Molokai – 5th Night Free Special

Aqua Hotels & Resorts Discounts

Kamaaina
AAA/CAA
AARP/Senior
Military
Government
Corporate
Advance 30-day, 60-day, and Pre-pay Purchase Discounts

For more information on Aqua Hotels & Resorts Hawaii travel packages, visit www.aquaresorts.com/special-packages.aspx

Waikiki Beach Walk in Honolulu, Hawaii

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:26:34 +0000

Eight-acre Waikiki Beach Walk has it all, from shopping to dining to entertainment. There are nearly 100 Hawaii-related retail stores, selling an eclectic amalgam of items. Take care of your apparel needs at Sunshine Swimwear, Blue Ginger, Honolulu Surf Co., Oasis Lifestyle, and Aloha Army. Accessorize to the max at Hawaii Head 2 Toe, Folli Follie, MP Collections, and Freaky Tiki Tropical Optical. Bangles and baubles of all types can be found at King Jewelry, Planet U2, and Island Pearls. Find the perfect gift or souvenir at any number of specialty stores, such as Hawaiian Quilt Collection, Mana Hawaii, and Under the Koa Tree. Rejuvenate, refresh, and relax with a pampering massage or soothing facial at Serenity Spa Hawaii. Even the most demanding foodies will find culinary satisfaction at an appetizing array of restaurants serving up a heaping helping of everything from pastrami sandwiches (Giovanni Pastrami) and hamburgers (Cheeseburger Beachwalk) to Hawaii Fusion (Roy’s Waikiki) and seafood (Ocean House Restaurant). Outstanding entertainment featuring island musicians can be enjoyed at Kani Ka Pila Grille, located poolside at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach. And if you’re into dancing the night away, you’ll find just what you need at CW’s Night Club, which boasts some of Hawaii’s top live bands and DJs who specialize in music from the 80s, 90s, and today.

Waikiki Beach Walk Apparel Stores

Sunshine Swimwear
Blue Ginger
Honolulu Surf Co.
Oasis Lifestyle
Aloha Army

Waikiki Beach Walk Accessory Stores

Head 2 Toe
Folli Follie
MP Collections
Freaky Tiki Tropical Optical
Makana Trading Co.
Moonbow Tropics

Waikiki Beach Walk Jewelry Stores

King Jewelry
Planet U2
Island Pearls
Noa Noa
Na Haku

Waikiki Beach Walk Gift Stores

Hawaiian Quilt Collection
Mana Hawaii
Under the Koa Tree
Bittner
Nei

Waikiki Beach Walk Restaurants

Ocean House
Roy’s Waikiki
Cheeseburger Beachwalk
Giovanni Pastrami
Coconut Willy’s

Waikiki Beach Walk Entertainment

Kani Ka Pila Grille
CW’s Night Club

For more information on Waikiki Beach Walk, visit www.waikikibeachwalk.com

Alan Wong’s Restaurant Honolulu, Hawaii

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 09:03:00 +0000

Whether you’re dining at Alan Wong’s classic Honolulu, Hawaii Restaurant or his Pineapple Room, you’ll be treated to amazing Hawaii Regional Cuisine. Unique to the islands of the Aloha State, Hawaii Regional Cuisine is a combination of all the ethnic flavors found here today. Alan Wong and his dedicated team work with local farmers to bring customers the finest home grown and raised products. It’s the epitome of sustainability. It’s also the height of delicious. Alan Wong’s Honolulu, which is located on the third floor of an office building with no view of the ocean, serves up a wide range of unique delicacies. Appetizers range from seafood cakes and abalone to roast duck nacho and crispy won ton Ahi poke balls. Entrees include grilled mahimahi, Kuahiwi Ranch rib steak, and macadamia nut-coconut crusted lamb chops. Desserts are impossible to resist, such as Kula Strawberries Romanoff, coconut tapioca, and new wave banana split. At the Pineapple Room, which began when one of Alan Wong’s chefs wanted to run his own restaurant, you’ll find breakfast on weekends, lunch every day, and dinner six days a week. Breakfast items include an open face Waialua asparagus omelet and Hawaiian style Eggs Benedict. Lunch features a Kalua pig BLT and a Kim Chee Reuben Sandwich. Dinner brings such specialties as Asian shrimp scampi and seared peppered ahi with Asian slaw. Pineapple Room desserts like Lilikoi Cheesecake and Haupia Tapioca “Halo Halo" will surely tempt you.

Alan Wong’s Honolulu Menu (pdf)
The Pineapple Room Menu (pdf)

For more information about Alan Wong’s Restaurants, visit www.alanwongs.com

Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:56:56 +0000

It was referred to as a day that would live in infamy by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. That day was December, 7, 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, an event that led to the United States getting involved in World War II. The USS Arizona was stationed there and was sunk, killing more than 1100 sailors. The 184-foot-long USS Arizona Memorial, which features the mid-section of the sunken battleship, was dedicated in 1962 and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The USS Arizona Memorial is divided into three sections, the entry, assembly room, and shrine. There are seven large open windows in the central assembly room to mark the date of the attack. In addition, there’s an opening in the floor that overlooks the sunken decks of the ship. Visitors are allowed to throw flowers in honor of the sailors who lost their lives. In addition, there’s a guardrail in front of a wall where the names of the fallen are engraved where leis can be placed. Since 1980, the National Park Service has run the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center, which offers historical information about the December 7, 1941 attack. It’s also where you get the boat that takes you out to the Memorial. The USS Arizona is an active United States military cemetery. An American flag flies from a flagpole that’s attached to what remains of the sunken ship’s mainmast. The Memorial is considered to be the spot that honors all the military men and women who died when Pearl Harbor was attacked. For more information about the USS Arizona Memorial, visit www.nps.gov/valr

Waikiki Sunset on the Beach Movies

admin — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 08:54:36 +0000

When the sun sets in Waikiki, Hawaii, the beach is the preferred destination of both vacationers and locals. There are so many options and each one offers its own appeal. The classic choice is watching the mesmerizing colors melt into the horizon. Romantics will want to grab that special someone and stroll hand in hand. Entertainment aficionados know a unique setting when they see one and make tracks for the 30-foot screen that’s set up at Queen’s Surf Beach in Waikiki, which is located directly across the street from the Honolulu Zoo. Sunset On The Beach, as this free activity is known, takes place twice a month on Saturday evenings. It got its start in 2001 when the Mayor of Waikiki wanted to jump start the local economy and decided this would be a fun inexpensive way to achieve that goal. About two hours prior to the start of the film, live music is presented by local musicians on a large stage that’s set up in front of the movie screen. There is plenty of good food as well, everything from local Hawaiian cuisine to mainland-type pizza to incredible desserts that is for sale by vendors from top-notch local restaurants. For your viewing and dining comfort, tables and chairs are provided. Or you can just bring a blanket and a bag of popcorn and find your own corner of paradise. Movies run the gamut from recent Hollywood hits like “Field of Dreams” to classics such as “Casablanca.” For more information, visit www.sunsetonthebeach.net

Oahu Has Something for Everyone this Summer

admin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:52:51 +0000

Visiting Oahu in the coming months? We hope you do! The island has so much to offer visitors – and locals – during the warm summer months, we just couldn’t resist making our own list of suggestions for those of you stopping in (and checking in!) soon.

During your visit to this fantastic island, be sure to check out:

The Bishop Museum: new exhibits opening this summer, including the Native Hawaiian Garden, makes the Bishop Museum a must-see. The museum offers daily educational programming and Garden Tours throughout the summer in addition to a a special surfing exhibit through September 6, 2010, that features more than 25 historic surfboards, a surfing simulator and examples of board design and development through modern times.

The Honolulu Academy of Arts: on the second Thursday of every month (mark your calendars now for August 12!) remains open until 9:00 p.m. for “aloHAA,” a new art pau hana featuring a wine, beer and cocktail bar, pupu from The Pavilion Café, live music and art talks.

USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center: the first phase of the $58 million renovation to the memorial at Pearl Harbor has been completed and now includes a central ticketing facility for memorial tours, a research and education center and an expanded bookstore, restrooms and snack bar (phase two will be completed by the end of the year).

Te Manuhua Maori Song and Dance Festival: the annual Maori song and dance competition kicks off on Friday, August 12, 2010, and features the strength and pride of the Maori warriors as they battle for victory using only their melodic voices and demonstrations of the traditional haka (male posture dance) and poi (dance with implements).

Wet ‘n’ Wild : the waterpark and all-around summer fun zone is now offering several combination packages, all of which include roundtrip transportation between Waikiki and the park. Choose your package carefully and in addition to park admission, you could learn how to surf, go shopping at the Wikele Premium Outlets or find yourself on a dolphin-watching cruise!

There’s nothing like summer in Oahu!

How do you spend your summers on the island? Is there something special your family likes to enjoy each time they vacation in Oahu that we’ve left off of the list? Tell us!