Day Trips & Walks

Honolulu's Chinatown is one of the city's liveliest districts, containing every aspect of a big city within a fifteen block area. During they day, plenty of shop-owners open their doors for tourists and locals to browse at their leisure. When the shopping is done and your appetite is worked up, fill your belly with Dim Sum or go a bit further out to find Korean, Thai, Filipino, and Japanese restaurants waiting to calm your hunger. When the day is done, relax at a bar and have a few drinks with some friends, or go out and see a show. Chinatown theaters present everything from stand-up comedy to vaudeville, musicals, silent films, and plays.

This crater of an extinct volcano got its name when Western explorers mistook calcite crystals they found there for diamonds. The historic trail to the 761-foot summit starts inside the crater and is an easy, but steep, 45-minute hike to the top. Stay on the trail, wear appropriate footgear and sunscreen, take along water and bring a flashlight to light your way through the tunnels. Those who reach the summit are rewarded by a spectacular 360-degree view of O'ahu. The tunnel gates close promptly at 6p. Admission: USD1 per person, USD5 per vehicle.

This company offers a variety of entertaining cruises in the waters off Honolulu and beyond. Its most popular activity is the Pacific Splash Barefoot Fun Cruise, which lasts or about three hours. Dolphin-watching cruises depart each morning and whale-watching cruises happen several times a day during the winter (December 15 through April 30). Sunset dinner cruises and extended voyages are also available.

Kick back and relax in an air-conditioned tour bus as a certified tour guide takes you around the notable points of Honolulu. There are nearly a dozen organized tours, a Waikiki Trolley day-pass, and an option to design your own tour. Popular tours include the Pearl Harbor & Punchbowl Crater Tour (USD41 for adults) and the Circle Island Beach & Dole Plantation Tour, which is a full-day excursion to all the most famous aquatic landmarks on the island. Call for more information.

If you have never seen an authentic rain forest, this is your chance. This arboretum contains 194 acres of genuine tropical bliss. Near-constant rain allows the foliage to flourish year-round. Rolling hills and flatlands are covered in vibrant, green vegetation and unique island flora. Seasonal activities are available through the Arboretum. A monthly newsletter keeps employees and interested visitors updated on events. There is a gift shop on site.

Hawaiian Escapades offers small unique tours of Oahu. All of the tours have a theme, including the very popular LOST tour, based on touring sites featured on the ABC television series. Another poplar tour is the Oahu Ghost Hunt, where you use different ghost hunting methods to explore supposedly hunted locations. However, if you want a more traditional tour, the Windward Rainforest & Waterfall Hike or the Oahu Sugar Trail Trek will be informative and beautiful. If you're still not interested in the planed tours, Hawaiian Escapades will assist you in making your own personal itinerary for a hike.

Oahu's balmy weather makes it the perfect place for an evening stroll;or better yet, a romantic carriage ride. This company offers carriage rides through Waikiki nightly, from 6:30p-11p. Each ride is approximately 20 minutes and passengers may choose to be dropped off anywhere they choose (as long as it is convenient to the route). All day rentals are also available for special occasions; contact the office for details. The location for the rides change in December.

This patch of wetlands is home to four of Hawaii's endangered waterbirds and an essential wintering ground for many migratory species. It is open to visitors during the non-breeding season for the endangered Hawaiian Stilt approximately October thru Februaryirds. During this time, visitors can participate in a free, 90-minute guided tour of the fresh water marsh. This protected fresh water marsh has benefited from volunteer projects which assist staff in improving the habitat for the endangered birds that nest here. It's also a popular destination for school field trips. The refuge is located about two miles southeast of the Turtle Bay Resort.

This 200-acre stretch of Koko Crater was set aside in 1958, with a long-term (as yet only partially realized) plan of turning it into a botanical garden. Eventually, it will be a landscape where endangered plants suitable to this desert-like region can survive and flourish. Even in the early stages of development, visitors can find collections of plumeria and other flowers. A two-mile loop trail leads through dryland plant collections from around the world. No visitor facilities (restrooms, drinking fountains, etc.) have yet been constructed. Entrance to the garden is free.

This 4,000-acre, former working ranch in Windward Oahu has been turned into a giant outdoor activities park. Facilities include horseback riding, jet skiing, canoeing and kayaking, windsurfing, freshwater fishing and a shooting range. You can tour the movie sets used in filming Jurassic Park and Godzilla, or relax on Secret Island, a secluded fantasy beach. There's even a petting zoo for the kids. Activities start as low as USD16 per person. Various full-day packages start at USD65 for adults, USD39 for children ages 3-11. Reservations are required.

Tucked in the back of lush Manoa Valley is this waterfall, which is commonly thought to be one of the most beautiful sights on O'ahu. It rushes over a precipice and drops 100 feet to the pool below. The briskly cold water makes a refreshing change from the sticky Hawaiian air. The hike to the waterfall takes approximately an hour and is not particularly difficult. The trail can get slippery during the rain, but on sunny days, it's clearly marked and easy to follow.

The tragic occurrences and subsequent world-changing events associated with this naval base make it a crucial part of American history and heritage. While the harbor is quite large, the Visitor's Center and Arizona Memorial are the hubs of tourism. Both places are free to enter, and both draw huge crowds. Several tours are available through activity brokers or tour companies. To reach Pearl Harbor from Waikiki Beach, take Nimitz Highway past the airport to Highway 99, and continue past the naval community.

Visit top O'ahu attractions with this well-known tour company. The Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri Tour visits Pearl Harbor, the battleship USS Missouri and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The Polynesian Cultural Center Tour takes you through Oahu's most scenic areas. See the natural beauty that makes the Islands famous: tropical forests, seaside villages, championship surfing spots and world-renowned beaches. Prices run USD20-61.50 per adult and USD15-31 per child. Meals are not included.

Various day tours and inexpensive neighbor island fly-drive or overnight packages can be booked through Roberts Hawaii. This tour company is a giant on the islands and a subsidiary of national giant Gray Line. Booking a fly-drive package with Roberts can be about 20 percent cheaper than booking directly through airlines and car rental companies. Any activity broker that offers inter-island packages is probably booking with Roberts. The company also represents a half-dozen of Hawaii's most popular attractions.

Operated by Roberts Hawaii, this company books package tours of any of Oahu's eight most popular excursions. Activities include the Grand Circle Island Tour, Ali'i Kai Catamaran Dinner Cruise and the Pearl Harbor Coastal Cruise. Itineraries can last between one and five days. The two-day "Best of Oahu" package costs USD65 and includes the Grand Circle Island Tour and Ali'i Kai dinner cruise. The Wiki Wiki is USD149 and includes the Grand Circle Island and Stars and Stripes tours as well as the dinner cruise and cocktail show.

The best of Oahu's attractions are at your fingertips. Low rates are offered on submarine dives, city tours and other popular activities. Day tours to other islands are also available. Visit Maui (The Valley Isle), Kaua'i (The Garden Isle) or the Big Island. The highlights of each island are included in the tour, along with airfare. Single-day tour costs start at around $15 (Pearl Harbor and City Tour) and go up to about $149 (Big Island Circle Tour). Overnight packages are also available. Call for details.

Never has a beach been as fabled as Waikiki. Since the 1950s, this beach has been a tourist destination extraordinaire. While much of it has been eroded, trampled by millions of feet, or encroached upon by towering skyscrapers, hints of its original beauty can still be seen in the crashing waves and the warm sand. Come night time, the hipsters strut their clubwear on the beachwalk, and lovers find peaceful little nooks under the cover of sweeping palm trees.

Waimea Valley Audubon Center's mission is to preserve the botanical, cultural and ecological resources of the prosperous Waimea Valley. It is a non-profit organization, which offers visitors various opportunities to discover the valley through elaborate guided tours, educational programs and mountain trails. Nature lovers keen to catch a glimpse of rare birds, flowers and butterflies are up for a treat in this Hawaiian paradise.

All kinds of excursions can be arranged through this company. Almost every excursion operates as a charter. Dolphin swims, whale watches, sailing charters and snorkel adventures are all available. The company allows a maximum of six passengers on each charter, and the minimum is only two! It's a world apart from the crowded catamaran tours and whale watches offered by many companies. Excursions take place off Oahu's Leeward shore. Call for more information or to get a price quote.