Waikiki

“I’m on a beach in Waikiki!” is every tourists’ dream vacation. Waikiki has a beautiful coastline with Diamond Head (an ancient volcano) as the backdrop; the water is so pristine you almost want to drink it. This city is also a part of a larger city called Honolulu, which has the largest population of people in all of Hawaii. So, Waikiki has a lot of high rise hotels and apartment complexes, most of them with stunning views of the water (Makai-side) and the mountains (Mauka-side). This fun touristy-area of Oahu has high-end shopping, beautiful beach bars, many upscale hotels, and easy access to a lovely (but crowded) beach.

What to Do

Diamond Head State Park

Diamond Head is an extinct volcano that is the stunning backdrop of all the photos you may see of Waikiki Beach. It is a must-see to drive through a tunnel into this crater, and take this moderate popular hike up to the peak for amazing views of Waikiki, the mountains, and the east side of Oahu. I recommend to go in one of the earlier slots, as it can get hot here during the summers especially. Bring water and walking shoes! Reservations can be made by clicking here. Closeby are two locals favorite breakfast shops: Bogart’s Cafe and Diamond Head Market (for their scones!).

The Duke Statue

Another must-do in Waikiki is taking a picture at the Duke statue! Duke Paoa Kahanamoku is known as the “father of modern surfing.” He was a master of the water with being proficient at surfing, swimming, canoeing, and body surfing. “The Duke” won three Olympic gold medals and was known for his great sportsmanship and his personable nature. He also was an actor, and was alive between 1890-1968. This statue of him is always full of Hawaiian leis, which resembles a wholesome Hawaiian welcoming.

Walk through the Moana Surfrider & Royal Hawaiian Hotels

The two oldest hotels on island are the Moana Surfrider, and the Royal Hawaiian (also known as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”). Whenever I encounter an older local, they say, “I remember the days when Waikiki was just houses, streets, and two hotels; one of which was pink!” The Moana Surfrider, which has been open since 1901, is a large white hotel with pillars on the front that make it look like the White House. Beachside of the hotel is their Beach Bar, which my cousin likes to call the “Tree Bar” as there is a monstrous banyan tree that acts like a very tall ceiling to the entire outdoor bar and pool area. I thoroughly enjoy their pupu (appetizer) platter; the chicken wings are coated with tamarind and coconut, which is a very different take but is oh so “ono” (delicious in Hawaiian). All of the drinks are good, and they always have live music. I also love the Moana Surfrider for their afternoon tea. It was very fancy and relaxing with great food and tea.

The Royal Hawaiian Resort was built in 1927 and is the iconic pink hotel you will find in many pictures of Waikiki Beach. The drink called “Mai Tai” was invented by a bartender in California with the nickname Trader Vic. In 1944, he tried this concoction with a group of friends, one of which stated “mai tai-roa ae” which means “out of this world - the best” in Tahitian. Thus the name Mai Tai! In 1953, he went to formalize drinks at the bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, and further introduced the Mai Tai. This drink spread rapidly and it is now served daily to thousands of people all over Hawaii. The Mai Tai Bar has many different variations of this drink, which is at the back left-hand corner of this hotel on the beach. I have tried all of their mai tai’s, and would say take your pick! It is first-come first-serve so sometimes you may have to wait for a seat.

Aloha Friday Night Fireworks

Every single Friday night year-round, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel sets off a 5-minute fireworks display that will for sure top off your vacation! In the summers from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, the fireworks show is at 8:00 PM, and during the rest of the year it starts at 7:45 PM. Get to the beach between the Hale Koa and Hilton Hawaiian Village for a burst of fun!

Shopping

There are many places to shop in downtown Waikiki, including the International Marketplace. Part of the building was built around a massive banyan tree, and there is even a tree house! The International Marketplace also has a food court, high-end shopping, Kona Coffee Purveyors (known for their black sesame seed croissant and Kona coffee), and really nice restaurants and a local bakery on the third floor. Another shopping area in Waikiki is the Royal Hawaiian Center, which has more high-end shopping, and other good places to eat like Island Vintage Coffee and Wine Bar, and several food courts.

Leonard’s Bakery

This iconic bakery is the home of where malasadas, or Portuguese donuts, were first made at a bakery in Hawaii in 1952. Whether you are coming into Waikiki or exiting, it’s a great pit stop! Eating them fresh is key. I love their original malasada but they are all so good.

Where to Eat/Drink

Duke’s Barefoot Bar

Whenever I have visitors, we first drop off our luggage, then we go to Duke’s! The first time I came here was with one of my best friends, Kelly. I have never liked mojitos but she ordered the coconut mojito with lilikoi. After she got the drink and took a sip, she exclaimed, “Alison you HAVE to try this!” I am so glad Kelly pressured me, as this is now my favorite drink of all time! Not only are the drinks good, but the food is great as well! Every time I come here, I always get something different to eat and it’s all been fabulous. Hint! You are very likely to see someone famous at this bar; it has been featured in many songs including “Duke’s on Sundays” by Jimmy Buffet.

Monkeypod Kitchen

Further away from Diamond Head, and closer to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort, is a bar nestled in the hotel Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, directly on the waterfront. The owner of this bar was featured in Somebody Feed Phil, with the last name of Merriman, who owns a fancy restaurant in Ward Village named after himself. Monkeypod is farm-to-table, and is my favorite happy hour spot for their good happy hour prices, Monkeypod Mai Tai with lilikoi foam on top, and Taro Ravioli (small portion but you won’t be disappointed by the flavor!). Just so you know, taro is a root vegetable popularly used in Hawaiian food, much like a sweet potato. The Mai Tai drink here is often considered the best in Hawaii. This restaurant has more locations on Oahu and other islands, as well as a branch of the restaurant called Moku Kitchen in Kaka’ako, Honolulu.

Maguro Spot

Beautiful waterfront beach bars aside, this hole-in-the-wall poke spot in downtown Waikiki is one of my favorites on Oahu due to the freshness of the fish, customizable bowls, and really good sauces. Building your own poke bowl includes choosing which type of rice, fish, sauce, and toppings. I highly recommend their rainbow sauce!

Paia Fish Market

I was never a huge fan of fish until I hit my 30s and had a yellow-tailed fish in the Florida Keys. Now if I find a good fish, I will recommend it until the sun goes down. Here is just one of those places. The wait is typically long to dine in this very casual restaurant, so I usually take my meal back to my condo or eat on the beach (be careful of the pigeons!). I enjoy their fish tacos or the lunch plate with sauteed mahi mahi. YUM! Just typing this out is making me drool. Locals tip: Paia is pronounced “PUH - EE - UH” and is named after the town where the original Paia Fish market is on Maui, near the start of the Road to Hana.

Coffee

For some really great coffee, I recommend Kona Coffee Purveyors. Beware of a very long line! Here all of the coffee is 100% Kona coffee (picked on Kauai), and has my favorite iced mocha. They are also known for their black sesame croissant. Another great spot is ALOH Cafe, where I love their signature fresh juice as well as their coffee. Knots Coffee Roasters is on the first floor of the Queen Kapiolani Hotel and is one of our favorites too. The breakfast there is also really great. I can’t forget to mention Island Coffee Roasters - one of the best but also always with a very long line!

Where to Stay

So many hotels are in downtown Waikiki. If you are looking for high-end, I would recommend the Moana Surfrider, Royal Hawaiian, or the Hilton Hawaiian Village because they are all right on the water. The Hilton has tons of activities, pools, shopping, restaurants and bars all within its borders. As far as the more affordable hotels, I always check Google reviews!