O’ahu

We have never been to Hawaii and honestly I am not sure why.  It is on our destination list and we will get there at some point!  I was a bit  confused about the best island visit so I did some reading and gathered suggestions from friends.  The consensus seems to be O’ahu.  Let’s take a look at this island and see what it has to offer.

O’ahu is Hawaii’s third largest island and the  most densely populated.   The capital city of Honolulu is located close to a number of attractions, including Pearl Harbor, the most visited tourist site in the state. Located around 30 minutes from Honolulu, it’s a must-see for any tourist.  You will find the USS Arizona Memorial, the battleship Missouri Memorial as well several museums. There is no charge to visit Pearl Harbor but there is a small charge to reserve tickets for the USS Arizona  Memorial Program. 

A few other suggestions include taking a swim with live dolphins and sea turtles. Wildside Hawaii offers an opportunity to do just that!  They can also arrange experiences of all sorts-including popular whale watching tours.  The Honolulu Botanical gardens is worth a visit and is  located close to Honolulu.  This site  encompasses five separate gardens-each of them unique and all of them beautiful!  They feature native plants as well as many from around the world.  They also feature classes of all sorts, workshops and recreational opportunities

If you love pineapple (or even if you don’t!)  take a look at Dole Plantation and take a tour as well as ride their Pineapple Express train.  The Polynesian Cultural Center, located an hour from Honolulu on the North Shore focuses on the contributions from Polynesia – the people, arts and crafts and the overall culture. Don’t leave the North Shore before  taking a drive to Hale’iwa- an authentic and interesting surf town.

I am not mentioning Waikiki! as its popularity speaks for itself!  Have fun on O’ahu and feel free to share your experience!