Why Waikiki? 10 Reasons Why You Should Stay A Few Days

Can you name three beaches in Hawaii?

1. Waikiki

       2. Uhhhhh.... 

       3. Hmmmm...

Chances are you came up with Waikiki, and maybe you said Ka'anapali, 
because you read my "Where In The World Is Ms. Toody" post,

but I bet most people can't think of anything but Waikiki.

So why is it that so many folks turn their nose up 
at the mention of one of the world's most famous beaches?

"It's too built up."

"It's just like Miami Beach."

"It's seedy."

"It's not the real Hawaii."

I'm guilty of being one of those nose-turner-uppers.

It took three trips to Hawaii to finally decide to give Waikiki a chance,

And now that I did, I've got ten reasons why you should, too.

1. It's a bucket list thing.

Waikiki is one of the most famous beaches in the world...

why not cross it off your bucket list?

It's really a shame to pass it up when you've more than likely got to stop in Honolulu,  anyway, before changing planes to another Hawaiian Island. 

2. See Diamond Head from your beach chair. 

I don't know about you, but Mr. Goo Shoes and I are not adventurists. 

We like to see famous sights without having to hike it, climb it, bike it.

Situated at the end of Waikiki Beach, the only effort expended to see the extinct  Diamond Head volcano was turning our heads to look down the beach.

My telephoto lens brought me close enough, thank you very much.

We liked the idea of crossing this famous landmark off our list 
without having to actually go there.

As Mr. Goo Shoes once said,

"We've seen it. It's nice. Let's go eat."

3. Pearl Harbor is only 11 miles away.

My other nine reasons are all about fun...this is the serious one.

Visiting the USS Arizona memorial -- the sunken battleship where thousands lost their lives on December 7, 1941 in a surprise attack by the Japanese Navy --

should be reason enough to stop in Waikiki.

We skipped it on our first two trips to Hawaii, 

but perhaps it was meant to be that we waited to see 
this important historical site with our teenager. 

4. Your two feet can take you everywhere.

Ever since our rental-car debacle in Turks and Caicos -- two blown out tires at a roundabout, which is a story for another post --

any place we don't have to rent a car gets bonus points from me. 

The immediate Waikiki area, is very walkable.
There are also trolleys, buses and taxis, if your tootsies start to hurt.  
 

5. It's all about the beach, 'bout the beach...no pebbles. 
The beach is quite lovely, albeit crowded.
 Our taxi driver told us the beaches were as jammed as Times Square.
Ha Ha, we laughed.
He was right.
It was Christmas, so it may have been extra-packed with people, 
but it's surely always "happening."
Aside from the people-parade,
there are tons of water sports to partake in...you can rent surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, canoes, kayaks and more.
The sunsets aren't too shabby either.

6. Ogle a historic lady, or two.
Two grand old hotels are still operating in Waikiki. 
We were fortunate to stay in one of them -- the Moana Surfrider.

It's one of those walk-in-and-say-WOW places.

After an 11-hour flight, we received a truly Hawaiian welcome,  with a lei made of orchids for me, and Kui Nut necklaces for my men.

The hotel, which opened in 1901, is called the "First Lady of Waikiki."

The lobby is gorgeous, and opens onto a patio with a huge banyan tree in the center.
The outdoor restaurant is a great place to watch 
the beautiful Hawaiian sunset over Waikiki Bay.
The other historic hotel, the Royal Hawaiian, was only a pineapple's throw away,
and for whatever the reason, I forgot to go look at it. 
Reason number 1 to go back.  

 

 

 7. Spend just a few bucks...or a few hundred...on meals.

There were lots of price-point options for restaurants. 

Everything from inexpensive noodle shops to the "tres cher" Alan Wong's...
and everything in between.
You might even happen upon a farmer's market.
Definitely stop at Duke's Barefoot Bar on the beach.
They have a breakfast buffet for $16.95, 
where the views alone are as sweet as the pina colada bread pudding. 

8. Learn to catch a wave. 
There are almost as many surfboards as people.
Because the waves are fairly gentle, it's a good place to your get your feet --
and the rest of you -- wet, so to speak.
One of the greatest swimmers and surfers of Waikiki fame, Duke Kahanamoku, 
surfed these very waters, and a statue near the beach pays tribute to him.

9. It's where the action is! 
Waikiki is crowded, but that's half the fun, 
and what makes it different from the other Hawaiian islands.

You've got to have the right mindset, though.
The sidewalks are as crowded as Manhattan streets (we were there during Christmas, so it was especially busy), but it's a hoot to stroll up and down Kalakaua Avenue.

There are shops and restaurants galore...looking at the storefronts, you could be Anywhere, USA, since every chain store seems to be represented.

There are enough Hawaiian souvenir stores to keep you amused,

and if you want to keep the kids busy, just ask them to count the ABC stores. 

 
10. It IS the real Hawaii.
Yes, you can get your inner hula on in Waikiki.
(I'd love to take credit for that line, but you'll see it all over Hawaii).
Saying that Waikiki isn't the real Hawaii 
is like saying that the Catskills are not the real New York.  
 You can surf, eat pineapple, watch a hula dancer, play the ukelele;
people say Aloha and Mahalo.  
It's a different Hawaii, than say, Maui or Kauai, but different is fun.

Three days was just enough time to get a taste of Waikiki.
Have you been to Waikiki?

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