It’s easy to be lazy when you’re traveling. You’re away from home and your regular routine. You’ve given yourself “permission” to sleep in, eat more and drink more (not necessarily in that order). You’ve read about the top 10 things recommended at your destination and you’re determined to see them all because, frankly, you’re supposed to. After all, people are going to ask you what you did, you’ve gotta have a good answer!
When the folks from the Oahu Visitors Bureau invited me to the island as part of a month-long publicity campaign they are running in October, I barely blinked before answering a resounding YES! They might have even heard my scream of excitement all the way from Seattle. I know Hawaii is a popular destination for Seattleites, but the truth is I had only been there once. In my early 20’s. When I was a backpacker. And I happened to be returning from a year-long trip through Asia. A few nights at the Waikiki Youth Hostel wasn’t exactly the kind of image most travelers have of a visit to Oahu – but at least I could say I had been there, done that.
Because of the involvement of the OVB, I knew my second trip would be different despite the fact that I hardly knew one island from the other (I’m far better versed now). I couldn’t resist the temptation of a trip to see what all of the hub-bub was about, but, in my usual travel-style – I couldn’t just do the tourist thing and spend my days at the beach.
Jon accompanied me for a portion of the trip and together with my contacts on Oahu, we came up with an itinerary that gave us a great overview of the island but allowed us to get underneath the surface.
Hey, don’t get me wrong. There’s a reason so many people flock to Waikiki. But Oahu is so much more than a strip of ABC shops, surfing lessons, high-end hotels and fancy schmancy restaurants. So, before you keep snubbing the islands (like I did) or start planning that next trip that won’t get you any farther than Diamond Head, consider renting a car and getting yourself further afield.
Start with the some of the highlights. Visit the Arizona Memorial (this blew me away because I knew so little about it!), saunter on up to Diamond Head, walk Waikiki (early, I mean early mornings are best when it’s still cool and few people are stirring) and sit on the porch of the Westin Moana Surfrider to sip some iced tea.
But then get out outta town.
And now for 5 new things to do on Oahu
1. Visit downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown on the first Friday of the month for their monthly First Friday artwalk. Galleries, restaurants and shops have art on display and it’s an opportunity to meet the artists and craftspeople. Vendors line the sidewalks and alleyways with food and crafts. If you’re lucky you’ll see acrobats swinging from trees at the Hawaii State Art Museum.
2. Take a drive over to the Leeward (west) side of the island and meander through this little-traveled area. Stop in at the Nanakuli Super (market) and groove to the tunes while the locals sing along. Farther up north is Waianae with Makaha Beach. This area has few tourists (a welcome treat!) and few hotels and other amenities that are found elsewhere on the island but this is what makes it so charming.
3. If you’re a Lost fan (even if you’re not), go see the Byodo-in Temple, featured in the TV series. We arrived quite early in the morning and had the whole area to ourselves. As we left, busloads of people started to arrive. Inside the temple is a beautiful Buddha with fresh local flowers placed at the base.
4. The North Shore is best known for its great surf breaks in the winter. In the “off” months, it’s still quite a busy place. We managed to find parking near a beach (Honu) and were delighted to discover that it was the sunbathing area for Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles. We watched these slow moving creatures for an hour as they nibbled at the seaweed on the rocks and then came ashore to sleep. Because it wasn’t on our itinerary, we felt we made a huge discovery and were pretty darned pleased with ourselves.
5. Chat with the locals. We’re fortunate to have a friend (George, top photo) who lives on Oahu. We spent a couple of hours with him near his home in an area called Tantalus where we had a magnificent view of the island. Even if you don’t have a friend on the island, chat with the shopkeepers, waitresses and baristas. You can learn loads by just asking a few questions. (I asked one store clerk how often she got off-island and discovered that she’s an a trained nurse who leaves for a few months at a time to work on a boat because there aren’t enough jobs for nurses on the island.)
Would I go back? Absolutely! What would I do differently? Dive deeper and stay longer.
Last week at a cooking class held in Seattle that was hosted by the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, I met a gentleman who owns an organic farm on the Leeward side. Gary’s place is the Ma’O Organic farm located near Waianae. He hosts people who will come help with their harvests. Jon and I are already planning a two-week getaway!
Travel Well,
Beth
Related links:
Where Have All the Clunkers Gone?
The American Travel Ethos
Flight Booking Engines – What Works?
What Makes a Travel Hotspot?
Unplugging While Traveling
Airport Safety = Security Theater?
Pretty Young Thang
How Not to be a Trashy Tourist
Photo credit: Acrobat – madmarv00
All others, Beth Whitman
Nomadic Matt says
I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii….great list of things. I had no idea about the see turtles
Beth Shepherd says
I love your photo of the surfboards!! Some day I hope to visit Hawaii. I’ve heard many wonderful things, most of them – surprisingly – about the roads less traveled.