Honolulu, HI

Green sea turtles (also called Honu in Hawaiian) use Laniakea beach as a haul-out zone, meaning that they pull themselves up onto the sand to rest and sun themselves. Also, they are attracted to the shallow water off the beach where they feed on seaweed (limu in Hawaiian). So there are two ways to see the turtles here: when they come up on the beach, and—for you snorkelers—you can get in the water with them and see them in their true habitat!

It is great fun to ride a wave from the reef all the way inside past the end of the wall, wave at the crowd of people standing there and taking pictures, and then fly through the inside break all the way in to the beach! Then you can walk back out on the wall, jump off, and do it all again.

At first the trails are somewhat wide, but they quickly narrow to single-file conditions as the grade becomes steeper. The surroundings are hot and dry, but there is interesting plant life and birds to look at, and of course, remarkable geological formations. It was originally named Diamond Head by sailors who saw shining mica in the rocks, mistaking it for diamonds.

There are many interesting kayak spots around the island, but it is fun to paddle out from Waikiki and get a look back at the city from out on the water. It is a most impressive view, and oftentimes we can hear the music from Kapiolani Park drifting out across the water. Once we even heard the theme song from Hawaii Five-O as we paddled over the face of an oncoming wave. Just be sure to check the surf and make sure it’s not too large.

You will witness a veritable explosion of tropical plant life, including stands of bamboo, exotic flowers, and humongous trees once used to build the outrigger canoes prized by native Hawaiians. Critter-wise, my wife and I didn’t see any four-legged animals on our hike, but there are numerous birds, both seen and unseen, calling from the forest canopy.

Especially dedicated to mommies and pre-school teachers dealing with sponge kids who just seem to absorb everything - ideal learning experience! It is a three storey museum building filled with surprises and adventures not just for the keikis (kids) but also for young adults to seniors. It is a place for everyone’s imagination to come to reality. I will briefly talk about the RAINBOW WORLD where I flew from country to country and didn’t have to worry about jetlag.

The ocean is packed with people of all ages (and tons of teens, of course!) learning how to surf or mastering their style. If you live in Ewa Beach or Kapolei, you don’t have to drive very far to get to some great beaches. One of these is White Plains Beach, near Kalaeloa. From what I understand, this used to be a part of Barber’s Point Naval Station, but is now open to everyone. Finding it, however, isn’t that easy unless you know where you’re going. Maybe this is why it’s not super crowded like some of the more touristy beaches. White Plains is definitely off the beaten path, and as you’re driving there,

And that’s how we spent the afternoon – just relaxing on the sand and watching the GIGANTIC waves and the surfers trying to conquer them. I’m not sure if Vixen was impressed, but I was in awe!

I had heard that Kailua was not only one of Oahu’s top beaches, but one of the best beaches in all of the U.S. Determined to put it to the test, it was one of the first places I visited when I moved to the island. Unfortunately, on that day, it was SO windy that my clothes were almost torn off! I was very disappointed and I think I let the weather affect my opinion! A month later, I decided I needed to give Kailua another shot in case I was missing something!

The Waikiki / Diamond Head / Kapiolani Park / Ala Wai Canal area is perfect for any avid runners. All these areas have shoulder lanes or side walks to run on. You can easily run up to 10 miles if you circle each of these areas. If you’re like me and go [...]