THE SHORELINE HOTEL
We arrived in Honolulu and checked into the Shoreline Hotel in Waikiki. The Shoreline has a hip, colorful vibe. The Pandafords found a spot in the map of Hawaii on one of the walls of our hotel room.
MERRY CHRISTMAS WAIKIKI
On our first day on Oahu we explored Waikiki. Waikiki turned out to be everything we expected it to be and more! Even though it was the week after New Year’s Day, Christmas was still in full swing and we found evidence everywhere. We were also greeted by pandas at Panda Express.
WAIKIKI BEACHES
The beaches in Waikiki are beautiful. And crowded! We wandered up and down the beaches filled with tourists having fun in the sun. The Pandafords enjoyed a photo opportunity on Fort DeRussy Beach.
Waikiki also has tons of shopping that includes some fun window display eye candy. And some really big high-rise hotels for even more photography fun. We really enjoyed all of the statues scattered about that memorialize folks who helped make this Hawaiian city famous back in the day.
ISLAND TOUR
We booked an around the island tour with Nui Tours. They picked us up at our hotel and drove us all around the island offering inside information along the way. Overall, it was a great way to see some highlights on the east and north shores of Oahu. Our guide D-Ray was fantastic and the views were amazing!
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Our visit to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial was a powerful experience. The excellent exhibits are somber reminders of the terrible attack there and the war that followed. It was too windy to go on the USS Arizona Memorial, but we did get to take a boat ride around the harbor.
The North Shore
We stayed three nights on Oahu’s famous North Shore. The beaches and landscapes there are absolutely stunning, and the waves in January are big, dangerous and so much fun to watch. We also enjoyed strolling through the delightful little surfer town of Haleiwa.
OAHU ART
There is so much fantastic art everywhere on Oahu. Here are just a few examples.
OAHU SUNSETS
Hawaii sunsets are legendary. And of course sunsets on Oahu are no exception. These are the moments that you take back home with you to warm your soul on cold winter nights.
