Palm trees, sandy beaches, warm water, nearly perfect weather. You don’t need any more reasons to abandon your parka and mittens and take that vacation you’ve been promising yourself on Hawaii’s island of Oahu.
No passport needed. Just pack your swim wear, sunscreen and camera.
www.hawaiiweb.com/oahu/beaches
Click on the tiny icons on the map at HawaiiWeb to see if you want to visit the beach at Ala Moana, just west of Waikiki, the popular eastern shore surfing beach at Ma’ili, or maybe Ka’ena Point at the island’s far northwest corner. Keep this Web site in mind for picking up data on Oahu’s towns, activities and sightseeing.
tinyurl.com/6detnm
If you’re concerned about safety, the Hawaiian Lifeguard Association has profiles of guarded beaches with advisories of spots where jellyfish might turn up.
tinyurl.com/5bk7ww
Choose beaches to go with locations of your planned travels around the island by clicking on the map at Alternative Hawaii, which also provides a pictorial sampling.
www.oahuhikingtrails.com
Depending on how long you stay, you might want a scenic outdoor activity break from the beaches. Oahu is mountainous as well as tropical, and Oahu Hiking Trail has guides to several routes from urban (Honolulu) to rugged (Malaekahana Ridge), handily located on an interactive map.
www.backyardoahu.com
Backyard Oahu doesn’t have the slick interactive map, but it claims 84 trails and has links to more info.
www.bishopmuseum.org
www.iolanipalace.org
www.polynesia.com
There are some spots that show up on almost every visitor’s agenda, like the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, with its exhibitions on Hawaiian history and culture, and the Iolani Palace, the former official state residence of Hawaiian royalty. And you wouldn’t be a tourist if you didn’t visit the Polynesian Cultural Center for a luau and show.
www.nps.gov/usar
www.ussmissouri.com
A defining moment in Hawaiian and U.S. history is captured at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The Battleship Missouri Memorial is within walking distance.
www.visit-oahu.com
If you have extra time, the Oahu visitors’ bureau will show you the way to more things to see and do, and help you find a place to stay. Check out their link to vacation packages.
Roger Petterson, Associated Press
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