Hawaii - Jeff Campbell [59]
A wild and ocean-whipped landscape unfolds along the Ka′ena Point Trail (Click here) on the remote Wai′anae Coast. On the opposite side of the point, the Kealia and Kuaokala Trails (Click here) climb above Dillingham Airfield to gorgeous views of the ocean and mountains. Elsewhere on the North Shore, the Kaunala Loop Trail (Click here) overlooks Waimea Bay and the entire Wai′anae Range.
This book sketches O′ahu’s most popular and accessible hikes. For more trails, check out O′ahu Trailblazer by Jerry and Janine Sprout, O′ahu Trails by Kathy Morey or The Hikers Guide to O′ahu by Stuart Ball. Na Ala Hele (www.hawaiitrails.org) offers free online trail maps, information and tips. For group hikes and guided tours, check the calendar in the free Honolulu Weekly, distributed around the island.
The following organizations also organize group hikes (reservations usually required), as well as educational and ‘voluntourism’ opportunities:
Hawai′i Nature Center (Map; 955-0100, 888-955-0104; www.hawaiinaturecenter.org; 2131 Makiki Heights Dr) Low-cost family-oriented hikes and environmental programs.
Hawaiian Trail & Mountain Club (http://htmclub.org) Volunteer-run community organization offers guided hikes and extensive online resources.
Sierra Club (Map; 538-6616; www.hi.sierraclub.org/oahu; 1040 Richards St, Honolulu) Leads weekend hikes and other outings around O′ahu. For bird-watching walks, Click here. For commercial guided hikes around O′ahu, Click here.
HORSEBACK RIDING
O′ahu’s ranch country spreads along the Windward Coast and North Shore. Easy trail rides geared mostly for tourists, not paniolo (Hawaiian cowboys), are given at Turtle Bay Resort (Click here) and Kualoa Ranch (Click here).
RUNNING
In the Waikiki area, Ala Moana Beach Park (Click here), Kapi‘olani Park (Click here) and the Ala Wai Canal are favorite jogging spots, as is the 4.6-mile run around Diamond Head crater. O′ahu has over 50 foot races each year, culminating in mid-December’s Honolulu Marathon (www.honolulumarathon.org); for a complete list of events, contact Waikiki’s Running Room (737-2422; www.runningroomhawaii.com; 819 Kapahulu Ave; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun), a retail shop.
TENNIS
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O′AHU FOR CHILDREN
Outrigger canoe rides, pools and a sunset torch lighting and hula show at Waikiki’s Kuhio Beach Park (Click here)
Touch tanks at the Waikiki Aquarium (Click here)
Planetarium shows, exploding faux volcanoes and more at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum (Click here)
Petting critters at Waikiki’s Honolulu Zoo (Click here)
Hiking up Diamond Head (Click here)
Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay (Click here)
Calm, shallow swimming at Ko Olina Lagoons (Click here)
Train rides and a giant maze at the Dole Plantation (Click here)
Movie and TV filming tours at Kualoa Ranch (Click here)
Rainy-day indoor fun at the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center (Click here)
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O′ahu has almost 200 public tennis courts. In Waikiki, the most convenient public courts are across the canal at Ala Moana Beach Park (Click here) and at Kapi‘olani Park (Click here) toward Diamond Head. Many resort hotels also have private courts for guests.
YOGA & SPAS
Many of O′ahu’s most famous spas are found inside Waikiki resort hotels; Click here. On the Windward Coast, Kailua has the most yoga studios on O′ahu, along with sunrise and sunset sessions right on the beach (Click here).
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
The vast majority of flights into Hawaii (Click here) land at Honolulu International Airport (Map; HNL; www.honoluluairport.com; 836-6413; 300 Rodgers Blvd, Honolulu), 6 miles west of downtown Honolulu and 9 miles west of Waikiki. O′ahu’s only commercial airport, it’s also a hub for interisland flights (Click here), offering frequent services to all of the Neighbor Islands. Free Wiki-Wiki shuttle buses (6am-10pm) around the airport stop curbside at ground level outside