After hanging out at Lanikai the day after arriving in Oahu, we spent some time walking around Waikiki beach the following day. We just took our time sight-seeing and took some photos being the typical tourist that we are 🙂 . We also bought our Hawaii Go Card so we can enjoy some attractions that Oahu has to offer at a discounted price. It was a pretty good deal because we only paid $40 per card and we got to do quite a lot including Makani’s Catamaran breakfast sail, museum visits which included the Bishop Museum, Iolani Palace, Queen Emma Summer Palace and a visit to Pearl Harbor. We could’ve done more activities with our Go Card but we didn’t have enough time. I know they have different packages now and it costs a lot more but I still think it’s worth it to get one.

Anyway, after our stroll at Waikiki beach we met up with our friends at Ala Moana Center and I think we had dinner there as well after doing some window shopping 🙂 . I can’t remember for sure but I know we also went to a Japanese store and bought some snacks. The next day we celebrated one of our friend’s birthday at Duke’s Waikiki and the food was delicious! We loved the ambiance as well!

Here are some of our “tourist” photos from Waikiki! 😀

Makua is a handsome, strong boy, an honor student who lives at Sunset Beach. He has a touch of sensitivity you cannot miss. Makua has a hard time convincing his friends & family about his unique friendship with a Hawaiian monk seal who has become his surfing buddy. Trouble arises & special life lessons are learned. (www.fredvandyke.com)

Waikīkī (/waɪkiːˈkiː/; Hawaiian: [vɐiˈkiːˈkiː] or [wɐiˈkiːˈkiː]) is a beachfront neighborhood of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oʻahu, in Hawaii, United States. Waikiki is best known for Waikīkī Beach, the white sand beach shoreline fronting the neighborhood. Waikīkī is home to public places including Kapiʻolani Park, Fort de Russy Military Reservation, Kahanamoku Lagoon, Kūhiō Beach Park, and Ala Wai Harbor. The name Waikīkī means spouting fresh water in the Hawaiian language, for springs and streams that fed wetlands that once separated Waikīkī from the interior. (Wikipedia)

The area was a retreat for Hawaiian royalty in the 1800s who enjoyed surfing there on early forms of longboards. A few small hotels opened in the 1880s. In 1893, Greek-American George Lycurgus leased the guest house of Allen Herbert and renamed it the “Sans Souci” (French for “without worries”) creating one of the first beach resorts. Later that year Robert Louis Stevenson stayed at the resort; subsequently it became a popular destination for tourists from the mainland. The area at coordinates 21°15′49″N 157°49′17″W is still called “Sans Souci Beach”. Today, the area is filled with large resort hotels, such as the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Halekulani hotel, the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī, the Sheraton Waikīkī, and historic hotels dating back to the early 20th century (such as the Moana Surfrider Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian Hotel). The beach hosts many events a year, including surf competitions, outdoor performances, hula dancing and outrigger canoe races. (Wikipedia)

Being a tourist as usual! 😀 We love the calm waters.

In the background is Diamond Head.

In the background are some of the many hotels along the Waikiki beach strip.

Still being the tourist that we are! 😀

Meeting with our friends at Ala Moana Center.

Our friend’s birthday dinner at Duke’s Waikiki.