Fall is in full swing as the weather continues to cool down with each passing week. The leaves are starting to turn their color and the morning air is a tad chillier. Summer weather is not done for me, however, not by a long shot! It’s my birthday week and what better way to extend my summer than to pay a visit to the warm islands of Hawaii! Aloooooha! There’s something about the sand and ocean and palm trees that make a vacation feel like a real getaway.
Flight Details:
Like many of my previous trips, my flight was mostly covered by my credit card points via my Chase Sapphire. The total cost round trip between OAK and HNL via Alaska Airlines would have been a whopping $393.17. Thanks to Chase, all I had to pay for was the taxes and fees of $23.37!
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After checking in our bags with Alaska we made our way to the gate. My non-TSA-PreCheck-self was left in the regular line while my travel companion happily zipped through security with her pass. My line was sluggish, crowded, and I swear the person in front of me left behind an invisible gas cloud for me to silently choke on. Crop dusted in a line where I had no where else to move.. the disrespect lol
After security, I was again treated to the Escape Lounge courtesy of Jessica’s American Express perks. Kudos for breakfasts buffets and morning mimosas.
On the flip-side to my nostril hairs getting singed at the security scanners, I was upgraded to premium seating because I hadn’t selected a seat for myself in advance prior to checking in. I honestly lucked out but still, Winning! More leg room (even though I don’t really need it ’cause I’m only 4’11”) and complimentary cocktails 🍸. It pays when you’re not picky.
During the flight, I receive another pleasant surprise. While I’m seated in 11c premium class, about 30 minutes into our flight the head Stewardess , Tina Marie, tells me to grab my bags and that I’ve been upgraded to a seat in 1st class, right next to Jessica! ! Jessica worked her charm once again! I think she wrote the book “How to Make Small Talk” because she has a knack for conversing and connecting with people. Her secret, as she explained plainly to me, is “Just don’t be a d!ck to people” 😉
5 relaxing hours later, we touched down in Hawaii!
Getting Around
None other than Turo of course! All other car rental sites quoted me between $200 and $250 for the entire trip. With Turo, it was only $28 / per day. After fees the total charges were $110, a nearly 50% savings! Woop Woop 🙌🏼
Our Turo host also provided curbside pickup at our terminal and met us at the baggage carousel. Talk about customer service! No waiting in line at the car rental for us. Convenience…WINNING lol.
If you haven’t tried TURO , check it out and get $25 dollars off of your first trip! Use the link here
Stay
The Hilton Waikiki. Perfect location, walkable to lots of restaurants and shops. Literally 1 block away from Waikiki beach 🏖 and the beautiful view of the crystal clear blue ocean.
Cheeseburger in Paradise
Within a 3 minute walk of our hotel is home of the 5-napkin burger. Our first meal began with a pair of authentic Hawaiian 🌺 Mai tai’s . I ordered a coconut shrimp appetizer .
Honolulu Coffee Co.
100% Kona Extra Fancy pour over. I’ve always wanted to try authentic Kona coffee. The price is steep, if you want to buy beans for home it will cost you $49 for 12 oz!
Matcha Cafe Maiko
Mixed vanilla and matcha soft serve over matcha shaved ice with sweetened red beans and water chestnut with mochi.
( … At this point Jessica and I are food-coma’d . A discretionary warning to everyone reading this, not only should you drink responsibly but you should also EAT responsibly to avoid any impending juicy burping. )
Diamond Head Hike
A very quick hike that took 25 minutes to the top. 1 hour total round trip. $5 per car admission. If you are walking into the park it is $1 per person. Don’t bother doing a tour, save yourself the $35-$40. Go early to avoid crowds. We arrived at 7:30 am, the park opens at 6-6:30 am, and the trail was already fairly busy with people. By the time we were done there were much more buses and tourists just beginning and a line of cars forming at the admission gate.
Giovanni’s Garlic Shrimp Truck
The food truck is about a 1 hour drive from Waikiki. We arrived early before the truck even opened at 10:30 am and there were already about 30 people waiting around. We were lucky order #1 for the day. We both ordered a garlic scampi plate; buttery, EXTRA garlicky which will get you licking your fingers clean.
Matsumoto’s Shaved Ice
Just down the street from Giovanni’s is Mastumoto’s. The line can get long here as well, but luckily we came early before the lunch rush. You choose your fruit flavors and add condensed milk, azuki beans, or ice cream as you please.
Musubi Cafe Iyasume
Spam galore. Selling canned spams of the world including tocino flavored spam, garlic spam, Portuguese sausage spam, chorizo spam and many more.
I ordered an unagi, avocado, egg teriyaki spam musubi and a cucumber , umeboshi/plum teriyaki spam musubi. Better believe I also brought some musubi’s home on the flight for a snack! I even bought myself a neat-o spam lunchbox .
Kuhia Beach Hula Show
Hula and sunset torch lighting show right along Waikiki Beach that is free to the public. Get there early, it does get crowded. It is located across from the Hyatt Regency Waikīkī. The shows are scheduled for 6:30-7:30 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The event is weather permitting and can be cancelled for rain.
Marukame Udon
Mad Decent Udon. Expect there to always be a line. But depending on the time of day the queue will either be shorter or longer. I ordered the “Ontame Bukkake (?!?) Udon”. You can also add sides of musubi, onigiri, tempura’d shrimp or veggies, and potato croquette.
Pearl Harbor
Just a quick 30 minute drive from our hotel . Free admission gave us a 1 hour ferry tour to the USS Arizona memorial and a 20-30 minute history presentation. I learned 900 sailors’ bodies are trapped below the ships decks. The capsized ship now acts as an underwater tomb, a national cemetery, and a national monument for visitors to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The ship is still leaking approximately 1-2 gallons of oil per day. Learning about some of the stories and history of Pearl Harbor was very moving, I felt grateful to learn about the sacrifices those young military servicemen gave up for our country.
Tip: Remember to leave your bags and purses, no exceptions. They will ask you to check them into lockers, which you can borrow and pay for the day, or leave them in the car at your own risk. Also no liquids, other than water allowed.
Dragon Tea
Watermelon milk tea with boba for the boba queens out there.
The Maguro Spot
If you’re craving some fresh poke head over to the Maguro Spot. I ordered Tako poke, or octopus salad when translated from Japanese to English. Bring your poke bowl to the beach, it’s just a 2 minute walk over to Waikiki beach.
Banan
Acai soft serve in a papaya bowl. This place might be hard to find. Look for a small alleyway towards the beach. You know you’ve found the right corridor when you find a line of surfboards along the walls of the buildings. We actually got lost trying to find this spot and our walking maps, although it did bring us to the correct plaza the, address didn’t match the location. Security escorted us to the right place.
The Sunrise Shack Waikiki
For a healthy and refreshing breakfast, the Sunrise Shake offers fruit bowls and smoothies. I ordered a blue dream acai bowl. So pretty! Almost too pretty to eat. It is blue because of a blue spirulina. Also topped with shredded coconut, blueberries, granola, and red goji berries.
That’s it! I hope you enjoyed my recommendations on food, things to see, and do when you plan your next adventure to Oahu, Hawaii 🙂
-Stay Curious
Edited: Vincent R. Jison Written By: A Z Flor Huerta
