One of my favorite vacation destinations is Hawaii. Personally, I love Oahu. It is a very busy bustling city, with tourism being, by far, the biggest industry. Many travelers do not enjoy all of the chaos of a big city, but if you can look past that, the sights in and around Honolulu, are wonderful.

I lived in Honolulu for 2 years in the late 70’s….yes, I am THAT old! My children were very young and enjoyed the freedom of being outside every day, all day long. The weather is incredible! Most of the year Hawaii enjoys 80-85 degree weather everyday. Usually, the trade winds are blowing which keeps the humidity down, so the warmth is very agreeable. Every day in Hawaii it rains. But the rain is warm and welcome, and only lasts about 15 minutes or so. This is what keeps Hawaii beautiful. There are a couple of weeks, early in the year, that tends to be wetter. I can help you book the right time to avoid, hopefully, the “winter” in Hawaii.

In Honolulu, there are many historical sights that you will not want to miss. The first place most visitors want to visit is Pearl Harbor. The museum depicting the attack is very real. You are also able to visit the Arizona Memorial by Navy vessel. The feeling you get from visiting an actual National Cemetery, the ship was never raised and the sailors remains are still on board, is very surreal. You can still see oil from the Arizona floating to the top of the water.

Another great attraction on Oahu is the Polynesian Cultural Center. The Center is about an hour and a half from Honolulu. I suggest driving to the Center via the North Shore of Oahu. Here you will encounter the biggest waves on the Island. This area is definitely not for amateur surfers.

Once arriving at the Polynesian Cultural Center, you will experience cultures from all of Polynesia. New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Guam, and the Cook Islands are a few of the areas that are represented in the “villages”. This is an all-day, and into the evening, excursion, but very much worth it. Do not miss the Polynesian Show in the evening. This is the BEST Polynesian Show on the Island, in my opinion! I have seen it several times and am amazed by the show every time.

There are so many interesting and fun things to do in and around Honolulu. This is a great family vacation destination. Something for everyone. Teenagers especially enjoy the activity of Honolulu. Waikiki is a bit hit, as well.