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This is my third trip to Hawaii but my first to Oahu. For us folks on the East coast it's a LONG flight out there so most people just go to Florida or the Bahamas but I love Hawaii! I've been to Maui and also Kauai but this is my first time in Oahu.
My wife and I are staying at Turtle Bay Resort up on the North Shore and the best part is . . . our kids are not coming with us! What are some must see/dos in that neck of the woods? We'll also have a rental car so if something is really awesome we'd be willing to drive to another part of the island as well. Our interests are pretty wide ranging.
Also, restaurant recommendations are appreciated too! Thanks and if you guys are ever taking a trip to Boston please feel free to PM me for info from a local for your trip!
-Opal Thai. This place used to be located in the North Shore, but is in Chinatown now. The owner of is pretty eccentric, so beware. https://www.yelp.com/biz/opal-thai-honolulu
-Siam Kitchen Express (Aiea): I actually like this place more than I like Opal Thai. Haven't had a bad dish here yet.
-Poke On Da Run (Pearl City): this is the only place on Oahu where I get poke from. Its super fresh and they make everything in small batches. They also have some great hot food items (try the braised beef or kalua pork/poke nachos!). https://www.yelp.com/biz/poke-on-da-run-pearl-city-2
-Side Street Inn (town). This place is a very good tavern/bar setup that serves huge, family size portions at very decent prices. The Side Street fried rice and fried pork chops are pretty good: https://www.yelp.com/biz/side-street-inn-honolulu-9
-Gorvinda's Vegetarian Buffet (along the Pali Highway in town). The food is pretty decent and the buffet is located at a Krishna Indian temple. If you are meat lovers, this place isn't for you! https://www.yelp.com/biz/govindas-ve...uffet-honolulu
I barely leave Honolulu because it's so convenient, so I think it's worth a visit. I feel welcome here, and would say that the "aloha spirit" is alive and well even if you're wandering about the sketchy areas. There's plenty of boutiques if you enjoy shopping, and it's a great place for diverse Asian markets and restaurants: Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino. I'm happy eating at the tables in the back of Nijiya supermarket so my tastes are not fancy. My haunts that haven't been mentioned already include Chiba-ken, Domo Cafe, Topped, and Rosarina's.
Boston is a nice city and I have fond memories of it because my in-laws lived near there, but haven't visited in ages now.
For Sunday brunch buffet, try Hoku's at Kahala Hotel. Pricey but worth it. Reservation required in advance.
If you like Vietnamese restaurant, you must try one of them (too many to recommend). Unlike the Vietnamese restaurants in Boston, the Pho comes with varieties of herb on the side dish.
For dim sum, try Tim Ho Wan restaurant in the Royal Hawaiian shopping center in Waikiki.
Remember to bring us Roast Lamb Sandwich with Tomato Chutney and Rosemary Goat Cheese from the Flour Bakery in Boston.
I barely leave Honolulu because it's so convenient, so I think it's worth a visit. I feel welcome here, and would say that the "aloha spirit" is alive and well even if you're wandering about the sketchy areas.
We're definitely going to spend a day in Honolulu. My wife is a big history buff and wants to visit Pearl Harbor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by unlabeled
Boston is a nice city and I have fond memories of it because my in-laws lived near there, but haven't visited in ages now.
Come for a visit! I think you'll find the city has changed a lot and only for the better (except maybe the traffic is worse but if you're a tourist you don't have to contend with that ). I actually went out to our new luxury casino last night. It was pretty nice and if you've ever visited the Wynn in Las Vegas it's basically the same building re-built on the Boston waterfront just north of downtown in Everett.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eureka1
For your second visit consider staying in Honolulu. Much more to do !
My wife and I both have very stressful jobs and we kind of wanted to be someplace that didn't have a lot of hustle and bustle to it. I actually wanted to go to Kauai again but I couldn't convince my wife to get on a second flight.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian_Lee
Remember to bring us Roast Lamb Sandwich with Tomato Chutney and Rosemary Goat Cheese from the Flour Bakery in Boston.
Flour is a pretty good spot. If you haven't been to Boston in a long time the restaurant scene has really come a long way here in the last 10 years.
Come for a visit! I think you'll find the city has changed a lot and only for the better (except maybe the traffic is worse but if you're a tourist you don't have to contend with that ). I actually went out to our new luxury casino last night. It was pretty nice and if you've ever visited the Wynn in Las Vegas it's basically the same building re-built on the Boston waterfront just north of downtown in Everett.
Boston traffic was challenging to navigate in the era of paper maps and the Big Dig. My husband lived in Cambridge before we met so he was familiar with the roads but we'd usually take the T. I'll make my way back someday to see how it's changed since 1999 - 2008.
Boston traffic was challenging to navigate in the era of paper maps and the Big Dig. My husband lived in Cambridge before we met so he was familiar with the roads but we'd usually take the T. I'll make my way back someday to see how it's changed since 1999 - 2008.
The big dig era was the WORST. It was impossible to find your way around because there were so many construction detours. The good news is . . . they finished the big dig just in time for the volume of cars on the road to overtake the additional capacity created by the project.
Seriously though, my dream would be to live downtown because Boston is such a walkable city. Plus, there's a good public transportation system when it's too cold to walk.
You can SWIM in the waterfall POOL !!!
quote from website:
"There is a changing room located near the falls and a lifeguard who loans required life vests (free). There are often bugs so spray is recommended.
The stream water is apparently bacteria-free and regularly monitored, but as with all freshwater streams in Hawaii, Leptospirosis bacteria may be present at any time. Caution should be taken to not drink the water, and if you have any small cuts or open wounds it is recommended to stay out of the water altogether.
The waterfall is open to visitors to swim and cool off during opening hours of the Waimea Valley site, which are 9am – 5pm, 7 days a week, unless the pool is closed due to unsafe conditions. The park is closed Christmas and New Year's Day.
**For current prices and fees please call (808) 638-7766."
"
If you love cultural stuff, go visit the Byodoin Buddhist Temple. It is a replica of the Byodoin in Kyoto Japan. In fact, it appears in the movie "Pearl Harbor".
Over there, you can enjoy feeding carps in the pond and also feeding birds on your palm. The birds over there are not afraid of human beings. The temple's head priest, who has passed away, once showed me he even could communicate with the birds by whispering to certain bird to stand on his palm. There are also peacocks on the site. A fantastic site for photos.
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). I actually went out to our new luxury casino last night. It was pretty nice and if you've ever visited the Wynn in Las Vegas it's basically the same building re-built on the Boston waterfront just north of downtown in Everett.
