Shop Till You Drop
When you've had enough of the great outdoors, you might like to head indoors, to the local shopping areas. Here are your options.
Ala Moana Center 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 955-9517 www.alamoanacenter.com
With more than 200 specialty shops and as a central location for TheBus routes, the Ala Moana Center is a prominent social, commercial, and travel hub for the city of Honolulu. The center also hosts a regular series of attractions, including the Keiki (children's) Hula Show every Sunday at 10 A.M. Open Monday through Saturday, 9:30 A.M.-9 P.M. and Sundays from 10 A.M.-7 P.M..
Aloha Tower Marketplace 1 Aloha Tower Dr., Honolulu 566-2337 www.alohatower.com
The Marketplace surrounds the famous Aloha Tower, which was built in 1926. At ten stories, it was the tallest building in Hawaii until a few decades ago, when the high-rises started to spring up. Located at the edge of Honolulu Harbor, the Aloha Tower served as a visible landmark to passenger and other ships with its clocks and the word “Aloha” on its facades.
The Marketplace is home to numerous shops and restaurants and is open Monday through Saturday from 9 A.M.-9 P.M.. and Sundays from 9 A.M.-6 P.M.. You can see a free hula show at noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. The Marketplace is served by the Waikiki Trolley and TheBus #19 or #20.
DFS Galleria Waikiki 330 Royal Hawaiian Ave., Waikiki 931-2655
Loads of island gifts and brand-name stores are waiting for you to discover them in the Galleria. Open 9 A.M.-11 P.M. Located at the corner of Kalakaua and Royal Hawaiian Avenues in Waikiki.
International Marketplace 2330 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki
An interesting amalgamation of shops and eateries make up Waikiki's open-air International Marketplace. It's sandwiched amongst the high-rises, and there are lots of little surprises to be found. The market opens daily at 9 A.M.
RAINY DAY FUN
While you're on the North Shore, you can check out the Waialua Coffee Visitor Center on the site of the old Waialua Sugar Mill. Oahu is not known as a coffee-growing island, but here's the exception. There's a tour, coffee tasting, and a gift shop. Open daily at 9 A.M. 637-2411.
Hilo Hattie's 700 N. Nimitz Hwy., Honolulu 535-6500 www.hilohattie.com
The name of the store comes from Clara Hallie (1901–1979), a Hawaiian singer. Although famous for its tropical clothing lines, Hilo Hattie's sells all manner of Hawaiian items. The flagship store is open daily from 9 A.M.-6 P.M.. A free trolley service will take you from Waikiki to their main outlet. Another outlet can be found at the Ala Moana Shopping Center, and the trolley makes optional stops there, as well as at the Aloha Tower Marketplace and the Dole Cannery shopping mall. The trolley service runs between 8:20 A.M. and 4:20 P.M. For more information on this service, call 1-818-537-2926.
Royal Hawaiian Marketplace 2201 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki 922-0588 www.shopwaikiki.com
The Royal Hawaiian Marketplace has “293,000 square feet of pure shoppers' delight” with more than 150 stores. It's located in the center of Waikiki in front of the Sheraton Waikiki and Royal Hawaiian Hotels.
The Victoria Ward Centers 593-2376 www.wardcentre.com
The Ward Centers is a sprawling complex covering four city blocks. Several commercial entities are included, such as the Ward Centre, the Ward Warehouse, Ward Gateway Center, Ward Village Shops, Ward Farmer's Market, and the Ward Entertainment Center, so loads of restaurants and shops are available.
Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 A.M.-9 P.M.. and Sundays from 10 A.M.-5 P.M., and many of the restaurants stay open later. The Ward Centers are across the street from Ala Moana Beach Park and one block from the Ala Moana Shopping Center. The Waikiki Trolley Red and Yellow lines will bring you there and TheBus #19, #20, or #42 westbound will take you there from Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki.
The Waikiki Shopping Plaza 2270 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki
This plaza is located on the corner of Kalakaua and Seaside Ave. in the center of Waikiki. It has about 70 stores and restaurants for your shopping and dining pleasure.
Whether you're a history buff, birdwatcher, snorkeler, or shopaholic, there's plenty to keep you busy on Oahu. Given the amazing variety, it's not a matter of whether or not there is something to do, it's whether or not you can find time to do all the things you'd like. That, in fact, might take you several visits!
