Oahu Vacations

Only one airline is Hawaiian

Search every nautical mile of the Pacific and you’ll be hard pressed to find another island quite like Oahu, Hawaii. An Oahu vacation indulges with all the excitement of a tropical getaway that truly affords it all, from bright city lights to starry, starry nights.

Home to Hawaii’s capital city of Honolulu, famed winter surf on its North Shore and the colorful resort of Waikiki Beach, Oahu travel beautifully blends cosmopolitan action with dream escapes.

Sprawling from Ala Moana to Diamond Head, Waikiki was once the private estate of Hawaiian royalty. Little wonder. Today, this dazzling destination melds modern expressions of every ethnic flavor with relics of its regal roots. Following a renaissance of sorts, the refreshed hot spot is packed with pizzazz.

Chic European boutiques mingle with thatched-roof souvenir huts. Nostalgic neon signs glow as tiki torches flicker in the distance. From local-style hula and ukulele festivals to the palatable wave of Pacific Rim and Hawaiian fusion cuisine, it delights with one alluring surprise after another.

Much magic exists in how Oahu continues to celebrate its powerful past, while fully embracing its pulsating present. History and culture are showcased at Honolulu’s Iolani Palace, Mission Houses Museum, Bishop Museum and Hawaii Maritime Center, and the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie.

And then there’s Pearl Harbor, symbolizing the beginning, duration and ending of U.S. involvement in WWII with the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine and USS Battleship Missouri. Somber, yet uplifting, the National Park is Oahu’s top visitor attraction.

Beyond Honolulu and Waikiki, "the other Oahu" captives with lingering rainbows, hidden beaches, tumbling waterfalls and lavish gardens exploding in the vibrant colors of paradise.

Cruise the laid-back North Shore, then snorkel among marine marvels at Shark’s Cove or Hanauma Bay. Thrill seekers can soar above Mokuleia in a sailplane while daydreamers snooze on the deserted beach below. Boogie board or hop aboard a surfboard. Best bet? Catch the pros as they slash and slice through monster conditions during the North Shore’s raging winter wave season.

From jazz lounges and luaus to mild nights heating up even hotter than glorious tropical days, it’s easy to see why Oahu is the heart of Hawaii.

Hawaiian Airlines offers daily nonstop flights to Oahu from nine West Coast gateways. So your Oahu air travel is convenient and flexible. It’s affordable as well. In fact, Oahu airfare and Oahu vacation packages on Hawaiian Airlines make it even easier to experience the island.

So why wait? Now’s the perfect time to check out Oahu flights and purchase your Oahu airline tickets on Hawaiian Airlines. You’ll be surprised what a breeze your Oahu travel is with Hawaiian-style Oahu travel packages!

Oahu Island Tidbits

• Located on the island’s sunny south shore, Honolulu serves as the state capital and is the largest city in the Hawaiian Island chain. It’s also home to the Honolulu International Airport and Waikiki Beach.
• The remnants of Oahu’s first sugar mill still stand near the entrance of 4,000-acre Kualoa Ranch, the island’s largest working ranch and activity center. In 1850, Dr. Gerrit P. Judd purchased the land from King Kamehameha III. The property has remained in the family ever since.
• Iolani Palace in Downtown Honolulu is the only royal palace in the U.S. It was here that Queen Liliuokalani, Hawaii’s last reigning monarch, wrote the farewell song known as “Aloha Oe.”
• Built in 1926 as a beacon to welcome incoming passenger ships, 184-foot Aloha Tower was the tallest structure in the Hawaiian Islands until the 1960s.
• The world’s largest as noted in the 2001 Guiness Book of World Records, Dole Plantation’s Pineapple Maze is designed of over 11,000 colorful Hawaiian plants exposed along a 1.7-mile path.
• On Nov. 11, 1929, Inter-Island Airways launched Hawaii’s first commercial passenger service aboard a Sikorsky S-38 from Honolulu. The airline was eventually renamed Hawaiian Airlines.
• During WWII, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel was leased to the U.S. Navy as an “R & R” center. Barbed wire stretched across beaches and blackout restrictions were enforced.

Top Oahu Travel Tips

• Get out of town! Rent a car or board a circle-island bus to explore the island. There’s much to be missed by never venturing beyond Waikiki.
• Each Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, the colorful Aloha Stadium Flea Market brims with local fare, crafts, clothing and unique gift items. It’s a mega souvenir source that’s favored by locals and visitors alike.
• Forget burgers! Sample the diverse cuisine of this melting pot destination. For the ultimate in local flavor, visit the shave ice shops, shrimp trucks, plate lunch wagons and produce stands stringing along the windward coast and North Shore.
• A tropical sunset is even more spectacular from the ocean. Check out the bevy of dinner cruises departing Honolulu Harbor and Kewalo Basin.
• Soak in the sights, sounds and tastes of Downtown Honolulu’s Chinatown. Dine on dim sum, find a fragrant lei, shop for art in eclectic galleries and view the unusual edibles in open markets.
• Other Can’t Miss Hits – Pali Lookout, National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl, Halona Blowhole, Waimea Bay, hiking Diamond Head and Makapuu Lighthouse, bodysurfing at Sandy and Makapuu beaches, kayaking to the Mokulua Islands off Kailua and Lanikai beaches.

Oahu Fast Factoids

• Nickname: The Gathering Place
• Flower: Ilima
• Population: 902,704
• Largest Cities: Honolulu and Pearl City
• Orientation: Situated toward the northwestern end of the Hawaiian chain, Oahu lies 2,550 miles southwest of Los Angeles.
• Size: The third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, 608-square-mile Oahu is 44 miles long and 30 miles wide.
• Coastline: 112 miles
• Beaches: 69
• Highest Elevation: 4,003 feet at Mount Kaala
• Parks: 23 state parks and 1 national memorial – the USS Arizona Memorial
• Golf Courses: 36
• Average Temperature: 75 – 85F

Oahu Accommodations:

Oahu serves up 36,000 total rooms, with 31,000 in Waikiki. Major resort destinations are Waikiki Beach, Ko Olina Resort on the west shore and Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore. Other areas frequented by visitors include Downtown Honolulu, Haleiwa Town, Laie and Kailua.

Airport:

The primary aviation gateway for the state, Honolulu International Airport (HNL) is the major hub for domestic overseas and interisland flights. One of three Hawaii airports accommodating international flights, the facility lies five miles west of Downtown Honolulu near Pearl Harbor.

Your Hawaiian Connection:

Hawaiian Airlines operates scheduled nonstop service between Honolulu on Oahu and Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland and Seattle. Hawaiian also provides scheduled interisland service daily between Honolulu and Kahului on Maui, Lihue on Kauai, and both Hilo and Kona on the Big Island. Code-share service is operated to Molokai, Lanai and Kapalua in West Maui.

Visitors Bureau: www.visit-oahu.com