Honolulu - In A Nut Shell

Honolulu, among the most visited places in the US, is a dream destination for anyone looking for a break. Read on to know why it is a great idea to have a fun-filled vacation in Honolulu, which will reinvigorate your senses.

Beautiful beaches, thrilling water sports, prolific nightlife, evocative museums, friendly people, amazing weather, Pearl Harbor; that is Honolulu in a nut shell. The place has enough to keep visitors occupied and keep them calling when they have left.

Ala

Waikiki Beach is a stretch of interconnected sunny beaches that are lined by restaurants, hotels and bars. A range of community events are held on the white sand of Waikiki Beach. The beach features lifeguards for families and individuals frequenting the sandy shores, making sure that there is no untoward incident, damaging its reputation.

Talking about water sports, Honolulu offers a whole range of activities including Snorkeling, Windsurfing, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Kayaking and Bodyboarding. Places like Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve are perfect for snorkeling. Live coral, brilliant tropical fish and sea turtles make snorkeling a rewarding activity here. Ala Moana Beach Park is wonderful to go for an afternoon swim. Honolulu welcomes seasoned as well as uninitiated surfers and kiteboarders. While the former can go pumping themselves from the word go, the latter can go for the lessons with the instructors. Equipment for all sorts of water sports can be rented easily.

Honolulu goes electric once the sun sets. Tourists arrive at the bars in hordes after a hectic day of sightseeing and fun activities to have a few drinks. They dance, socialize and not just sit around staring at one another. They love to take their energy to the max on the dance floor. Bars are dispersed all over Honolulu, so it doesn't really matter where you are putting up. Nearest bar won't be more than 15 minutes from your hotel.

For enriching yourselves with information about local history and culture, you can visit the museums in Honolulu. Bishop Museum, the largest museum in Hawaii, is regarded as the premier natural and cultural history institution in the Pacific. Shangri La is an architecturally significant home that includes a collection of Islamic artwork. Hawaii State Art Museum displays some remarkable modern pieces. Contemporary Museum, located atop a hill, specializes in temporary exhibits. Mission Houses Museum provides a look into 19th Century Hawaii. You can get introduced with Hawaii's rich maritime history through exhibits at Hawaii Maritime Center.

Pearl Harbor, among the most visited places in Honolulu, is the site of a Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. USS Arizona Memorial, located in Pearl Harbor, straddles the sunken hull of the namesake battleship. Iolani Palace in Downtown Honolulu, reflects the old culture of Hawaii. The palace can be toured between Wednesday and Saturday weekly with advance reservations.

For making the most of your Honolulu tour, you need to assure yourselves of reliable and comfortable transportation as well. You just won't be able to dig into Honolulu if you spend time looking for a taxi after visiting every site and rub shoulders with the locals in public transport. Your best bet to enjoy your trip will be to hire a Honolulu limousine service provided by reputable, local travel agencies. You will move around in the city with your group in a luxury vehicle in utmost comfort putting in all your energies and time to enjoy the place that is called Honolulu.

Honolulu - In A Nut Shell

Ala

Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu Hawaii

You've made the rounds of the beaches, and you'd like to get off the sand for a change. If you're staying on Oahu, a short drive can take you to the Ala Moana Shopping Center just across the Ala Moana Beach Park. With over 240 shops and 70 dining joints, the Ala Moana is the largest open-air mall in the world and one of the largest shopping centers in the U.S.

alaska airlines

The mall caters to all types of shoppers, but more than half the area is occupied by designer brands. Gucci, Armani, and Prada are some of the more popular outlets. For the midrange shoppers, there are also shops from the mainland such as Sears, Macy's, Old Navy, and Nine West. Of course, you've also got local shops such as the Hilo Hattie, where you can get authentic Hawaiian gear as souvenirs.

Ala

Dining at the Ala Moana is just as diverse, with cuisines from virtually every continent served at the world's largest food court. There's the usual American fare such as pizza and Bubba Gump, as well as happy-hour bars like the Mai Tai. On a budget? Grab some take-out and eat by the koi ponds or one of the tree benches.

If you're lucky, you can catch a free show at the Centerstage, a public amphitheater at the center of the mall. The shows feature both local and international acts and can be watched from the upper balconies. Hula dancers and the Royal Hawaiian Band are among the regular performers.

Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu Hawaii

Ala

Ala Moana Shopping Center - Shop Until You Drop in Honolulu

A Little History

alan wake

Walter Dillingham purchased 50 acres of unwanted swampland in 1912 from Bishop Estates for ,000. Actually Waikiki was mostly swampland as well into the 1800′s.

Ala

Plans were announced in 1948 for the shopping complex. The Ground breaking ceremony occurred in 1955 and construction began in 1957.

When it first opened in 1959, it was the largest mall in the entire United States with 89 stores and 4,000 parking spaces. The Mall of America built in Bloomington, Minnesota became the next mall to become the largest in America. Today Ala Moana is one of the 15 largest malls in the U.S.

In 1966 the mall doubled in size and added J.C. Penney and Liberty House.

In 1987 a food court with 19 restaurants and 900 seats was added.

The current owners of Ala Moana (General Growth Properties) use it as a template, and have invested a billion dollars to remodel other centers across Canada and the United States.

The Ho'okipa Terrace was opened in 2005. It has ten incredible restaurants all in one place including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., California Pizza Kitchen, Islands Fine Burgers & Drinks, Mai Tai Bar, Pearl, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Tanaka of Tokyo, and Tsukiji Fish Market and Restaurant.

Ala Moana Shopping Center Today

The mall is very close to Waikiki, so it is convenient for tourists. A shuttle runs every ten minutes from Waikiki seven days a week. It also has plenty of parking for those who are driving, and it is within walking distance of the Ala Moana Beach Park.

For the locals, the mall includes a grocery store, post office and a night club (Pearl Ultralounge). For all, it includes a huge international food court. You can also find fine dining facilities.

Interesting facts about Ala Moana Shopping Center:

"Ala" means street, and "Moana" means ocean in Hawaiian. The Developers chose the name "Ala Moana" because it explained the location of the center.

Hawaii became the 50th state eight days after Ala Moana Center opened Hawaii in August 1959.

Eleven of the original mall retailers from 1959 are still at the mall today, although they may not be in the same location.

Sears Longs Foodland Slipper House Crack Seed Center Reyn's Shirokiya Watumul's Territorial Savings U.S. Post Office Dairy Queen

Unique to Ala Moana

The mall features open-air corridors, which are lined with palm trees and tropical vegetation including real banana trees.

There is a center stage for performances which feature local entertainment including dancing, singing, and much more. The Royal Hawaiian Band (accompanied by hula dancers) frequently plays at Center Stage, which is one of the most popular amphitheatres in Hawaii.

They often have fashion shows on the center stage and since it is open air, they can have fireworks for special celebrations.

Down the center of some walkways are koi (fish) ponds with lilies where you can sit on the rocks and relax. There are also amazing waterfalls to enjoy.

The mall has high-end shops including Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace and Armani, as well as department stores like Macy's and Neiman Marcus.

Ala Moana covers 2.1 million square feet and has four levels of shopping and dining options.

Ala Moana Shopping Center - Shop Until You Drop in Honolulu

Ala