1000 Things To-Do

The beaches of Honolulu and Oahu, today on our City Spotlight! It’s another wonderful Monday morning here at OneThousandThingsToDo.com and as I sit here in the rain in the continental United States, my mind floats to my friends on Oahu who write for OneThousandThingsToDo.com. So much can be written about this amazing island, but one of the most written about are the beautiful beaches on Honolulu and the entire island of Oahu. If you are planning a vacation to Hawaii, or just looking for another beach to enjoy, you definitely have to read all our posts here. We really have a beach for everyone, so you’ll be able to enjoy your stay in many different ways. The beaches in Oahu are amazing, and I think you’ll agree! Check these out:

• Kulamanu Beach: When my wife and I wanted to find a beach that’s off the beaten track but still on the south shore, we found it in the form of Kulamanu Beach. This is a public but little known beach that is roughly in between Waialae Beach and the easternmost beaches of Diamond Head. To get there you pass through a very nice residential neighborhood. When you see the corner of Kulamanu Street and Kulamanu Place, you’re almost there—just walk downhill toward the ocean.
• Ala Moana Beach:A friend of mine recently invited me to spend an afternoon at Ala Moana Beach Park with her and her family. It was the day of their annual family picnic, and she promised I’d have a great time. I enjoyed my drive to the beach, which is located right across from Ala Moana Shopping Center.
• Waialae Beach: My wife and I and another couple live in Waikiki and decided to do two interesting things in one: we rented little scooter-bikes and drove them to Waialae Beach. I call them “scooter-bikes” for lack of a better term—they are motorized three-wheeled vehicles with seats for two people, including the driver, and a small trunk space in back. They are painted bright colors like yellow and red, and have orange bike flags attached to them for better visibility to traffic.
• Diamond Head: When my wife and I want to go to an un-crowded beach right next to Waikiki, we head for the shores of Diamond Head. The iconic landmark of Oahu, Diamond Head is the extinct volcano on the east end of Waikiki. There are upscale neighborhoods such as Hawaii Kai that border the land side of Diamond Head, but the side that faces the oceans has some of the best beaches on Oahu’s south shore.
• For DeRussy Beach:My wife and I have made a few visits to Fort DeRussy Beach, on the west end of Waikiki (towards Ewa), and have always done something different each time we went. It’s an excellent beach to spend the day at. We found that the beach here is wider than on Waikiki Beach proper (i.e. the area in front of the Royal Hawaiian), and there is a protected area inside the reef offering calm and shallow water. There are also beach rentals on the sand for kayaks, floats, and aqua bikes.
• Walls: Bodyboarding (also known as “boogie-boarding,” after Morey Boogie, a popular brand of bodyboard) is a form of wave riding where riders use a short foam board to ride waves, usually in a prone position, but also sometimes knee-boarding or even standing up. In Waikiki there is great bodyboarding spot called “Walls,” named after a prominent seawall there with a gazebo on the end of it. This structure is formally known as the Kapahulu Groin. To get there, go to the intersection of Kapahulu and Kalakaua in Waikiki.
• Oahu Circle Island Tour: There’s no reason to limit your visit on Oahu to Honolulu and Waikiki. The diverse island of Oahu is small enough to drive around in one day, and it is well worth the effort. In fact, driving tours of the island are so common that one of the more popular general routes has a name: the “circle island tour.”
• Oahu East Side: I recently moved to Hawaii and I’m pretty much seeing and learning things first hand here. I have to say, I think I made the right decision. My cousin recently bought an LR camera and he took me to a beach-hopping drive starting from Waimanalo to take his toy on a field test.
• Makapuu Tide Pools: Oahu’s Windward side is packed with abundant natural treasures. One really fun treasure to explore is the trail to Makapuu Lighthouse. On the way to the lighthouse, you can hike down to the lava rock surface that houses the warm tide pools.
• White Plains Beach: If you live in Ewa Beach or Kapolei, you don’t have to drive very far to get to some great beaches. One of these is White Plains Beach, near Kalaeloa. From what I understand, this used to be a part of Barber’s Point Naval Station, but is now open to everyone. Finding it, however, isn’t that easy unless you know where you’re going. Maybe this is why it’s not super crowded like some of the more touristy beaches. White Plains is definitely off the beaten path, and as you’re driving there, you may even wonder if you’re going to the right place!
• Eternity Beach: The next really cool, out of the way place I’d like to tell folks about is one of our favorite beaches on the planet. It’s known to the locals as Eternity Beach. Some of my friends will probably want to kick me for telling the world about it, so let’s hope it remains a secret!

But don’t worry if you didn’t read about a beach in Oahu that you liked here, just search for “beaches” at honoulu.onethousandthingstodo.com or go here, Oahu Beaches, to read about all the amazing beaches our writers are visiting right now!