Da Big Ceety
big fun on O'ahu

I love O'ahu. Whenever mainland transplants on this island say, "Ugh, O'ahu! I could never live there," I wonder how much time they have spent there. Often they think O'ahu is just Waikiki. They complain about the traffic. It gets slow, not crazy reckless tailgating at 80 mph like California cities, so what's the problem? Hilo, Waimea and Kona get just as slow! And, you can take alternative routes to H1 that are just fine. They go through neat neighborhoods with interesting houses and yards to look at. Honolulu is an airy clean park compared to most mainland cities of its size. If you still feel you can't handle driving in this metropolis, you can take the fine and friendly bus system (848-5555) all over the island! The weather is almost always great on O'ahu. They get incredible rainbows. The beaches rock! So do the hikes! And the residents of O'ahu are just like us; there's just more of them! Most of us go through O'ahu on our way somewhere else, or go there for some meeting or appointment. It's relatively easy and inexpensive to have a beautiful weekend there. I always end up turning my O'ahu visits into beach or hiking weekends with some culture thrown in. Mind you, the following is just a sampling.
Friday night
You get in, say, at 6:30. The rush hour traffic will be over by the time you get out of the rental car lot (Alamo usually offers the best deals for Costco members).
If you want to chill out, head over H3 to Kailua town, where you have rented a little beach house for the weekend (Paulette at Island Rentals, 800-773-0260, Code 62). You can have a quiet weekend swimming and renting kayaks, taking forays into town if and when you please.
Or you can head into town and stay kama'aina at the Pagoda Hotel, 1525 Rycroft St., 800-367-6060. The beauty of the Pagoda is that it's in the back of Waikiki; you can get out very easily.
Tired from your work week? Eat a great leisurely Italian meal at Café Sistina, 1314 S. King St., 596-0061. Feeling a little more social? Eat a tasty inexpensive Japanese meal in a lively and friendly atmosphere at Irifune, 563 Kapahulu Ave., 737-1141. Their dessert crepes are to die for!
Or, you could check out The Movie Museum at 3566 Harding St. in Kaimuki, 735-8771. Lounge in your own Stratford leather recliner in this 19-seat theatre. Or try see what's playing at the funky old Varsity Twins Theatre, University above Beretania, 973-5834.
Saturday
You can grab a good breakfast at the nearest Zippy's (call 973-0880 for locations). Or you are really adventurous and you go to the Saturday Farmer's Market at 4303 Diamond Head Rd. (Kapiolani Community College parking lot).
This is one area in which the greater island's population comes into play. Supply and demand compete. The market is officially open for business at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Before that you may touch items you want to buy. But you can't exchange $$ until the county worker blows the horn. Then all hell breaks loose. (Think the stock market exchange.) Load up with snacks for the day.
Remember, O'ahu is hot-dryer-than-Hilo hot. Keep lots of water on hand.
You are in for a real treat today, the North Shore (winds report for snorkeling 973-6114, surf report 973-4383). It's a relatively quick drive; there will just be a little congestion on H1 as you go through town, and then some quick driving for a few minutes beyond town. Beyond H2 it's a country drive. Listen to the great local radio stations: KTUH at 90.3 in town, and 91.3 on the North Shore, or KINE 105.1.
Load up on beach snacks from Celestial Natural Foods in Haleiwa town, 637-6729. Take your pick of Waimea Bay or Sunset Beach, or snorkel Pupukea. Or shuttle between all three and watch the sunset at Waimea. Treat yourself to a great meal at Haleiwa Joes, 637-8005. Or eat at any of the shrimp trucks on the slow drive back around the long way. If the moon is up it will light the whole way back for you, shimmering bay after shimmering bay.
Beaches closed due to Portuguese Man of War? Go for a hike. I especially like the Manoa Cliff Trail (2.3 mi., O'ahu hike #32 at www.hawaiitrails.org) because there are loads of the native white hibiscus bushes on this trail. The Kuli'ou'ou Ridge Trail (2.5 mi., O'ahu hike #22) is strenuous and rewards you with amazing views of the Windward coast.
You have earned a huge, tasty organic take-out bento dinner from Well Bento, 2570 S. Beretania St., 941-5261. Browse in Rainbow Books, 1010 University Ave., 955-7994, while you're waiting, and get some great Hawaiiana books at bargain prices. Go to the park at Isenberg and King to eat your meal.
Sunday
Walk off the Pagoda's incredible buffet brunch on the fun Diamond Head hike (.8 mi) before it gets too hot. Drive around the windward side of the island from Diamond Head. Take a walk among all the plumeria trees inside Koko Crater. Still feeling full? Walk up to the Makapu'u lighthouse (approx. 1 mi.) and take in a stunning perspective of Koko Crater, the Ko'olau mountains, Manana ("Rabbit") island, and Maui if it's a clear day. Drive through the old town of Waimanalo nestled under the Ko'olaus and take a nice swim at the beach park. Rinse off, and drive over the beautiful Pali Highway, making sure you take the 2-mile Nu'uanu-Pali Dr. loop. Just before you take School St. to head to the airport, eat an enormous plate lunch at The Hungry Lion, 536-1188, corner of School St. and Nu'uanu Ave. Oh, and don't forget to bring omiyage for the folks back home! Go by Liliha Bakery, 515 N. Kuakini, 531-1651.
Raining?
Mosey over to the Honolulu Academy of Arts, 900 S. Beretania St. 532-8700. Or go up Makiki Heights and gawk at all the rich houses on your way to the Contemporary Museum, 2411 Makiki Hts Dr., 526-0232. Both museums serve lovely, lovely lunches in beautiful relaxed settings. You have to take at least one ridge drive- St. Louis Heights or Wilhelmina Rise or Tantalus-to look at the houses and take in the views of Honolulu.
Whenever I leave Honolulu in the evening I love looking down at these neighborhoods lighting up the ridges. From the plane they look like lava flows going into the ocean and it looks exceptionally pretty. Goodbye O'ahu! A hui hou!
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