Honolulu’s Waikiki beach area is home to some of the most luxurious high-rise hotels in Hawaii, like the Sheraton Waikiki, Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel and Hyatt Regency Waikiki Hotel. These are modern but you can find some historic tourist accommodation that dates back to the early 1900’s such as the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Surfrider Waikiki Hotel.

They both have been redeveloped and restored. If you are looking for unspoilt beaches with no sign of the Modern world then Waikiki beach is not the place to spend your vacation. There are many other locations around the islands. On Oahu island look on the North Shore. If you want a vibrant fun Hawaiian destination with a relaxed family friendly holiday buzz then choose Waikiki.

There are three beaches and associated parks in Waikiki. Ala Moana Beach, Kuhio Beach and the main Waikiki beach. The Ala Moana State Recreation Area beach and park is to the north west of the other two and is normally less crowded. It runs parallel with Ala Moana Park Drive. You have the Dillingham Dredging Company to thank for the parkland.

In the 1950’s they were looking for somewhere to dump a vast amount of dredged earth and sand. They were given permission to use this once swampy costal area as a dumping ground so long as they turned it into a solid well drained parkland for the benefit of the people of Hawaii and its visitors. It is a great area to have a picnic or barbecue. You can normally find an area of grassland in the shade under a large banyan or group of Palm trees.

The city Honolulu authorities have built showers, tennis courts, picnic tables, a music bandstands and restrooms. They also employ lifeguards on the beach. An artificial reef protects the beach from erosion and big swells. It has a calming effect on the size of the ocean waves so makes it ideal for swimming and children playing in the sea. Not many things beat swimming in a warm sea with a view of Hawaii and a blue sky.

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