Hawaii Honeymoon: Our Stay in Waikiki on the Island of Oahu was Perfect

If you're a soon to be groom searching for the perfect honeymoon destination, or looking to plan a family trip then I highly recommend visiting Oahu. Oahu is perhaps the most well-known, and certainly the most visited of all the Hawaiian Islands. Oahu is the island with the North Shore, Waikiki, and Honolulu.

From my personal experiences, I stayed in Waikiki and loved every minute of it. Waikiki is one of the world's most famous beaches. The activities on Waikiki are endless: body surfing, wind surfing, learn to ride a surfboard, or just relax on the beach and work on your tan!

As for lodging, for a moderately priced hotel in a central location in the heart of Waikiki is the Outrigger Reef in Waikiki. It's located just blocks from some of the well known restaurants, and only a ten minute walk to Waikiki nightlife. You'll find many amenities with this hotel, whether it's the poolside café and bar, specialty shops, or beachfront restaurants. The lobby is actually open and airy, giving a casual atmosphere for conversing or sipping on a Mai Tai. There are exercise classes twice a week, and there are other fun activities such as making lei's, playing ukuleles, or enjoying some of the native hula dancing.

There will be a shuttle at the airport to take you to the Reef. Some of these rooms come with beautiful, breathtaking oceanfront views of Waikiki Beach. Most rooms include the following features: hair dryer, refrigerator, in-room safe for all those gifts you buy at the local market, balcony, cable TV, iron and board, and a daily maid service.

The prices in the Outrigger Reef range from $150-$300 per night, depending on whether you decide to get an oceanfront room. For booking information, contact Outrigger Reef at the number below:

Outrigger Reef
2169 Kalia Rd.
Honolulu, Hawaii 96815

I can't speak for every activity there is in Oahu, but I can certainly recommend the things I have done and that's what I'm going to do here. Ten minutes from the Outrigger Reef, on the western part of the Island is Diamond Head, the most famous Volcano crater in the world. It was previously used as one of the nation's major defense forts, but now it is abandoned and used solely for hiking and observation from the top. For those who love outdoor activities, this truly is a gem. The trail is paved along almost the entire way, but can be steep in certain spots. The hike is moderate in exertion but it is worth the breathtaking views of the entire western side of the island. It takes approximately one and a half hours to hike.

If you're in Hawaii then you cannot leave until you have experienced a luau. We went to Germaine's, located on the west coast of Oahu. Germaine's is a backyard style party where you gather for drinks, great food, and unique entertainment. Admission includes round trip shuttle rides. There are various pre-show activities, and the show concludes with the Samoan Fireknife Dancer. The scenery couldn't be better as the sunset casts an pink and orange hue over the ceremony. I definitely recommend buying a Germaine's glass mug, a cost of eight dollars but when you order drinks they'll fill your glass up as opposed to the small plastic cups they provide. It's also a neat memory to take home from your trip!

Pearl Harbor is a must see. Admission is free, however, you have to pay 3-4 dollars for a locker to put your bags in because you are not allowed to carry them aboard. Lines are long so it's best to get there early. You'll watch a brief movie in the theater that explains the significance of the Pearl Harbor tragedy and how it came to be. Once you've watched the movie, you'll board a small vessel that will take you to the USS Arizona, the ship that was sunk and was the main source of casualties at Pearl Harbor. The white memorial you board floats directly above the USS Arizona, so you have views straight down in the clear water of the sunken vessel beneath you. There is a memorial inside with the names engraved of all those who perished that fateful day. If you visit Pearl Harbor, please make a donation that is located near the museum.

Want something fun to do with the kids? Try Sea Life Park. You may recognize this park, it was in the film 50 First Dates. At Sea Life Park, Hawaii's marine life comes to life and you can see why this park is known as a world class marine attraction. You can see the dolphin show, penguins play, or the sea lions. If you have the money and decide to get wet, you can actually play with some the animals in the marine exhibit. My wife and I swam with the dolphins, which was truly an amazing experience. We got to hold their fins and they took us for a ride. At the end of the hour long experience we got our picture taken with Maui, our dolphin, and it remains as the best experience I had in Hawaii.

Those are just a few of the activities. The nightlife and restaurants are always thriving with people and excitement. Just a few places we went were Matteo's, Cha Cha Cha's, The Cheesecake Factory, and a steakhouse near our hotel. If you want a great, fun filled trip with lots to do for each family member whether they're old or young, then go to Oahu. You won't be disappointed.