Top Oahu Day Trips - page 2

What a fantastic way to experience Oahu if you have limited time but want to see as much as possible. The tour operator Papa P picked us up promptly at 0555 hours from Hilton Hawaiian village. We had a total of 21 in our group. The first stop was Pearl harbor museum and USS Arizona memorial. What a somber sight but necessary to remember our history so we learn and teach our future generations. Next trip was to grab lunch at shrimp da bomb on the way to Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). The food was average at best and very expensive but we were hungry so anything would have been sufficient. The PCC was a fantastic experience which incorporated not only Hawaiian culture but Aotearoa, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga. This was reminiscent of Disney World with restaurants of the world all together. Each section had its own styles from the specific representative culture, with not only traditional shows like dancing, music and fire but hands on immersive experiences. The Dole Pineapple plantation could have been better as it was just the shop for us. We didn't have time for the train ride through the pineapple farms or the maze. Along the way, Papa P planned numerous short stops to popular touristic destinations like Kualoa Ranch where many movie scenes were filmed on location including Jurassic Park. Other brief stops included but not limited to the Banzai Pipeline, Sharks Cove and Turtle Bay for photo ops. Along the journey, we stopped at some roadside food and shopping places for coffee, fruits, jewelry and knicknacks. Papa P also narrated the trip which was quite interesting in learning the historical aspects of where we passed on the way. All in all, a great excursion and Papa P should get be praised for his interest in our personal experience.