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Wandering Chef: Masaharu Morimoto in Oahu

Overview

Wandering Chef: Matthew Accarrino in Oahu

The island of Hokkaido gets more snow than almost anywhere else in the world. To make the most of a visit, you’ll need to see the mountains through Japanese eyes. And bring an appetite for sushi.

Australia’s Double Wild Appeal: Big City to Outback

Only steps away from any accommodation in Honolulu are numerous must-do Hawaiian experiences that introduce visitors to the aloha spirit of Oahu. These must-do Honolulu experiences include learning hula, lei making, discovering the past, and playing in the ocean waves, and offer visitors the opportunity to create Honolulu-style tropical memories to take home with them.

Hawaii’s capital still exudes a laidback surfer vibe amidst its urban buzz. Hotels such as the Halekulani and the Royal Hawaiian harken back to the glitzy glory days of Waikiki Beach, while the storied Kahala Hotel & Resort still affords the privacy that attracted actors, movie stars and U.S. presidents. Budget-minded travelers will love the retro-modern vibe of Coconut Waikiki, but families should book the Polynesian-themed Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach.

For fresh foods, souvenirs, and beautiful local produce, farmers’ markets and local shops peddle a wonderful assortment of island goods and produce.

Get off the beaten path and check out some of the stunning hiking trails just outside Honolulu. Mere minutes from the city you can enjoy refreshing mountain hikes through the Koolau Mountains or the romance of the surf from a shoreline path. Oahu hosts numerous off-the-beaten-path hikes, where the scents of eucalyptus and plumeria are as intoxicating as the tropical landscapes and the beautiful views of Honolulu.

Food trucks filled with the best fish tacos and seafood dot the roadways around Honolulu and the Island of Oahu. From downtown to the North Shore, trucks serve up sweets, burgers, bentos, shrimp, and fish tacos. Some sit in a fixed spot in the capital; others roam around Oahu; and several function as the catering arm of a stand-alone restaurant.

Honolulu’s last great tiki bar is tucked behind a row of warehouses, six miles northwest of Waikiki. Set on the edge of Keehi Lagoon, it shelters under plumeria and coconut trees—and will be familiar to fans of Hawaii Five-0. La Mariana defies the kitsch label: All those shell chandeliers, puffer-fish lights, and fishing floats suspended in nets are the real deal, with most items dating back to 1957. Carved tikis abound, alongside high-gloss tables fashioned from koa, the rich-hued wood from endemic acacias and the source of weapons and voyaging canoes for ancient Hawaiians. Go for the ambience and strong mai tais; the menu is straight-up, old-school surf and turf, perfectly tasty but uninspiring.

Shops, a market, and a truly pan-Asian food court wrap around a busy plaza at this classic Chinatown stop on the corner of Hotel and Maunakea streets. Note: Don’t even try to enter the Maunakea Marketplace during Chinese New Year—a 15-day festival that starts on the new moon between January 21 and February 20—unless you’re agile and adept at navigating tight-packed crowds.

Superstar chef Ed Kenney tucked his fourth restaurant inside the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, a funky Waikiki outpost that pays homage to the area’s 1960s scene. The eatery sits beside the pool, where period films screen (sometimes against a background of live music or a DJ spinning albums). The vibe hits all the right notes, from the Hawaii Potters’ Guild bowls to the custom Tori Richard fabrics for the banquette cushions. Kenney—a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist—serves elevated home cooking that draws upon the best of local farms as well as sustainably caught seafood. Fan favorites include a tangle of bright veggies topped with perfectly charred he’e (octopus) and deep-fried avocado on tacos with smoked yogurt, shishito peppers, and pickled red onion.

Affectionately called the First Lady of Waikiki, this grande dame opened in 1901. Its gracious architecture harks back to the sugar-plantation era and wraps around a courtyard anchored by a massive banyan. Pull up a chair under its spreading branches—or else a seat overlooking the ocean—and enjoy island-inspired fine dining. East meets West here with appetizers like Kona abalone bourguignon, tempura asparagus with Parmesan custards, and twice-cooked octopus with macadamia romesco. Entrée standouts include the miso salmon and Korean-fusion Beach Bim Bop starring fiddlehead ferns, kimchi Brussels sprouts, and Ali’i mushrooms from Hawaiian grower Hamakua. Save room for its tour-de-force finale: A “dessert tree” with small bites of everything from macarons to red-velvet cheesecake.

It might be the middle of the City, and it might be at the major concert hall in Honolulu, but Wednesday evenings are typically reserved for the Ward (aka Honolulu) Farmers Market. Tents go up, and local food vendors and farmers display their products with music drifting through the air. This farmers market is a great place to pick up some produce for the kitchen, grab dinner on the go, or try something new and different - like flavored butter from the only dairy left on Oahu, or farm fresh macadamia nuts, or locally made ice cream.