Hilo Hattie's is an interesting thing. They're kind of like ABC Stores. No local would go to one in Hawai'i but as soon as they see one of them on the mainland they have to go in.

Lani is completely incapable of not going into either of them when we see one in some mainland city.

And speaking of malasadas, the Punahou Carnival is next weekend. So people are soon going to be stuffed on them (at least UH employees).

Well, Jazzman- that explains why my MIL was so anxious to go to the Polynesian Center.:rolleyes: What a drag that they were sold out on the day we spent in Waikiki. I think I would have been really pissed to get there, pay as much as one has to, and then been subjected to the Mormon version of Polynesia. Damn, she's sneaky. (Always trying to get me to read 'historical novels' written by Mormon authors which present a lily-white view of the religion's history, etc).

Anyway- we loved Waikiki. Yes, it's small, but there is lots to do and it's a beautiful beach. We never had a problem finding a place to park our butts and there is a great bar called Dukes where you can get drinkies.:cheers: We stayed at the Outrigger Waikiki and had an ocean view room that was really nice. I understand the Outrigger chain also has condos- try checking out their website. (The Outrigger hotel also has a webcam that shows the beach and Diamondhead so you can see for yourself what it looks like).

Have fun!

If you want to experience Waikiki Beach I suggest going to the island of Moloka'i since that is where they ship the sand in from. If you're in that area, I'd recommend going to Ala Moana Beach nearby (it is also near the Ala Moana Shopping Center). Much more space and a more local vibe without the beach squatters you might find at other non-touristy beaches.

I assume it is still there but right on the edge of Waikiki there is a 24-hour Sizzlers. Don't eat there. Trust me, DO NOT EAT THERE.

One does not go to Waikiki to experience the sand. That would be tantamount to saying, "go to Magic Mountain because they have a similar kind of asphalt as Disneyland."

Poor Alex. He just can't get over his curmudgeonliness.

I know one does not go to Waikiki to experience the sand. I just can't imagine why anybody'd really want to experience what else is there. To me, saying Waikiki is cool and a good thing to do in Hawaii is like saying "go to San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf is really cool and the mass of tourists helps keep the locals out of sight."

It's a narrow strip of imported sand surrounded by tacky megahotels and thousands of other people who also flew thousands of miles to get away from home so they can surround themselves with the people available to them when they were at home.

Some people like that. Some people don't. I'm giving my tips and advice from my perspective of it being something to experience for about 3 hours so you can realize just how horrible it is and then go elsewhere. RStar, is free to pick and choose as he likes. I suppose this is just the same conversation as the recent Bubba Gump brouhaha. Why would you go all that way to a very different type of place just to spend a lot of time in the least authentic, most corporately manufactured part of it?

Ala Moana Beach is also imported sand but it is only a mile away and, in my opinion, a much more interesting experience if lounging at the beach is your thing. So that's my recommendation.

I understand what Alex is trying to say about Waikiki, but I must admit I'll always remember the feeling of riding in on a huge longboard, in nice warm clear water, looking over, and seeing Diamond Head.

Thanks Alex. I respect all opinions, but yours more than others. Unless we're talking movies. (inserts smiley that Alex doesn't see). Just kidding....

So, how does one look into the opertunity to rent a condo for a week? Will I miss part of the experience by not getting a fancy hotel room?

It's gone.

Ooh, that's good to know. Too many nights spent in there studying with groups. It was such awful food (even compared to the average Sizzler).

Honestly, kalua pig is touching the line of "As good as sex." Words cannot express the kind of tingly, feel good vibes that course through my veins, welling from the very core of my soul whenever I consume a plate of kalua pig. If my wife wouldn't strangle me, I'd name our first child "Kalua."

Ouch. I won't dive into my sentiments regarding the Mormons in general, but I do always believe that people deserve to know what the truth of PCC is when contemplating going there. It isn't that it's a bad park necessarily, but with the way it is presented and then what it actually is has always felt like a classic Bait-And-Switch to me. The park is very pretty, entertaining and well run and a good time can be had, but to me it's akin to setting up a Pirates of the Caribbean clone in Jamaica and advertising it as an authentic depiction of Buccaneer life in the old days. And, there's much better food and shows elsewhere so I don't see much reason to spend a whole day on it either.

I always kinda wondered about that. I figured that Hattie's was a place that locals rolled their eyes at but secretly appreciated was there. Knowing that it's irresistible on the mainland cracks me up. I imagine displaced islanders putting on trench coats and big sunglasses and sneaking off to Hilo Hattie's for a quick fix. :D