I was in Oahu, Hawaii in May for my son's graduation from Hawaii Pacific Univ. Thanks to my Dad's service in the US Navy, we stayed at
Bellows Air Force Station (great 2 BR condos for $100/ night)
http://bellowsafs.com/Default.asp. They have a campground there, however, that is open to civilians and honestly the beach was the most gorgeous beach I saw on all of Oahu (and we were all over that island). It is uncrowded and non-touristy. The sand is pink and the water is turquoise with either open beach or a shady area under the trees. Just thinking of it makes me happy. It is far superior to the tourist-overrun Waimea Bay beach. We also enjoyed the nearby Serg's Mexican Cafe as one of our favorite "Dive of the Day" picks -- outstanding Mexican food for super cheap. This part of Oahu is a locals-only kind of place. Sometimes even the "locals" sometimes don't know about it. My son who was posted here at Schofield Barracks for 4 years had never been to Bellows. I couldn't believe it -- how could you miss such a place!
Another great "Dive of the Day" is the
La Mariana Tiki Bar in the warehouse area but along the waterfront of Honolulu
http://www.lamarianasailingclub.com/ . It is hidden and also non-touristy (for the most part). It is the Mother of All Tiki Bars. Built about 60 years ago by a woman whose name I now forget, she picked up the whole establishment and moved it 300 yards down the waterfront when she and her business partner had a nasty split and he screwed her out of legal ownership of the land it was sitting on. In less than a week, she and the Fans of La Mariana literally unbuilt the structure, moved it, and then rebuilt it. It is funky and different with stunning views at sunset.
I also recommend Waimea Valley for a beautiful walk. It has an small entrance fee but it is a nonprofit and the funds go to preserve native flora and fauna. The walk up the hill to the waterfall is lovely. Go for a swim in the waterfall!
http://www.waimeavalley.net/Also don't miss the Byodo-In (Buddhist) Temple. Free (we made a small donation). Serene. Different.
http://www.byodo-in.com/The Pali Overlook is also worth a stop to view the island and read the brutal, war-ridden history of Hawaii. And we also went to the state capital building which my boyfriend dubbed the "Lyle Lovett" of capital buildings -- so ugly you don't really want to look but totally cool and fun.
We drove through Waikiki Beach and promptly decided it was a ridiculous tourist trap and not worth coming back. Ever.
To celebrate my son's graduation, we had an amazing dinner at Duc's Bistro in Chinatown.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ducs-bistro-honoluluAnd, of course, Pearl Harbor and the associated memorials are not to be missed (don't overlook the U.S.S. Bowfin submarine and its memorial park -- fascinating and often untold story).
Enjoy!!
