Waikiki

If you've seen only one picture of Oahu, or even Hawai'i in general, you've probably seen a picture of Waikiki. That ubiquitous scene of sand meeting surf, with towering buildings to the left and a big green cliff jutting out in the background, dominates tourist stationery.

Once-marshy wetlands known more for Hawaiian long boarding and politicking than sunning and shopping, Waikiki gained sand and hotels during the late 1800s when Americans became regular visitors to the islands. Though the surfing remains, politics moved downtown when tourists and their hotels moved in. The area runs from Ala Wai Canal on the west and north, over to Diamond Head (the green cliff) in the east.

Because of the natural harbors and lighter surfs running along the southern coast, Waikiki acted as a focal government meeting place and boat landing area for the island from the 1400s on. If nothing else, locals remember the area for the 1794 battle between King Kamehameha of the Big Island and Oahu's own Chief Kalanikupule, when Kamehameha stormed the coast and led his warriors up to Nuuanu to secure his place as king. From then on, royalty used the area for political meetings and vacation homes. The arrival of Americans in the late 1800s led to the building of roads and hotels, with the draining of the hazardous marshland in the 1920s. Tourism took off in the 1940s, and Waikiki remains popular today.

As the tourist center of the island, you have plenty of choices for lodging and entertainment. Dotted with the usual chain hotels, Waikiki is also home to the local Halekulani, Moana Surfrider, and Royal Hawaiian hotels. You'll find plenty of free entertainment with nightly hula dancing available on the beach and at most larger hotels, evening movies on the beach at "Sunset on the Beach," surf and outrigger competitions, and other outdoor performances. You should also check out Kapi'olani Park, Ala Wai Harbor, and the Honolulu Zoo.

Take a stroll on the surf board-marked Waikiki Historic Trail, buy souvenirs at one of the copious ABC stores or the International Marketplace, then rent water sports equipment from any of the stalls dotting the beach. For those living the high life, Sunday brunch at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is a must, followed by shopping on Luxury Row, where you'll find the likes of Gucci, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co. The Royal Hawaiian shopping center offers a little of everything, with over 100 shops and restaurants. When evening rolls around, check out Dukes Canoe Club, the Hanohano Room, or Halekulani's House Without a Key (with hula show), for the essential Mai Tai or Lava Flow.

Waikiki borders Downtown Honolulu, the University District, and Makiki, with Pearl Harbor and the airport a short bus ride away, making it a great center for lodging, if you don't mind the crowds. For traveling, skip the rental car and take the bus or trolley, or try renting one of the omnipresent mopeds.

- Meagan Brorman