TRAVEL OFF THE BEATEN PATH ON O‘AHU

Mānoa Valley – Located just minutes away from downtown Honolulu and Waikīkī, this drive takes you through a rainforest and the quaint neighborhood of Mānoa and ends at a location where you can walk to a beautiful waterfall. The road from the freeway that takes you into Mānoa is University Avenue, which goes through the University of Hawai‘i campus. Along University Avenue and along East Mānoa Road and O‘ahu Avenue, you’ll see charming historic homes and lush greenery in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountain ridges. The main points of interest in Mānoa are Mānoa Marketplace, Mānoa Valley Theatre, a Chinese cemetery, Mānoa Falls, and Lyon Arboretum.

1. • Lyon Arboretum, which is located on 194 acres deep in Mānoa Valley, is home to more than 5,000 tropical plant species, including one of the largest collections of palm trees found in a botanical garden.

Tantalus – For some of the best views of Honolulu, take a drive on the road that circles Mount Tantalus. The road is narrow and has several hairpin turns with beautiful homes along the way.

Round Top Drive – On the way up Round Top Drive, you can stop at The Contemporary Museum and Punchbowl Crater, which contains the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

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O‘ahu’s Hālona/Southeast Coast – The road along O‘ahu’s southeast coast winds along magnificent sea cliffs. The cliffs and rock layers take on many different colors and formations. Points of interest along this drive are Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, Koko Head Regional Park, Hālona Point and Hālona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, and Makapu‘u Point. From Makapu‘u Point, you’ll see two islands known as Rabbit Island and Turtle Island, and on a clear day, the Island of Maui can be spotted along the horizon.

1. • Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve is dedicated to protecting and preserving marine life in the bay. While snorkeling is enjoyed, Hanauma Bay’s main purpose is to educate the public on Hawai‘i’s marine environment. Emphasis is placed on appreciating and understanding the bay and its marine life that includes, amongst other things, humuhumunukunkuapua‘a, Hawai‘i’s state fish.

Upcountry Waimānalo – For a glimpse of rural O‘ahu, drive down Kalaniana‘ole Highway through the small town of Waimānalo. As you get deeper into Waimānalo, you’ll see dozens of farms, ranches and nurseries that raise local vegetables and fruits and flowers. Catch a rodeo at New Town and Country Stables, watch a game of polo at the Waimānalo Polo Grounds, play a round of golf at Luana Hills Country Club, or relax on the white sand at Waimānalo Beach.

Pali Highway – From town, take the Pali Highway and head to the lush Windward side of O‘ahu. Along the way, stop at Queen Emma’s Summer Palace, foreign consulates, Royal Mausoleum Hsu Yum Temple, Tenri Cultural Center, and O‘ahu Cemetary. Further up the road stop at the Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout for breathtaking views and vistas of the Windward coast and the rugged cliffs of the Ko‘olau mountain range. From the Pali Highway, venture to Kāne‘ohe Bay to visit the He‘eia Fishpond, which was used by ancient Hawaiians to store fish for food and to allow fish to reproduce. From the Pali Highway, you can also journey to Kailua town or head to Kahekili Highway.

Windward O‘ahu – On Kahekili Highway, stop at the Valley of the Temples and see Byodo-In Temple, a replica of a famous ancient temple in Japan. Further down the road is the expansive

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Senator Fong’s Plantation and Gardens, which visitors can tour on a rickshaw. Continue on Kahekili Highway, which becomes Kamehameha Highway, to Kualoa Ranch where many blockbuster movies and popular TV shows have been filmed, including Jurassic Park and Lost. At Kualoa Ranch, you may also visit a garden and ancient Hawaiian fishpond, learn about ancient Hawaiian navigation on an ocean voyage, or tour the expansive property by horseback, ATV or jungle expedition.

While most visitors to Hawai‘i are familiar with Waikīkī, Waimea Bay and Lanikai, O‘ahu boasts several other spectacular beaches along its 112 miles of coastline that are not as well known. Please be advised that some of the beaches have seasonal strong currents and big waves, so caution should be taken at all times.

Yokohama Bay – Located on O‘ahu’s Waianae coast, Yokohama Bay is a long stretch of secluded sandy beach that is a great place for picnicking, hiking, shore fishing and watching spectacular sunsets. The surf is calm during the summer, and is a popular spot for snorkeling, diving, swimming, and shell collecting. But when the surf is up during the winter months, "kooks" (novices) are advised to stay onshore to watch some of the world’s best surfers tackle 20-foot waves. Visitors can access Yokohama by taking the H-1 West until it connects to Farrington Highway. The beach is located at the end of Farrington Highway.

"From Here to Eternity" Beach – Located below the Hālona Blowhole parking lot, this special spot is never crowded due to the treacherous climb down to the sand. But for the intrepid, what a treat this spot can be. The break in the ocean cliffs and the surrounding crags provide protection from the wind. Rough open-ocean waves roll up on the beach but unlike Sandy’s, a gently sloping sand bottom takes much of the punch out of them before they hit the shore. Turtles frequent the small cove, seeking respite from the otherwise blustery coast. It's great for packing a lunch and holing up for the day.

White Plains Beach/Kalaeloa – Located on the southwest corner of O‘ahu, White Plains Beach fronts Kalaeloa Point, the former Barber Point Naval Air Station. Picnic areas, a snack bar, showers and restrooms along with gentle surf and soft sand make for an enjoyable time for the whole family. Visitors can access this white sand beach by taking H-1 and exiting on Kalaeloa, then driving toward the military housing. Parking is available along campgrounds.

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Ke Iki Beach – Located in historic Hale‘iwa on the world famous north shore of O‘ahu, Ke Iki Beach is the perfect beach to kick back and relax. Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, Ke Iki beach provides visitors with peace and quiet. Beachfront vacation rentals are available for prolonged rest and relaxation. This is truly the place to go to "get away."