I love the famous cities of the world. I admit it! I am a TOURIST and I am not ashamed of it. I read so many articles about how to avoid the tourist traps, but when I travel I WANT to see them. After all they are what made these places famous in the first place. Sometimes they can be disappointing but if I don't go to them I always regret it. Oahu and Honolulu often fall into the list of places to avoid. Most travel agents will tell you to go to Maui or Kauai. As for me I will recommend Waikiki every time. It's a great place to go for your vacation. There is so much to see and do there. Hanauma Bay is just like it looks in the postcards. Snorkel equipment can be rented there and they sell fish food to attract them. Be sure to look for Hawaii's state fish, humuhumunukunukuapuaa. It's a little chilling when the big ones come right up and brush against your legs, but everyone should be a tourist and go there at least once. Honolulu has a great zoo and SeaLife park, Famous Diamond Head, a dormant volcano that was used as a WWII lookout is now a state park, amazing banyan trees, a safe swimming beach and surf lessons. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the International Marketplace right in downtown Honolulu. There are great restaurants like Coconut Willie's, all the souvenirs you could possibly want and great people watching. I always allow time for souvenir hunting. My husband buys a few t-shirts from each city we visit and my mission is to find a Christmas Santa Ornament for my collection that depicts the destination. One of my favorites is Santa surfing on a stingray from Grand Cayman. The popular area around Lewers street has been transformed into The Waikiki Beachwalk with shops, dining, hotels, island style entertainment and cultural events, adding to the excitement of downtown Waikiki. Relaxing at one of the open air restaurants is a great way to relax and enjoy a Hawaiian sunset. I can almost guarantee a great photo opportunity.

My cousin lives in Mililani, on Oahu and she is always up for a visit to the city when we visit. Her husband Keith is a good sport and comes along for the ride. but I'm sure he would rather be in North Shore catching minnows to go fishing at Kaena Point. He took my husband along one night to "catch bait" and as Keith waded in the waist deep water with a flashlight and net, Don walked along the shore. He tried to step over a rock on the beach and when it moved he realized it was a sea turtle. We all had a good laugh about that and it still makes a good story. The next day we all went fishing at Kaena Point and caught some very colorful fish that the locals call "aquarium fish." On our way to the fishing hole we walked thru the Albatross nesting area. They make their nests under the vegetation so it's necessary to have a designated path for tourists so that the nests don't get disturbed.

North Shore is another great reason to visit Oahu. You can swim with the sea turtles in their natural environment, just keep your distance and don't try to touch them. Volunteers are standing by to ensure that they are not distrubed by tourists. Haleiwa is a quaint little town, that is home to several Hawaiian Shave Ice stores. Try Aoki's or Matsumoto's with ice cream in the bottom. As with all tourist traps, the lines can be long so bring some patience with you. Further up the road you'll find the world-renowned beaches of Pipeline, Sunset Beach, and of course Waimea Bay. Then there is the ultimate tourist trap, the Polynesian Culture Center, which I thouroughly enjoyed. The villages, the canoe pageant, the cultural demostrations and entertainment were all very interesting. I would go back there in a heartbeat.

I could go on about Oahu, Waikiki and Honolulu, but don't take my word for it. Be a TOURIST , go to Oahu for your next vacation, you'll be glad you did.