Stories from Honolulu and Oahu
Long-form writing on Honolulu and the island beyond it — Pearl Harbor, surf culture, windward beaches and the practicalities of travel around Oahu.
More stories
Is a commercial luau still a real luau?
Lanikai was never built for this many of us
Pearl Harbor as a visit, not a checklist item
What a week on Oahu actually cost me
Rental car or not on Oahu: the decision I keep making differently
Risk and rescue on Oahu's trails
September is the secret month on Oahu
Shave ice and plate lunch: the food that taught me Oahu
Why my sunscreen got confiscated at the shelf, not the airport
The North Shore in winter: when Oahu's quiet coast turns into a surf arena
Waikiki is not the whole island
What aloha actually means
Why TheBus surprised me more than any luau
Good to know about the Honolulu blog
The blog is where Honolulu Trip steps back from strict planning logistics and covers the questions that shape how a trip actually feels, written with the same honest, no-fluff approach as the rest of the site. It opens with orientation pieces — what to know before visiting Oahu for the first time, and a direct look at whether booking Pearl Harbor tickets weeks ahead is really worth the trouble, which stays qualitative rather than inventing precise figures: for a family set on the USS Arizona Memorial it usually is, while a flexible traveler with no fixed itinerary carries a smaller real risk.
A Waikiki-versus-Ko-Olina comparison helps travellers deciding between two well-known bases weigh up the practical differences in walking distance, parking cost and quiet from the resort strip rather than relying on vague impressions. History and culture get their own space: a piece on Iolani Palace's role as the only royal palace on US soil explains why the 1882 building still draws visitors today, and a piece on Oahu's monarchy and settlement history covers what's actually known about the islands' past today, rather than repeating outdated stereotypes as fact.
Food and craft pieces make up a solid share of the blog: a Honolulu food guide covering Chinatown and what a realistic plate lunch costs, a piece on the North Shore's shrimp-truck tradition, and a guide to the island's wildlife spots — which ones offer genuine encounters versus a standard snorkel stop with extra marketing, and what that trade-off means for crowds, calm and price. A best-time-to-visit piece pulls together the seasonal picture in one place: the dry season from May to October, the wetter months from November to April and whale season, and hurricane season's storm risk traded against thinner crowds.
A safety and etiquette piece covers ordinary caution around ocean currents and reef safety, plus practical notes on sun-cream rules and parking at trailheads. None of the blog content replaces the destination or guide pages — it's meant to be read for context and reassurance before or during a trip, answering the softer questions a strict itinerary or logistics guide doesn't cover.
Frequently asked questions about the Honolulu blog
Is booking Pearl Harbor tickets in advance worth it?
For a family set on the USS Arizona Memorial, it usually is worth the advance reservation; for a flexible traveler with no fixed itinerary, the real risk of missing out is much smaller and easy to skip. The blog's dedicated piece walks through both scenarios in more detail.
Waikiki or Ko Olina: where to stay?
Waikiki sits closest to Diamond Head and Honolulu's museums with the widest range of hotel dining, while Ko Olina offers calmer lagoons near the resort strip and a shorter drive to the Waianae coast. Neither is clearly cheaper, so the right pick comes down to how much driving you want to do each day.
Why does Iolani Palace still draw so many visitors?
It's the only royal palace on United States soil, and the 1882 building still stands as the centerpiece of Honolulu's monarchy-era downtown. That combination of preserved history and walkable streets is why it remains a popular stop from the Waikiki area.
Which Oahu spots are best for wildlife, not just swimming?
Laniakea is one of the few places in the state with reliably visible green sea turtles resting onshore, drawing visitors year-round, while spots like Hanauma Bay lean more toward a simple, clear-water snorkel. The blog's wildlife guide explains which is which before you book anything.
What's the safest way to handle Oahu's ocean currents?
Check the color-coded ocean safety flags and any lifeguard warnings posted at the beach before swimming, since rip currents and shorebreak strength vary by beach and by season. The same caution extends to reef safety - reef-safe sunscreen where it's required, and no standing on or touching coral while swimming or snorkeling.
Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona Memorial tours on GetYourGuide
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GetYourGuide does not provide a product photo for this activity — the image shows the meeting point, photographed by us.
