traveldk.com

North on Kamehameha Highway from Kāne’ohe, surrounded by mangrove swamp, this grassy, well-maintained state park offers a view of the 80-acre He’eia fishpond, the largest intact aqua-culture zone in the islands. When in use, fingerlings of the prized ’ama’ama (mullet) and ’ahole (Hawaiian flagtail) would swim into the rock-walled ponds through vertical gates called kahala , but would be unable to swim out. In this way, the fish were successfully farmed.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) leads two-hour Saturday tours of downtown Honolulu, taking in examples of more than a dozen architectural styles. Chinatown tours are led by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce on Tuesdays and by the Hawai’i Heritage Center on Fridays; Mission Houses Museum hosts a tour of the Capitol district on Thursdays.

The venerable zoological garden in Waikīkī incorporates savanna and tropical forest areas, birds and reptiles of the Pacific islands, and a children’s zoo. A summer concert series is hosted on the grounds.

This easy one-hour trek in Nu’uanu Valley is a tribute to the forester Charles S. Judd, who planted the pines here in the 1930s. The pond is less picturesquely named Jackass Ginger after a donkey that used to be tethered in a nearby ginger grove.

This country-chic town consists of a few blocks of shops and restaurants, peaceful ’60s-era neighborhoods, and a string of popular beaches. Park along Kailua Road and explore on foot to find interesting gift and clothing shops, and the “antiques corner” at Kailua Road and Hamakua Drive.

The beach at Kailua

Two miles of golden sand fringe Kailua Bay, which is divided into three sections. The northern-most beaches, Oneawa and Kalama, are accessed through Kailua neighborhoods and offer only roadside parking, while Kailua Beach Park offers parking lots, food concessions, a volleyball court, picnic tables, and lifeguard towers. You can surf, windsurf, swim, boat, kayak, canoe, snorkel, and dive here, and the view of Nā Mokulua (“the mokes,” as locals call these tiny islets) is the icing on the cake.

Unless you’re highly skilled on a board and ready to join the elite who paddle out to Point Panic every day, this park is strictly for spectators. There’s no beach, swimming is dangerous because the break crashes into the retaining wall, and sharks haunt the area. However, a broad pathway extends the length of the park offering great views, and picnic pavilions are clustered along it. This is also a favorite spot for watching celebratory firework displays over Waikīkī.