DK Travel : Honolulu & O’ahu : Outdoor

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Ulupō Heiau State Monument

Some still arrange leaf-wrapped gift bundles on the massive rock platform, once a site of prayer, sacrifice, ceremony, and divination. Likely built during the time of Kamehameha I, the heiau continued in use until the ancient religion was officially abandoned. If Kailua-bound on Highway 61, turn left into Ulu’oa Street at the Windward YMCA, park in the Y lot or along the street and follow the signs.
Wahiawā Botanical Gardens

Opened to the public in 1957, the rain forest garden nestles in a ravine on a high plateau. The focus is on tropical plants that prosper in a cooler environment.
Waikīkī

Possibly the most famous beach in the world, Waikīkī has had a facelift, with the installation of lush, grassy berms to block street noise, and an eye-catching waterfall feature. The beach remains prime people-watching territory, as well as being a gentle and safe place for swimming and learning to surf.

Waikīkī
Waimānalo Bay State Recreation Area

Here you catch sight of uninterrupted white sand that stretches three miles along the coast. The facility includes Waimānalo Beach Park, south of town, and the recreation area to the north. Both offer prime picnic areas, camp sites, restrooms, and showers. The park is right on the road but the recreation area is secluded in an ironwood grove (known as Sherwood Forest, alas, in part because car burglaries are a problem).
Waimānalo Polo Field

Polo, favored by Hawaiian royalty, has a 200-year history here. Honolulu Polo Club matches are held at 2:30pm each Sunday from June through October (adults $3, children under 12 free). There is a shaded grandstand, food for sale, and you’ll find lots of aloha (warmth) for visitors – who have included the UK’s Prince Charles, who played a match here in 1974.
Waimea Bay

A beach with two personalities. Calm as a bathtub in summer, it’s ideal for swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling. Come October and on until April, this beach (where Captain Cook first landed on O’ahu) is crowded with open-mouthed visitors watching surfers from around the world ride the wild surf.
Wai’alae Beach County Park

More popular for picnicking than swimming, this Kāhala beach is hemmed in by coral but offers access to coveted windsurfing areas and fishing holes. Watch out for – and keep small children away from – the deep, sometimes fast-flowing channel cut by Wai’alae Stream as it enters the sea.
Wai’anae Mountain Range

Composed of the remnants of the Wai’anae volcano, said to have grown quiescent 2.5 million years ago, this range is the higher of the two on O’ahu, reaching above 4,000 ft. The mountains here have a distinct wet (east) and dry side (west).
’Aiea Loop Trail

A family-friendly hike in and out of the gullies in ’Aiea Valley will familiarize you with vegetation such as ’uluhe fern and ’ōhi’a lehua . (Don’t pick the scarlet sprays of lehua flowers, custom says, or it will rain.)
’Ehukai

’Ehukai (“sea spray” in Hawaiian) is safe for swimming during spring and summer, but during the fall and winter the board surfers take over and it becomes the unofficial viewing stand for observing the action at the world-famous Banzai Pipeline just to the left of the beach park.