1 
AAA Destination Guide: Official AAA maps,
travel information and top picks
AAA Destination Guide: Honolulu includes trip-planning information
covering AAA recommended attractions and restaurants, exclusive
member discounts, maps and more.  
Regardless of where in the world you go, the mention of Honolulu
conjures similar tropical images: swaying palms, wide beaches and
rolling waves breaking on the surface of sparkling azure waters. The
paradisiacal ruminations are in no way hackneyed: You figuratively step
into a picture postcard the minute you set foot on the island of O’ahu.
Although the surf, sand and mild weather
beckon with irresistible allure, Honolulu also
thrives as a commercial center in which
Asia and America interlock fingers. The
“sheltered bay” throbs as the pulse of the
Pacific—a great place to get thousands of
miles away from it all without sacrificing
metropolitan conveniences. Don’t pass up
the chance to explore the thriving downtown
area, marked by busy streets, towering
skyscrapers and a bustling port that juggles
ocean liners, fishing boats and freighters. Sites around Pearl Harbor
reflect on the city’s tragic place in wartime history.
Both the state’s capital and its largest city, Honolulu lays claim to being
the only American city founded by royalty, but there’s nothing haughty
about it. A laid-back feel floods the lush oasis, where everything moves at
a slower pace and “mellow” best describes the enviable way of life.

Essentials
Hop on a body board and ride the gentle waves at Kailua Beach, where
the azure waters also attract kayakers and windsurfers. Brave the crowds
on narrow Waikīkī Beach and spread a towel on your little sliver of sand
in preparation for catching some serious rays.
Stand on the deck of the USS Arizona Memorial and reflect upon the
events of Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese bombers sank the ship, killing
1,177 sailors and propelling the United States into World War II.
Suit up with fins, a mask and a snorkel—all of which you can rent on the
cheap from nearby vendors—and go for a swim with the colorful tropical
fish in Hānauma Bay. Lace up your sneakers (or hiking boots) and trek to
the summit of Diamond Head State Monument, where you’ll be treated to
spectacular 360-degree vistas of O‘ahu.
Play a round at Ko Olina Golf Club, a scenic course distinguished by the
12th hole, which leaves a beautiful impression with a drive-through
waterfall just below the elevated tee box.
When the surf’s up at Waimea Bay, marvel at the audacity of the surfers
who boldly take on the awe-inspiring waves, which can reach heights of
up to 30 feet.
Taste unusual foods, listen to the sounds of the barkers and browse the
many peculiar goods at the Aloha Flea Market.
Follow the Mānoa Falls Trail, a 1.5-mile round-trip hike that traces Waihi
Stream and winds through the vines, ferns and trees of a rain forest en
route to the scenic falls.
Haggle for bargains in Chinatown, where you can find beautiful
calligraphy, pungent spices, gold jewelry and hand-made lei.
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
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Essentials Map
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Honolulu in 3 Days
Three days is barely enough time to get to know any major destination.
But AAA travel editors suggest these activities to make the most of your
time in Honolulu.
Day 1: Morning
Bite into the seared poke served with farm-fresh eggs at Sam Choy’s
Breakfast, Lunch & Crab. Called “Hawai‘i soul food” by chef and
restaurateur Sam Choy, the fish dish has many variations; often it
consists of raw ahi tuna topped with soy sauce and sesame seeds,
though some recipes match shellfish with seaweed, tofu or scallions. Or,
try a Hawaiian breakfast specialty called loco moco. A hot, gooey heap
consisting of rice, then meat (traditionally a hamburger patty, but Sam
Choy’s also offers loco moco platters with fish or pork as well as a
Essentials Details - Get additional information on AAA.com;
- GEM Attraction offers a Great Experience for Members
1. USS Arizona Memorial
1 Arizona Memorial Place
Honolulu, HI 96818
Phone: (808) 422-0561


2. Diamond Head State Monument
Diamond Head Rd & 18th Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 587-0300
3. Waimea

vegetarian option), a fried egg and finally, brown gravy. Although the
origins of this favorite morning comfort food of Hawai‘i residents are
somewhat muddy, it’s generally accepted that the meal was created as a
mish-mash of American and Japanese cuisines and so named because
the first person bold enough to sample it had the appropriate nickname
Loco, or “Crazy.”
Pay homage to the 3,581 Americans killed or wounded at Pearl Harbor
on Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese launched a surprise assault on the
U.S. naval base and its Pacific Fleet. After the early morning strike, a
dozen U.S. ships were either sunken or beached and more than 300 U.S.
aircraft had either suffered damages or been destroyed.
Whether you choose to drive or take TheBus (direct routes are Nos. 20 or
42 from Waikīkī and Nos. 20, 42 or 52 from the Ala Moana Center or
downtown) to Pearl Harbor, arrive early—some 5,000 somber tourists
visit the area daily. Several sites present artifacts from the battle, while
interpretive programs and dramatic multimedia displays and films
document the “Day of Infamy.” Just offshore is the striking USS Arizona
Memorial; the white linear structure traverses the final resting place for
most of the 1,177 crew members who perished after a devastating armor-
piercing bomb hit the battleship. At the Battleship Missouri Memorial, you
walk the decks of the “Mighty Mo,” where, in 1945, Japanese
representatives signed an official surrender agreement ending the
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
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Second World War. Visitors to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and
Park discover what life was like for the 80 men stationed on this
underwater vessel, launched exactly a year after the Pearl Harbor attack.
The park also encompasses a waterfront memorial to World War II’s
fallen submariners.
Honolulu in 3 Days – Day 1 Map
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Day 1 Details - Get additional information on AAA.com;
AAA Diamond Rating information available on AAA.com/Diamonds
- GEM Attraction offers a Great Experience for Members

- Exclusive AAA member discounts available
1. Sam Choy's Breakfast,
Lunch & Crab

580 N Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 545-7979

2. Pearl Harbor

3. USS Arizona Memorial
1 Arizona Memorial Place
Honolulu, HI 96818
Phone: (808) 422-0561


4. Battleship Missouri Memorial
63 Cowpens St
Honolulu, HI 96818
Phone: (877) 644-4896
5. USS Bowfin Submarine
Museum and Park
11 Arizona Memorial Drive
Honolulu, HI 96818
Phone: (808) 423-1341


6. Bishop Museum and Planetarium
1525 Bernice St
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 847-3511



7. Indigo Eurasian Cuisine

1121 Nuuanu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 521-2900

Afternoon
Chow down at family-owned Helena’s Hawaiian Food (1240 N. School
St.). Typically buzzing with hordes of famished locals who know exactly
where to go for simple, authentic Hawaiian cuisine, the small, down-home
restaurant also has garnered national foodie awards. Order a few
regional specialties à la carte and create your own pu-pu platter of exotic
morsels. Sample the fried butterfish collar, poi (mashed taro root), home-
smoked, pipikaula-style short ribs, and creamy squid luau (squid and taro
leaves stewed in coconut milk). Finish things up with a traditional
Hawaiian dessert: haupia, a firm, coconut-flavored pudding.
See what love looks like at the Bishop Museum and Planetarium, located
just a few blocks away from Helena’s. In 1850 Bernice Pauahi Paki,
betrothed to the future king of Hawai‘i, chose ardor over royalty when she
defied convention and instead wed American businessman Charles Reed
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
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Bishop. She passed away in 1884; five years later her spouse founded
the museum—today the state’s largest—as a memorial to his beloved
wife. Aside from housing Mrs. Bishop’s personal collection of Hawaiian
artifacts, the state’s premier cultural institution also contains preserved
specimens of ancient birds and a science center where visitors walk
through a mock volcano.
Evening
Make new friends at Indigo Eurasian Cuisine surrounded by intricate
Asian antiques, glowing paper lanterns and colorful draperies. Share
some goat cheese wontons, steamed shiitake mushroom and chicken
bao buns and lobster potstickers while dining next to a waterfall peppered
by lush tropical plants. Afterward, pair a decadent chocolate torte with a
lychee martini in the Green Room, one of Indigo’s hip lounge areas. Most
nights you’ll find a crowd of young professionals grooving to live music—
from jazz to hip-hop to reggae.
Day 2: Morning
Explore downtown Honolulu, where cultural and historic sites are
clustered together amid gleaming skyscrapers and tall, bending palm
trees. Walk through the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace to admire its
vibrant stained-glass windows, or browse the metalwork, oil paintings and
crafts displayed at the Hawai‘i State Art Museum (HiSAM). At the ‘Iolani
Palace, docents lead you through the country’s only official royal
residence; it was here that Queen Lili‘uokalani, the last reigning monarch
of the Hawaiian islands, was imprisoned in 1893 after being deposed
bythose in support of Hawai‘i’s annexation to the United States. An
accomplished musician and songwriter, she composed about 165 songs
while confined within an austere room on the second floor of this
otherwise opulent palace. Today a bronze statue of the revered queen
stands between the palace and another architectural gem, the Hawai‘i
State Capitol.
Head ma kai (toward the ocean) to Nico’s at Pier 38, a low-key,
waterfront eatery where you can savor a hearty, skillfully prepared meal
for less than $10 thanks to the restaurant’s proximity to a fish auction.
(It’s right next door, so whether you come for breakfast or lunch, Nico’s is
likely to be packed with ravenous auction workers and fishermen.) Hailing
from Lyon, France, chef Nicholas Chaize serves up such Hawaiian
staples as the plate lunch, infusing dishes typical to the locale with a dash
of French gusto. Early risers might try a three-egg fish omelet or the
French toast made with sweet bread from a Honolulu bakery. For an
afternoon visit, there’s no better choice than the furikake pan-seared ahi,
though chef Chaize’s juicy, hand-packed double cheeseburger is hard to
pass up, even at a place known for its floppingly fresh seafood.
Afternoon
Emulate one of O‘ahu’s most distinctively dressed personalities: Magnum
P.I. Vibrant Hawaiian shirts—an essential part of the ’80s TV sleuth’s
wardrobe—hang throughout Bailey’s Antiques and Aloha Shirts (517
Kapahulu Ave.), their elaborate designs showcasing the plants, birds and
culture of Hawai‘i. While Bailey’s boasts a selection of more than 15,000
shirts (you can buy a tacky-tourist polyester top for about $10 or spend a
few hundred bucks splurging on a more sought-after vintage piece), the
crammed store also sells everything from early 20th-century Hawaiian
postcards to Elvis Presley collectibles.
Now that you’re decked in more suitable island attire, the only logical
destination is Waikīkī Beach, a 2-mile stretch where sun-burnt
vacationers lounge along sandy white shores and surfers ply the waters
waiting for a wicked swell. While you might choose to spend the day
swimming, building sand castles, or boogie boarding near the Kapahulu
Groin (a pedestrian walkway extending into the ocean), if there’s not
enough time to get down and dirty by the seashore, do a little
sightseeing. In Kuhio Beach Park off Kalākaua Avenue, gaze at the
“wizard stones” of Kapaemahu and try to unlock ancient secrets said to
be hidden away inside the four boulders. Just east, across from the Hyatt
Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa, place a lei on a monument
steeped in controversy since its dedication in 1990. Honoring Duke
Kahanamoku, an Olympic medal-winning swimmer who helped
popularize the sport of surfing in the early 1900s, the statue depicts the
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
5 
legendary athlete standing with his back to the crashing ocean waves—
something a “real” surfer simply would never do.
Evening
Sway in your seat (if you can find one) as strolling musicians pluck
ukuleles and sing old-school Hawaiian songs at Duke’s at Outrigger
Waikiki on the Beach. As the sun sets, sip mai tais with your new ohana
(family) while surveying the colorful, ever-changing twilight mosaic
dancing above the sea. In the distance the Diamond Head State
Monument volcanic crater looms over twinkling azure waters where the
eatery’s namesake—Waikīkī’s favorite son Duke Kahanamoku—
purportedly rode a monstrous 30-foot wave. With its spectacular coastal
views and an open-air bar classically complemented by tiki torches and
rustling palm trees, this oasis of a restaurant caters to both tourists and
locals alike. But no matter where you reside, you’re sure to return to
Duke’s for more of its sinfully delicious fare, whether it takes 15 minutes
or 15 hours to come back for seconds.
Day 2 Details - Get additional information on AAA.com; 
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- GEM Attraction offers a Great Experience for Members



Honolulu in 3 Days – Day 2 Map
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Day 3: Morning
Get wrapped up in a quilt of sights, smells, sounds and flavors in
Honolulu’s Chinatown, a community that is resilient (it survived two fires
and an outbreak of the bubonic plague) and diverse (you’ll notice
splashes of other Asian cultures, including Filipino, Japanese, Korean
and Vietnamese). Fringed by N. Beratania, Bethel and River streets and
the N. Nimitz Highway, the district encompasses ornate temples
shrouded in musky incense and restaurants bustling with steaming dim
sum carts. Stroll the area in the early morning, when its many noodle
factories are abuzz manufacturing udon and ramen pastas. You’ll also
see (and smell) Oahu Market—offering up fresh produce, fish and meats
much as it has since 1904—as it springs to life at the corner of N. King
1. Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
1184 Bishop St
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 536-7036

2. Hawai‘i State Art Museum (HiSAM)
250 S Hotel St
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-0300

3. ‘Iolani Palace
364 S King St.
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 522-0832
4. Hawai‘i State Capitol
415 Beretania St
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-0178


5. Nico's at Pier 38

1133 N Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 540-1377
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
6 
and Kekaulike streets. Another marketplace, its maze of stalls
overflowing with colorful trinkets, is on Maunakea Street, a thoroughfare
besieged by stores proffering fragrant, handmade lei. On a busy day, a lei
shop can easily go through several gallons of pikake (a type of jasmine)
and tens of thousands of tuberoses, orchids and carnations. Learn insider
tidbits about Chinatown’s history and architecture by booking a walking
tour through the Hawai‘i Heritage Center, (808) 521-2749, or the Chinese
Chamber of Commerce, (808) 533-3181.
Honolulu in 3 Days – Day 2 Map

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Afternoon
“Watch out for falling cannonballs,” directs a sign at the Foster Botanical
Garden, located about 2 blocks northeast of Chinatown. Similar in size
and appearance to a coconut, the fruit of the cannonball tree (Couroupita
guianensis) hang from vinelike stalks covering the tree trunk. Unlike the
brown, lackluster “cannonballs” that emit an unpleasant smell once their
casing is cracked, the species’ intricate, intoxicatingly fragrant flowers are
prized and are said to resemble a sacred Hindu symbol. German botanist
and physician William Hillebrand planted many of the rare and imposing
trees found on the botanical garden grounds in the mid-1800s. Covering
about 14 acres, it also is home to dazzling orchids and primitive plants
from around the world.
Day 2 Details - Get additional information on AAA.com; 
AAA Diamond Rating information available on AAA.com/Diamonds
6. Hyatt Regency Waikiki
Beach Resort & Spa

2424 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI
Phone: (808) 923-1234

7. Duke's

2335 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 922-2268
8. Outrigger Waikiki
on the Beach

2335 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI
Phone: (808) 923-0711

9. Diamond Head State Monument
Diamond Head Rd & 18th Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 587-0300

Evening
Leave the flip-flops behind and indulge yourself in paradise. The top-
notch chefs at Bali Steak & Seafood, La Mer and Orchids will ensure
you’re well-fed on your vacation, preparing such dishes as hot and sour
eggplant ravioli, steamed Manila clams and Kobe-style beef with
bordelaise sauce. No matter where you choose to dine, book early, and,
of course, request a table with a view. Refined elegance and heavenly
Waikīkī scenery await you at Bali, a AAA Four Diamond restaurant inside
the oceanfront Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. La Mer, a
AAA Five Diamond restaurant, and the Four Diamond Orchids present
arresting seascapes at the Halekulani hotel. Enjoy a cup of pressed Kona
coffee with dessert in one of the chic lodging’s distinctive dining rooms,
then move to the Lewers Lounge for cocktails and classic tunes.
It’s 2 a.m. You’ve closed down the last bar, when suddenly, you develop
an inexplicable craving for pancakes. Fortunately for you, the red neon
sign outside nearby Wailana Coffee House is aglow, beckoning weary
night owls. Though the menu at the nondescript, 24-hour eatery features
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
7 
typical diner fare, while in Honolulu, do as the natives do—order (what
else?) a side of Spam to accompany Wailana’s fluffy all-you-can-eat
flapjacks.
Honolulu in 3 Days – Day 3 Map
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1. Foster Botanical Garden
50 N Vineyard Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 522-7066

2. Bali Steak & Seafood

2005 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 941-2254

3. La Mer

2199 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 923-2311

4. Orchids

2199 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 923-2311
5. Hilton Hawaiian Village
Beach Resort & Spa

2005 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI
Phone: (808) 949-4321

6. Halekulani

2199 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI
Phone: (808) 923-2311

7. Wailana Coffee House

1860 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 955-1764

Restaurants
If you can visit only one memorable restaurant in Honolulu, then make La
Mer the one. In the beautiful Halekulani Hotel, the second-floor spot
offers stunning ocean views, including glorious Hawaiian sunsets when
the place opens. Men must wear a jacket; loaners are provided for those
underdressed. Island flavor infuses fabulous French dishes, such as
basil-stuffed ruby snapper with crispy skin in exotic, rich sauces. For
something more traditional, choose the flavorful filet of beef. Finish your
meal with an outstanding dessert presented on an elegant cart.
Chef Mavro—the only independently owned restaurant not associated
with a hotel to hold AAA’s Four Diamond Award since 2001—flourishes
under the hand of Frenchman George Mavrothalassitis, who worked in
many top spots in France and Hawai‘i before opening his own easily
accessible restaurant just outside of the Waikīkī area. For a memorable
experience, try the three-, four- or six-course dinners with optional wine
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
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pairings. Succumb to the temptation of a signature dish: award-winning
onaga (red snapper) baked in Hawaiian-sea salt crust, Hudson Valley
foie gras and Hawaiian lobster in vanilla-coconut sauce. Such exotic
flavors as lemon grass, rosemary and Madras curries enhance each dish,
and extraordinary desserts are made fresh daily.
Travel past the airport to the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina,
where you’ll find award-winning Azul, a wonderful formal dining room.
Appetizers include foie gras, grilled scallops and crab cakes, in addition
to outstanding antipasti selections. After
your palate is primed, savor grilled beef
tenderloin, jumbo tiger prawns or roasted
rack of lamb. Two chef’s prix fixe menus
pair with an impressive wine selection
noteworthy for its interesting Italian and
Spanish choices.
Locals with big appetites for good food and huge portions love laid-back
Sam Choy’s Breakfast, Lunch & Crab. In an industrial district outside of
the Waikīkī area and near the famed Hilo Hattie store, the warehouse-
style restaurant showcases varied local favorites: freshly caught crab,
lobster and shellfish, hearty steaks, pork and beef ribs, chicken and even
Spam (a Hawaiian staple). Expect a fun, busy spot that’s great for
families. Try Sam’s Big Aloha Beer, which is brewed on the premises.
Award-winning restaurateur Sam Choy produces best-selling cookbooks
and has his own TV cooking show.
Only one restaurant in Honolulu truly serves some of the best “Hawaiian
food”: Ono Hawaiian Foods. The tiny restaurant occupies a nondescript
strip mall just outside the Waikīkī area. Locals eagerly line up outside,
some with their own wine in hand, as this place has no liquor license.
Most Ono (“delicious”) dishes—such as Kalua pig, chicken and long rice
and laulau (pork and taro tops steamed inside ti leaves)—come as
combination plates for less than 10 bucks. Poi takes some getting used
to, so you might want to instead consider rice. Check out the take-out
menu if you don’t have time to wait for a table.
The name Don Ho evokes wonderful Hawaiian images, and that’s why
his name is on Don Ho’s Island Grill. Photographs of the legend with
celebrities evoke memories, and he shows up unpredictably for special
concerts. The tropics come alive in a fun setting bedecked with bamboo
ceilings, a thatched roof and fake palms. Make a meal from pupu platters
loaded with such appetizers as ribs, crab cakes, calamari and Chinese
pot stickers. To try nearly all of it, spring for the Don Ho sampler. Also
worth consideration: pizza, veggie taro burgers, a wonderful assortment
of sandwiches and a combination plate with tasty poke (salad with nuts,
seaweed and ahi tuna), lomi salmon, pork and, of course, poi.
Just outside the Waikīkī area is one of Hawai‘i’s longtime favorites, Alan
Wong’s Restaurant. Long showered with raves and awards from locals
and media alike, this place gives you a great taste of Hawai‘i Regional
Cuisine from a daily changing menu. Innovative dishes employ the
freshest locally grown produce and Pacific Ocean ingredients. Menu
listings marked with a pineapple designation are signature dishes. Diners
can order a la carte, but for the most memorable experience, opt for a
menu tasting with or without wine pairings. The dining room can get loud
in the popular spot; call ahead to request a quieter table.
When the flagship Roy’s opened in 1988, chef Roy Yamaguchi was
hailed as the first chef to mix European cooking practices with fresh
Asian and Pacific Rim ingredients. Some called it “Eurasian,” but
Yamaguchi preferred “Hawaiian fusion.” The chef’s restaurant
conglomerate now includes 22 eateries in the continental United States,
six in Hawai‘i, three in Japan and one in Guam, but everything started
here. The specialty is seafood, but excellent choices also entice die-hard
meat lovers. You can’t go wrong with a signature dish or the big-time
value in the three-course prix fixe menu. The casually upscale dining
room features a glassed-enclosed exhibition kitchen as well as exquisite
views of Diamond Head and Maunalua Bay.
Since 1944, The Willows has soothed guests in a magnificent one-acre
oasis of verdant gardens with native flowers and waterfalls. After being
closed for seven years, it’s back serving locals and tourists a scrumptious
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
9 
Restaurants Map
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buffet lunch and dinner. Load your plate with fresh salad or try prime rib
from the carving station. If neither tempts you, try unlimited seafood from
the seafood station or items from the sushi bar. Dinner buffets include
one whole crispy-skinned suckling pig and dessert, which might include a
create-your-own treat from the sundae station or any of an assortment of
fresh island fruits, pies and cakes. Those who take the time to try this
well-kept secret won’t be disappointed.
Top food magazines have sung the praises of Keo’s in Waikiki, perhaps
the best known Thai restaurant in Hawai‘i. Devoted followers crave such
tempting and unusual choices as the signature “Evil Jungle Prince,”
which brings together fresh basil, red chilis, coconut milk and a choice of
shrimp or chicken on a bed of cabbage. Salads—such as roast duck,
crispy calamari and green papaya—can make a complete dinner by
themselves. Right in the heart of the Waikīkī area, Keo’s is easy to find
and also serves daily American breakfasts.
Restaurants Details - Get additional information on AAA.com;
AAA Diamond Rating information available on AAA.com/Diamonds
1. La Mer

2199 Kalia Rd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 923-2311

2. Chef Mavro

1969 S King St
Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: (808) 944-4714

3. Ono Hawaiian Foods (FYI)
726 Kapahulu Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 737-2275

4. Alan Wong's Restaurant

1857 S King St, 3rd Floor
Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: (808) 949-2526

5. Roy's

6600 Kalanianole Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96825
Phone: (808) 396-7697
6. The Willows

901 Hausten St
Honolulu, HI 96826
Phone: (808) 952-9200

7. Keo's in Waikiki

2028 Kuhio Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 951-9355

8. Duke's

2335 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 922-2268

9. Chart House Waikiki

1765 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 941-6660

10. 3660 On the Rise

3660 Waialae Ave
Honolulu, HI 96816
Phone: (808) 737-1177

Inside the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, Duke’s arguably ranks as the
state’s busiest restaurant and bar, drawing capacity crowds no matter the
time of day (breakfast, lunch or dinner) or the occasion. Named in honor
of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku, this popular watering hole on
Waikīkī Beach overlooks the spot where Duke caught his biggest wave.
Highly recommended seafood preparations, including flavorful fresh fish,
set you up for hula pie, billed as “the dessert that the sailors swam
ashore for.” The shareable treat piles macadamia nut ice cream,
chocolate fudge, whipped cream and more nuts on a chocolate cookie
crust.
For more than 30 years, knowledgeable diners have supported the Chart
House Waikiki, where fresh island fish and seafood serve as the basis for
such dishes as bouillabaisse, pan-seared herb-crusted ahi, prawns
Destination Guide: Honolulu 
10 
Restaurants Map
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sautéed in Szechuan chili oil and spiny lobster tail. Carnivores salivate
over juicy roasted prime rib of beef and filet mignon. Oenophiles will find
Italian Pinot Grigio to Californian Cabernets among the more than 100
selections. End your meal on a sweet note with bananas Foster, New
York-style cheesecake or the signature mud pie: three layers of
chocolate, coffee and vanilla ice cream with decadent fudge in an Oreo
crust.
Talented chef Russell Siu, who also owns the wonderful 3660 On the
Rise, pleases the on-the-go crowd with healthy, budget-priced breakfasts,
lunches and dinners at Kaka’ako Kitchen. Don’t expect anything fancy at
warehouse-like Kaka’ako, which serves good home-style cooking on
polystyrene plates. For less than $10, you can nosh on fried rice with egg
or a seared ahi tuna sandwich with soy-wasabi butter. Other good
choices are meatloaf and five-spice shoyu chicken. Tasters shower raves
on the amazing bread pudding, but you can’t go wrong with a brownie or
guava bar either.
Restaurants Details - Get additional information on AAA.com;
AAA Diamond Rating information available on AAA.com/Diamonds
11. Azul

92-1001 Olani St
Kapolei, HI 96707
Phone: (808) 679-0079

12. Sam Choy's Breakfast,
Lunch & Crab

580 N Nimitz Hwy
Honolulu, HI 96817
Phone: (808) 545-7979
13. Don Ho's Island Grill

1 Aloha Tower Dr, #193
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 528-0807

14. Kaka'ako Kitchen

1200 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: (808) 596-7488

Attractions
In a city with dozens of attractions, you may have trouble deciding where
to spend your time. Here are the highlights for this destination, as chosen
by AAA editors. GEMs are “Great Experiences for Members.”
Island ali‘i (chiefs) loved its beautiful beaches, coconut palm groves,
exotic foliage and spectacular vistas, all things celebrated in the Honolulu
area’s many natural attractions. Hike three quarters of a mile to the 760-
foot-high summit rim of the Diamond Head State Monument volcanic
crater, where you’re treated to a bird’s-eye view of nature’s splendor.
For other dramatic panoramas, venture to the Nu‘uanu Pali State
Wayside and Pu‘u Ualaka‘a State Wayside. Kamehameha the Great
scored a decisive victory in the conquest of O‘ahu at Nu‘uanu Pali, a
1,200-foot-high gap between 2,000- to 3,000-foot cliffs. Winds on the
perch can approach gale-force strength, so hold on tight to anything
you’re not willing to lose. A popular picnicking destination, Pu‘u Ualaka‘a
(which translates as “rolling sweet potato hill”) affords views from
Diamond Head clear across to the Waianae Range.
For more up-close-and-personal encounters with nature, wander through
the 14-acre Foster Botanical Garden, which began in 1853 and now
comprises 4,000 species of tropical trees and plants from all over the