Little Bird Blog
Off The Beaten Path
Sea Life Park sits at the base of Makapuu Point on Oahu’s southeastern coast, about 15 miles from Waikiki along one of the most scenic drives on the island. It’s a marine park with dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles, sharks, rays, penguins, and a bird enclosure where colorful parakeets and lovebirds will land on your […]
Gunstock Ranch sits on 900 acres in Kahuku on Oahu’s North Shore, about 45 minutes north of Kailua and an hour from Waikiki. It’s a working cattle ranch with longhorn bulls, wild pigs, peacocks, and horses that know the trails well. Rides range from one-hour scenic trail rides to private sunset dinners on the mountain, […]
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Pokai Bay Beach Park sits on Oahu’s leeward coast in Waianae, about 45 minutes from Waikiki. An offshore breakwater keeps the water calm year-round, even in winter when the rest of the west side gets big surf. Sandy bottom, gentle slope, lifeguards on duty, free parking, restrooms, showers, and a playground. It’s not a beach […]
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Secret Island Beach sits along Kaneohe Bay at Kualoa, a narrow strip of land bordered by open ocean on one side and an ancient Hawaiian fishpond on the other. The secret is, it’s not an island. Visitors who arrive via the Kualoa Ranch tour cross the fishpond by boat, which makes it feel like one. […]
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Bellows Beach is a 2-mile stretch of white sand on the windward coast in Waimanalo, part of Bellows Air Force Station. It’s open to the public on weekends only, from around noon on Friday to midnight on Sunday, and sometimes closed for military training. Check for signage at the guard shack on Kalanianaole Highway before […]
The Honolulu Zoo sits in Kapiolani Park at the edge of Waikiki, 42 acres of African savanna, tropical forests, and Pacific island ecosystems. It’s home to elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions, cheetahs, orangutans, Komodo dragons, and a keiki zoo where kids can get hands-on with farm animals. The shaded playground in the middle of the zoo […]
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The Waikiki Aquarium sits on the Waikiki shoreline next to Kapiolani Park, about a 20-minute walk from most hotels along the strip. Founded in 1904, it’s one of the oldest public aquariums in the United States and has been run by the University of Hawaii since 1919. It’s small so plan an hour, maybe a […]
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The Byodo-In Temple sits at the base of the Ko’olau Mountains in the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park in Kaneohe, about 45 minutes from Waikiki. It’s a non-denominational Buddhist temple built in 1968 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii, a smaller replica of a nearly 1,000-year-old temple in […]
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The Kalawahine Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back hike in the Honolulu Mauka Trail System, winding through moss and fern-covered forest above the city. It gains about 570 feet, takes one to one and a half hours, and ends at a T-junction where you can turn back or keep going connecting to Pauoa Flats, Manoa Falls, […]
Kahana Bay Beach Park sits on the windward coast of Oahu, tucked between the Ko’olau Mountains and the ocean just north of Ka’a’awa. It’s a state park, which means camping is allowed, the facilities are decent, and the parking is right at the beach. The water here has a reddish tint from the surrounding clay […]
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Heeia Pier is a working fishing pier on the edge of Kaneohe Bay on Oahu’s windward coast, about 30 minutes from Waikiki. It’s one of those places locals know and visitors almost never find: a pier where kids can dangle their feet over clear water and watch fish, sea turtles, and the occasional hammerhead shark […]
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Kawela Bay is a small, crescent-shaped bay on Oahu’s north shore, tucked behind the Ritz-Carlton Turtle Bay and hidden from the road by a wall of dense forest. It’s part jungle, part quiet beach, and unlike anywhere else on the island. The forest is laced with trails, dripping banyan roots, and tall trees that connect […]
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