REALLY last minute. What to do in Honolulu for 7 hours?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

UPDATE:

Thanks to all who gave me suggestions here and via PM.

As we landed, I was able to view Pearl Harbor and the Battleship Arizona Memorial…even from a distance, it gave me reason to pause and remember.

My flight arrived before 7am and I was thru US Customs/Immigration and was able to re-check my luggage by 7:30.
Sat on a bench outside and made several phone calls - a local person sitting next to me overheard and suggested I could take 'SpeediShuttle" for $15 http://www.speedishuttle.com .

This option took about 45 minutes because I just missed a shuttle and I waited to leave the airport x 20 minutes. For one person this was fine but if I were two or three people I would definitely cab it for the small price difference.

Had the shuttle drop me off at the Moana Surfrider Westin http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin...propertyID=374 a beautiful old hotel right on the beach. I walked around the lobby and headed to the beach. Walked the beach admiring the view of Diamond Head that just got better and better as I strolled.
Walked past the Outrigger and the beautiful Royal Hawaiian.

Ended up at the Sheraton Waikiki http://www.sheraton-waikiki.com where I purchased a Peetes coffee and croissant and spent an hour sitting on the deck enjoying the spectacular Diamond Head view.

Finally walked over to the Halekulani http://www.halekulani.com from there grabbed a cab back to the airport - there was traffic so took 20 minutes and the fare was $40 - was back by 12. I have TSA Precheck so was thru security in under 10 minutes.

Next time I hope to spend more then 5 hours….

[taffy19 Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close taffy19]

Good for you that you saw a glimpse of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head as well as some of the nicest hotels on the beach.

I am sure that the restaurants were pretty full everywhere so that wasn't an option.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Good for you that you saw a glimpse of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head as well as some of the nicest hotels on the beach.

I am sure that the restaurants were pretty full everywhere so that wasn't an option.

I was there rather early but you could see the tables filling up fast as it was Mother's Day. The cab driver commented on the large amount of pedestrian and vehicular traffic ..... It was really lovely...in some way walking along the beach with all the hotels reminded me of the high rise area of Aruba - but with mountains !