Waikiki Beach

World-famous Waikiki Beach is Oahu’s premiere resort beach with a string of hotels lining its busy shore. Needless to say, it’s not the place to be if you’re looking to escape crowds of vacationers. However, if you favor happening spots with plenty of restaurants, shopping, rentals, etc. at your disposal, Waikiki is the beach for you. The beach itself is relatively small, with half its length reserved for surfers. Its waters are shallow and the waves long and rolling (save for especially windy days), making it an ideal spot for beginning surfers, tandem surfers, and longboarding. In fact, in the 19th Century, Waikiki was an exclusive surfing spot retreat for Hawaiian royalty who rode on early model longboards. Later that century (in the 1880s) a few hotels were built in the area, and the rest is luxury resort town history.