Historic Honolulu

The Waikiki you see today bears no resemblance to the Waikiki of yesteryear, a place of vast taro fields extending from the ocean to deep into Manoa Valley, dotted with numerous fishponds and gardens tended by thousands of people. This picture of old Waikiki can be recaptured by following the emerging Waikiki Historic Trail (www.waikikihistorictrail.com), a meandering 2-mile walk with 20 bronze surfboard markers (each standing 6 ft., 5 in. tall -- you can't miss 'em), complete with descriptions and archival photos of the historic sites. The markers note everything from Waikiki's ancient fishponds to the history of the Ala Wai Canal. The trail begins at Kuhio Beach and ends at the King Kalakaua statue, at the intersection of Kuhio and Kalakaua avenues.

A hula performance is a popular way for visitors to get a taste of traditional Hawaiian culture. See the real thing at the Bishop Museum's hula show , or attend one of the free hula performances put on by the Waikiki Improvement Association, every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 6:30 to 7:30pm, at Kuhio Beach Park.