 |
US Airways Flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on US Airways, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Honolulu (HNL), departing between 9:07am and 4:10pm. Usually a Boeing 777 or Boeing 767-300 is flown for this route. Generally, a movie is offered on this route. The average travel time from San Francisco, CA to Honolulu, HI is 5 hours and 29 minutes.
During your Honolulu vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Lyon Arboretum
The Arboretum is closed until further notice. Six-story-tall breadfruit trees . . . yellow orchids no bigger than a bus token . . . ferns with fuzzy buds as big as a human head: Lyon Arboretum is 194 budding acres of botanical wonders. A whole different world opens up to you along the self-guided 20-minute hike through the arboretum to Inspiration Point. You'll pass more than 5,000 exotic tropical plants full of birdsong in this cultivated rainforest (a University of Hawaii research facility) at the head of Manoa Valley. Guided tours for serious plant lovers are offered the first Friday and the third Wednesday of the month at 1pm and the third Saturday at 10am; call tel. 808/988-3177 for schedule and reservations.
USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, the USS Arizona, while moored here in Pearl Harbor, was bombed in a Japanese air raid. The 608-foot battleship sank in 9 minutes without firing a shot, taking 1,177 sailors and Marines to their deaths -- and catapulting the United States into World War II.Nobody who visits the memorial will ever forget it. The deck of the ship lies 6 feet below the surface of the sea. Oil still oozes slowly up from the Arizona's engine room to stain the harbor's calm, blue water; some say the ship still weeps for its lost crew. The memorial is a stark white 184-foot rectangle that spans the sunken hull of the ship; it was designed by Alfred Pries, a German architect interned on Sand Island during the war. It contains the ship's bell, recovered from the wreckage, and a shrine room with the names of the dead carved in stone.Today, free U.S. Navy launches take visitors to the Arizona. Try to arrive early at the visitor center (no later than 1:30pm), operated jointly by the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy, to avoid the huge crowds; waits of 1 to 3 hours are common, and they don't take reservations. While you're waiting for the shuttle to take you out to the ship -- you'll be issued a number and time of departure, which you must pick up yourself -- you can explore the interesting museum's personal mementos, photographs, and historic documents. A moving 20-minute film precedes your trip to the ship. Allow a total of at least 4 hours for your visit.Parents, note that baby strollers, baby carriages, and baby backpacks are not allowed in the theater, on the boat, or on the USS Arizona Memorial. All babies must be carried.One last note: Most unfortunately, the USS Arizona Memorial is a high-theft area -- leave your valuables at the hotel.
Waikiki Aquarium
Do not miss this! Half of Hawaii is its underwater world; plan to spend at least 2 hours discovering it. Behold the chambered nautilus, nature's submarine and inspiration for Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. You may see this tropical spiral-shelled cephalopod mollusk -- the only living one born in captivity -- any day of the week here. Its natural habitat is the deep waters of Micronesia, but aquarium director Bruce Carlson not only succeeded in trapping the pearly shell in 1,500 feet of water (by dangling chunks of raw tuna), but also managed to breed this ancient relative of the octopus. There are also plenty of other fish in this small but first-class aquarium, located on a live coral reef. The Hawaiian reef habitat features sharks, eels, a touch tank, and habitats for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and green sea turtle. Recently added: a rotating biodiversity exhibit and interactive displays focusing on corals and coral reefs.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
Honolulu area, including:
Ohana Waikiki Village
Deep in the heart of Ohana country (they seem to own Lewers St.) is another recommendable link in the chain. The Ohana Waikiki Village is less than 2 blocks from the beach and in the midst of Waikiki's restaurant, shopping, and nightlife scene. The Village is considered a moderate Ohana hotel: The rooms are small but cozy and recently received new bedspreads, curtains, carpet, and a fresh paint job. There are no in-room coffeemakers, but you can get your morning cup at the breakfast-only coffee shop. The pool sits in the middle of the open-air lobby, which makes for interesting people-watching as you work on your tan. There's an Internet connection in the lobby that will hook you up for $1 for 7 minutes. Families of three might consider the studio kitchenettes, as the hotel rooms sleep only two. Helpful hint: If you prefer a king bed, request one when reserving your room, as the hotel has a limited number of them.
The Breakers
The Breakers is full of old-fashioned Hawaiian aloha -- and it's only steps from the sands of Waikiki. This two-story hotel has a friendly staff and a loyal following. Its six buildings are set around a pool and a tropical garden blooming with brilliant red and yellow hibiscus; wooden jalousies and shoji doors further the tropical ambience. Each of the tastefully decorated, slightly oversized rooms comes with a lanai and a kitchenette. Every Wednesday and Friday, you're invited to a formal Japanese tea ceremony from 10am to noon. One of the best things about the Breakers is the location, just a 2-minute walk to numerous restaurants, shopping, and Waikiki beach.
Ohana Islander Waikiki
If you're looking for a moderately priced hotel in the midst of Waikiki, here's your place. In 1997, the Outrigger chain completely gutted the old Pleasant Holiday Isle Hotel, and then dropped more than $7 million for renovations to bring the property up to Outrigger standards. In 2003, the chain re-branded the property from an Outrigger to the more moderately priced "Ohana" brand. The location on Lewers and Kalakaua is fabulous: just across the street from the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, and 1 block to the beach. An escalator takes you up to the glass-encased lobby, with the pool at one end and shops and a Starbuck's Cafe at the other. The rooms, which are all interconnected, range in size from 240 to 342 square feet and have been refurbished in Berber carpets, with Italian tile entryways, blond island-style furniture, and matching wallpaper and artwork by Hawaiian artists. All rooms have small semicircular balconies and either a king or two double beds.
|
|
|
