Tag: hawaii

Accessible things to do in Honolulu/Waikiki, Hawaii

youshouldgoanyway

I used to live in Hawaii and moved like an idiot. Now I go back for work, visits with old friends, and some tourism as often as I can. Most recently I was there a few weeks ago (April 2019) and thought I’d share a few cool things I figured out this time around.

Accessible Beach Paths

There are several new beach paths for wheelchairs at Ala Moana Beach Park and Waikiki. I can’t guarantee that man will be there during your visit, however.

I was so happy to discover several accessible beach paths at Ala Moana Beach Park and in Waikiki. These blue paths were perfect for rolling my power chair out onto the beach. While the paved walkways are very nice to cruise around, it was so neat to be right on the beach and feel the breeze and hear the wave sound so strongly.

Free Hula and Hawaiian Music Show

Check out the International Marketplace Hawaiian Show every night! You can see all sorts of hula and some great singing an storytelling.

My friends were visiting when I was there and tried to get to a free hula show to no avail. I took them to the International Marketplace which has a Hawaiian show every night at 7pm. It starts at the Kalakaua entrance of International Marketplace with torchbearers and hula dancers who lead you to the center stage which is a magical little spot for the 30-minute performance.

Affordable Accessible Hotels

I am not a huge fan of the big resorts in Waikiki but I have stayed at two places now that were under $200 a night, comfortable, and accessible. I would stay at both of these hotels again.

  • Ilima Hotel — Older, but very clean and spacious hotel with affordable prices. The rooms have a full kitchen. A short walk or roll to the good stuff, but definitely an affordable option in Waikiki that won’t make your skin crawl!
  • DoubleTree Alana Waikiki — The accessible suites are very nice and much larger than the standard accessible rooms here. Situated right near Fort Derussy Park which is great for a quiet roll on paved pathways.

Fort Derussy Beach Park

There’s a smooth pathway along the water that gets you this close to the ocean. It’s really cool at night when there aren’t any kids screaming.

This area along the west side of Waikiki is one of my favorite places to roll on my chair. You can get very close to the waves crashing and there is a large grassy area as well. There are several hotels nearby and beach rentals too. You can also hit the Army Museum for free or take the path to the Hilton Lagoon in time for the Friday night fireworks there.

Japanese Garden at the Honolulu Airport

The Japanese Garden at Honolulu International Airport. The fish may/may not be used to make airport sushi.

I have no idea why I never spent time here in the 20+ years I’ve been flying in/out of Hawaii. In the center of the airport, one level down, there is a wonderful Japanese garden with water features and koi fish, plants, flowers, and ducklings (if you’re lucky). I had a long delay this time around on the way home and found it a very pleasant place to enjoy the last bits of sun before flying back to colder temperatures.