I traveled to Waikiki Beach by myself in 1987 and expected to find a tacky-touristy kind of place. I was surprised to find one of the most pleasant places I've ever been to. At one point I took a bus from the beach, around the island to the opposite side of the island (it was a local city bus and cost $1). The beach on the other side was deserted and beautiful, like those you see in travel brochures. At the end of the day, the bus took me back around to the main part of the island. The main, "tourist" portion of the island had outdoor events, with fun shopping and places to eat. And, as I recall, I took a bus to a sunken military ship (is it the Arizona?), where you could walk above the ship and look down on it. Tour guides explained the events leading up to the sinking. This is such a great place to visit! I hope it hasn't changed too drastically in 15 years!
