Free Parking at Fort Derussy Beach Park

The same information can be found at:
https://sites.google.com/site/shoheisoahutips/free-parking-at-fort-derussy-beach-park

Fort Derussy Beach Park is one of my favorite beaches in Honolulu.  I think it's better than Waikiki because it's less crowded, it's dog friendly, and there are just as many activities to do with convenient shops right along the beach.  This beach often gets overlooked because it's in between Ala Moana Beach Park and Waikiki, but it's definitely worth checking out because it's a beautiful beach.  There is a reason why Hilton Hawaiian Village is located right there near Fort Derussy.

The problem is parking.  It's there, but it's very expensive.  I was shelling out quarters for street parking on Saratoga Rd.  OK, so you're rich, and you don't mind, but there are like 10 spaces to accommodate 100 people wanting to get to the beach.  If you're lucky, or you go early in the morning on the weekdays, you might find a space open.

Another parking spot is the military parking along Kalia Rd, which is open to the public as well, but this is very expensive as well.  Military personnel get something like a dollar discount per hour so it's 3 bucks an hour for parking instead of 4.  You figure if you lay your life on the line for your country, the parking is going to be free, but what do I know.

There is also a parking structure across the street from the Hale Koa Hotel.  It's just as expensive as the military parking.  See the map below for clarification:

Here's where you should park:

To get there, you should take Kalakaua in to Waikiki, then make a right on Ala Moana Blvd, and a left on Kahanamoku St, right before the Ilikai Hotel.  Keep going on Kahanamoku, and take a left at the end of the street.  Keep going for a while, and then park at the lot located on the left at the end of the street or at the harbor.  You can also google Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon and get google map directions there.

Once you are there, be careful and read the signs because there are deceptive parking areas that are PAID parking, intermingled with the free parking, and you do not want to get ticketed, or worse, towed.

So, the free parking takes you on the other side of the beach, but it's a short walk to the park, and you get to see all of the fancy hotels and their beach side restaurants and bars as you walk along.  Oh, there's the beautiful beach too.  Now you can come here every day without worrying about paying for parking!

Sunset at Fort Derussy Beach Park

North Shore Huli Huli Chicken, Kahuku Shrimp

The same information can be found at:
https://sites.google.com/site/shoheisoahutips/north-shore-huli-huli-chicken-kahuku-shrimp

One of the great pleasures of Oahu is the food.  There are many places to choose from, which sometimes presents a problem for people who are not familiar with the reputation of the restaurants.  Even harder is finding good food served in an establishment that is not even permanent.

Huli huli chicken is one of the great foods you will find on Oahu that fits the latter category.  Huli huli chicken is basically rotisserie barbecued chicken. 

Huli Huli Setup:

Served usually out of temporary barbecue carts set up in the parking lot on weekends only, it can be hard to figure out when, where, and which huli huli chicken to buy.  I have had huli huli chicken from the Marukai parking lot at Ward, and at Manoa Shopping Center, but I'm telling you, Ray's huli huli chicken in the North Shore next to Malama's market is by far, the best.

Malama's:

Ray's:

Get the chopped whole chicken.  They take cash only, and it's about $10 a chicken, so bring enough cash to buy enough.  

Chopped Whole Chicken:

This place is by far, the best.  They are open for business only on the weekends during lunch.  The latest I got my huli on was at 4PM, and I think they were about ready to close shop. If you get there, and it's just an empty dirt parking lot, you missed them and you missed the crazy deliciousness of the best huli huli chicken on the island.  Again, my friend Tim and his wife Rosanna introduced me to this establishment.  If it weren't for them, I would have never driven 45 minutes from town to the country, just to get huli huli chicken. 

For the best Kahuku shrimp, go to Romy's Shrimp Shack.  Get the garlic shrimp.  Well worth the wait, and definitely an experience.  Go check out the pictures on Yelp.  This information is also courtesy of Tim and Rosanna.  Thanks guys!