Hawaii's capital and the island chain's biggest city is home to some of America's best-looking beaches and infamous for adjacent Pearl Harbor. Green mountains, the Ko‘loau, flank Honolulu to the east, while the white sands of Waikiki and luminescent blue water running along two-miles to the southeast have long lured visitors to the area.

O‘ahu's leeward flank faces west, out of the winds. Traced north by Route 93 as far as Yokohama Bay, the area is accessible though less oriented towards tourism than other parts of the island.

Waikiki's natural assets—white stretches of sand lapped by warm aquamarine waters and fringed with palm-trees—have allure apart from the many other area attractions. Hours of sun may call for some time in the water, and along the shores here there are enough water sports to keep you occupied.

Stretching 20 miles from Ka‘ena point at the north end of the leeward coast to the resort at Turtle Bay, this coastline's half-moon beaches gently lull you on an afternoon swim but beware the winter beast!