The World's Largest Open-Air Shopping Mall Is A Hawaiian Gem With Beach Views
Oahu is home to all kinds of world-famous sites from the Pearl Harbor National Memorial to the North Shore with some of Oahu's most beautiful scenery. The island's got some world-class shopping too, and one of its most impressive retail destinations is Honolulu's Ala Moana Center. First opened in 1959, it's grown to become the world's largest open-air shopping center with 2.4 million square feet spread over four floors — wear comfortable shoes! Each year, over 50 million people visit the hundreds of stores and dozens of restaurants. While it is open-air, complete with trees growing and lots of natural light, there are still roofs over the shops themselves, so you won't be caught out in the rain while you're trying to shop!
The shopping center is near Honolulu's Kaka'ako neighborhood, which also has great shopping and good food, and it's next to the Ala Moana Park, which has half a mile of sandy beach and is home to the popular Magic Island, which seamlessly blends natural beauty and urban charm. From the top floors of the mall, you can see all the way to the park and out to the ocean as well as get views of the Honolulu skyline.
There's a huge variety of shopping and dining options at Ala Moana
As you might imagine, the shopping at Ala Moana Center is pretty much unmatched, no matter what you're looking for or what your budget is. There are a number of popular, international brands, like Macy's, Lululemon, Gap, and Levi's. Plus, it's got luxury shops, like Chanel, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton.
Even though it's got so many big name retailers, you can still shop local here. CocoNene is a Hawaiian design and lifestyle brand, that features super-cute wooden frames and figurines, and Happy Wahine first opened in Hawaii in 2012, and they sell a range of handbags and totes along with essential beach gear, like towels and cooler bags. Musicians should stop by Kanile'a 'Ukulele, a family-owned shop that sells, as you might guess, ukuleles, including custom options. According to their website, they plant a native Hawaiian tree for each one they make.
When you want to take a break from shopping, you have a choice of international cuisine — pizza, Korean barbecue, steak, sushi, and more along with Hawaiian favorites like Spam musubi and shave ice. For a classic taste of Honolulu, the locally loved Liliha Bakery is a can't-miss spot, especially if you have a sweet tooth. This bakery/restaurant on the third floor of Macy's serves all the yummy food that the original location (opened in 1950) is known for — most notably, their Coco Puffs, cream puffs filled with chocolate and topped with frosting. They've got classic diner dishes too, like meatloaf and burgers, and specials like oxtail soup, chicken karaage, and miso butterfish.
Ala Moana Center has arts and culture events and it's easy to get to
You can do more than just shop and eat here. One of the coolest cultural aspects of the Ala Moana Center is that it has a free 20-minute hula show every day at 5 p.m. They also have an Art Walk, which highlights the center's impressive collection of sculptures. They host special events throughout the year, like music performances and Makers Markets, which feature pop-up shopping for local artisans and vendors.
It's easy to get to and from the Ala Moana Center. The Pink Line of the Waikiki Trolley runs between Waikiki's main hotels and the shopping center, every 15 minutes. Or you can stay nearby. It takes less than 10 minutes to walk to the Ala Moana Center from the Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa — you can even see Ala Moana from some of the rooms, and it's got an expansive spa and pool deck, so after a long day of shopping, you have somewhere to relax and recharge.