Balmy Breezes

A recent trip to Oahu was made even better by some helpful locals who provided great recommendations and tips to make the most of a three-day weekend.

Car rental: Little Hawaii Car Rental Co. Tae, the owner, was personable and willing to work with our schedule. He also provided a local's perspective on where to eat, where to stay and where to drive our awesome little rental car. Locally owned and operated, Little Hawaii offers a fleet of MiniCoopers at a reasonable price. If you've never driven a Mini, Oahu is a great place to start. There is no better way to explore the island than with the top down and warm tropical breezes blowing through your hair.

Scuba Diving: Oahu Diving. Erik, our guide was super flexible, knowledgeable and

accommodating. For $89, which included all equipment, he arranged two dives to the Koko Craters and The Rock Wall in Hawaii Kai. The latter is teaming with life; and with 100 foot visibility, divers will have no problem seeing a variety of species - including green sea turtles, reef sharks, spotted moray eels, sea urchins and schools of colorful fish.

During our "off-gas" break in between dives, Erik tied a bait line in open water and encouraged the divers to jump in with just fins, masks and snorkels. Out of the deep blue emerged two four-foot-plus sand sharks. However irresponsible it was of him; it was exhilarating for us divers, to say the least.

Special Event: Midnight Yacht Party. Shane Curtis is the brainchild behind FireWater Events. Four times a year, locals and visitors alike can climb aboard a three-story yacht and party the night away in style. The next event is coming soon - likely April timeframe. To stay in the loop, be sure to join the mailing list, by sending an email to firewaterevents@gmail.com.

Best place for sunset: Sheraton Waikiki has a great view and happy hour specials at The Edge bar, adjacent to the lovely infinity pool.

Best lava flows: While it's a bit far to drive JUST for the alcoholic libations, hands-down, Turtle Bay Resort had the best lava flow of the MANY my girlfriend and I tasted during our short stay.

Best kayak rental: Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks, Inc. This place came highly recommended by locals and received five star reviews from previous customers. Kailua is a gorgeous little beach community with mature trees, breathtaking vistas and lotsa' shops and restaurants from which to choose. It's one of the places we wish we could have spent a little more time...

Best free exhibit that I would have happily paid $20 to enter: Pupukea Tide Pools.

After spending $13 each to enter the Waimea Botanical Gardens in order to see a waterfall overflowing with pasty-white tourists, we high-tailed it out of there and stumbled upon the surreal Pupukea Tide Pools. As tiny sea creatures playfully darted among the rocks and soft, pale sand, we thought we entered another world - one where it was hard to tell where the sky ended and the water began.

Aloha.