Waianae

"My wife and I came here to celebrate our tenth year anniversary. The room is small, but we expected that after reading the reviews and looking at the photos. It did not matter anyway because we did not go there to stay in a room. The home is right on the beach; we could walk barefoot from our room to the sand and water. We also walked to dinner, Waimea Bay (great for watching other tourists cliff jump, belly flop, etc) and good snorkeling at Shark's Reef and Three Tables, all of which was within a modest walk (mile or less). Christina and her family lived in their home and were present, but they left us alone and were gracious and friendly. We stayed away from Honolulu to avoid the City and the traffic. We spent most of our time along the North Shore and along the northeast coast, where we found ample activities-shark tour, kayak tour, hiking, more snorkeling, Polynesian Cultural Center, and more. We bought our own snorkeling gear for $35 at the local Foodland (less than a mile walk) because we wanted fins and wanted to avoid being concerned with damaging the mask and snorkel in the room. Since Kanehameha Hwy is basically the only road through most of the nearby areas, traffic can get busy, especially when kids' school started/ended or much of the day through or near the town of Haleiwa due to tourist, so we avoided that area except when needed. While walking was great during the day, my wife and I did not feel too safe at night walking along the nearby path because of a few homeless characters around and because the walking path is quite dark due to the heavy tree cover and lack of light. I got the impression that you would find similar characters in about any neighborhood on the island unless you are in a gated community or isolated resort (such as the nearby Turtle Bay Resort and the the adjacent Kulimia Cove, which had an unnaturally clean and manicured feel and which is nice if you that is what you prefer. By the way, Kulimia Cove is great snorkeling for beginners due to the protection from waves and gentle-sloped, sandy approach). Otherwise, we felt safe, including in our room, at the beach and walking around during the day. We had a great time and would recommend this room to any couple interested in the North Shore area."