Best of Oahu Activities: Aloha Tower

This tower used to be the tallest building on the island, but with the influx of skyscrapers that come with an international tag, it feels so small (1 Aloha Tower Drive, Honolulu, HI 96813). We went on a rainy day and scurried from our metered parking spot. It is free to enter and the old elevator ride up to the 10^th floor feels almost as long as that to the top of Albany’s Corning Tower! It was hot in the elevator too, but we made it. The observation deck is pretty small, there are four different doors to choose from and each has a slightly unique view. It all felt very retro, but the views were indisputably charming.  We stayed on the 18^th floor of our hotel, hiked to many overlooks higher than this, and went on the Tantalus Round Top Drive…I can’t say that this was the best view we saw in Oahu but I am glad visited for the kitsch factor. As of right now work is being done on the marketplace that the tower is in, making it feel a bit more desolate. I can imagine the place being much more bustling when it reopens. It would be a great place to see a beautiful view if hiking isn’t your thing and you didn’t stay in a high-rise hotel.