Water activities have been a part of Hawaiian culture for many years, and Waikiki has a rich history in this regard. Waikiki means spouting waters in Hawaiian. The Hawaiian royals turned Waikiki into their playground during the 1800s, where they enjoyed surfing on longboards. The water provides the best conditions for longboarding, so the tradition continues today. As the 1800s progressed, the royals launched several smaller hotels. In 1901, they opened their first large hotel, the Moana Surfrider. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel dates back to the early 20th century.
In the 1960s, mega-resorts with mass appeal opened, including the Ilikai (which appeared in Hawaii Five-O’s opening credits). With fast jets like the DC-8, the islands could be reached in a few hours by the US mainland. The 747 brought thousands of tourists to Hawaii every day. For the first time, one million visitors filled approximately 15,000 hotel rooms in 1968.
Also, check Waikiki in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
#1 Another beautifully detailed Birdseye view of Waikiki development at the end of the 1950s based on the buildings in the scene, 1960
#2 Panoramic view of Waikiki looking west from the Captain Cook restaurant atop the Princess Kaiulani Hotel on Kalakaua Avenue, 1962
#3 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking east from the corner of Kaiulani Avenue (center left), 1960
#4 Grounds at the 5-floor Polynesian Hotel on the corner of Beach Walk and Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, 1960
#5 Looking Diamond Head along Kuhio Avenue from the “new” Islander Hotel on the northwest corner with Seaside Avenue, 1964.
Opened 1956 as the Waikiki Surf Hotel and renamed the Islander Hotel sometime after its 1958 acquisition by Roy Kelley. The original Islander Hotel makai on Seaside Avenue behind the Waikiki Theatre was sold and renamed around the same time (mahalo to Dr. Richard Kelley for information on the evolution of the Islander Hotel).
#6 Waikiki Kalakaua Avenue, 1961
#7 Kalakaua Avenue from the Top of Waikiki restaurant at the Waikiki Business Centre, 1966
#8 Looking Diamond Head (east) along Waikiki’s Koa Avenue from the 12 floor 1955 Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1963
#9 View along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Ave. looking towards the new Waikiki Beach Center from an upper floor of the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1962.
#10 Diamond Head view along Kalakaua Avenue from an upper floor at the 12-story Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1962
#11 Pretty afternoon light looking Diamond Head along Kalakaua Avenue from an upper floor at the 12 floor Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1963.
#12 Pretty Ocean view from an upper floor at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1963
#13 PK Afternoon View Waikiki, 1963.
#14 View from the 12-floor Princess Kaiulani Hotel looking makai (towards the ocean) early evening, 1963
#15 Kalakaua Avenue viewed from an upper floor, probably at the 1967 Holiday Isle Hotel on Lewers Street, 1968
#16 Oldsmobile Model R Curved Dash Runabout on the sidewalk in front of Waikiki’s Moana Hotel Advertising Na Kupuna (the elders) Night Wednesdays in the Banyan Court, 1962
#17 Street front of the Moana Hotel viewed from across Kalakaua Avenue, 1960s
#18 Afternoon at the Moana Hotel on Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1969
#19 The porte-cochere entrance to the stately Moana Hotel seen from across Kalakaua Avenue, 1962
#20 Looking Ewa (more or less west here) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua avenue from the intersection with Kaiulani Avenue, 1962
#21 Looking west along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from the Kaiulani Avenue intersection, 1962
#22 Waikiki’s busy Kalakaua Avenue from in front of the Moana Hotel, 1962
#23 Andrade’s menswear on the northeast corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Kaiulani in Waikiki, 1960.
#24 Looking makai along Kaiulani Avenue from the corner of Koa Avenue, 1964
#25 Kalakaua Avenue looking Ewa (west) from the intersection with Kaiulani Avenue, 1960
#26 Mauka view along Kaiulani Avenue at the intersection with Kalakaua Avenue, 1962
#27 Looking inland along Kaiulani Avenue from just before Koa Avenue in Waikiki, 1969
#28 Mountain view from an upper floor at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1962
#29 Mauka view of Kuhio Avenue and vicinity from an upper floor at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1962
#30 Inland view of Kuhio Avenue and beyond from an upper floor at the Diamond Head Wing of the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1962
#31 Looking east along Kalakaua Avenue from around where the Waikiki Theater, 1963
#32 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking towards the Moana Hotel from around the International Market Place, 1960
#33 Further Diamond Head along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1964
#34 Street level shot taken from the crosswalk of the International Market Place looking makai across Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1962
#35 Street level shot taken from the crosswalk at the International Market Place looking makai across Kalakaua Avenue, 1962
#36 The Princess Kaiulani Hotel can be glimpsed across Kalakaua Avenue in the heart of Waikiki, 1964
#37 Royal Hawaiian Driveway, 1964.
#38 Kalakaua Avenue scene next to the Moana Hotel and the long-gone Outrigger Arcade, 1960s
#39 Pretty lei seller at an unidentified location but probably somewhere on Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1963
#40 Looks like this would have been right around the old Stewart’s Pharmacy on Kalakaua Avenue at Lewers in Waikiki, 1963
#41 Looking Diamond Head (more less east) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from in front of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Arcade, 1960s
#42 Hawaiiana and souvenir vendors on the sidewalk of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue fronting the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 1961
#43 Our pretty blonde snapped amid the lei sellers and tourists on the makai sidewalk of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1960
#44 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking makai (towards the ocean) from the old Royal Hawaiian Avenue driveway (out of frame and across the street at left), 1960s
#45 Watu mull Beach Shops on the makai side of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue between Lewers and Royal Hawaiian were renamed the “Royal Block”, 1966
#46 Watumull Beach Shops (by then renamed the Royal Block) with the distinctive palm tree pukas, on the makai side of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue in front of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 1961
#47 Looking Ewa (more or less west here) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from around Royal Hawaiian Avenue, 1964
#48 Early morning looking west along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from the intersection with Seaside Avenue, 1967
#49 Ewa view (more or less west here) along Kalakaua Avenue between Royal Hawaiian and Lewers back when Kalakaua was still a two-way street and after the on-street parking and parking meters were gone, 1969
#50 Looking west along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from in front of Liberty House Waikiki, 1962
#51 The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Arcade on Kalakaua Avenue across from Liberty House department store and the Waikiki Theater, 1962
#52 The old Royal Hawaiian Shopping Arcade on the makai side of Kalakaua Avenue fronting the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 1967
#53 The 1958 McInerny Waikiki department store seen from across Kalakaua Avenue between Seaside and Royal Hawaiian Avenues, 1963
#54 Overexposed but still interesting street level view of the Vladimir Ossipoff designed McInterny’s department store on Kalakaua Avenue, 1968.
#55 Ladies’ swimwear display at the 1958 McInerny’s Waikiki on the makai side of Kalakaua Avenue at Seaside, 1966
#56 Cutie at a department store, MacInerny’s Waikiki perhaps based on the other photos, 1966
#57 Heading Diamond Head (east) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1964
#58 Heading Diamond Head (east) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1964
#59 Afternoon looking Diamond Head (east) along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from the intersection with Seaside Avenue, 1967.
#60 Mauka view (inland) along Waikiki’s Seaside Avenue from the corner of Kalakaua Avenue, 1963.
#61 Waikiki’s busy Kalakaua Avenue viewed from the original driveway at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 1965.
#62 Eight story apartment hotel on the corner of Seaside Avenue and Lauula Street, one block mauka of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1960s.
#63 Late afternoon light looking east along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from near the Lewers Street intersection, 1965
#64 Two-way traffic and on-street parking along Waikiki’s busy Kalakaua Avenue at Royal Hawaiian Avenue, 1966
#65 Looking east along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from the intersection with Royal Hawaiian Avenue at left, 1966
#66 Street level view of Woolworth’s Waikiki on the mauka side of Kalakaua Avenue at Royal Hawaiian Avenue, 1966
#67 Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian Avenue looking mauka (inland) from the corner of Kalakaua Avenue, 1967
#68 Cute keiki behind the wheel of a rare 1960 Renault Ghia 4CV Resort Special in the wild. View is from the Ewa (west) side of Royal Hawaiian Avenue looking makai (seaward) towards Kalakaua Avenue, 1960s
#69 View along Waikiki’s Saratoga Road from the intersection with Kalia Road (foreground), 1962
#70 Aloha Week parade on Kalakaua Avenue just east of Seaside Avenue with a couple of old Waikiki buildings still standing in the background, 1961
#71 Pa’u Rider in the Aloha Week parade in Waikiki passing by long-time Union 76 gas station on the corner of Kalakaua Avenue at Seaside, 1961
#72 Aloha Week parade on Kalakaua Avenue east of Seaside Avenue, 1961
#73 Liberty House Waikiki department store on Kalakaua Avenue which was right next to the old Waikiki Theatre, 1961
#74 Liberty House Waikiki department store on Kalakaua Avenue, 1961.
The Waikiki Pharmacy Restaurant serving breakfast, luncheon, and dinner, which was part of Liberty House, is at left. Note the palm trees growing through cut-outs in the sidewalk overhang. This store opened 1937 and closed 1969 to make way for the 33 floor Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel which opened 1970. Liberty House moved into the hotel's ground floor still fronting on Kalakaua. It has been Macy’s Waikiki since 2001.
#75 The Waikiki Theatre viewed twenty-nine years later from across Kalakaua Avenue, 1965.
#76 Looking across Kalakaua Avenue at the old Liberty House Waikiki, 1966
#77 Looking ewa along Kalakaua Avenue from around the Outrigger Hotel, 1968
#78 Morning view along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking Diamond Head from the Royal Hawaiian Hotel’s street front gardens, 1963
#79 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking Diamond Head (more or less east) from around the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Arcade, 1965
#80 Detailed Street level snap looking Diamond Head along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1965
#81 Liberty House Waikiki, 1965.
#82 International Market Place from across Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1960
#83 Old Outrigger Arcade looking across Kalakaua Avenue at the now-gone International Market Place, 1960
#84 Looking mauka across Kalakaua Avenue towards the International Market Place, 1961
#85 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue seen from the Outrigger Arcade between the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Hotels, 1963
#86 The International Market Place on Kalakaua Avenue in the heart of Waikiki, 1962
#87 Waikiki’s busy Kalakaua Avenue looking inland at the International Market Place, 1960s
#88 Morning light in Waikiki looking across Kalakaua Avenue at the International Market Place, 1962
#89 The International Market Place on the mauka side Kalakaua Avenue, 1960
#90 International Market Place on Kalakaua Avenue in the center of Waikiki, 1962
#91 Busy mid-century Kalakaua Avenue when Waikiki was still a low-rise paradise, 1960
#92 Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking Diamond Head from the crosswalk in front of the International Market Place, 1963
#93 KCCN Treehouse Waikiki, 1968.
#94 Asia Joe’s import shop in Waikiki’s 1957 International Market Place, 1960
#95 Exotica at the Hardwoods Hawaii shop (mahalo Hebneh) in Waikiki’s International Market Place, 1963
#96 The Hardwoods Hawaii shop (mahalo Hebneh) at the International Market Place in Waikiki, 1968
#97 Looking ewa along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki from around the Princess Kaiulani Hotel storefronts, 1964
#98 Bus driver’s eye view looking west along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue at the intersection with Kaiulani when Kalakaua was still a two-way street, 1966
#99 Waikiki Beach Press picketers protesting on Kalakaua Avenue in front of the International Market Place, 1965
#100 Waikiki’s busy Kalakaua Avenue looking more or less west here, 1960s
#101 New towers on Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue in this view looking Ewa (more or less west here) from the street front shops at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, 1967
#102 Looking west along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from the Kaiulani Avenue intersection, 1960s
#103 Street front of the 21 floor Surfrider Hotel tower built 1969 on Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1969
#104 Looking makai along Lewers Street towards the Kalakaua Avenue intersection, 1962
#105 Looking Ewa (more or less northwest here) along Kalakaua Avenue from the Lewers Street intersection, 1960
#106 Looking mauka (inland) along Lewers Street at the Kalakaua Avenue intersection, 1960
#107 Looking Diamond Head along Kalakaua Avenue from the Lewers Street intersection, 1960
#108 Underexposed but interesting snap looking Diamond Head along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from near the Lewers Street intersection, 1960
#109 Interesting view looking Diamond Head along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue towards the Lewers Street intersection, 1960
#110 View is looking mauka (inland) side of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue just Ewa (west) of Lewers Street, 1968.
#111 Street level view of the 14 floor Holiday Isle Hotel on the makai side of Kalakaua Avenue at Lewers Street, 1960
#112 Diamond Head facing room at the Holiday Isle Hotel which is described as “new” in the caption, 1960s.
#113 Four story “Googie” style addition to the Coconut Grove Hotel’s original cottages, built by Walker Moody Construction, 1960
#114 Looking towards the ocean along Waikiki’s Saratoga Road, 1960
#115 Another view along Waikiki’s Saratoga Road from a slightly different perspective, 1960
#116 Street level view looking inland along Waikiki’s Saratoga Road across from Fort DeRussy, 1960
#117 Aloha Punawai Apartment Hotel at 305 Saratoga Road in Waikiki, 1960
#118 Early hi-rise development seen from the mauka (inland) side of Kalia Road at Beachwalk, 1962
The Reef Hotel (left) was built on the beachfront half of the Edgewater Bungalows. The other half shown here will be gone within a year. The 14 floor Waikiki Shore Apartment Hotel (right) was built on the small footprint of the old YWCA beach house and now towers over Roy Kelley's 10 floor Reef Hotel
#119 The Reef Hotel and Waikiki Shore Apartment Hotel viewed from Kalia Road at Beachwalk, 1963
#120 First Reef Tower Lewers, 1960.
#121 On Beach Walk just makai of Kalakaua Avenue, 1961
#122 Lots of old buildings in this elevated view of Waikiki looking inland, 1964
#123 Looking inland across the Waikiki cityscape towards the clouds over the Koolau Mountains, 1960
#124 View appears to be from the 9-story Waikiki Royal Hotel on Beach Walk looking towards Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki, 1961
#125 Heading Ewa (west) Waikiki’s along busy Kalakaua Avenue at the intersection with Beach Walk, 1964
#126 Looking diamond head along Kuhio Avenue from the northwest corner with Seaside Avenue, 1960
#127 Looking inland from the “new” Islander Hotel on the NW corner of Seaside and Kuhio Avenues, 1964
#128 On the northwest corner of Kuhio Avenue and Launiu Street in Waikiki, 1963.
#129 Looking ewa along Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki from in front of the Surfrider Hotel just diamond head of Kaiulani Avenue, 1967
#130 Looking towards Kalakaua Avenue from the Waikiki Biltmore Hotel, 1961
#131 The sun setting below the horizon viewed from the Waikiki Biltmore Hotel through the palms along Kalakaua Avenue, 1961
#132 Looking along Uluniu Avenue from the Waikiki Hale Hotel at the Kalakaua Avenue intersection, 1966.
#133 The view here is more or less northwest along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from between Uluniu and Liliuokalani Avenues, 1965
#134 Birdseye view more or less southeast along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, 1965.
#135 Birdseye view more or less northwest along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue from an unknown vantage point (probably a top floor at the 1962 Waikiki Circle Hotel) near the the corner of Uluniu Avenue, 1965
#136 Kalakaua at Uluniu Waikiki, 1965.
#137 The Edmunds Apartments at 2411 Ala Wai Blvd just Diamond Head of Kaiulani Avenue, 1961.
#138 View of Waikiki looking Diamond Head from an upper floor at the Aloha Surf Hotel on Kanekapolei Street at Ala Wai Blvd, 1968
#139 View of the Waikiki Skyliner Apartments, on Kaiulani Avenue between Ala Wai and Tusitala from an upper floor at the 1968 Aloha Surf Hotel which was one block ewa on Kanekapolei, 1968
#140 Aloha Surf Hotel on Kanekapolei Street at Ala Wai, 1968
#141 A rather grim photo of the Comstock Apartment Hotel on Lauula Avenue at Royal Hawaiian Avenue mauka (inland) of Kalakaua, 1961
#142 Unusual angle on the four story Comstock Apartment Hotel (center) on Waikiki’s Lauula Avenue between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside Avenues, 1964.
#143 Zane’s Apartment Hotel on Namahana Street just off Ala Wai Blvd. in Waikiki, 1960s
#144 Early morning looking more or less east along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue near the intersection with Kealohilani Avenue, 1967
#145 Kind of a grim view of the Diamond Head (east) end of Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue looking Ewa (west) from between Paoakalani and Kapahulu Avenues, 1964
#146 The Ala Wai Canal separates Waikiki (left) from the rest of Honolulu (right), 1963.
#147 Ala Wai Diamond Head, 1963.
#148 The Tiki Tower at the 1956 Waikikian Hotel on Ala Moana Blvd. in Waikiki, 1961.
#149 View of Kaiser Aluminum Dome at the pre-Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel from the Ala Moana side, 1960
#150 Looking across Ala Moana Blvd. from the Kalia/Ena Road intersection towards the pre-Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel, 1960
#151 Makai view along the Waikiki stretch of Ala Moana Blvd. from the Kalia Road intersection looking towards the Ilikai Hotel and Yacht Harbor Tower, 1967
#152 Morning shot along Ala Moana Blvd looking more or less east towards the old Waikikian Hotel from the Ilikai Hotel parking lot, 1967
#153 The 17 floor Ilikai Hotel Yacht Harbor Tower, built 1966 next to the 1964 Ilikai Hotel (right) fronting Ala Wai Harbor, 1967
#154 Beautifully detailed aerial view of Waikiki’s Hobron Lane area next to Ala Wai Harbor on south shore Oahu, 1963.
Hobron Lane is the street running diagonally up to the harbor from the lower right corner. The vantage point here was probably the 12-floor 1958 Kalia Apartments on Ena Road at Hobron (out of frame bottom of photo). It’s amazing how low-rise the Hobron neighborhood still was as late as the 1960s.
#155 A truly stunning makai (seaward) view of the Waikiki section of Ala Moana Blvd. when it was still a low-rise area, 1961.
The vantage point would have been an upper floor at the 14 story 1958 Kalia Apartments on Ala Moana at Ena Road. Most of the buildings here are long gone but the 6 floor Park Plaza apartment building on Ala Moana at the centre of the photo is still there today. The 30 floor 2011 Grand Waikikian timeshare tower is now on the site of the old Waikikian Hotel.
#156 The Kaiser Medical Centre on the waterfront of Ala Wai Yacht Harbor on the west side of Waikiki, 1964
#157 Looking west towards Ala Wai Harbor and Honolulu along Ala Moana Blvd from the 26-story Ilikai Hotel, 1964
#158 Aerial view looking Ewa (more or less northwest here) along Ala Moana Blvd from the Ilikai Hotel’s Yacht Harbor Tower, 1967
#159 Morning light at the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor seen from the Ewa (west) side of the 17 floor Ilikai Yacht Harbor Tower, 1967
#160 Diamond Head view of Waikiki from an upper floor of the 26-floor 1964 Ilikai Hotel, 1964
#161 Mauka view (inland) along Wakiki’s Ala Moana Blvd. from the top floor of the Ilikai Hotel, 1969
#162 Kapiolani Drive Inn Now Gone, 1968.
Longtime Waikiki landmark Kapiolani Drive Inn restaurant on the corner of Ala Moana Blvd and John Ena Road has disappeared in this birdseye view from the 1968 Rainbow Tower (21 floors) at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. KDI was replaced by the high-rise Wailana Apartments which opened 1970. View is looking mauka (inland) along Ala Moana Blvd.
