Awesome hotels and culture to spare in Honolulu

New Air Canada rouge routing provides direct, non-stop flights between Toronto and Honolulu, Hawaii’s biggest city and a surprisingly diverse destination.

Honolulu’s Diamond Head has been a beacon for tourists for years. It sits at one end of famous Waikiki Beach, providing a perfect backdrop for millions of photos.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has been charming visitors to Waikiki Beach in Honolulu for more than 100 years. They recently completed a fantastic renovation.

You’ll find several cool swimming pools at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, which is on perhaps the best stretch of Waikiki Beach. The hotel can be booked through Air Canada Vacations .

ShangriLa is the former Honolulu home of American Doris Duke and is filled with priceless Islamic art from around the world. The coastline views are to die for.

ShangriLa features lush gardens and landscaping. Fun and informative tours can be arranged through the city’s excellent Museum of Art.

Doris Duke collected Islamic art from around the globe. You’ll find incredibly intricate ceilings, Persian tiles, splashy fountains and collectibles from Egypt, Turkey, India and more. Definitely worth checking out.

The Honolulu Museum of Art has wonderful Japanese, Chinese and Hawaiian works of art, as well as samples from such top European masters as Monet and Van Gogh. Here is one of my personal favourites, a painting by Camille Pissarro.

Honolulu Beerworks serves up tasty local brews in the Kaka’ako neighborhood, between Waikiki Beach and Honolulu International Airport.

Dinner at Azure Restaurant at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel is a fine way to end the day. The views of Diamond Head are wonderful and they make a fabulous Big Island salad, as well as tasty “island-spiced” fresh fish. A magical spot.

Rooms at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel have the property’s signature pink colour, but it’s not over the top. There are a variety of rooms available, including the gorgeous, penthouse Alii suite overlooking Diamond Head and the beach. Great sunsets, huge bathrooms, a living area and kitchen and space to spread out.

They do a free hula and Hawaiian music show on Waikiki Beach just after sunset on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It’s a marvellous way to celebrate Hawaiian culture as the sun drops into the Pacific. Local hotels and restaurants/bars have tons of live music, too.