WAIKIKI. This giant aquarium, with a 280,000-gallon capacity, serves as the visual centerpiece for the Pacific Beach Hotel's restaurants. The structure rises three stories and boasts a population of more than 400 sea creatures. Several times a day, resident divers descend into the tank to feed the fish, and visitors are mesmerized by the spectacle. Among the inhabitants are stingrays and reef fish. The restaurant's menu, ironically enough, boasts a variety of seafood and steak dishes. A children's menu is available.

WAIMANALO. Fun for everyone and ideal for children, this marine park lets you get up-close with all sorts of creatures who live in, or depend on, the sea for their well-being. Dolphins and killer whales regale audiences with their antics, and penguins clown around with each other. You can also watch trainers feed fish and interact with the animals. A number of different arenas and programs are sure to provide hours of delight, and you'll also discover children's play areas, souvenir shops, restaurants, and facilities to treat injured creatures. Fifteen miles east of Waikiki.

WAIKIKI. This esteemed facility, affiliated with the University of Hawaii, has been in existence since 1904. Set along the Waikiki coastline, it seeks not only to entertain visitors but to educate them and to preserve delicate marine species. Tropical Pacific creatures are its main focus, and coral propagation is a prominent goal. Exhibits on reef life and Hawaiian monk seals are among the foremost displays, and you'll also encounter eels, turtles, sharks, a variety of fish, and the elusive chambered nautilus, a relative of squids and octopi.