They gather. K-Mart, Macy’s, Wal-Mart, CostCo, Sam’s Club, and Nordstrom’s. Oahu is known as the Gathering Place. That’s primarily because pretty much everything is here. For shoppers, Oahu is THE place.

NO other island in Hawaii offers the variety, selection, and low prices that you’ll find on Oahu. Our favorite places begin with…

Ala Moana Center – truly, this is Hawaii’s center. For shopping. Hawaii’s largest shopping center, Ala Moana boasts a Sears store on one end, a Macy’s store on the other, and a luxurious Nieman Marcus in the middle.

AMC spans the spectrum in true world class mall fashion.

The Food Court at the lower level has local plate lunches, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Italian, burgers, chicken, steak, veggies, hot dogs, and Hawaiian poi.

Just two minutes away is the luxurious and elegant Assaggio’s Italian Dining. Top level inside Macy’s is expert chef Alan Wong’s Pineapple Room.

It’s a rainbow of dining for those with little cash and those with every credit card.

Oahu, though is a large island with a diverse population. At the base of the Downtown area is the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Island cruise ships dock here. Dozens of shops and restaurants await both locals and tourists. Parking is a pain. Prices are a tad ripe but the view back into the city and mountains is spectacular.

Not so spectacular, at least from the outside, is Pearlridge Shopping Center. This sprawling, dual campus mall is located just to the mountainside (mauka, in local lingo) of Kamehameha Highway, almost due north of famous Pearl Harbor.

You guessed it. There’s another Sears and another Macy’s at Pearlridge. However, this is a mall with personality, character, and flavor; an ambiance much different than it’s Ala Moana cousin. Wood floors gracefully adorn the walkways. Lush green plants abound.

Sadly, Pearlridge is broken into two locations and a monorail train is required to go from one to the other. No walking allowed.

Let’s trip out.

The real treasure, though, is what’s behind the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. First, to the center of Waikiki and the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. It’s difficult to miss this monolithic monument to tourist shopping.

To the right of Kalakaua Avenue mid way through Waikiki and just before you see beach to the right. It’s there. The real treasure, though, is what’s behind the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.

Down a small asphalt pavement is the world renowned Royal Hawaiian Hotel—the Pink Palace. From the ocean or flying in to Hawaii, the Royal Hawaiian cannot be missed.

Finding the Pink Palace during a stroll through Waikiki actually takes some effort.

While you’re there, make sure you have plenty of film in your camera. This is a hotel you’ll want to visit. And you’ll want to share the photographs.

Want to know the best places to eat in Hawaii? Click over to Ono Dining for totally biased reviews on Hawai's best (and not so best) restaurants.