It's a rarity that I would go holo holo and do a day trip out to Ewa Beach and just hang out, but I find that it helps break the monotony of the weekend and it really helps to explore more - especially when its on the same island. No need for a plane ticket or a rental car. If you are like me, the bus is all you need, since it does go wherever you need to go - just got to give up time to wait for the bus itself and the commute is horrible, but saving $$ on a car is enduringly priceless, especially with what I do. With that said, I was here at the Ewa Beach Shopping Center on a recent Saturday, checking things out. This is one of two major shopping centers here on the Ewa plane. The other being the Ewa Towne shopping complex. Easiest way to distinguish the two would be that the Ewa Towne shopping center has the Starbucks attached to it. Ewa Beach Shopping Center does not.
The Ewa Beach shopping center is your basic one stop shop to whatever you need. Well, besides the Starbucks, obviously. I use the word "basic" since it has just the basics. Only problem with this shopping center is your basic super market, which you can find at the Ewa Town Center. Not to be nit picky about this operation, but the Ewa Beach Shopping Center does serve its purpose in attracting prospective shoppers and clientele to its shops and businesses. Centrally located in Ewa Beach, this shopping center is where I would go first to shop, especially with the Longs Drugs and the McDonald's in here. With First Hawaiian Bank and the Chevron here too, it probably is a favorite to gas up here before starting that travel back into downtown Honolulu or wherever your travels may take you. I sat at the McDonald's to juice up my iPhone and use their wifi. After an hour of that, I decided to walk around the shopping complex and see what's good for next time.
The shopping center here can seem barebones when you want it to be. The Loco Moco Drive Inn is alright, whereas the Korean BBQ place and the Shiro's Saimin Haven is necessary to be explored at a future adventure sighting, but for now, it was nice to shop at Longs Drugs store for some necessities (ie candy and soda pop for that afternoon at least). This shopping center could use a bit more restaurants and food options, but it is what it is. Whatever you don't see, just go to Ewa Town Shopping Center or even to Kapolei shopping center - if you are craving the Pho and other Vietnamese delights. Parking here is plentiful, since it is a major shopping district here in the heart of Ewa Beach. This shopping center seems to be outdated in some respects, but it is the oldest around here in the area. The gas station prices here can spike from time to time, but we're in Ewa Beach.
Everything is basically open air, comparable to Aina Haina Shopping Center and Koko Marina Shopping Center. Yeah, definitely missing would be the more restaurants, but there's oodles of them in Kapolei and in the vicinity. So, if you're looking for something to do, stop by Ewa Beach Shopping Center and stock up on supplies and food before heading on out. Whether you love to surf or hike, this place is where you would need to start to get your day started. Starbucks is down the street, if needed. Still haven't tried Ninja Sushi, even though there are a few locations on Oahu. I really need to step it up a bit, but I still need to pay down my appetite for airline tickets and travel, while out on foodie adventures.
Yelp on, y'all.
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