With so many things to see and do on O'ahu, it's time to make a clean break from tired, humdrum routines. So live a little. Rediscover hundreds of attractions waiting just outside your doorstep.

They're not just for tourists, they're for kama'aina, too!

To get you pumped, here's a list of offbeat diversions guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Pick one, two or even more . . . then have yourself a ball. How about:

• Moonlight reef walking at Waikiki Aquarium
• Playing miniature golf at Bay View Golf Course
• Stepping back in time at Waipahu's Plantation Village
• Horseback riding at the Turtle Bay Hilton
• Watching whales near Makapu'u Lighthouse
• Skydiving on the North Shore
• Shooting the wild rapids at Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park

Whatever you do, do it now and put a little "zing" into your life.

Battleship Row. The tour of the USS Arizona Memorial is a "must see" on anyone's list of things to see and do. The Navy and the National Park Service conduct the free, first-come-first-served tours. It's a primary destination for tourists, so it pays to be akamai and arrive early. That way, you'll be able to watch the informative film detailing the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese military forces before taking a ferry ride to the Memorial.

Sandi Maruyama, Concierge JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa at Ko Olina Having been born and raised on O'ahu, Sandi Maruyama is able to offer kama'aina rare insight on worthwhile things to see and do — including a number of intriguing suggestions that are highlighted in today's Hot Spots feature on local attractions. The Hawai'i Hotel & Lodging Association honored Maruyama in 2004 by naming her "Concierge of the Year" in a competition that included 14 other concierges statewide.

Both the Arizona and Memorial are under heightened security. Visitors are only allowed to bring in a camera or video camera (no camera bags). No purses, bags, backpacks, fanny bags, diaper bags, or other items that offer concealment are allowed in the attractions. There is a "bag check" in the parking lot of the Arizona Memorial where you can leave a bag for a nominal fee. Above all, don't leave belongings in your vehicles.

North Shore. Every so often, it pays to escape the hustle and bustle of the city with a drive to O'ahu's beautiful North Shore. Dole Pineapple Plantation is a popular stop where you can take a narrated train ride through the pineapple fields, find your way through the world's largest maze and learn about crops traditionally grown in the islands.

Continuing on the scenic drive will take you through the Historic Haleiwa Town. This ex-sugar plantation town is popular for its art galleries, interesting shops restaurants, shave ice and colorful surf shops.

After playing tourist in Haleiwa Town, cruise along the North Shore's magnificent coastline and head for the Waimea Valley Audubon Center. The center provides easy access to rare and endangered Hawaiian flora and fauna in lush Waimea Valley. It includes hundreds of acres of strolling paths and hiking trails, world-class botanical gardens and rich archaeological sites.

The drive will also take you to famous surf beaches like Banzai Pipeline (home of the famous Pipeline Surf Competition), Waimea Bay (home of the famed Eddie Aikau Surf competition, which involves waves 20 feet and higher during the winter season), Sharks Cove (a craggy, coral lagoon that reveals tide pools alive with marine animals) and Sunset Beach Park (great to catch a beautiful summer sunset).

For a good meal and a little pampering, stop off for lunch or dinner at Turtle Bay Hilton (formerly Kuilima). This elegant hotel offers golfing, tennis, horseback riding, swimming and great cabana suites just off the beach that are a touch of paradise.

The hotel recently served as the backdrop for the television drama "North Shore." A historic marker just beyond the pool area indicates the first O'ahu landfall crossed by Japanese airplanes as they sped toward Pearl Harbor.

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. Hanauma Bay on O'ahu's East Coast is probably Hawai'i's most famous spot for snorkeling. It was formed by a sunken volcanic crater and became the favorite "playground" for Hawaiian royalty, not to mention the movie site for Elvis Presley's "Blue Hawai'i."

Snorkelers can enjoy a rainbow of reef inhabitants, colorful schools of fish and other sea life. The park is open every day except Tuesday. It's an experience of a lifetime and a chance to get up close and personal with parrot fish, puffers, eels and lion fish in a non-threatening environment.

Food and snacks are available at remodeled concession stands, along with fresh water showers and bathrooms. But bring your own diving gear or rent a snorkel, fins and mask when you arrive. Parking is limited and fills up quickly.

Polynesian Cultural Center. Take a one-day tour of Pacific Island cultures spread over 42-acres in Laie on O'ahu's North Shore. The center is designed to celebrate the people and culture of the Polynesian islands, which range from Hawai'i, Tonga, Tahiti, Samoa, New Zealand, Fiji and the Marquesas Islands.

The center skillfully blends education with entertainment. Visitors to the center will get a taste of the music, dance, food, clothing, shelter, arts and crafts and cultural belief systems of the Polynesian people.

Downtown. When is the last time you went window shopping along Fort Street Mall or strolled down Bishop Street?

The King Kamehameha Statue located in front of Ali'iolani Hale pays tribute to Hawai'i's warrior king. Standing 8 feet tall, the statue depicts Kamehameha in his royal garb, including a helmet of rare feathers and a gilded cloak. The spear in his left hand serves to symbolize the kingdom's willingness and ability to defend itself from hostile nations. His right hand, however, is extended in a welcoming gesture of aloha.

The Mission Houses just down the block are the oldest structures in Honolulu and were home to the first New England missionaries to arrive in Hawai'i. The largest of the buildings, built in 1831, is the Chamberlain House. Tours are available Tuesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

St. Andrew's Cathedral on Beretania Street has been the spiritual "heart and soul" of the Anglican Church in Hawai'i since 1867. The cathedral's inspiring design reflects a decidedly formal English-Norman approach to architecture and is crafted from blocks of sturdy sandstone imported from England. A series of hand-forged bells in the building's tower summons worshipers to Sunday services. Sunset is one of the best times to view the cathedral's magnificent stained glass windows.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was dedicated by French missionaries in 1843 to serve Hawai'i's emerging Roman Catholic community. The imposing structure is built of coral and located at the top of Fort Street Mall, adjacent to Hawai'i Pacific University's downtown campus. Father Damien, the Belgian priest who served at Molokai's leper colony, was ordained in the chapel in 1864. At the rear of the cathedral is the 178-year-old stump of the first kiawe tree ever planted in Hawai'i.

Windward O'ahu. Take a breathtaking drive through the mountains to our East Side. There are three options through the middle of the island, although the Pali Highway offers a more memorable detour. Off the Pali Highway is the Nuuanu Pali Lookout, a scenic point at the head of Nuuanu Valley where Kamehameha the Great ended the bloody battle of 1795 where he was victorious. Test your wind stamina at Nuuanu Pali, where periodic wind gusts make it difficult for visitors to walk to the lookout point.

Continuing on the drive to the east, stop by at Lanikai Beach. Here you'll find a half a mile of sparkling white sand and pristine waters for swimming, kayaking or relaxing in a beachfront community that ranges from magnificent multi-million-dollar mansions to "surf's up" bungalows. Nearby are Kailua Beach Park and Buzz's Steak House, which is a haven for kama'aina who enjoy sharing cold beer and pupu on an outdoor lanai.

Chinatown. Open-air markets, herbal medicine shops, noodle factories, and the pungent aroma of fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood make Chinatown a sensory adventure.

Lei stands on Mauna Kea Street are a hotbed of activity whenever graduation or May Day rolls around and the O'ahu Market is the place to go for sashimi, hog heads, freshly butchered chickens or fish that were caught earlier in the day.

Art galleries, trendy shops and fashionable restaurants are taking root, even while Chinatown's architecture recalls the days of early immigration. It's a hodge-podge of human endeavor and surprises are hidden in nearly every doorway.

For an insiders look at the history and folklore that make Chinatown special, take one of the self-guide walking-tours or hook up with Chinatown's Chamber of Commerce.

Bishop Museum is Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop's gift to the world. It is the largest museum of natural and cultural history in Hawai'i and the Pacific. There are many facets to the museum including a planetarium, traveling exhibits, guided tours, demonstrations and live performances.

Waikiki. While many kama'aina take pride in the fact that they haven't been to Waikiki for years, this world-famous stretch of beach and high-rise hotels has blossomed into a great place for kids and adults.

By day or night, Waikiki is one of O'ahu's most entertaining venues for people watching, soaking up the sun or listening to Island-style music.

Bartering for puka shell necklaces, woodcarvings or having your picture taken with a parrot are favorites for na keiki. And the "stone canyon" formed by towering hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and vertical shopping plazas along Kalakaua Avenue make this world famous visitors mecca the ideal spot for having fun — even for locals.

Early evening is a signal for the party to begin as sidewalk performers take to the streets. Mimes, people dressed as furry pandas, dogs wearing sunglasses, break dancers, saxophone players, and struggling artists provide plenty of entertainment throughout the night and the price is certainly right. It's all free.

For a gentler side of Waikiki, stroll down the famous 1.5-mile stretch of beach to feel the waves dancing at your feet. Take a ride on a catamaran, paddle an outrigger canoe or order a tall mai tai from the open-air bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel — but be sure to ask for a frilly parasol just for the fun of it.