Not that I am advocating coming here because the reception is decidedly less than warm but Waikiki is back. Yesterday, we walked down to the HHV just to see it. The beach the entire way along Kalakaua was just as jam packed as any other busy day from years past and the weather was overcast with intermittent rain. Shoulder to shoulder packed. You would never know this wasn’t any normal day in any normal year. The HHV was buzzing and while probably not as packed as normal (I never go there so can’t compare) it was definitely busy. In the lobby, I counted 30 people waiting to check in at the general line and 5 at the elite line. At the pool, every single chaise was taken (they have spaced and reduced the number, looked to be about half the usual number) and people sitting on the deck at the edge of the pool. This was at 4pm. There was a line around the corner for Lapperts and we may or may not have waited in it for a Valentines treat (totally worth the wait). Round Table pizza in the shopping area was packed and the stores that were open were fairly busy, including the touristy pearl-in-the-shell kiosk (2 couples at it). I didn’t look at other restaurants. Walking back, the usual 30 or so people were waiting for a table at the Cheesecake Factory and a table set up outside for pick up orders was overflowing. California Pizza was full of people and the sidewalks as busy as any normal day.