Help, please, planning a trip to HI Xmas week.

[Kimberle]

Myself, dh & tween dd. We've never been & it's very overwhelming. I've been reading reviews on TripAdvisor. Would like to stay on Waikiki (yes, I know it's touristy) w/ ocean view. Want a resort, not condo. I found a pretty good package on expedia for air/resort/car for the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It got pretty good reviews on TripAdvisor. How about an Embassy Suites? We like them for other travel. A nice resort type pool area is a must.

Do we need a rental car for HI? Are there day trips to other islands? We want to see the majors Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Lulu, Zoo. What else shouldn't be missed?

Are there Travel Agents that specialize in Hawaii? Any help/tips VERY APPRECIATED!

 

[jsmith]

Be aware that you have picked one of the MOST expensive weeks to fly to hawaii-just a warning. Having said that-HHV is beautiful and i would stay there in a heart beat-we usually spend at least part of our stay at the Hale Koa ( military resort) right next to it-its on the end of Waikiki and very pretty-and Ft DeRussy kind of buffers the huge crowds.
Personally we always rent a car-Hubby hates public transportation-too much of a type A personality combined with some PTSD makes him hate buses and such-although Oahu does have a fairly decent bus system.
If you are looking for TA specializing in Hawaii-google is your friend if you want to use an online agent-or the local phone book if you dont-the only thing i use a TA for is cruises-we go to Hawaii frequently but almost always in conjuction with something military.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

First off I hate you just a little bit because I'm TOTALLY jealous and want to go back to Hawaii!!! LOL!!!

We've been to Hawaii twice and loved everywhere we went. Hilton Hawaiian Village is beautiful and in a great location; right on the beach, within walking distance of what we presume was the center of the town with some great restaurants and shops. There is an amazing Thai restaurant right by the hotel that makes the best green curry I've ever had! The pools were beautiful and we loved the rooms, we stayed in the Vacation Club villas and they were great. I have pictures if you'd like me to share

We also loved Kona on the Big Island and Kauai if you're looking at other islands!

 

[abdmom]

If you found a package at Hilton Hawaiian Village that you like in terms of price and accommodation, book it now. Prices will just get higher. Accommodations and cars get fully booked for that time of year. A lot of accommodations are booked a year in advance for Xmas. Rental cars were completely sold out for Xmas this past year. I would definitely book Hilton Hawaiian Village over Embassy Suites. The Hilton has a good number of their own activities on site.

 

[Kimberle]

Thank you, anyone else?