Is it worth splitting time between Aulani and Waikiki?

[Novatrix]

Tentatively making plans for a September trip this year, and am looking to spend 6 nights on Oahu after spending 4 nights Kauai then 5 nights Big Island. I would fly home from Oahu at the end of the trip.

It'll be my first (and likely only) trip to Hawaii, so I want to do all the typical touristy things (Polynesian cultural center, Pearl harbor, see the North Shore, surf lesson, at least one wreck dive), but the first 9 days of the trip will be pretty active so I might want a couple of mornings lounging around the pool/on the beach/in the room at Aulani. I'm not really a city person, but I do typically try the "must do" things in major cities when I travel, they're just not favorite parts of the trip for me. I'm happier eating trail mix and going on an 8 hour hike than going to a fine dining restaurant for example. I'm also used to driving long distances (4+ hours in traffic) a day. I travel solo, so changing hotels isn't a big deal, and I plan to rent a car for the whole trip.

With all that said, is it worth splitting the 6 nights as 4 at Aulani 2 in Waikiki?

The other reason I'm questioning is because as a DVC member, using my points at Aulani is really a lot cheaper than most other lodging options. Technically, I could afford the Royal Hawaiian, but the extra $900 for the two nights could pay for a lot of activities and I'm trying to wrap my head around whether it would be worthwhile.

 

[Inga]

We are doing a week in Waikiki and a week in Aulani - this is our 4th or 5th trip to Hawaii - leaving Feb 4th for the island. We had previously spent our time on Maui or the Big Island, with ‘in transit’ stays on Oahu, Aulani and Waikiki. We have decided to stay on Oahu for 2 weeks because of the pandemic (staying in one spot) and also to spend some DVC points after not travelling for 2 years. I think during normal times I would island hop because the islands are so different and the hopping is so easy to do pre-Covid. I think Oahu does provide some of the best food options of Hawaii (not fine dining - that is frankly passé) but interesting eats. Who really fine dines anymore? Relatively few. All about authentic eats!

I think there are some good mix of hiking and adventure things on Oahu. I think spending some time on iconic Waikiki is not to be missed. I suspect our 7 days planned there will be a bit much, but looking forward to becoming ‘tired‘ of beautiful beaches, interesting food options, and gorgeous sunsets. Part of the joy of travel for us now is less about seeing all the attractions, more to settle into the vibes of the place, whether it be a Kona coffee at the local cafe or hanging out at the north shore watching surfers. Travel has become less of scheduling minute by minute our activities….

my 2 cents
Inga

 

[abdgeek]

Depending on whether you qualify, as a DVC member, you could try to book two nights at the Concierge Collection Hawaii hotels (Ala Moana or ’Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach) using your points. IMO, you have to stay in Waikiki once. That being said, Aulani is often the destination for people and they want to maximize their time there. Whether you would stay at the beginning or end of your Oahu stay depends on when you want to be closer to the airport. Keep in mind that parking in Waikiki is horrible and you will pay a premium, although free or inexpensive parking is available if you are resourceful. As a DVC Member, parking is free at Aulani.

Something else to keep in mind is how many activities you plan to do that take place in Waikiki. If you’re ok with driving 30-45 minutes to get there from Aulani (sometimes longer in rush hour) there’s no need to stay there. Again, IMO Waikiki is all about the walkability and access to restaurants, shopping, and the beach. Aulani is one of my home resorts and I did a RCI exchange ( now it’s Interval International) at the Imperial of Waikiki in December and loved it. It was something I always wanted to do and it put me closer to the activities and restaurants I wanted to attend. Do what works best for you and enjoy your trip.

 

[jillinastoria]

I agree with abdgeek, you can enjoy Waikiki without staying there. We visited Oahu in 2019 and stayed in Waikiki but traveled around the island quite a bit, including a quick visit to Aulani.

My two cents are if you aren't a city person, you won't want to spend much time in Waikiki. I'd recommend a Diamond Head hike--not super challenging but beautiful and so worth it--and a meal and a walk on the Waikiki beach, ideally at sunset, to follow. But you can do all that in one day and make Aulani your home base--that's what I would do if we go to Oahu again!

 

[WDW_Diane]

I’m in agreement with the posters who suggest you stay at Aulani and rent a car to explore the island. During our stays there, we left to have fun at the Polynesian cultural center, hiking Diamondhead, Pearl Harbor, visiting Iolani palace, playing golf, and all sorts of other things on the island but we always came back home to Aulani. You definitely don’t want to go all the way there and miss out on those activities. But Waikiki Beach is big city and probably not the Hawaiian island experience you are traveling there for. At least that’s not where we want to stay, ever. I would recommend brunch or lunch at Dukes on Waikiki Beach.

 

[plygph]

We will be heading to Aulani on Feb 25 for our 4th trip we do the drive over to Waikiki as WDW_Diane suggests. We find it too touristy we enjoy the lay back feeling at Aulani after we have done the tourist activities. Also, include a visit to the Aloha Swap Meet it's a blast and a place to pick up souvenirs for a great price.

 

[Lew]

Our first visit to Hawaii and Aulani was for three weeks in 2019. We had a car and used Aulani as our base for exploring the entire island including Waikiki where we enjoyed going for its restaurants and shopping. Although we enjoyed what Waikiki had to offer, we never wished we were staying there and were always happy to return to Aulani.

Later we returned to O'ahu for a day on a cruise. We spent our day on Waikiki at Fort DeRussy Beach. Beautiful beach...much nice than those closer to Diamond Head.

We're returning to Aulani again on February 23rd for four weeks after five weeks on Maui where we are now. We plan to do pretty much what we enjoyed in 2019.

 

[longboard55]

We love staying at Waikiki but if you have a free room at Aulani, hard to justify the cost.

 

[monsterkitty]

I enjoy staying on Waikiki for a few days as well. However, I would rather save the money or points on a room and spend the money on excursions or experiences. (We are Marriott VC)

Stay at Aulani and then drive to Waikiki for the day. Park at the zoo and the beach is right across the street. Eat lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise and dinner at Hula Grill or Dukes. There is a 4 hour time limit at the zoo but you just have to move your car from one spot to another.

 

[tgropp]

When I think of Hawaii ever since I was young , Diamond Head was always in my mind. I love laying on Wakiki Beach just to relax and watch the action. Then I look over to Diamond head and it makes me feel like I’m a million miles away from home

 

[PetePanMan]

We used to love Waikiki when we were younger but less so now. We prefer to stay at Aulani the entire time and drive everywhere (including Waikiki for the odd dinner, shopping etc.)

 

[Budzooka]

Was there last July and stayed 4 nights in Waikiki and 4 nights in Aulani and plan to stay the entire time at Aulani next time. Waikiki wasn’t bad by any stretch but lots of traffic and more commercialized. Loved how laid back the feel at Aulani was and if having DVC points makes a world of difference as well. You’ll need a car regardless.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don't see any reason to fly 5,000 miles to Waikiki when Miami exists. It's an urban tourist trap of a beach that my family avoids at all cost.

If you have enough time for a split stay in Hawaii, I'd do Turtle Bay on the north shore or leave Oahu and do another island.

 

[longboard55]

Ouch
Hawaii has many options, but Waikiki is always special to us.

Why? The long rolling waves with Diamondhead in the background, the perfect non windy weather, make Waikiki our favorite beach
Dukes is our favorite restaurant because it is so Hawaiian casual, love the strolling musicians as well
No question our favorite activity is the Waikiki sunset sail. Best location and best prices of all the islands
And our favorite spot in all Hawaii is at the Moana Beach Bar under the Banyan tree when the afternoon musicians are playing.

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

No advice on where to stay, as Waikiki is very polarizing, and my view is very different than most, but you should definitely look into the Makapu’u Lighthose trai, and Koko Head Stairs hikes, in addition to Diamond Head.

If you do Diamond Head, try to do it on a day when the “Diamond Head Farmers Market” is being held (can’t remember the official name, but everyone calls it that), so you can stop for lunch afterwards. A great selection of truly local food trucks. (Or go to the Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki after - but there’s usually a wait there).

 

[cgattis]

No advice on where to stay, as Waikiki is very polarizing, and my view is very different than most, but you should definitely look into the Makapu’u Lighthose trai, and Koko Head Stairs hikes, in addition to Diamond Head.

If you do Diamond Head, try to do it on a day when the “Diamond Head Farmers Market” is being held (can’t remember the official name, but everyone calls it that), so you can stop for lunch afterwards. A great selection of truly local food trucks. (Or go to the Koko Head Cafe in Kaimuki after - but there’s usually a wait there).

Also recommend the Koko Marina, where you can grab a nice big burger at Teddys before you climb the stairs or a couple of beers at Kona Brewing afterward!

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

Also recommend the Koko Marina, where you can grab a nice big burger at Teddys before you climb the stairs or a couple of beers at Kona Brewing afterward!

if you’re at the marina, definitely stop at Kokonuts for a shave ice! Yum!

 

[jimmymc]

If you're using points, I think Aulani is a better value than anything you'll get in Waikiki. People usually stay in Waikiki to save money on the days where they are out exploring the island, then transfer to Aulani to relax. But if Aulani is cheaper, then it's definitely a better resort. You also get free parking to help offset the price of a car. I definitely recommend doing all 6 nights at Aulani and driving or taking a cab to Waikiki for one day.

 

[Novatrix]

After reading and considering the responses, I think I'll stay at Aulani the full time and just drive into Waikiki for a day or 2.

Honestly, part of the reason I'd been debating Waikiki for a couple nights was with the thought that I'd be closer to the marina the night before doing the scuba trip, but researching it further it looks like I'd still have at least a 20 min drive to the marina from the closest Waikiki hotel. Might as well have the longer drive to/from Aulani and the more relaxing surroundings. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Ko Olina marina has had any dive trips since the pandemic started, otherwise I'd choose to leave from there instead.

I figured I could do the Diamond Head the morning before I fly home (late afternoon flight), which would happily coincide with the farmer's market.

Off the original topic, but would anyone have a suggestion of a trail/neighborhood to get in a 20 mile long run? Preference would be paved, away from vehicles and about 10 miles out and back so I could get back to my car/hotel.

 

[monsterkitty]

After reading and considering the responses, I think I'll stay at Aulani the full time and just drive into Waikiki for a day or 2.

Honestly, part of the reason I'd been debating Waikiki for a couple nights was with the thought that I'd be closer to the marina the night before doing the scuba trip, but researching it further it looks like I'd still have at least a 20 min drive to the marina from the closest Waikiki hotel. Might as well have the longer drive to/from Aulani and the more relaxing surroundings. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the Ko Olina marina has had any dive trips since the pandemic started, otherwise I'd choose to leave from there instead.

I figured I could do the Diamond Head the morning before I fly home (late afternoon flight), which would happily coincide with the farmer's market.

Off the original topic, but would anyone have a suggestion of a trail/neighborhood to get in a 20 mile long run? Preference would be paved, away from vehicles and about 10 miles out and back so I could get back to my car/hotel.

If you do plan on doing Diamond Head the day you fly out, please plan on leaving your luggage at Aulani. Yes I know it will be a backtrack to get your luggage and then fly out of HNL, but if you don't and leave it in your car while you hike, you probably won't have any luggage to check in for your flight.

As for the long run, I just do loops on the beach walk and the neighborhood around Ko Olina. The main road has a bike lane so there is space to run there. If you have a mapmyrun account, you may be able to find a route that others have already done in the area.