Just Aulani?

[mouseclick1]

As others have suggested, I would check out Kualoa Ranch. They offer such a wide variety of activities that there is truly something for everybody there. We did a multi-tour package (3 activities) which also included lunch. It is a great place and the setting is absolutely breathtaking!

Be sure to have breakfast at Ama Ama! Ours was one of the best meals of our trip. I highly recommend the pancakes with vanilla sauce. Best pancakes ever!

Also, if you want to continue to chill but need a change of scenery, Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach on the other side of the island are absolutely worth the drive.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[DVCRSheridan]

As others have suggested, I would check out Kualoa Ranch. They offer such a wide variety of activities that there is truly something for everybody there. We did a multi-tour package (3 activities) which also included lunch. It is a great place and the setting is absolutely breathtaking!

Be sure to have breakfast at Ama Ama! Ours was one of the best meals of our trip. I highly recommend the pancakes with vanilla sauce. Best pancakes ever!

Also, if you want to continue to chill but need a change of scenery, Kailua Beach and Lanikai Beach on the other side of the island are absolutely worth the drive.

Enjoy your trip!

Lanikai beach is fantastic! Well worth the drive across the island (which is also beautiful when you through the mountains).

 

[Jemwillow]

Today is our last full day here. As for Aulani activities, I would suggest sign up early. Either when you arrive or before if you can. We signed up for two Activities in Aunty's house about a month before arriving and that was all we could get into. Free play is always available. The activities in the Pau Room are hard to get into. Every time we had to get on a waiting lists. Don't know how they booked so fast because I would stop in early in the morning and was told I had to go on a waitlist and come back at time of event to see if I could get in.. I hate the lack of spontaneity at the resort. (My only complaint) There are also things that go on that are not advertised we went in to return the touring iPad a few times and saw lei making and ukelali that was not advertised.


If you have a car get out and tour. You will still have time for pool activity when you return. We would make it back around 2-3 pm every day and change and do the pool for a little while Seems some of the morning crowd have left around that time

 

[crystal1313]

We did exactly that on our trip last year in July. It was the most relaxing trip ever. So nice. None of us wanted to leave. You can check out my trip report in my signature. The only I did was go to Pearl Harbor. We plan on going again next year and plan on relaxing that trip as well. Enjoy!!

 

[ktlm]

We went to Aulani last July when DD was 10. We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center and DD absolutely loved it. DH and I enjoyed it too. I knew it would be a little cheesy, but it was a place I had wanted to go since I was a little kid. We enjoyed it a lot more than we thought we would. We did the ambassador luau package. We thought we would probably leave the guided tour as we are typically explore on our own people, but we found that we really liked the guide and with the guided group you got to play games and also we were taken to the shows at the right times and put in good seats. You can book tickets online for that if it is something you want to do. The Luau was fun and we enjoyed HA although it was a bit of overkill after the Luau and ran a little long.

We actually wound up cancelling other plans to explore the island because we loved Aulani so much we really wanted to just stay there. Up until this year, DD was very sensitive as far as anything war/violence related and she requested that we not go to the USS Arizona Memorial or Pear Harbor. I think she would be okay with it now, but even a year ago, she was was not ready for that.

Have a great trip!

 

[CT15]

Hi- great info- thanks. I will be going in Sept. Since you have been there several times, can you tell me is the hike up Diamond head very strenuous? and at Aulani- I will have a Studio, ocean view- any recommendations for which tower and floor would have the best views?
Thanks!

 

[DVCRSheridan]

Hi- great info- thanks. I will be going in Sept. Since you have been there several times, can you tell me is the hike up Diamond head very strenuous? and at Aulani- I will have a Studio, ocean view- any recommendations for which tower and floor would have the best views?
Thanks!

We avoided Diamond Head b/c it tends to be extremely crowded from what we've heard. We did Pillboxes hike, Waimea Falls and Kaena Point instead. Waimea is quite easy. It's paved lol Not really a true hike, but still quite enjoyable. Pillboxes was a nice mix of challenging yet doable. Beautiful views of the Windward coast. Karena Point is by far the longest and most challenging. 5 miles roundtrip along the cliffs of the westernmost part of the island. You finish the hike at a monk seal conservatory. It truly is a beautiful hike, but quite challenging. If you do it, go early so you're back before the strongest sun and bring A LOT of water.

We've had an OV studio on the 16th floor of the Waianae tower 3 times and loved it every time.

 

[FroggyRN]

drive backH1 to H2 to 99 and go past dole, haleiwa, turtle beach, waimea bay, shark cove, banzai pipeline, sunset beach, turtle bay, Polynesian cultural center, see where they filmed jurassic park and go back like like hwy.

Is this in order? Like dole is before Haleiwa, the turtle beach...etc?

 

[DVCRSheridan]

Is this in order? Like dole is before Haleiwa, the turtle beach...etc?

Yes. Although personally I wouldn't wast my time on the Dole plantation, but I know others who have enjoyed it.

 

[FroggyRN]

Yes. Although personally I wouldn't wast my time on the Dole plantation, but I know others who have enjoyed it.

Thanks, maybe it would be something we might check out on the way back. I think we are going to take this day trip tomorrow!

 

[DVCRSheridan]

Thanks, maybe it would be something we might check out on the way back. I think we are going to take this day trip tomorrow!

Oh you're there now!? Awesome! What do you think so far?

 

[FroggyRN]

Oh you're there now!? Awesome! What do you think so far?

Absolutely amazing! So much so, we just added points to our membership here so we can book 11 months out. I will definitely do a trip report when we get back. Our favorite part of our day trip up the north shore was Shark's Cove. The snorkeling there was amazing!

 

[buffettgirl]

it's so dry here right now, and everything is brown and gross. I feel like I need to apologize for it. LOL But the weather has been fantastic. If you went to sharks cove you probably went past Dole (unless you went H3 across the island and then north from there)

 

[DVCRSheridan]

Absolutely amazing! So much so, we just added points to our membership here so we can book 11 months out. I will definitely do a trip report when we get back. Our favorite part of our day trip up the north shore was Shark's Cove. The snorkeling there was amazing!

Shark's Cove is great! We loved snorkeling up there. We loved it so much out there after our honeymoon that we went 3 years in a row. Now we haven't been in 2 years and it feels like forever!! Lol we just had a baby boy in June and now CANT WAIT to be able to bring him out there