PaddingtonStation
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2024
- Messages
- 11
Just wanted to share some insights from a first-timer. These boards were a tremendous help in planning our trip. I think the best tips we received were about the shops and restaurants across the street from Aulani, specifically Island Country Markets and Monkeypod’s happy hour. We bought all of our souvenirs at ICM, (like multi-packs of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts), sunscreen for the same price as Wal-Mart, and delicious ready-made meals. To give you an idea, I got a shrimp tempura bowl with 2 big shrimp, rice, Korean pancake, and a dumpling for 7.99! Also grateful to have heard about the ‘secret beach’ beyond the Four Seasons.
But there are some things that you discover only by being there, and I hope the following insights and observations will be helpful to others:
About Oahu:
All beaches are public, most have bathrooms, but hardly any have soap
If you can, rent a car. I know the parking fees are nuts if you’re not DVC but the best thing about Hawaii is just driving along and seeing some amazing place to explore. And this is coming from a girl who does not usually like to waste time on the scenic route!
We really enjoyed Waimea Valley and Toa Luau, which is onsite. We were planning to swim at the base of the waterfall, but there is a rather alarming sign about the risk of leptospirosis; you may want to research that before you schlep your swimsuit and towels all the way out there. On the way to Waimea we realized that we wanted some snacks, and we found that just a bit past the entrance is a wonderful grocery store with good offerings and prices. Even got Lion brand coffee for $6 on sale. Across the street from the grocery store is an incredible beach area that had like a giant tidal pool where people were snorkeling.
We drove up north one evening, I can’t remember the name of the road, but you drive until you see the Kaena Point Space Force Station and then walk down to the beach, it’s the most incredible sunset spot. On the way up we saw people pulling over to look at something, and we saw whales spouting!
About Aulani:
The food is crazy expensive, but portions are very large; for example, the avocado toast is $24 but it is 2 huge slabs of bread slathered in avocado, so we (2 adults) would split 1 entrée oreach get a kids meal.
The balconies have screened doors! Loved opening that morning and night.
We absolutely loved the standard view room. Not only was it less DVC points, but the view of the inland mountains was amazing and it was very quiet. We could see the roof of the valet parking garage below us but that didn’t bother us a bit. You will see the ocean from all of the main areas, the mountain view is actually more rare!
There are water bottle refill stations if you want to BYO bottle
When it is very windy they will not put the umbrellas up at the beach or the family pools. The adult pool, however, is somewhat protected from the wind, and you can find open umbrellas there.
Rainbow Reef is tiny, I was surprised! There is an underwater viewing area where you can see the fish without doing the experience.
I had read conflicting things about a separate DVC checkin line. I think I figured it out…sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not lol. There is a separate section of the line that is sometimes marked ‘DVC Members’ and sometimes marked ‘Aloha’, so who knows?
The first floor rooms surrounding the pools have individual gates with pathways to the pool area, usually first floor doesn’t appeal to me but that looked pretty cool.
Sorry so long!
But there are some things that you discover only by being there, and I hope the following insights and observations will be helpful to others:
About Oahu:
All beaches are public, most have bathrooms, but hardly any have soap
If you can, rent a car. I know the parking fees are nuts if you’re not DVC but the best thing about Hawaii is just driving along and seeing some amazing place to explore. And this is coming from a girl who does not usually like to waste time on the scenic route!
We really enjoyed Waimea Valley and Toa Luau, which is onsite. We were planning to swim at the base of the waterfall, but there is a rather alarming sign about the risk of leptospirosis; you may want to research that before you schlep your swimsuit and towels all the way out there. On the way to Waimea we realized that we wanted some snacks, and we found that just a bit past the entrance is a wonderful grocery store with good offerings and prices. Even got Lion brand coffee for $6 on sale. Across the street from the grocery store is an incredible beach area that had like a giant tidal pool where people were snorkeling.
We drove up north one evening, I can’t remember the name of the road, but you drive until you see the Kaena Point Space Force Station and then walk down to the beach, it’s the most incredible sunset spot. On the way up we saw people pulling over to look at something, and we saw whales spouting!
About Aulani:
The food is crazy expensive, but portions are very large; for example, the avocado toast is $24 but it is 2 huge slabs of bread slathered in avocado, so we (2 adults) would split 1 entrée oreach get a kids meal.
The balconies have screened doors! Loved opening that morning and night.
We absolutely loved the standard view room. Not only was it less DVC points, but the view of the inland mountains was amazing and it was very quiet. We could see the roof of the valet parking garage below us but that didn’t bother us a bit. You will see the ocean from all of the main areas, the mountain view is actually more rare!
There are water bottle refill stations if you want to BYO bottle
When it is very windy they will not put the umbrellas up at the beach or the family pools. The adult pool, however, is somewhat protected from the wind, and you can find open umbrellas there.
Rainbow Reef is tiny, I was surprised! There is an underwater viewing area where you can see the fish without doing the experience.
I had read conflicting things about a separate DVC checkin line. I think I figured it out…sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not lol. There is a separate section of the line that is sometimes marked ‘DVC Members’ and sometimes marked ‘Aloha’, so who knows?
The first floor rooms surrounding the pools have individual gates with pathways to the pool area, usually first floor doesn’t appeal to me but that looked pretty cool.
Sorry so long!
