Need Help Planning Trip to Hawaii

[izzy]

I'm planning to go to Hawaii next year, and was hoping my good friends on the DIS could give me ideas of things to do and places to stay. I went to Oahu about 25 years ago for about 8 days, and on one of those days I took a day trip to Kauai. I thought Kauai was OK, but really don't have a desire to go back. I really enjoyed Oahu and would have no problem going back and doing everything that I did 25 years ago!

Right now, I'm thinking of spending 11 days on Oahu and possibly using one of those days to take a day trip to the Big Island. I'd really like to see the volcanoes. Then, I'd like to go to Maui for 4 days.

I'm a DVC member, so I'm hoping to use my points to stay at the Aulani resort even though I realize it's not close to Waikiki. I'm OK with that, and I do plan on getting a rental car.

When on Oahu, I'm planning:

Pearl Harbor, hiking up Diamond Head, Polynesian Culture Center, snorkel at Hanauma Bay, downtown Waikiki to shop and people watch, a luau, several days just driving around the island, and of course some down time at the beach and pool!

What other things are there to do on Oahu?

I'm heard wonderful things about Maui, but I'm not sure in which area of the island I should stay. I have no problem being "near the action", and I'd love to be near good beaches. I'd rather not spend a fortune (so the Grand Wailea and the Ritz are out - LOL!), but I don't want anything shabby either. I'm also OK with renting a condo - it doesn't have to be a hotel.

Is 4 days too much time for Maui? I love to sightsee, but down time on the beach is also great. What is there to see and do on Maui?

Thanks in advance for all of the advice!

 

[wvjules]

I'm planning to go to Hawaii next year, and was hoping my good friends on the DIS could give me ideas of things to do and places to stay. I went to Oahu about 25 years ago for about 8 days, and on one of those days I took a day trip to Kauai. I thought Kauai was OK, but really don't have a desire to go back. I really enjoyed Oahu and would have no problem going back and doing everything that I did 25 years ago!

Right now, I'm thinking of spending 11 days on Oahu and possibly using one of those days to take a day trip to the Big Island. I'd really like to see the volcanoes. Then, I'd like to go to Maui for 4 days.

I'm a DVC member, so I'm hoping to use my points to stay at the Aulani resort even though I realize it's not close to Waikiki. I'm OK with that, and I do plan on getting a rental car.

When on Oahu, I'm planning:

Pearl Harbor, hiking up Diamond Head, Polynesian Culture Center, snorkel at Hanauma Bay, downtown Waikiki to shop and people watch, a luau, several days just driving around the island, and of course some down time at the beach and pool!

What other things are there to do on Oahu?

I'm heard wonderful things about Maui, but I'm not sure in which area of the island I should stay. I have no problem being "near the action", and I'd love to be near good beaches. I'd rather not spend a fortune (so the Grand Wailea and the Ritz are out - LOL!), but I don't want anything shabby either. I'm also OK with renting a condo - it doesn't have to be a hotel.

Is 4 days too much time for Maui? I love to sightsee, but down time on the beach is also great. What is there to see and do on Maui?

Thanks in advance for all of the advice!

We are doing 5 days on Maui and it is not enough time! We are staying at the Royal Lahaina in Lahaina.

Ohau, visit the Palace, go to the North Shore, hike Manoa falls, go to the Valley of the Temples, go to Nuuanu Pali Lookout, go to the Botanical Gardens, eat at Duke's and make sure you save room for the Huli Pie.

 

[mdsoccermom]

They opened a Puka Dog in Waikiki. You must have one.

 

[Pakey]

I've been to Hawaii several times; Maui is my favorite island. There are two "major" areas on Maui in which to stay. Kaanapali and Wailea. Both offer different experiences. Wailea is south and has amazing beaches, very deluxe hotels. There isn't as much to do there IMO. We stayed at the Grand Wailea which is a nice hotel but I wish we had done the Four Seasons instead.

Kaanapali/Lahaina is in western Maui and is further north of Wailea. The beaches are not as nice but there is more to do with shopping, restaurants, etc. We actually stay in Kapalua, about 10 minutes north of Lahaina at the Ritz Carlton (my favorite hotel of every hotel I've ever been to).

The most popular activity on Maui is to drive the road to Hana. There is breathtaking scenery. It's an all day activity. It's also great to visit Haleakala, especially to do sunrise there.

 

[Deb in IA]

Have not been to the Big Island - and would love to go there.

We went to Oahu 2 years ago, and saw the construction for the Aulani resort.

It is at Ko O'lina, a marina where you can take catamaran cruises out to see the dolphins.
Also in Ko O'lina is Roy's, our favorite restaurant.

I would suggest, in addtion to your itinerary, to add the Dole Pineapple Plantation (they have Dole Whips!), and the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, where you can learn about the history and cultural heritage of the Hawaiian people.

 

[daughtersrus]

We were on Oahu for about a week last July for DD's Make A Wish trip.

The Dole Whip at the Plantation was WONDERFUL!

Hamauma Bay was BEAUTIFUL! Be sure to get there very early because it fills up quickly.

We also enjoyed going to Laniakea Beach to see the sea turtles come on shore. It's really not that far from Dole. The parking is street-side and it's a bit difficult to get to the beach. You have to climb down some rocks but it's worth it.

Pearl Harbor, Arizona Memorial and the Missouri were also great. They were our very first stop the day after we got to the island. I was surprised by the smell of oil still coming out from the ship 70 years later.

We stayed went to a luau at Paradise Cove so we got to see a glimps of the Disney resort. I'd say that it's about an hour or so from Waikiki Beach.

We stayed at the Hyatt right on the beach. It was beautiful. We had a rental car and on the advise of someone here at the Dis, we took a GSP. Glad that we did. We're used to Chicago traffic so that wasn't a problem but all the streets sounded a like. It was nice to have the GPS giving directions. It was also pretty funny to hear how it pronounced some of the street names.

If you go to Waikiki Beach, there are webcams in front of the Duke Kahanamoku Statue and at the turn-around at Kuhio Beach. We wish that we knew about these before our trip. It would have been fun to wave to family and friends back home. http://www1.honolulu.gov/cameras/

I can't help with the other islands. We chose to stay on Oahu for the entire trip.

 

[Jeafl]

I would spend more time on Maui, and less on Oahu if I were you. Also, the Big Island is amazing! It is definitely worth the trip over.

On the Big Island we stay at the Hilton Waikoloa Village and LOVE it! It is a large, spread out resort with gorgeous grounds. You can take either a boat or a monorail-type tram to your room. The thing about the Big Island though, is is has less beautiful beaches. A lot of them are lava rock. However, the hotels have spectacular pools, especially the Waikaloa Village. It also has a mini lake where you can swim with turtles. You can also swim with the dolphins there too. The food at the resort is outrgeously expensive, but we found some great bargains not too far away.

On Maui we usually stay in a beautiful condo on the beach for a fraction of what a hotel would cost. If you are interested in the details or want to see pictures of it, let me know. We have also stayed at the Marriott Maui Ocean Club which is beautiful as well. There are tons of great restaurants in Maui as well, and we even found some that were budget-friendly and yet still great food. Again, let me know if you want details.

The beaches on Maui are spectacular! We really like the Ka'anapali area if you like to be where there are lots of things to do close by. Wailea is beautiful too, but less to do.

On Oahu we usually stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It is a really nice, centrally located resort right on Waikiki Beach. There is a great pizza place there as well.

Any other questions, let me know. Have a great trip!

 

[izzy]

Wow! This is all great information - I knew y'all would come thru for me!

Daughtersrus, that Dole Whip looks sinful and is now on my must-do list! I absolutely love fresh pineapple, so I can't believe that I overlooked the Dole Plantation before. And I'm so glad you said something about getting a GPS. I had completely forgotten about the names of the roads in Hawaii and how confusing they were. I think no matter how I pronounced things it all came out sounding the same.

 

[hereyago]

Oahu:

North Shore: Matsumoto's for some shave ice.

Leonard's bakery for some malasadas-think donut holes that rock.

Near the the airport, Big Kahuna's pizza, different varieties and you HAVE TO TRY THESE: garlic cheese balls.

Puka dog, oh yes.

 

[Deb in IA]

As for places to stay, DH just got back last month from a medical conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It was nice, but definitely a "big box" hotel.

When we went a couple of years ago, I went on homeaway.com and found a nice vacation house on Ewa Beach. This was the property:


http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p133730

It was really nice, much more room and amenities than a hotel, and since we had a car, it worked out great!

 

[Bethenny]

OP, why did you not care for Kauai? I'm also planning a trip and trying to figure where to go. I know definitely Maui is at the top of my list. We'll stay there for most of the trip. Of course a few days in Oahu for Pearl Harbor, Diamondhead etc. Now, I'm leaning towards a couple of day trips from Maui to Lanai and Molokai.

To the poster who stayed at the Ritz on Maui, I know it's not in the center of the action but is it pretty close? We may rent a car, but that would be a bummer if it's pretty far to get to shopping and restaurants.

 

[izzy]

Kauai was a pretty island, but there didn't seem to be a lot to do on it for me. I like to vacation in places where there are lots of opportunities to do things, and Kauai seems like more of a place that you go to relax. I'm sure to some people that this would be a selling point!! I'm glad I saw it once, but that was really enough for me.

 

[wvjules]

There is plenty to do on Kauai. Snorkel/boat along the Na Pali Coast, go to the Waimea Canyon, go see the spouting horn, kayak on the Wailua River, Fern Grotto, Kilauea Lighthouse, Hanalei Town.

We only have 3 days on Kauai and I'm thinking that isn't going to be enough to see all that we want to see. (We are doing 3 Kauai, 5 Maui and 4 Ohau days.)

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

We vacationed on Maui last October; kind of a 2nd Honeymoon for DW and I (as we'd honeymooned there 20 years ago!). We spent the whole week and I could really have stayed there for the rest of my life!

We stayed at a fantastic condo called The Mahana ... it's literally a stone's throw from the beach:

We saw sunrise off the top of Haleakala and went paragliding. We swam and snorkeled and soaked up the sun on the glorious Kaanapali Beach. We drove the Road to Hana (both in the daytime and at night for extra excitement )

We ate very well at Duke's, the Hula Grill, Kula Lodge and I'O, but we had the best meal, ever, at Merriman's of Kapalua.

 

[moburg]

The most popular activity on Maui is to drive the road to Hana. There is breathtaking scenery. It's an all day activity. It's also great to visit Haleakala, especially to do sunrise there.

Yes and yes! But bring warm clothes to do the sunrise! I think it was in the 30's or 40's, but the the wind chill will get ya!

And the Old Lahaina Luau! It was great, and I've heard is the best on any of the islands, but I have nothing else to compare it to.