Gwen in TX Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I don't even know enough to know where to start -- This will be our ds's senior trip. All we know is we want to visit Pearl Harbor and scuba dive. So - 2 adults and one 16 yo -- for 10-14 days -- and we can't live high on the hog. We are not "lie on the beach day after day" people, although my dh believes we could fill 10 days with scuba diving! We love history, hiking, swimming, interacting with the people who live in an area (we would not go to a resort where we are separated from the people), not touristy (if given a choice of eating in a tourist place or a place where the local folk go -- local wins every time), not shoppers (although a local market full of local color would be fantastic). What islands? (and what to see there) What should we not miss? cultural center? pineapple plantation? driving around? helicopter ride? volcano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Marple Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Oh, we just did this last August! My niece is working in Maui so, of course we spent most of our time there. We used the Vacation Rentals By Owner (VBRO) website to find a nice condo - we have 6 in our crew so hotel rooms are usually more expensive. Highlights: Pearl Harbor (of course) Shopping in Waikiki (couldn't afford it, but the boys had a great time browsing) On Maui - take the Road to Hana! There is also great surfing, snorkeling, and the visit to the top of the volcano is fun. We had fun exploring the Iao valley. On Kauai - we stayed at a chocolate farm (http://www.steelgrass.org/events/index.html). It was quirky and fun. Definitely a relaxing time. For one of my boys this was the highlight. He's interested in cooking and truly loved the chocolate tasting and tour. Have a great time! We're trying to plan a senior trip for 2011 - but he wants to go to Italy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I don't even know enough to know where to start -- This will be our ds's senior trip. All we know is we want to visit Pearl Harbor and scuba dive. So - 2 adults and one 16 yo -- for 10-14 days -- and we can't live high on the hog. We are not "lie on the beach day after day" people, although my dh believes we could fill 10 days with scuba diving! We love history, hiking, swimming, interacting with the people who live in an area (we would not go to a resort where we are separated from the people), not touristy (if given a choice of eating in a tourist place or a place where the local folk go -- local wins every time), not shoppers (although a local market full of local color would be fantastic). What islands? (and what to see there) What should we not miss? cultural center? pineapple plantation? driving around? helicopter ride? volcano? It's been a long time since I lived there but my dad is still there so I'm a little familiar with what's availalbe to see and do. For the history lover in you I would take time to visit Iolani Palace, the Mission Houses Museum, and the Bishop Museum. Hawaii is the only state in the union that used to be a royal kingdom - the history is fascinating. Sea Life Park is a little touristy but I think it's still worth a visit. I would also take time to snorkel at Hanauma Bay. A fun little restaurant is The Willows. It's a bit pricey but if you go for a weekday buffet you can save a little money. Another fun restaurant is Top of Waikiki, but it is also pricey. It revolves and gives you a view of the ocean and the mountains as you eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I don't even know enough to know where to start -- This will be our ds's senior trip. All we know is we want to visit Pearl Harbor and scuba dive. So - 2 adults and one 16 yo -- for 10-14 days -- and we can't live high on the hog. We are not "lie on the beach day after day" people, although my dh believes we could fill 10 days with scuba diving! We love history, hiking, swimming, interacting with the people who live in an area (we would not go to a resort where we are separated from the people), not touristy (if given a choice of eating in a tourist place or a place where the local folk go -- local wins every time), not shoppers (although a local market full of local color would be fantastic). What islands? (and what to see there) What should we not miss? cultural center? pineapple plantation? driving around? helicopter ride? volcano? I live on Oahu. In 14 days you could see Oahu, Maui and the big island fairly easy. Most people go to the big island (Hawai'i) to ski or see the volcano. There are no active volcanoes on the other islands. Maui is where people from Oahu go on vacation. It is what people imagine when they imagine a Hawaiian vacation. Relaxing, laid back, etc. But if you're not "lie on the beach" people, it may not be your thing for most of your vacation. We've had a lot of visitors and here are some things people tend to like a lot: Aloha Stadium Swap Meet-this is the place to buy souvenirs. Go early in your visit. You can pick up beach towels, mats to lie on, bags, jewelry, cover-ups, swim trunks, anything you want to wear/use in Hawaii or take home with you. This is the cheapest place to buy *most* of that type of stuff. The Polynesian Cultural Center is great and it takes most of the day. You learn about the cultures of the various Polynesian islands. I discourage people from doing the luau. It's the same food you can get anywhere on Oahu, it's a buffet, it is tons and tons of people, it's just not fun. If you are going to Maui, do a luau on Maui, they are better. To make a day of it drive yourself around the windward side, leaving fairly early in the am. That way, you'll have time to stop at the beaches you'll see along the way. It's a lovely drive. Go *past* Laie/PCC and eat lunch in Kuhuku at the shrimp trucks (yum). The PCC opens at noon, the canoe pageant (showcasing dances from the islands) is at 2:30. Don't miss the drumming show or the Samoa show. It starts shutting down to herd people toward the luaus around 5:15. We go to the IMAX show at 5:30, when most people have headed to the luau. Then, we eat at the snack bar or the McDonald's in the parking lot (it has a waterfall), do a little shopping and then head to the shows. We usually stop by the pineapple plantation on our way to the North Shore because it's right on the side of the highway. You can look at the koi pond and pineapple exhibit (they have lots of different types of pineapples planted in the courtyard, it's neat to see them) without paying for anything. The train ride is kind of lame unless you have little kids who would like it. Kathleen mentioned Iolani Palace-that is a tough one because visitors are extremely limited. They do tours from 9:15-11:25 am (a limited number of people). You can do a self-guided audio tour from 11:45-3 but you don't see nearly as much that way. You need to make reservations for the tours because they fill up fast. The Mission House Museum was recently heavily vandalized, I don't know if this had any kind of impact on their programs. I agree with Kathleen that The Bishop Museum is truly fascinating. They have lots of interesting Polynesian and Hawaiian artifacts. Personally, I would only go to Sea Life Park if you haven't been to SeaWorld or anything like it before. Hanauma Bay is definitely worth it, go *very early* because the parking *and* number of visitors allowed per day is limited. Other good snorkeling and scuba diving spots are going to vary depending on the time of year. There are tons of great hikes, I can list some of them for you, if you're interested. You need to be at Pearl Harbor by 7 am. The tour buses start arriving at 7:30 am. Again, the number of visitors per day is limited. On more than one occasion we've had to leave and come back another day because they ran out of spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I don't even know enough to know where to start -- This will be our ds's senior trip. All we know is we want to visit Pearl Harbor and scuba dive. So - 2 adults and one 16 yo -- for 10-14 days -- and we can't live high on the hog. We are not "lie on the beach day after day" people, although my dh believes we could fill 10 days with scuba diving! We love history, hiking, swimming, interacting with the people who live in an area (we would not go to a resort where we are separated from the people), not touristy (if given a choice of eating in a tourist place or a place where the local folk go -- local wins every time), not shoppers (although a local market full of local color would be fantastic). What islands? (and what to see there) What should we not miss? cultural center? pineapple plantation? driving around? helicopter ride? volcano? If it were us, I'd divide the time between the Big Island and Kauai as those are our two favorite islands. But, if you haven't been to Pearl Harbor before, add in Oahu as it is worth it to visit. The Big Island is tops for scuba, snorkeling and the volcano plus we also like going to the top of Mauna Kea. The Waipio Valley is stunning - take a horseback ride back into it. If you travel around the island, be sure to stop at South Point and the Black Sand beach in the south too. Diving is best in the west (Kona area), the Volcano is in the southeast - NOT an easy day drive due to the size of the island. If you stay in the village of Volcano for a couple days you can easily explore both the volcano and Hilo area waterfalls. Spend the rest of the time in the Kona area and dive. Due to the difference in elevation, don't go to the top of Mauna Kea within 24 hours of scuba. Ditto that with hopping back on the plane. The Kona area is desert and not nearly as pretty as other areas of Hawaii, but it still has nice diving and snorkeling. Kauai is the prettiest island and has some really nice hikes. Waimea Canyon is absolutely gorgeous - the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Then there's the North Shore - purely stunning. This island is more rural, but perfect for the nature lover (like us). Snorkeling is fairly decent too. Oahu is pretty, but pretty crowded too. We weren't impressed at all with the snorkeling there - too many people - too much destruction. Pearl Harbor, as already stated, is worth it. Since we don't care for crowds, Oahu is our least favorite island. If you don't mind crowds, you might really like it. Maui is best if you like "resort" Hawaii - which it seems you don't. Just our two cents... Hawaii is one of our favorite vacation spots. We'd move there if we could afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Oahu is pretty, but pretty crowded too. One thing to consider when scheduling your days on Oahu-there is a TON of traffic and not that many roads. Also, you cannot drive all the way around the island, many people think you can but that is not the case. If you want to do a circle drive it's best to drive up the H-2/99 then down, around the windward side. You can't drive around the leeward side (you could drive to Ka'Ena point but then you have to go back down and up the H-2/99) and there are a lot of homeless people living in tent cities on the many of the leeward beaches. If you go to Oahu, you will want to get out of Waikiki, definitely not the best beaches in Waikiki. There are beautiful beaches on the windward side (especially in the spring and winter) and beautiful beaches on the north shore to visit in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 It is easy to plan a day on Oahu on the way in or on the way out--as most airlines use Oahu as the hub then you 'island hop'. I'd allow 1 day or afternoon for Pearl Harbor--Honolulu is just like ANY big city... Maui has LOTS of 'teen' activities and lots of pretty sites. It was too busy for me. Kauai is my most FAVORITE place in the world.... lots of hiking and other 'action' activies. Big Island--DH and I spent 10 days there last December. It is really 2 different islands--wet side and dry side. The volcanoes are on the wet side. We LOVED staying at this place on the Hilo side--beautiful. We used the Pagoda House--it sleeps 6 I think... As far as scub goes you will most likely be DISAPPOINTED, the reef system in Hawaii is very young... you will see a FEW yellow tangs and maybe a FEW other blue and black fish--but not what you see when you 'think' scuba. I'll post a picture later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) As far as scub goes you will most likely be DISAPPOINTED, the reef system in Hawaii is very young... you will see a FEW yellow tangs and maybe a FEW other blue and black fish--but not what you see when you 'think' scuba. I'll post a picture later today. It's true that the reef system is young. However, at Shark's Cove and Hanauma we've seen yellow tangs, moorish idols, *tons* of blue and red parrot fish, puffer fish, eels, sea turtles, triggerfish, schools of jack, sergeant major fish, butterfly fish, eagle rays, achilles tangs, orangeband surgeon fish (lots of these), Unicornfish, sea cucumbers, sea slugs, trumpetfish, needlefish, various wrasse (Christmas tree wrasse, cleaner wrasse, saddle wrasse), cornetfish, squirrelfish, angelfish, damselfish and more. We've seen tons and tons of fish. True, there aren't many fish in Waikiki due to the shipping traffic but you can see lots of fish elsewhere on Oahu. In addition to all of the above, we've seen squid and dolphins at Waimea in the summer. Many people that I know have highly praised the some of the snorkeling cruises but that isn't something we have personally done. Edited February 19, 2010 by Mrs Mungo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 If you go to Oahu, you will want to get out of Waikiki, definitely not the best beaches in Waikiki. There are beautiful beaches on the windward side (especially in the spring and winter) and beautiful beaches on the north shore to visit in the summer. I totally agree with this! Kailua Beach is really nice to just walk along. North Shore beaches are great. We go in winter, so we watch the surfers there. In the summer I'm told it's rather flat and nice. I still wonder what makes Waikiki popular - other than Hawaii Five-O history - but then again, we're not city people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 As far as scub goes you will most likely be DISAPPOINTED, the reef system in Hawaii is very young... you will see a FEW yellow tangs and maybe a FEW other blue and black fish--but not what you see when you 'think' scuba. I'll post a picture later today. This has not been our experience at all. It makes me wonder where you went? Oahu disappointed us, but Kauai and esp the Big Island were quite nice. We saw tons of fish of all colors, eels (assorted varieties), octopi, dolphins, and other critters plus the Manta Ray night dive to date is our favorite dive of all. In the Caribbean there's far more variety and numbers of coral, but Hawaii is equally as good with the critters in our experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I totally agree with this! Kailua Beach is really nice to just walk along. North Shore beaches are great. We go in winter, so we watch the surfers there. In the summer I'm told it's rather flat and nice. Here is the difference: Waimea in the winter: http://www.flex.com/~flmorris/pics/waimea.jpg Waimea in the summer: http://www.oahutraveltips.com/images/waimea_3.jpg the big rock in this photo is completely covered by 15'+ waves in the winter: http://www.minihawaiibeach.com/images/Waimea_Bay_-_Oahu.jpg I still wonder what makes Waikiki popular - other than Hawaii Five-O history - but then again, we're not city people. Development on the rest of the island is extremely restricted. Waikiki is where the hotels are located, most people don't bother to rent a car and drive around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 We saw a lot of cool fish, including humuhumus, when we snorkeled at Tunnels Beach in Kauai. You can park by the two huge caves before Ke'e Beach then trek over. I always warn people to be careful in the water. Currents, undertows, rip tides, waves crashing on shore, and the occasional rogue wave can ruin your vacation. We almost drowned in Kauai in a 3-man kayak on the Hanalei River (kid you not) when it flipped not once, but twice. So be careful and go where the lifeguards are. With that said, I would recommend the Big Island. Sights to see: Volcano National Park (stay at least one night nearby so you can see it at night) Punalu'u Black Sand Beach -- sand is almost like glass but not so sharp Place of Refuge -- interesting ancient site near Captain Cook Petroglyphs Old Hawaiian train station in Laupahoehoe Hawaii Tropical Botanical Gardens near Hilo The Pana`ewa Rainforest Gardens and Zoo Hike down to Pololu Beach or the steeper Waipio Valley. Both have powdery black sand. Morning start is advisable. Even a hike around A-Bay Beach is nice. We liked Hapuna Beach the most. Places to eat: The Coffee Shack -- built on a steep hill overlooking ocean; hippyish Captain Cook Killer Tacos Kona industrial area (near Costco) Hapuna Beach Grill -- freshly cooked; more like a large food stand Hapuna Beach Hawaiian Style Cafe -- divey but huge portions of loco moco, etc. Waimea Tako Taco Waimea Blane's Drive Inn for the pupu platter to go Honoka'a Tex Drive In --excellent malasadas; good for after hiking Waipio Valley Honoka'a There is so much to see at each of the islands. You can't go wrong no matter which one you pick. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Here is the difference: Waimea in the winter: http://www.flex.com/~flmorris/pics/waimea.jpg Waimea in the summer: http://www.oahutraveltips.com/images/waimea_3.jpg the big rock in this photo is completely covered by 15'+ waves in the winter: http://www.minihawaiibeach.com/images/Waimea_Bay_-_Oahu.jpg GORGEOUS pics! You're making me drool... This year we couldn't go anywhere other than college visits due to the economy and college expenses coming up (sigh). Maybe next year we'll be back there. I envy your getting to live there... even Oahu. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I have to add one more tip: if you use VRBO, make sure it is not an illegal rental. I've heard about vacationers arriving in Hawaii only to find out they could not stay at their destination because legal action was taken against the landlord. We always rent from a realtor and even then, we try to do more checking. There are plenty of legal places, so don't fret too much about it. Two good sources are the Hawaii Revealed and the 50 Thrifty Restaurants guide. The Hawaii Revealed book marks sites by mile markers which is one of the best ways to find your way around the islands. Bear in mind that these books suggest dangerous activities. Don't do them. People have ticked off land owners, fallen off cliffs or drowned because either they don't have the know-how necessary to assess conditions, or they aren't capable of handling the environment. There are plenty of safe things to do on all of the islands. No need to risk injury or death. A good site to check ocean conditions: Hawaii Ocean Safety Website If you want more info once you decide on an island, I can send you links to some of our favorite places. I haven't been to Oahu yet, but that lucky Mrs. Mungo would be an obvious choice for advice! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnG in Arizona Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 I also live on Oahu and don't have a ton to add. I second the recommendation to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center - a must do, in my opinion. Just plan for an extremely long and full day, almost like a day at Disneyland. It's far away from anywhere you will likely be staying, so add about 1 hour travel time each way from virtually any hotel on the island. Since you mentioned Pearl Harbor, I would recommend a special all-day tour called the Home of the Brave Tour. You will spend ALL day seeing Pearl Harbor and the other historical sites related to that day. The tour guide who gives it is a walking encyclopedia about Pearl Harbor! I went on this tour with my brother, who is a history teacher; we both loved it. One should be pretty history-oriented to enjoy it, however. Here's the info: http://www.pearlharborhq.com/pearl_harbor_tour.html There is a new, smaller museum near Pearl Harbor called the Pacific Aviation Museum. My history teacher brother gives it a huge thumbs up. :) Good luck planning your trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnG in Arizona Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 ps - I would recommend you split your time between Oahu and the Big Island. I adore Maui, but the Big Island is just so incredibly unique. You can take an all day circle tour and get an incredible overview of the island and its history. I would recommend maybe doing that and then spending a day at Volcano National Park. Personally - I know I will step on some toes here - I think Kauai is SO slow and laid back that it is pretty snoozy. There are some pretty things to see there, but I would go to any of the other "major" three islands (Oahu, Maui, the Big Island) before trying to see Kauai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 Personally - I know I will step on some toes here - I think Kauai is SO slow and laid back that it is pretty snoozy. There are some pretty things to see there, but I would go to any of the other "major" three islands (Oahu, Maui, the Big Island) before trying to see Kauai. This is not stepping on toes at all. It's pointing out that one must know what they like on a vacation. We absolutely love nature, hiking, beaches, laid back, rural, and beauty. Therefore, it doesn't get better than Kauai as far as Hawaii is concerned. We could spend a month there and not get bored - and probably not do the same hike twice. For those that prefer more city-types of entertainment or night life/shopping, Kauai is not the right place to be. Oahu would be the better choice. Personally, we couldn't wait to get OFF Oahu and didn't particularly like the Polynesian Cultural Center (except we loved the Samoan dancers ;) ). We did enjoy Pearl Harbor, walks along Kailua Beach and the North Shore (including shrimp trucks), but overall, it was too much of a city experience for us. The OP needs to see both views and see which one they feel like they fit in better with in order to end up at the best spots for them. Forums are great for this - no stepping on toes - just plenty of experiences and thoughts. I think one thing we all agree on, though, is that the volcano on The Big Island is worth a visit - plus, they mentioned scuba. Scuba is best from The Big Island and worst on Oahu. We didn't scuba on Kauai... snorkeling there was reasonably decent, but I've never heard raves about diving there. Maui is so-so, but if they aren't into resorts and only have 2 weeks, Maui isn't the best suggestion IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 This article is one of the best I've ever read about Oahu ~ http://familyvacationcritic.com/oahu-family-vacation/dfv/ Click each little window under "resorts," "dining" etc. It's reliable. Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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