Hello!

I am taking my parents for a week trip this month to Wakiki for a total of 6 nights with 5 full days and half a day of exploration. We are renting a car and we do plan to do a variety of activities. Just wanted to guage your thoughts on my current Itinerary/Plans and goals of the trip.

Goal: Explore the island, experience the culture/learn about culture, eating cultural food (musubi/poke, etc), experiencing a luau, snorkeling (probably will just be me-I want to see some sea turtules), hiking (nothing too rough as my parents would probably kill me, and some great dining options. ..also Christmas themed things that would be great to experience!

Currently the Itenrary as as follows:

Day 1 (halfday)-Land in the afternoon. Settle in Wakiki and maybe explore the beaches/city.

Day 2-Explore north shore/waimea valley/Falls then end day at wakiki.

Alts: Shark Cove, Haleiwa Beach, lanikai Beach, Kaneohe Sandbar

Day 3-Kuloa Ranch Day, Byodo In or Kaneohe Bay, Waimanalo beach, Makapuu Beach

Alts: Dole Plantation

Day 4-Pear Harbor Museum, Iolani Place, king Kamehameha, Luau

Day 5-Hanauma Bay Snorkling, Waimanalo Beach, Ianikai Beach

Day 6 -Leave

Extras: Costco, Ala Moana Center, Chinatown Kakaako, Diamond Heard, I already have a bunch of food recs but if you have any must trys let me know.

Want to Incoporate: Polynesian Center Experience, Nakalele Blowhole

LuauL: Toa Luau or Paradise Cove or Wakiki Based Luau

I'm just writing this post to anyone who has stayed at Koa Kea resort. I'm just wondering if people could share their experiences here and mainly information, like is all amenities included (breakfast/dinner covered in the charge)? What site would you say is more beneficial to book from (website itself vs booking/Expedia etc). Any details would be much appreciated, we plan to visit in Feb for our honeymoon.

I'm visiting with couple of friends & none of us are really super early morning people. But I'm thinking about doing a sunrise hike by myself. We're staying near Diamond Head. Would love some suggestions on easy/moderate hikes to catch sunrise that I can possibly Uber to & from. Thank you!

As the title says I'm looking for any cliff jumping spots or local swimming spots. Unfortunately can't rlly travel much outside of Waikiki, but any and all information would be great! Currently sitting in the airport as I say this, And can't wait to swim. Thank you !

I got back from Maui a few weeks ago and tried the Furikake party mix from Costco on a whim. I only bought one bag and am now insatiably hooked on the stuff. Unfortunately it doesn’t exist in Costcos anywhere near me and it’s almost double the price on Amazon. It’s made by Cookies in Paradise I think. A cursory pass over their website suggests they sell at Costco and some shops, but also as a fundraiser.

Any locals have kids or groups that are selling it as a fundraiser that I can buy a bunch from and have it shipped to the mainland? I desperately need more of the stuff and would rather support a local fundraiser than paying someone hawking on Amazon.

As the title suggests, we are visiting Maui early in 2025 and have the opportunity to stay for 4 nights either at the Grand Wailea or The Four Seasons. I’ve been to Maui before, but not with our child, who is 1.5 years old. The 4 seasons is slightly more expensive, like 200 more a night, but cost isn’t an issue.

For those of you who have been to both, when it comes to overall experience, comfort, amenities, etc… which would you recommend and why? We will be bringing our babysitter with us.

Thanks!!

Will be visiting next week and wanted to know a good spot to watch the MLS cup match next Saturday? Any suggestions

I'm flying in from Oahu with a friend and we plan on doing one night in Kauai. We're very active, and not really into the whole relaxing-resorts thing. So our plan is to land, get a rental car, and immediately jump into hiking and sight-seeing. Then fly out of Kauai the next day during the night time.

We don't plan on snorkeling/beach, our only goal for Kauai is to drive around, hike, sight see, and eat great food.

My questions for this subreddit:

Q1: Does this sound reasonable for two active people? We haven't fleshed out a full itinerary yet. Here's our rough plan.

Q2: Is it better to chunk the island into east side one day, west side the next day? Or does it not matter?

Q3: Recommendations for hikes/driving viewpoints/quick stops? (excluding things from the list at the bottom of the post)

Day 1:

• Fly to Lihue airport in from Oahu early in the morning. Get rental car.. (check in to hotel whenever its ready.. we will only have two backpacks so we could hide them in the trunk. Like I said were not concerned with relaxing at the hotel)
• Immediately drive to a spot to hit some easy hikes and viewpoints, Waimea Canyon is high on the list
• Drive... around the island? It looks pretty small, but is it possible to drive the whole island in a day?
  • Again, we have no problem with lots of driving, and impromptu stopping and sight seeing.
• Popoi beach to see some monk seals & turtles maybe. Just as a quick stop
• Maybe a whale watching tour since we will be there in Feb.
  • Any recommendations?

Day 2:

• Again just more driving, small hikes, and sightseeing. The exact where and when we haven't fleshed out. But this goes back to my question of how easy is it to simply drive across the island
• Fly out in the evening/night

Popular things we are not planning on doing:

• cave tubing tours
• na'pali coast boat tour
• snorkeling
• helicopter tour
• no hikes over 4 miles unless its totally worth taking up the majority of our day/energy vs. a ton of small hikes
  • if there is an absolute MUST hike that is easy-moderate over 4 miles let me know :)
• general relaxing on a beach/resort

Decided we want to do a Hawaii trip next but trying to figure out where. We are not huge resort people meaning we like to actually explore the place we’re in rather than staying at a resort pool the whole time, however we understand that now with kids, they will appreciate a resort with water slides etc. We also aren’t into super touristy stuff. For these reasons we are leaning toward the North Shore and splurging on Turtle Bay Resort, but have read/heard from others that’s it’s not really worth it and that Maui is better with kids. Why is that? I mean, both islands have luaus, beautiful beaches, snorkeling, etc. Oahu (North Shore) just seems more our speed - quieter, more relaxed and less touristy, etc. For context, our kids are 5, 5, and 8 months and we’d stay for 5 nights. Just looking for insight into why people are deterring me from this location.

Planning a trip to Hawaii with my fiancé and we’re torn between staying on Maui or Kauai. We’re looking at Four Seasons in Maui or 1 Hotel in Kauai. We want to see the beauty of the island (clear ocean, terrain, hiking, flowers, food) but also want to enjoy the resort. We’re both first timers in Hawaii. I like nature and being adventurous, he likes relaxing and dining at nice restaurants. We don’t want to go somewhere too busy and want to be close to the water. Open to recommendations of other islands/resorts if anyone thinks BI or Oahu etc would be better for what we’re looking for. Thanks!

I will be visiting the Big Island in March and would like to take a wild food tour from a knowledgeable local. I'm very interested in plants, fruits & mushrooms. Any information and/or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Did La Vie restaurant at the Ritz Carlton recently close? The location appears to be called The Terrace now. I’m looking for a nice place for dinner (combination of good food & ambiance). Thx.

Hi! My boyfriend and I are booking a winter trip to Oahu from the PNW. We’re in our early 30s, foodies, and tech workers who enjoy a mix of city life and nature. We're excited to experience Honolulu's amazing food, a nice pool, culture/history, and poke every day. We might have a few friends joining us, if so everyone will be booking their own hotels.

We prefer a boutique vibe with luxe touches, but don’t need over-the-top service. I’m avoiding family-focused resorts and would love to steer clear of too many screaming kids. The very top of our budget is $650 a night for something amazing, but we definitely want to keep costs WAY lower if possible. My ideal spot is the Halekulani Hotel but at over $800/night it is just out of the question.

My top contenders are:

• ‘Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
• Wayfinder Waikiki
• The Laylow
• Outrigger Reef Waikiki

My favorite hotels I've stayed at are The Standard Bangkok, The Betsy (Miami), Andaz Scottsdale, and Casa Izeba (Mexico City), so something along those lines would be awesome. I’m very curious about the Royal Hawaiian (love the vintage vibe, pink exterior, and proximity to the beach), but some cleanliness reviews are a big concern that's giving me pause.

I'd love to hear about your personal experiences with my short list above (horror stories? don't book here? etc) or any other recommendations. If you have an off-the-beaten-path rec anywhere else on Oahu I'd love to hear it as well.

Thanks so much!

My partner and I are planning to travel in Hawaii but we can’t drive. Does anyone have any recommendations to go in Hawaii. we still want to be able to explore around and hike as well. Public transports/uber or any other kind of transportations r fine. Thanks for the help! 😃

Going to Maui with my husband in a couple weeks in early December and we'll have 6 full days to do things. Here's what we've come up with so far:

• Day 1: Resort and beach day (will have travelled over 12 hours the previous day, so just want to chill on this day)

• Day 2: Upcountry and Haleakalā Sunset

  • What suggestions do you have for upcountry? Should we do something else before the Haleakalā sunset instead of upcountry?

• Day 3: Resort and beach day; water activities through the resort

• Day 4: Early morning snorkeling lesson; explore West Maui (Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kapalua)

  • What should we do in West Maui specifically?

• Day 5: Mama's Fish House; Twin Falls and/or Ioa Valley

  • If you had to pick one between Twin Falls or Ioa Valley, which would you do? Is the waterfall swimmable for beginners? Shallow and clean?

• Day 6: Snorkeling tour

Also want to do whale watching but a lot of tours aren't running during our dates there. Maybe can spot some during the snorkeling tour or might try to find a tour for Day 3 or Day 4.

Are we missing any must-do things here? Or anything that we have but should skip?

Appreciate and help and tips, thank you!

I’ve never been to Hawaii - definitely never been to Jurassic Park - but I have a kiddo that is obsessed with the movies. He can basically quote them all.

We’re planning to visit in May or June. Is there a tour that is better than the others, or are they all basically the same tours to the same places with different companies?

This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us. I want to make this super special for him, and would LOVE any help! Thanks!

First visit to Hawaii celebrating moms bday next month. Staying in Waikiki and booked a rental car for our entire trip. Mom gets around on her own but has challenges walking long distances. She has a rollator (similar to a walker with 4 wheels and a seat) that will stay in the trunk and only be needed if traveling on foot for more than 30 minutes.

Mom is not early riser so most days will consist of a late breakfast and activities in the afternoon. I’ll probably use the mornings to hike with my son. Mom loves waterfalls so any accessible without a long trek would be a must visit. Also, am I trying to squeeze too many places in each day?

My plan so far:

Day 1: Arrive ~5pm, pickup car, grab a case of water/heathy snacks at a Walmart/Target, dinner, check-in hotel, walk around Waikiki until tired

Day 2 (East Shore): Hoomaluhia botanical garden, Buono temple, Tropical Farms macadamia farm, Kualoa Ranch. Was planning to go for the UTV tour but read it gets dirty. Bus tour is a lot cheaper but read it gets very choppy and uncomfortable (?). Suggestions on which your? Mostly want to see the natural landscape.

Day 3 (North Shore): Wahiawa Botanical Garden, Dole Plantation, Waimea Valley Falls, Toa Luau. Anything else worth checking out on the way or at night in North Shore after the luau?

Day 4: Will be spent in/around water related activities, beach, etc. Mom wants to do the submarine tour, son wants to go jet skiing. Recommendations welcome. Son and I are weak swimmers.

Day 5: Chill day, weather report says it might rain. Drive thru downtown Honolulu, tour Iolani Palace, get a massage, visit Pu’u Ualaka’a viewpoint. Is Makapu’u Point Lighthouse accessible by car or hike only? Grabbed tix to see the new Cirque du Soleil show at the Outrigger Hotel (7:30pm).

Day 6: Checkout, brunch, departure

Would appreciate any feedback on my itinerary.

specifically looking for chobani flips or just the brand chobani

Hope you all had a great thanksgiving

The family and I have a 4.5 hour layover on Saturday, on our way to Kauai. I was wondering if it’s “easy” to take an Uber over to Pearl Harbor? Can we reasonably check it out in a couple hours? If not, any other advice for killing time near the airport?

Craving this particular Hawaiian-Korean meat pancake dish. Had it many times at a place next to Ala moans centre, not sure if that business is still alive.

Won’t be driving do any other recommendations for meatjun?

Thanks🙏

Does anyone know if Lydgate chocolate farm still does free tastings? I tried checking online and only saw an $135 tour per person. If not, is there anyone other farm to go for a free tour or tastings? I will also be in Maui if anyone knows of any free chocolate tasting tours or free/budget friendly tastings/tours.

I’ll be going to Maui and Kauai in January. I don’t think I’ll pay for any tour activities in Maui but in Kauai I plan to do the wings over Kauai tour, napali coast boat, tubing tour, smith family luau (show only) Waimea canyon pass… is there any Black Friday deals for this? I don’t think there is but I figured I’d ask

Currently in Oahu. What is the BEST spot for Kalua pork nachos?

We’re hiking to Hanakapiai Falls next week. I have a pair of Keen hiking sandals (closed toe but open vent) or Solomon hiking boots. Which would we better given the trail conditions?

Hello all.

My husband and I are going on a trip together to Hawaii for his 30th birthday and were looking for a hotel/resort with the following:

1. Well used/pretty bar (we love going to the bar at the end of the day to people-watch or chat with people, and we hate when the bars are lonely!)
2. Good food (either within walking distance or within the hotel itself)
3. Easy access to ocean/nature activities (surfing, scuba diving for sure; maybe hiking).
4. Fewer kids, more adults
5. Maybe a place with a small luau event? I don't know how "authentic" these are though and I hate overly kitschy tourist trappy things lol.
6. We have a generous budget but if we're splurging, we'd like to feel like it's worth the price.

We're also open to hotels which are not necessarily these big resorty types but are just in areas which are very convenient walking distance from these things.

We do enjoy "romantic" vibes for the room itself but when we leave the room we want to socialize with other adults around us. Not sure if there's anywhere that fits that bill!

Despite the tag, we also have no idea which island we should go to and can use the recs! I've only ever been to the big island. While it was beautiful, I thought it might be too quiet for our taste? (though I stayed at an airbnb back then, so there may be a bigger resort there that actually fits the bill for us).

Hello folks.

Does anyone have recommendations for the best helicopter tours, preferably ones that offer hotel pickup and drop off as I don’t drive?

Thanks!