Hawaii Vacation Ideas

[tallyho8]

Visiting the Arizona in Pearl Harbor is #1 on the list of many visitors so I had to do it myself. Years ago it would not have bothered me as much but I have become more sentimental over the years. It was very difficult for me to stand there knowing there were over 1000 young men lying dead just feet below where I was standing. With my grandson in the Marines now it made me realize even more how the parents of all those kids felt. My next trip to Hawaii will not include Pearl Harbor.

 

[nbking]

We like going to the big island, we stay at Hali I Kai. There are minimal people out there, beautiful condos, great restaurant and bar right next to the ocean. Lava Lava beach club is a short drive and awesome. You can walk along the beach/golf course all in and around the Lava rocks. The Volcano national park is huge, you can walk around and right by the steam vents. Panniolo ranch sunset dinner is nice, world famous Hawaiian BBQ. It's away from the hustle and bustle of Kona, but Kona is nice to hang out too. When you fly in you can go to Costco, get things for your vacation, then when you leave, you can fill your rental car up, and get all your take home gifts. The big island is our favorite. Maui is our second.

 

[ultrarunner]

Honolulu is pretty much Memphis TN with palm trees and a beach.

It was really disappointing.

Pearl harbor is nice and super peaceful. Visiting the USS Missouri and wandering around on it was super cool.

Diamond head state park is a nice hike and really pretty.

Rent a car for a day and do a self tour of the island. That's well worth it.

Unless pearl Harbour is a must see. I would recommend skipping Oahu and hitting the big island instead.

If you do visit Oahu and staying at a resort. Parking costs are super expensive. But you can ride the bus with unlimited swipes if you get a bus pass. I believe it's $5 or $7 a day. You can get the pads at any ABC store.

We rented a car one day and did a self tour of the island. That was super cool.

First pick is an active monastery we visited. Last 3 were pearl harbor and USS Missouri. The picture of the flag I took from inside the memorial.View attachment 865135View attachment 865136View attachment 865137View attachment 865138View attachment 865139View attachment 865140

Visited the Missouri when docked in Bremerton... enjoyed the history.

Something for everyone in the Islands...

 

[3Ts]

Diamond Head used to be a military installation with an observation site inside the rock. I believe you can now walk up the stairs to the observation site with a great view of Honolulu.

Volcanos National Park on the Big Island would be my #1 priority with a walk thru a lava tube and a trip out to a black sand beach. Also, need to see Pele's hair and Pele's tears in the lava fields.

Possibly a flight seeing trip out to Kawaii.

One of the posters on this site runs a B&B on the Big Island somewhere, maybe he'll chime in with suggestions.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Was on Big Island and Oahu a couple months ago. First time on the Big Island, was on oahu before, but my wife's first time on both of those islands, first time for my son. We have been to Maui before.
On Oahu we stayed outside of the Polynesian Village, but we had already gone to a Luau on the Big Island so didn't go in there. I was there before. Went to Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Koaloa ranch was nice. Hit the Dole plantation a couple times. Got to visit a friend stationed there.
On Big Island we stayed in Hilo, I liked the East side as opposed to the barren west side, but the west side has the resorts. Went to Volcana NP, hiked the lava tubes and down into an old crater only a mile from the active one. Some nice waterfalls, and hit a luau on the West side.
Rental cars were rather expensive, base price isn't, it's all the fees and insurance can cost as much as the car rental.

And visited a TBN member that lives on the Big Island in his off grid house.
So glad we stayed on the North shore of Oahu and not in Honolulu.

 

[Dftodd]

Visited the Missouri when docked in Bremerton... enjoyed the history.

Something for everyone in the Islands...

I was fascinated touring the Missouri. I tried imagining what it would be like to serve on the ship while touring the bunk areas and mess haul.

My claustrophobia would have kicked in big time if I was on it while fully staffed

 

[workinonit]

Kauai. Best vacation we ever took. Stayed in Princeville. Of course that was after visiting Maui a couple of times. If I were going just one time it would probably be Maui but I'm not sure how the fire affected everything there. If you want laid back and relaxing, Kauai hands down.

 

[oosik]

It was around 1976. We lived in Alaska. Alaska Airlines had a special on flights to Hawaii. We went for ten days. We enjoyed everything the islands had to offer - except one thing.

The oppressive humidity. We just could not get adjusted to it in our ten day stay. It felt like being in a sauna - all the time.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Great... I was getting some good info here now we got bots..