awdsmama

I'm in the planning and saving stage of next years vacation....

Who: Myself and my son who will be 8 1/2

When: April or May 2013

What: He wants to climb a volcano and see real lava, go on a submarine tour and maybe kayak. I want to relax and explore also. Waterfalls, beautiful flowers and scenery etc. Lay on a nice sandy beach...Also I would like to do the Polynesian Cultural Center and Pearl Harbor.

I'm having a tough time figuring out how to break up the time on the islands and even narrowing it down to which islands!!!

I really want to go to Kauai but am thinking perhaps Big Island and Oahu are our best bet?

I plan on doing a VRBO condo to save a bit of $$ but am not sure on location on each island? I would like to NOT stay in Waikiki as it's so populated and busy, I've heard of it referred to as New Yorks Time Square meets Venice Beach, CA ;-)

Advice welcome!!

aloha

For an active volcano, you will have to go to the Big Island. Your son will need to adjust his expectations a bit as i dont think he will be able to actually climb a volcano. But it may be possible to see molten lava from a distance. Changing conditions will determine where you can go in relation to the flow.

On O'ahu, you might want to stay on the North Shore. There are a lot of VRBO listings there. I enjoy Waikiki but it sounds like you are looking for the more rural side of the island.

For a submarine ride, i think you can do that in Waikiki. He might also enjoy touring the Bowfin sub, very interesting to see the tiny spaces the crew lived and worked in. It is in Pearl Harbor.

One good place to kayak is Kailua, on O'ahu.

aloha

Well i just googled "submarine hawaii" and there appears to also be a company doing tours on the big Island as well as O'ahu.

sf7307

I would definitely also consider renting in Kailua (as well as kayaking, which I've done there, and it was great). I love the north shore, too. The one town I know on the north shore is Haleiwa, which is a funky little beach town. The north shore beaches are beautiful. Kailua is more developed, but nothing like Waikiki. for one thing, there are no hotels. Kailua and Lanikai beaches are amazing.

"Times Square meets Venice Beach" is very funny - and while it's not THAT busy, it's definitely very busy and crowded, with businesses (hotels and stores) all along the roads that line the beach, some beach-themed, many not ( I have heard that the Cheesecake Factory in Waikiki is the no. 1 producer in the chain, and really, how many Coach stores do you need in one little town?). Waikiki is fun, and you shouldn't skip it altogether, but you don't have to stay there if you want a more serene vacation.

I can't comment on the Big Island since I haven't been there since the late 70s, but Kauai definitely meets (and will exceed your expectations!) the criteria of scenery, flowers, beach and waterfalls.

jamie99

Keep an eye on the travel forums as lava is not currently flowing now from what I have read, just a little bit of steam but conditions always change. You would need the whole time on the Big Island, it takes a lot of driving to get anywhere.

My personal favorite is Kauai but you might want to consider 3 days on Oahu for Pearl and the PCC and the rest on Kauai where there is great kayaking and hiking. Look into renting a condo to save money on Kauai, more space and you can make breakfast to save a bit of money, get one with a washer and dryer.

DebitNM

He can hike DOWN into a caldera and walk across it and then hikeout at Volcano National Park on BI. Great beaches, varied landscape. I would spend the whole time on BI and allow a few days on each "side" to really get a feel for the island and cut down on some driving.

sylvia3

As Debit said, the caldera hike in Volcano National Park is terrific; while there, he can also climb into or through lava tube caves on the BI, and you can see the big caldera glowing at night.
So much to see and do, no need to go elsewhere (check out reviews of the Polynesian Culture center; I wouldn't bother, but that's my own preference).

sylvia3

p.s. I posted a link to a great Waikoloa condo deal, can't find it right now, but the price and location are great (if still available for your time). A couple of nights in Hilo or VNP would be nice, too.

aloha

You can get updates on the eruption at the park website http://www.nps.gov/havo/index.htm
Of course, this changes constantly. If your son is interested in volcanoes, i think it is very much worth it to go to the Big Island. There are many activities to learn about and experience the volcanic landscape, for example walking through a lava tube. He will be able to see recently erupted lava that is now hardened.

You could stay in the Volcano area and explore the park from there. The BI is large, but you do not have to drive all over it.

I would not skip O'ahu. The beaches are gorgeous and many are not crowded.

ChiSue

Few first-time visitors to Hawaii stay on Big Island. Are you and your son aware of what you are and are not going to see at Volcano National Park? The only molten lava most people see is in films shown at the ranger station. There is a lot of hiking required through sharp lava to get close to any 'action' -- should there happen to BE any when you are there. Mostly what you see is a vast area of devastation. It is amazing, but possibly not what your DS imagines.

I would skip Big Island. He can get the 'volcano fix' in Honolulu at the Bishop Museum's fascinating interactive displays. (NOT 'stuffy' at all!)

You could split time on Oahu between Honolulu and the north shore. See Pearl Harbor and Punchbowl, Iolani Palace and the Bishop Museum. Climb Diamond Head. Attend a luau. Then rent a car and drive east and north shores. The PCC is an interesting afternoon; you would be close to it if you stayed at Turtle Bay for a few nights (snorkeling, horseback riding).

Skip the 'sub' tours; just snorkel. Are you both very fit...to kayak?

May would be better than April -- better weather, and mainland schools are still in session so there would be fewer tourists.

You need at least ten nights in Hawaii to stay on two islands. You need a rental car everywhere outside of Honolulu.

One other possibility: The NCL cruise that departs Honolulu every Saturay afternoon and goes to Kauai, Maui and Big Island. (He'd see his volcano.)

matnikstym

You can easily do two islands in ten days and if your 8 1/2 year old son wants to do a submarine tour, take him on one...it's on his wishlist so why not?

The closest thing to a volcano is the volcano on the Big Island, Diamond head has been dormant for 150,000 years-not the same thing as seeing the glow from Halema'uma'u at night or seeing the red lava in a helicopter tour over Pu'u'o'o vent(though with everything natures gives us, there are no promises)

Kauai is beautiful but not a lot to do for a boy his age. I'd save Kauai for when he's a bit older.

The Big Island has waterfalls, kayak, submarine, pretty flowers, nice beaches and an active volcano.

I don't think many 8 1/2 year olds will enjoy the museum or palace and even the Polynesian Cultural Center would probably bore him after a few hours. The hike up Diamond head just maybe too tough for him. He'd surely like the ships at Pearl Harbor so if you do go to Oahu that should be a definite.

If it were me, I'd do a 7/3 or 6/4 split (Big Island/Oahu).

matnikstym

There's also a couple of hotels in Waikoloa with water slides your son would probably like, and one resort has a dolphin encounter and a lagoon with pedalboats, and another has a glass bottom boat that goes around the bay-things that you and your son might like to do.

Yurtgrl

Two years ago I met my husband on Oahu, where he was for a conference, and the next afternoon we flew to Kauai where we stayed for a week. Depending on where you are from and what travel experiences your son has had...a trip to Hawaii can be remarkable with very little effort. The different types of people, the tropical splendor, the ocean, the food...kids seem to walk around with eyes wide open. Kauai is a paradise. There is a canyon on the island worth exploring as well as great hiking and beaches. Depending on surf at that time of year it would be worth staying near Hannelei where there is a beautiful beach, a small town...and letting him take surf lessons.
7 days later we flew to the big island for another week. My husband is a geologist and the Big Island is a Mecca for him. Witnessing geologic time is pretty cool but the thread is correct...you may or may not see active lava, the hike to VNP is trying because of the terrain (if you go wear shoes with good tread...they may get shredded on route otherwise). on the active side of the island it looks like a barren moonscape but as you drive to the other side of the island you progressively see how the earth evolved...eventually there is soil and plants etc...the Big Island is fascinating and I am glad we went but if I was to go back I would spend more time on Kauai. Given your interests on Oahu you may want to spend a few days there and just hit Kauai...but it is important to respond to your son's interests too.
Good luck!

awdsmama

Oh my goodness...so much great information in such a short amount of time!

I'm going to have to read it all a few times to digest and come back with answers / more questions.

Happy Monday!

Shar

you can climb Diamond Head on Oahu if your son wants to climb a volcano. Not active but a real volcano. It is a workout and YES, children climb it too. There are tours to take to hidden parts of Oahu (i.e., rain forests) which I found interesting. Big Island is very volcanic and depending on where you stay, not much else. Hilo side is greener but much wetter. Big island is beautiful in its own way. You drive thru miles and miles of volcanic rock just to get to anywhere from the airport. Good snorkeling and in the Kohala area, great swimming and fab beach at the Mauna Kea resort and Hapuna Beach Park. There are some great petroglphs on BI as well Hope you find what you are looking for. We love Kauai and we see lots of children there as well.