dwc0201

My husband and I have done alot of traveling but he has never been to Hawaii and would like to go. I have been to the big Island once but was a corporate reward trip and that is always at a big resort and you don't get to leave the resort much so I can't say I loved it. So I need some advice on when and where to go.

We will go in the summer to get out of the Phoenix heat, so if there is an area that is cooler or less humid that is our preference. We are leaning towards Hawaii or Maui unless there is another suggestion. We do not like big resorts. I am kind of thinking we may do 3 days at a B&B somewhere ( a friend mentioned Haiku) and then 3 days on a beach somewhere but in a smaller resort. We also do alot of VRBO's so we could stay a full week at the same VRBO if it was close to the beach and a town that may be a little off the beaten path. I like it when we can just walk into a cute town for dinner and not drive everywhere.

Let me know if my expectations are unrealistic. I know Hawaii can be very commercial so maybe I am not going to find what I am looking for or maybe I need to be looking at the other islands. Thanks so much

mumpsimus

You don't mention budget. Still, when you're looking for ideas, here's one that is different from any other place in the state, Kona Village Resort. It's mostly inclusive--all the food, most of the beach gear like snorkel and kayaks, the tennis and fitness center, for example--is included (but not alcohol). It's more like Hawai'i was 50 years ago--everyone stays in a separate bungalow, there are two dining rooms to choose from, nightly entertainment, and a very laid back, friendly atmosphere. The best was to see if it fits you is to look at www.davidskvr.net which is a website I created because I'm a devoted fan of the village.
David

sylvia3

Try going up country on the volcano; spend a day or 3 on the east side of the BI and see all the waterfalls, scenic drives, snorkel in the tide pools, etc.
There are many beach resorts; I've seen Hapuna Prince for great prices off and on. Then you could visit the small towns of Hawi, Waimea, etc. (Kona Village REsort is destination, and very expensive.)
If you like VRBO, Waikoloa Beach (not village) resort has a huge variety, and lots of pricing. There are many restaurants (even fast food) in the two shopping centers there, and A-Bay is beautiful.

dwc0201

Thanks for the replies. We are not All Inclusive people-we do like to get out and try different restaurants and explore different places. We are much more into getting a feel for a place and how the locals live than being on a beach all day. Which is not to say we don't like the beach, but just for a morning walk or to enjoy hanging out with a glass of wine at a beachfront restaurant. I think the hiking and volcano are probably good ideas. Quite honestly, Hawaii isn't probably the best place for us as I pictured more of wandering a colonial city in Mexico but he does want to see Hawaii since he hasn't been.

Mimar

The Big Island and Kauai are the quietest islands of the 4 main islands. Kauai, the Garden Isle, is my favorite because it's the lushest and greenest. Parts of the Big Island are mostly bare lava fields. And the Hilo side is wet and green.

I don't like Maui. Too many highrises and shopping malls, not to speak of Costco and Walmart.

Of course, you could go stay at Hana on Maui or the smaller islands of Lanai or Molokai if you want really quiet.

Hawaii is not about towns. It's about nature and living simply. It's the most relaxing place I know.

carolyn

Since your husband has never been and you have not been to Oahu, let me put in a plug for that island. You could stay a couple of nights at Waikiki where you can walk to everything and then rent a car and go to the other side of the island which is completely different--quiet, small towns, beautiful scenery.

For sightseeing, I recommend Pearl Harbor, Mt. Tantalus, the Pali lookout, Punchbowl Cemetery, Kailua beach, Haliewa town on the North Shore, Hanauma Bay for snorkeling or just to see; there is so much beauty there, and everyone should at least see the view of Diamond Head curving around from the beach. To me, that IS Hawaii, and I've been more than once to the four major islands.

iamq

There is a Costco and Walmart on Kauai too. All the major islands are built up to some extent, but do not let that keep you away from any of them.

We rent a cottage in Makena on Maui and we are not surrounded by highrises and shopping malls. We step off the deck into the water and snorkel with the turtles. No crowds really. So it really depends where you go on each island.

Haiku may not have the B and Bs it once had due to the crakcdown on illegal rentals and bed and breakfasts in Maui County. Research that carefully.

Hanalei is a town on Kauai and would suit you. No resorts. Vacation rentals aplenty. One can walk to the beach and town in 5 to 10 minutes depending upon where in town you are staying. The beach is gorgeous. The water is like glass in July/August when we go. It is not a mob scene. Most people drive through it on their way to Ke'e Beach at the "end of the road" and never see Hanalei Bay.

dwc0201

I know kauai is known for being rainy, what is July like? Tell me more about the town of hanalei.

iamq

What would you like to know about Hanalei? You can read about it in any Kauai or Hawaii guidebook. Click on my name and scroll down to two of my trip reports on Kauai. I talk about Hanalei in them.

It rains mostly at night during the summer months. There will be passing showers during the day on some days somewhere on the north shore. It will rain for a few minutes then it moves on to somewhere else. The north shore gets more rain than the east and south shores. It is a non-issue for us.

suze

You don't have to worry about "All Inclusives". Those really aren't big in the Hawaiian islands. I think there's only a one.

Staying places where there aren't hotels and resorts, but being able to walk into a cute town for dinner is a bit tricky.

BlueSwimmer

We love staying in the north shore town of Paia on Maui. We rent a little cottage and sit on the lanai watching the ocean eating sashimi made with the freshest fish (caught that day) from Nagata Market, shop at the fabulous Mana Food store, eat at the many cute and funky restaurants, go to the little beach nearby for afternoon beach time, and use it as a jumping off place for exploring up country and the rest of the island. No condos or high rises, lots of friendly, mellow locals, great music at Charlie's.

charnees

Hawi, at the north end of the BI is a nice little artsy town, much cooler and breezier than other places. At the end of the highway there is a big canyon you can hike down into if you are fit enough to do a mile or so downhill, and then back up again. The beaches there aren't so great, but you can get to Hapuna in about half an hour. There's also an old Hawaiian village off the highway. In Dec-march you can see a lot of whales right offshore from the highway. if you go to Hawi, eat at Bamboo. It's kitschy but fun, and they have some interesting dishes. They have live music on weekend nights. Joan, the owner, is funny and friendly. And across the street is Tropical Dreams Ice Cream, the best!

1JAR

We lived in Hawaii (Oahu) for 5 years. When we wanted a break we went to the Big Island.

Would suggest splitting the trip: stay at Hilton HAwaiian Village condos (VBRO or call Hotel directly) as you will be downtown Honolulu and can walk out the door to everythng.
Then go to Big Island, big mountains, lots of cool air, volcanoes, etc.
http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island

There is an acomodatioons list on teh left side of teh page...

dwc0201

So sorry not to be back to this and check for more replies. I really appreciate the advice. It does sound like this is a tall request-I think I have Mexico on my mind but my husband wants something different this year. So I will check out all these suggestions-Paia sounds especially interesting.

Thanks to all

charnees

There are lots of VRBOs for rent in HI!

Tanya

Paia is a bustling town, situated on the water. We went through it on our way to Mama's fish house. Lahaina is a quaint town as well, it didnt' seem to be as busy (traffic-wise) as Paia, but either spot on the Island is lovely.

gordonsumner

Maui is my favorite island by far. There's a reason it is probably one of the most expensive Islands to visit, it rocks. We stayed at the Four Seasons on the Big Island a few years ago and thought it was not very pretty given all the volcanic rock. It's also very quiet and we ran out of things to do pretty quickly. Maui is green and beautiful, what one thinks of Hawaii looks like. This time of year there are whales breaching right of the beach all day long. We just came back from staying on Oahu for the first time. Do not, repeat do not waste your time on Oahu or in Honolulu. Blech.

suze

You hated the entire island of Oahu? Or just the city of Honolulu?

iamq

I think in some ways Oahu is the most "Hawaiian" island of them all.

carolyn

Oahu is my favorite.