Hawaii for 25th anniversary-Where to start
Sep 5th, 2009, 06:36 PM
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Hawaii for 25th anniversary-Where to start
Hi,
For our 25th we were leaving towards a cruise to Alaska and then all of a sudden I remembered that when we were newly married we had talked about always wanting to go to Hawaii so he's 67, I am 54 so we figured lets do it now....well actually it will be Oct 2010.
I am usually pretty well versed about places but for some reason I have no idea where is the best place to start. I am pretty well traveled. Been to Europe several times, cruises, Caribbean Islands, etc. but this one is hard for me for some reason. There are so many books about traveling to Hawaii but I have no idea which are better than which. I realized that in the past when we have made plans we knew a lot of friends and relatives we could ask questions too and were pretty successful putting together a vacation from their info. Unbelievable we know very few people who have been there or if they had been there it was decades ago.
Any idea on where the best places to start working on this? I started looking at the message boards but even that seemed overwhelming there is so much info.
Any good websites on Hawaii? Anything else to help me start out would be appreciated. Once I start formulating a plan I will be okay but for some reason I just can't get it together. Thanks.
For our 25th we were leaving towards a cruise to Alaska and then all of a sudden I remembered that when we were newly married we had talked about always wanting to go to Hawaii so he's 67, I am 54 so we figured lets do it now....well actually it will be Oct 2010.
I am usually pretty well versed about places but for some reason I have no idea where is the best place to start. I am pretty well traveled. Been to Europe several times, cruises, Caribbean Islands, etc. but this one is hard for me for some reason. There are so many books about traveling to Hawaii but I have no idea which are better than which. I realized that in the past when we have made plans we knew a lot of friends and relatives we could ask questions too and were pretty successful putting together a vacation from their info. Unbelievable we know very few people who have been there or if they had been there it was decades ago.
Any idea on where the best places to start working on this? I started looking at the message boards but even that seemed overwhelming there is so much info.
Any good websites on Hawaii? Anything else to help me start out would be appreciated. Once I start formulating a plan I will be okay but for some reason I just can't get it together. Thanks.
Sep 5th, 2009, 07:25 PM
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Lots of info including sites with free brochures for all islands:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...trip-to-hi.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...trip-to-hi.cfm
Sep 5th, 2009, 11:55 PM
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The islands are each unique, so start with determining which island(s) best suit you. For me, the quiz at http://www.hawaiigaga.com/best-hawaiian-island.aspx is quite accurate.
As far as books go, I like the "__(Island name)__ Revealed" series. If you are wanting hikes and more do it yourself nature info the "Trailblazer __(island name)___" books are good. Not all hikes are really long.
Next determine how long you plan on staying and when...Post that information along with the island(s) you plan to visit as well as a description of your interests and you'll likely get plenty help on here. There are many many posts about the Hawaiian islands, so searching the forum is a good idea rather than reposting the same question asked a million times.
I wouldn't plan on spending less than five days per island that you intend to visit. Depending on the length of your stay and your pace, you'll want to make sure you are planning some relaxing/laundry days, too.
As far as books go, I like the "__(Island name)__ Revealed" series. If you are wanting hikes and more do it yourself nature info the "Trailblazer __(island name)___" books are good. Not all hikes are really long.
Next determine how long you plan on staying and when...Post that information along with the island(s) you plan to visit as well as a description of your interests and you'll likely get plenty help on here. There are many many posts about the Hawaiian islands, so searching the forum is a good idea rather than reposting the same question asked a million times.
I wouldn't plan on spending less than five days per island that you intend to visit. Depending on the length of your stay and your pace, you'll want to make sure you are planning some relaxing/laundry days, too.
Sep 6th, 2009, 07:39 AM
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Hey, I tried out that survey that Mrkindallas recommended. It was fun to do and, I agree, pretty accurate. It also makes you really think about what you like on a vacation. Thanks to Mrkindallas for sharing this site.
Sep 6th, 2009, 07:55 AM
#6
I was in a similar situation, my first trips to Hawaii. It is a bit tricky to plan. I started by checking out a PILE of guidebooks from the public library, and read up about each island (and looked at the photos). I think the internet is terrific for moredetailed planning, but find it a bit overwhelming at the very beginning stages. A matter of "too much information".
Sep 6th, 2009, 09:45 AM
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Everybody has their favorite islands! Mine is the Big Island, where I live part of the year.
The questionnaire above always bugs me because it is almost impossible to get the Big Island as an answer, and one reason is so many of those questions address lodging.
The Big Island is so big and diverse that people have a passion for it, but it will involve a lot of driving and planning to see it all. It is largest, has the fewest people, is the most extreme geographically, has lots of historical sites, many charming heritage towns, coffee country, whales, gorgeous deluxe resorts and lots of funky b & b's, great restaurants, local music and festivals. Snorkeling is great, but there are fewer great beaches, although there are some for sure.
Kauai is gorgeous and green. It's much smaller and easier to get around.
Maui is also gorgeous and has more of a touristy atmosphere and nightlife.
Oahu, well, for me it's too congested, but it was the first island I visited, and it was lovely.
So, the answer is: you will love them all!
I think Maui is a good "starter" island, though.
The questionnaire above always bugs me because it is almost impossible to get the Big Island as an answer, and one reason is so many of those questions address lodging.
The Big Island is so big and diverse that people have a passion for it, but it will involve a lot of driving and planning to see it all. It is largest, has the fewest people, is the most extreme geographically, has lots of historical sites, many charming heritage towns, coffee country, whales, gorgeous deluxe resorts and lots of funky b & b's, great restaurants, local music and festivals. Snorkeling is great, but there are fewer great beaches, although there are some for sure.
Kauai is gorgeous and green. It's much smaller and easier to get around.
Maui is also gorgeous and has more of a touristy atmosphere and nightlife.
Oahu, well, for me it's too congested, but it was the first island I visited, and it was lovely.
So, the answer is: you will love them all!
I think Maui is a good "starter" island, though.
Sep 6th, 2009, 06:46 PM
#9
I agree about Maui for a first trip! It looks like the Hawaii in the movies to me. Maui was my first island (when I was invited to a family reunion). On my own, I've chosen Oahu the last three trips.
Sep 7th, 2009, 05:09 AM
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We are also planning a trip to Hawaii for our 25th anniversary. We are going June/July 2010. We own some timeshares and I've been able to book 1 week on Oahu, 1 week on the Big Island and 1 week on Maui. I'm so excited - 3 weeks!! I guess we'll save Kauai for another trip.
We're in MA so it's a long flight and we wanted to make the most of it. I bought the "Revealed" book for each island, so between those and this site, I've been planning like crazy. Now if the airfare would come down a bit, we'd be all set. Good luck!
We're in MA so it's a long flight and we wanted to make the most of it. I bought the "Revealed" book for each island, so between those and this site, I've been planning like crazy. Now if the airfare would come down a bit, we'd be all set. Good luck!
Sep 7th, 2009, 05:24 AM
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We did the islands for our 25th and planned a fun 4 island whirlwind... start in Oahu on Waikiki and be sure to visit Duke's, the North Shore, and Pearl Harbor...
Next stop Kauai for a helicopter trip and the natural beauty of the Islands...
Head to the Volcanoes on the Big Island, have some kona coffee and take a guided tour...
Finish on Maui near Laihana, grab a Luau, a day snorkel...
Its the best trip we ever took, no where near as hectic as it looks and this Island Sampler gave us a taste of where to go back next time....
Next stop Kauai for a helicopter trip and the natural beauty of the Islands...
Head to the Volcanoes on the Big Island, have some kona coffee and take a guided tour...
Finish on Maui near Laihana, grab a Luau, a day snorkel...
Its the best trip we ever took, no where near as hectic as it looks and this Island Sampler gave us a taste of where to go back next time....
Sep 9th, 2009, 06:43 PM
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We celebrated my birthday with a trip to Hawaii last year (50). Much like you, and for similar reasons, planning it was challenging for us as well. My husband actually got involved in planning this one. We wanted to make the most of our time there and each of the islands offer so much to do and see that it was difficult to rule any out. Worked best for us by developing a “wish list” for each island, prioritizing our islands based on what we wanted to do/see, and developing several draft itineraries – quite an endeavor.
We ended up choosing Hawaii and Kauai for the bulk of our stay (12 days total). We did fly in and out of Oahu in order to see Pearl Harbor.
Here’s an overview of our trip:
Oahu: Two nights. Stayed on Waikiki near the Beach Walk development – upscale touristy shopping and a number of restaurants to choose from. Went to Pearl Harbor and the battleship Missouri.
Flew to Hawaii. 3 nights Spent the first 2 nights on the East Side at a B&B. Spent one day at the Volcanoes Nat’l Park and drove to Punaluu Beach to see the black sand and sea turtles. Had a surprisingly good meal at a “pizza” place in Volcano Village. Spent a day driving to the Kona side of the island. The drive provides quite a number of different views and landscapes – Hawaii is quite diverse. Not to be missed: the scenic drive detour (near the Botanical Gardens) and the Botanical Gardens (we spent a couple of hours here). Akaka Falls was pretty cool as well. We didn’t get a chance to explore the Kona side – hadn’t allowed enough time. Note: We flew in and out of different airports here returning the rental car to different location – no impact on intra-island flight costs and minimal impact to rental cost – well worth it for the drive and the time we saved in not driving back. A good website for the Big Island: http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/
Notes: We did not allow enough time here – I didn’t realize how much we’d like this island and how much there is to see. Also, the Hilo side of the island is pretty wet/moist. The B&B was very nice but without AC (needed for humidity removal not cooling) everything is damp.
We finished our stay in Kauai. 7 nights. We stayed on the North Shore (Anini Beach house rental). Not many dining choices but a good grocery and we prefer to stay in most nights. Lots to do on Kauai: Kilauea Lighthouse; Waimei Canyon State Park (nice drive and views – go early to avoid p.m. clouds and showers); Na Pau Coast State Park and the Na Pali Coast; this is THE place for a helicopter tour; easy to view waterfalls (Wailua and Opaeka’a); and Poipu area and Spouting Horn.
Notes: The north side of the island gets a lot of rain and again, nice place to stay but no air, so it was damp. I’ve a friend that stays in the Poipu area and loves it – drier side of the island.
For general Hawaii info, I found this website very helpful:
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/
Hawaiian Air offers a number of flights and prices were really reasonable when booked online in advance.
http://www.hawaiianair.com/Pages/Index.aspx
As for books - ashamed to admit it, but - I acutally got a lot of info/tips from the "Dummy" book.
By the way, we ruled out Maui because we seemed to have so much of what it offered (beaches, waterfalls, foliage) covered; we aren’t big on resorts/restaurants; and we had a beautiful/diverse drive on Hawaii.
Just planned a big trip for my husband’s birthday (60) – Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonland, Bryce, Zion, Kodachrome, and Vegas. Brought back memories of trying to plan Hawaii!
Enjoy!
We ended up choosing Hawaii and Kauai for the bulk of our stay (12 days total). We did fly in and out of Oahu in order to see Pearl Harbor.
Here’s an overview of our trip:
Oahu: Two nights. Stayed on Waikiki near the Beach Walk development – upscale touristy shopping and a number of restaurants to choose from. Went to Pearl Harbor and the battleship Missouri.
Flew to Hawaii. 3 nights Spent the first 2 nights on the East Side at a B&B. Spent one day at the Volcanoes Nat’l Park and drove to Punaluu Beach to see the black sand and sea turtles. Had a surprisingly good meal at a “pizza” place in Volcano Village. Spent a day driving to the Kona side of the island. The drive provides quite a number of different views and landscapes – Hawaii is quite diverse. Not to be missed: the scenic drive detour (near the Botanical Gardens) and the Botanical Gardens (we spent a couple of hours here). Akaka Falls was pretty cool as well. We didn’t get a chance to explore the Kona side – hadn’t allowed enough time. Note: We flew in and out of different airports here returning the rental car to different location – no impact on intra-island flight costs and minimal impact to rental cost – well worth it for the drive and the time we saved in not driving back. A good website for the Big Island: http://www.letsgo-hawaii.com/
Notes: We did not allow enough time here – I didn’t realize how much we’d like this island and how much there is to see. Also, the Hilo side of the island is pretty wet/moist. The B&B was very nice but without AC (needed for humidity removal not cooling) everything is damp.
We finished our stay in Kauai. 7 nights. We stayed on the North Shore (Anini Beach house rental). Not many dining choices but a good grocery and we prefer to stay in most nights. Lots to do on Kauai: Kilauea Lighthouse; Waimei Canyon State Park (nice drive and views – go early to avoid p.m. clouds and showers); Na Pau Coast State Park and the Na Pali Coast; this is THE place for a helicopter tour; easy to view waterfalls (Wailua and Opaeka’a); and Poipu area and Spouting Horn.
Notes: The north side of the island gets a lot of rain and again, nice place to stay but no air, so it was damp. I’ve a friend that stays in the Poipu area and loves it – drier side of the island.
For general Hawaii info, I found this website very helpful:
http://www.hawaiiweb.com/
Hawaiian Air offers a number of flights and prices were really reasonable when booked online in advance.
http://www.hawaiianair.com/Pages/Index.aspx
As for books - ashamed to admit it, but - I acutally got a lot of info/tips from the "Dummy" book.
By the way, we ruled out Maui because we seemed to have so much of what it offered (beaches, waterfalls, foliage) covered; we aren’t big on resorts/restaurants; and we had a beautiful/diverse drive on Hawaii.
Just planned a big trip for my husband’s birthday (60) – Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonland, Bryce, Zion, Kodachrome, and Vegas. Brought back memories of trying to plan Hawaii!
Enjoy!
Sep 10th, 2009, 10:05 AM
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First of all, I'm a big fan of Kona Village Resort and have returned as a guest over 30 times over almost 40 years. I love it so much that on my own, and unbidden, I put up a website to describe it in detail, partly to help people look at it and decide if it's for them or not. With 265 pictures, it's pretty comprehensive, and (I think) worth a look. Go to www.davidskvr.net and see for yourself. -- David
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