HAWAII; HELP!

Old Jan 10th, 2017, 11:21 PM
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HAWAII; HELP!

Hello! Traveling to Hawaii this year! have NEVER been there! I will list what I am looking for and I will read any advice! thank you!

Traveling with a 10 y/o. from FLORIDA,

cheap flights?
safe yet "cheap" lodging. anything possible for less than 250$ a night?
should i travel to California, stay at a friends house, sleep and then fly next day to Hawaii?
We want authentic cultural surroundings
avoiding touristy areas
LOTS OF POKE, but where?
authentic foods!
luau? any authentic Hawaiian entertainment(for one or two nights only)
looking for sunrises and sunsets!
Volcano?
green scenery! one of my main intentions is to go for picture taking!
ferry?boats?
MAUI? BIG ISLAND? NONE OF THE ABOVE?

thank you so much in advanced!
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 03:55 AM
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>>cheap flights?>safe yet "cheap" lodging. anything possible for less than 250$ a night?>should i travel to California, stay at a friends house, sleep and then fly next day to Hawaii?>We want authentic cultural surroundings
avoiding touristy areas>I don't think you'll have a problem.

authentic foods!
What's your budget. The range goes from food trucks to high-end restaurants.

luau? any authentic Hawaiian entertainment(for one or two nights only)
Not if you're avoiding touristy areas.

>>looking for sunrises and sunsets!>Volcano?>green scenery! one of my main intentions is to go for picture taking!>MAUI? BIG ISLAND? NONE OF THE ABOVE?
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 06:45 AM
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I'll read the rest of Vincenzo's reply, but for now, consider getting an Alaska Air credit card. Make sure they still offer an annual companion pass. We have used it on a number of Hawaii trips, usually saving us about $200-$300 (even taking the cost of the card into account). Another idea is a Hyatt credit card which gets you two free nights at any Hyatt - we used it to stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 08:49 AM
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First you need to decide which island.

Then you need to research airfare. I doubt there are any "cheap flights" that go Florida to Hawaii.

Whether to stop in California or not is completely personal preference.
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 08:51 AM
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If you don't want touristy things, then you wouldn't want to go to a luau.

That said, I think Old Lahaina Luau on Maui is one of the best.

If you want to see a live volcano, that's only on Big Island. There are dormant ones on the other islands. Haleakala on Maui is spectacular. And of course DiamondHead outside Waikiki.

Yes you can find lodgings in that price range.

Finding poke anywhere will not be a problem. Authentic food, sunrise, sunsets, those are every where
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 11:34 AM
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When??
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 12:30 PM
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Pick an island, then look for lodging.
Look into condos instead of hotels, they have more room and kitchens which you do not have to use, but is handy for leftovers.
Only ferry is Maui to Lanai.
To get from any other island to another you have to fly.
I think luaus are a waste of money, but that is my opinion. All the islands have many free hula shows.
Be careful of staying in non touristy areas, all the islands have towns and areas designated for tourists (which you are like it or not). Hawaii has a big problem with illegal rentals, would hate for you to arrive and find your lodging shut down.
You need a rental car for anyplace outside of Waikiki so budget for that.
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 12:42 PM
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If you avoid "touristy areas" you are going to miss a lot of the nicest things that the island have to offer. Places that are very popular, usually there's a good reason for that!
;-)
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Old Jan 11th, 2017, 05:55 PM
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If you want to avoid touristy areas you might want to consider the Big Island. It is larger than the other islands put together and has the fewest people of the major islands.

There are many small, charming towns and lots of history.

If you decide to go to the Big Island, I can tell you a lot about it, and you can search on my name including the word Hawi, which was the birthplace of King Kamehameha.

I think most Hawaii visitors would agree that the Big Island is the least touristy of the islands overall.
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Old Jan 12th, 2017, 01:21 PM
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and... the biggest
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Old Jan 12th, 2017, 05:07 PM
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Actually ... the Big Island's population is almost 200,000. Kauai's population is 70,000.

My recommendation is Kauai--unless seeing an active volcano is a big priority, in which case your only option is the Big Island.

For me, Maui was the epitome of touristy--just behind Waikiki. There are some beautiful places there (as there are on all the islands) and one can escape upcountry or to Haleakala (which is stunning). But the beaches were extremely crowded and had a backdrop of high-rises. That's not my fantasy of Hawaii.

For me, nothing compares with Kauai's North Shore. But people have different tastes. I go to the Big Island every year to attend a conference and I always spend some additional time. I just don't understand the appeal when compared to the other islands. Of course, it has beautiful areas, but it also has miles and miles of black lava. It just doesn't do it for me like Kauai's natural beauty. But how nice that there are different islands to choose from that match different tastes.
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Old Jan 12th, 2017, 05:41 PM
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Suze, you should go sometime! Have you ever been?

By the way, I'm on my way for 2 weeks starting Monday, and I really need it!
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Old Jan 13th, 2017, 02:48 AM
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>> But the beaches were extremely crowded and had a backdrop of high-rises.
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Old Jan 13th, 2017, 05:32 AM
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While it is practically inevitable to avoid "touristy" stuff in Hawaii, the fact that is touristy does not take away from the charm and enjoyment you will get out of many of the things to do there. Even an luau (I went to Old Lahaina) is extremely touristy, but still a great way to spend an evening.

If you decide on Maui I would not miss Mama's Fish house. It's not cheap but it's worth every penny. Another not to miss on Maui is Da Kitchen. Fun, authentic dishes, huge portions and great prices.

I can only speak to the islands that I have been to (Oahu and Maui) but there are tons of great food options almost everywhere you go. On Oahu, Giovanni's shrimp truck is DELICIOUS!! I found Hawaii to have excellent food options for every budget.

If you end up on Maui and you are looking for "green scenery" how about driving the Hana Highway? Your son is 10 which is old enough to manage the drive and appreciate the beauty. If you aren't comfortable with the drive, there are also tours available which allow you to sit back and enjoy the trip without worrying about driving.

Have fun!!
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Old Jan 13th, 2017, 05:53 AM
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Vincenzo: I was there during an August heat wave. Maybe that’s why the beaches and the ocean were so packed. And maybe it depends on what you consider “crowded.”

A friend who lives on Maui took us to all the most popular beaches. Every one of them was crammed full of people. I’m used to Kauai’s Hanalei Bay, Ke’e, Lumahai, and others where you can walk five minutes from the pier or the lifeguard station and almost have the beach to yourself. When my friend visited me on Kauai she commented how much more it felt like “Hawaii” to her.

The only places we found uncrowded beaches on Maui were a couple of spots our friend took us to that were not very nice. There were small groups of locals there and we felt like we were intruding. What beaches did you go to that were not crowded and were not ringed by high rises? And what time of year was it?

I know people who love Maui. To each his or her own. I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind--just sharing my experience--and I promise, the 4 or 5 well known beaches I went to were packed full of people; blankets and chairs were not more than a few feet apart. I don’t go to Hawaii for interstates, high rises and crowds. Similarly, I don't enjoy luaus--and some people love them. But I loved the shrimp trucks on Oahu!
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Old Jan 13th, 2017, 06:47 AM
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I also prefer other islands over Maui (although there are things I love about it, including Haleakala and upcountry), but there are some beautiful beaches without crowds - like Makena.
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 02:59 PM
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If you have a 10 year old you should really consider Oahu for at least part of your trip.

Oahu & Kauai have the most tropical feel of all the islands. IMHO, the Big Island and Maui may be somewhat similar to Florida and if you want to experience the old world Hawaii then Kauai is still very unpopulated but has a tropical rain forest on the north shore. It has the small town feel.

Oahu is touristy but it really has a lot of Hawaiian and Asian culture that Maui and the BI don't have.

A 10 year old would have more to do on Oahu as well.

The Big Island will require being in the car for long stretches if you want to see a lot of the tourist attractions.
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Old Jan 19th, 2017, 04:27 PM
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Do you enjoy hiking, natUral beauty, snorkeling or diving, being mostly outdoors?

Your question about luaus makes me think that you want evening entertainment that extends beyond stargazing.

What's your idea of touristy? Does this mean you don't want to be around many people? If you're the only non-locals someplace, you are likely not going to feel very welcome or comfortable. My local (and non-haole) friends who were born and raised in HI don't feel comfortable on outer islands as the locals give *them* stinkeye....lol.
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Old Feb 13th, 2017, 09:22 AM
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Thank you everyone! all these suggestions are great keep them coming!!! I really appreciate it!
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Old Mar 14th, 2017, 07:39 PM
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check VRBO for reasonable condos and if you have a child then I highly recommend that. They offer much more room for the same price as a hotel, you can store food, cook popcorn or cook a meal if you want. Haven't stayed in a hotel in Hawaii in years.
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