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Oahu Trip Report 5/27-6/3 (repost to Hawaii section)

Oahu Trip Report 5/27-6/3 (repost to Hawaii section)

Old Jun 8th, 2004, 08:54 PM
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Oahu Trip Report 5/27-6/3 (repost to Hawaii section)

Sorry for the repost but forgot to put in the Hawaii section.

Message: First want to thank many of you who have posted such helpful comments and answered my questions. These boards are a great resource

We spent 8 days on Oahu, split between Waikiki and the North Shore. It's a lil lengthy, but sometimes I get carried away with details. Hopefully some of you may find some interesting reading.

Day 1
After a 5 hr flight, we arrived in HNL at almost 9pm and took a stretch limo straight to our hotel. (Thanks to mlarson for posting about Royal Pacific.) I added on a couple of lei greetings for the kids at $8 each, for the overall price the transfer was well worth it and a real treat for us We checked into our 1bdr oceanview condo at the Aston Pacific Monarch, reflecting now I really like this hotel but at first I was worried since it was dark and we couldn't see much of a view. Over the phone they told us oceanview rooms were on the higher floors, but the desk placed us on the 10th floor out of 30, I hoped for the best. We headed to Kalakaua Ave. and Waikiki Beach. The kids played in the sand for a bit but we were all pretty tired since it was almost 1am California time, we stopped at a nearby Burger King and back to the hotel for some

Day 2
We woke up early in the morning to a beautiful view of Waikiki Beach and sparkling aqua blue waters 2 short blocks away. It rained hard for about 5 minutes but you know what that means...a beautiful to greet us. For anyone who might want to stay at this hotel, book the 02 rooms because they look right up Uluniu Ave. to the Dukes Statue area, even though it was almost 2 blocks up, it felt like you could reach out to the passersby at Kalakaua ave. and the breaking surf. We headed to Dukes for breakfast. The buffet was tasty with lots of variety; the beachfront dining was the best

Then we went to Kuhio Beach area where swimming within the sea walls seemed best for the kids. Because of the sea wall, water didn't seem as clear here so we walked west on the beach, along the stretch of hotels and ended up at the beach in front of Fort De Russy park. The water was nicer here, but the beach isn't a great swimming beach because of the rocky bottom. We rented one of those huge circular floats; it was relaxing floating over the water and people watching.

After our day on the beach we went grocery shopping at nearby Food Pantry(?), the prices weren't bad compared with California, especially for DiGiorno Pizza which we had for dinner in our condo. We spent some time in the hotel's pool and jacuzzi on the 30th floor rooftop. The panoramic views were gorgeous all around. After we got cleaned up we walked to the Waikiki Aquarium for a special "Aquarium after Dark" lecture and tour. After such a busy day, the stroll seemed long, but had beautiful views along the beach and the program was a lot of fun. They turned off all the lights in the aquarium and we toured the exhibits with flashlights to learn about what sea life does after the sun goes down. It was really informative for both kids and adults. It was over about 9pm and we exhaustively went back to the hotel.

Day 3
Even though we used sunscreen, spf30 & 50, three of us woke up with sunburns My daughter and I tan very easily so to get burned on the first day of vacation was new for us! From here on out we made sure to take even more precautions, my BF started wearing his t-shirt at the beach, even in the water, no worries...after all we were in paradise. We enjoyed breakfast on our large Lanai, packed our lunch and headed to the beach at Hilton Hawaiian Village. There were lots of people on the sand and swimming and we loved their beach; the water was beautiful, calm and clear. After hanging out for a while we went to the Cheesecake Factory for some mac-nut cheesecake. Good food and fun people watching. Back to our hotel for some pool and jacuzzi time while BF picked up a rental car. It rained really hard for about 10 minutes while we were up there, but then cleared. We caught a nice view of the sunset. When BF got back we went to the International Marketplace for a late dinner and browsing, then back to hotel.

Day 4
Woke up, had breakfast and rushed out for Hanauma Bay. We arrived just after 7am and the parking lot started to fill with cars. Luckily there weren't many people though and after watching the mandatory video we staked our claim on the beach and explored the waters. No large schools of fish, but there were lots of them swimming and feeding about. They were pretty good-sized, we even caught a big eel poking out of a rock My daughter is 11 and she did pretty well for her first time snorkeling. Even so, I would say that teens and adults are the ones to really get the most out of it. The bay was getting more and more crowded by the hour so by the 2nd time we went out at about 10am visibility wasn't too good. Because of so many people in the water, you had to venture out a ways to see clearly. We left the beach at about 11am, and the crowds were still coming, so for those who haven't been, I'd suggest arriving before 7 am for best visibility.

After leaving the bay we drove to the Halona Blow Hole and waited for a nice gush of water for about a half hour but no such luck. The lava rock and nearby beach and ocean still offered great views. We drove back to the condo and cooked lunch, chilidogs (yummy & cheap!). BF and I were wiped out so we relaxed while the kids watched cartoons for a lil while.

We then headed to Ko'Olina for the Paradise Cove Luau We saved time by driving ourselves rather than taking the free buses. The luau was a ball, the kids loved it. They played a couple of the Hawaiian games and made lei bracelets and then everyone went to the beach to watch the Hawaiian fish catch demo. The location was absolutely beautiful. Everyone was then lead to the Imu ceremony. There was some and dancing and the pork smelled yummy as they brought it out of the ground. We enjoyed the food and there was plenty of it. We really like the roasted pork and the fried chicken was good too. Viewed a gorgeous sunset from the cove and then the show began. It was enjoyable; the kids were especially impressed with the fire dancer. I really liked the Hawaiian was really upbeat and catchy, might even order their cd. Another busy day, the kids went to during the car ride back.

Day 5
Because of conflicts on whether to visit the Battleship or the Memorial (BF and I had already seen the Memorial), we decided to post phone and drove straight for the north shore, we wanted to get the most of our stay at the resort there. Enroute we stopped at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. The kids loved the "world's largest maze" and we worked up such a sweat running around the maze in the heat, we decided to cool off with the train ride. The ride was okay, younger kids will probably like it and adults would find the info discussed on the trains tour informative, but my 11 year old was a lil bored with the ride. We topped the activity off with an amazingly refreshing pineapple whip cone

We also stopped at Waimea Valley Audubon Center. The grounds were beautiful and there was a hike to a waterfall with swimming. There were several peacocks roaming around, but we stopped just short of the entrance fee area, weren't sure if we wanted to spend the or $$ for the hike.

We arrived at the Turtle Bay Resort in Kahuku and were greeted warmly by the staff, they were helpful and friendly the entire stay. The whole area was beautiful. The North Shore is gorgeous, tropical, more secluded, and a world's difference from Waikiki. I love both areas. All the rooms at the resort are oceanfront with coastal views and overlook either the swimming beach or the pool area. Our room was spotless, nicely decorated with a small lanai (only room for one chair) and a large bathroom and dressing area. We headed straight for the pool. It was great, there was a large unheated pool steps from the ocean, a smaller heated one with a waterslide (yep, I tried it a couple times), and a tiny kiddie pool. There was also a jacuzzi.

It was Memorial Day so the resort was busy, the staff said they get a lot of Kamaaina on the holiday weekends. The poolside gazebo sportsbar that offered drinks and grilled food. After budget eating and drinking for most of the trip, we splurged a bit. The kids played in the pool for the rest of the day while grownups mixed pool time with exotic The burgers, hotdogs and fries we had were filling and reasonably priced. Quite a few locals and Waikiki tourists were at the pool's bar to watch an NBA game and have cocktails. If you're in Oahu, this is worth a visit even if you're not staying at the hotel. The sunset view was one of the best so far.

After dark, we went into Haleiwa for a late dinner at Cholo's, a Mexican restaurant popular for it's prices and food (thanks Islandmom for the recommendation, wasn't disappointed.) Back to the hotel for .

Day 6
I was the only one up early; the view from the room was so beautiful I just had to go down to the beach for a walk and beachcombing. When I got back BF got the to extend the trip a couple days (originally only 5nts) since the place was just too beautiful to leave so after a couple of hours on the and net with airline, hotels, car rentals and people back home; we did it Only had to pay a change fee with the airline. The Turtle Bay desk clerks, Brian and Carol, were really helpful, but because we originally booked our room with Expedia, we had to downgrade to a room without the lanai to get the same rate. The new room was the same size and still offered the same great ocean view so moving didn't bother us.

We drove into the town of Laie for a cheap lunch at McD's and picked up some snacks/bevs at Foodland. Prices here were higher than in Waikiki. There were a lot less people at the resort this day, felt like we had it to ourselves. We snorkeled there, saw some colorful fish, but not as many as Hanauma Bay. We spent the rest of the day at the pool. Found a quaint lil shack serving pizza (named Sunset Pizza?) about 5 mins from the hotel, near Sunset Beach. This was a great find, the pizza was affordable, freshly made and served piping hot We took the food back to the resort and ate at the oceanfront tables. We topped off the evening with lounging in the heated pool and Jacuzzi in the light before bedtime.

Day 7
Was up again before all the sleepyheads and went reading at the pool ><, wonderful coastal view. When everyone else was up, we ate our store bought breakfast of pastry and juice by the pool and then headed in search of Honu viewing. I'd read here about the beach on the north shore where the sea turtles liked to hang out. It took almost an hour of driving back and forth up the highway but we finally found the spot. Low and behold, after trekking through a lil forest, we came to the beach where a large turtle was lying, basking in the . We kept our distance and took and video. It went back to the ocean for a dip and we discovered more Honu swimming there, just off the shore. It was really exciting BF and I thought about snorkeling but the water looked a little rough. We got back in the car and went to nearby Sharks Cove. There were lots of people in the water, and we were with the kids, who wouldn't be snorkeling so we decided to save it for another trip. We checked out of the resort #39;( the desk clerk gave my girl and I fresh leis and we continued the reverse circle island drive, passing Chinaman's Hat and other coastal sights along the way. We took a shortcut through the Pali Highway and ended up in Honolulu's Chinatown.

We stopped at the Aloha Tower Marketplace and had lunch at Don Ho's restaurant. I had the orange glazed roasted chicken and mashed potatoes and BF had fish and chips. Even though we felt the lunch entrees were a lil steep in price (don't recall anything under $10) the food was really good quality and flavorful with hearty servings. We felt the meal was worth it.

After lunch we checked into our room at the Sheraton Waikiki I don't want to go on too much about my disappointment, we made a last minute booking the day before through Priceline for a rate of $120 a night and thought by staying at the Sheraton, we'd be spending our last night in style. This may be helpful for future travelers, so I'll give my honest opinion. Even at $120 a night, I wouldn't recommend this hotel. Like Turtle Bay, the staff was extremely friendly and helpful. They couldn't upgrade us to an oceanview because those rooms were sold out so we ended up on the 14th floor with a city view overlooking the nearby parking garage. It wasn't too bad for a city view room, but though large, the room was outdated, the dressers and decor were a bit rundown. The bathroom and lanai were spacious. There was a mini-fridge stocked with overly priced items but we managed to fit our bottled water from the ABC store inside. They seemed to charge $-) for just about everything here, even the lil packets of coffee which were free of charge in our other hotels. The main positive was the location on Waikiki Beach and the two pools are oceanfront, but there was no jacuzzi. The hotel was also really crowded and surprisingly, both of the pools closed by 6pm After checking in, I wished we had just went back to the Pacific Monarch, or tried the Outrigger Waikiki or HHV, which had city view rooms for close to the same rate on the net.

We relaxed for a bit at the Sheraton pool area and gazed out to the blue pacific, sipping They then closed the pool and started the free entertainment. Hawaiian and a couple of dancers. Unfortunately with the design of the Sheraton, we couldn't see our last sunset from the deck, but to be in all the action of Waikiki beach, listening to live Hawaiian music was nice.

We wanted a nice dinner for our last full day in Waikiki so we decided to try the Shorebird Restaurant at Outrigger. This was our favorite meal, it was late and dark, but the oceanfront open-air setting was wonderful. This was "grill your own" dining; you started your meal with an included buffet, which had a variety of salads, rice, potatoes, bread rolls, soup and chili, fresh fruit, etc. We had fun barbecuing our teriyaki beef kabobs. For novices like us, there was a chef there to help advise on grilling and I don't know if it's partially because we cooked it ourselves, but those marinated beef kabobs were awesome. The meal was very satisfying and affordable; our total with tip came to $50 for the 4 of us, the priciest meal of the trip

Day 8
More quiet time, reading and watching early morning surfers and then woke up everyone for breakfast. We tried the 2.99 deal at Charlie's Tavern in the Ohana Waikiki Village. Even though this was a lil whole in the wall, the breakfast was good. 3 - 5 bucks gets you a full meal, it was a great deal. We headed back to the Sheraton's pool. Later, daughter and I decided to take one of the catamarans that sail off of Waikiki Beach. Paid $15pp for about an hour sail and I had a couple of $1 on board. We sailed out by Diamond Head and back. It was relaxing and enjoyable for me, but may not have had enough action for my 11yr old.

We showered up and went for our final stroll up Kalakaua Ave. and shopping for at the International Marketplace. The kids took what felt like forever to spend up to their last cent. By this time it was only a couple of hours before our 9pm departure, we were in a rush so we stopped at a Taco Bell on the way to airport for grub. I usually like redeye flights so I can sleep most of the way, but for some reason I couldn't find the least bit of comfort on the flight back, with the extra days added onto our trip, I think it was plenty of time, but even so, there was a lil #39;( at leaving paradise.
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Old Jun 9th, 2004, 03:42 AM
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Aloha ggrtist,

Mahalo for the entertaining TR!

How rough were the ocean conditions for snorkeling at Turtle Bay Resort, were you confined to a wave protected area ? Did conditions (e.g. rough surf) vary from day to day Was Hanauma your favorite snorkel spot on Oahu
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Old Jun 9th, 2004, 05:56 PM
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Aloha JohnD

The ocean didn't seem to be too rough at the resort while we were there, but we didn't stray out far. The snorkeling was convenient, but there weren't near as many fish as at Hanauma Bay. Maybe because the surf was just a lil rougher, wasn't quite as clear either, but we were just glad to be able to fit in more snorkeling on the trip. Some other people said they picked up some frozen peas from the market and when they took them out snorkeling at Turtle Bay, lots of colorful fish flocked to them. Nearby Sharks Cove had lots of people snorkeling there, I regret we didn't get to though.

As for weather, excellent the whole trip. It did start sprinkling a lot at Hanauma Bay just as we were climbing up the hill to leave. Though I've only been to Oahu 2x, that is my fav snorkeling spot. Here is a link to the underwater pics we took at Hanauma with a disposable camera:

http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.js...de%3dtrue&Ux=0
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Old Jun 10th, 2004, 05:11 AM
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M ahalo ggrtist, for your fine photos, pictures are worth thousands of words. If you haven't been, suggest you head to the Capt'n Cook Monument Area on Big Island for awesome snorkeling. What kind of underwater camera were you using and did you use aflash?
Thanks again for your TR!!!
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Old Jun 10th, 2004, 07:39 AM
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You're very welcome JohnD, thanks for the info on the BI. I haven't been but I have been dying to go there and am already starting the BI trip savings fund

We used the fuji waterproof disposable camera, w/o flash. I heard from a few people that in snorkeling, when they used a flash it just washed out the colors. I think maybe it's better for diving. Another tip I used this trip, which I figured out after going snorkeling on a previous one...didn't put the camera next to my eye to shoot, but rather aimed and outstretched my arms so that the camera was closer to the fish. Hope I explained that okay!? I didn't use that technique the first time and these pics showed much more color and clarity than last time.

Unfortunately BF didn't pay attention to my instructions and forgot to do that for the pic of the eel #-o it was a lot more impressive than the pic shows...lol
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Old Jun 10th, 2004, 11:19 AM
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Thanks for the great trip report, ggrtist!
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