Just wondering if there is a date for the HNL GTG for this September. I'd like to put it on my calendar and start watching fares and hotel packages.

Any date yet??

Hi Ken, HT, Lucy, Mel, etc.

Carol

Yes! We were just talking about yesterday, our last day in Kauai. Now we're back in cold Seattle and want to return to Hawaii.

ttt

Before this drops to page 2, I wanted to repost to see if any of our Honolulu fodorites have an idea for the September GTG date.

Carol

We are just back from an extended weekend on Maui and it was sooooo beautiful.....that drive to Hana is just spectacular!

The 2009 HNL GTG should be either on Sat. Sept 19 or Sat. Sept 26th to coincide with the Aloha Week festivities and discount travel prices(usually) at that time.

We have to huddle up here in HI and figure out a definite date but suggestions and opinions are open and encouraged for all who are planning to attend. Please let us know what dates would be better for you to travel here and we will try to accommodate. There are a lot of activities over the week and I know some of you might want to stay for and extended time so let us know when you can attend. Here is a preliminary list by our City & County of a few of the events during the week. The Aloha Week Festivals regular website is run by volunteers and has not been updated as of yet to the 2009 schedule but you can get a sense of what happens at this time of year by looking at last years events.

http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/dts/usage/09/sep09.htm

http://alohafestivals.com/v3/index.jsp

E Komo Mai!

i recently read in the fodors rules that if anyone, like carol, skips a GTG they must sit out the next 6 before they can attend another one...

you might want to reconsider LA...

Hi Carol
We are now in Hawaii- Our last 4 days until returning to Chicago. Our month in Thailand was fabulous (after we both recovered from our initial nasty illness')
When I read your title, I thought there would still be a chance to GTG here! alas, you are looking forward to September.
Though Hawaii has been great, it does not quite compare to Thailand. We are already planning our trip back for 2010.
We will have been gone for 6 weeks and this has been a fab trip. Enjoying our last few days at beautiful Ko Olina on Oahu.
Sue

Hi HT... great to see a reply here to my question. I cannot be in HNL if the GTG is on the 26th. For me, the 19th is the only option I guess. But, please, wait for others' replies as well. If the GTG is on the 19th, I'll be there!

Bob... behave yourself!! You must be in need of a vacation... haha

Sue, I wish you could take your time returning to Chicago. Today it is a record high temp, but tomorrow we drop back into the deep freeze again! Yuk! Soak up as much of that sun as you can before boarding your flight home. (btw.. it's good to see your post... you sort of dropped off the radar screen since we "spoke" back in January and I was a bit concerned, since I knew you had both been ill)

Carol

Good to hear from you, HT. We're just back from Kauai. We spent one day in constant rain driving to the end of the road past Hanalei - gorgeous, but wet. We got back to Poipu and it was nice and sunny. We're back in Seattle now and awoke to snow (again!) yesterday morning.

I don't know what our schedules look like for September, but at this point, I believe either date would work.

Kathie
That road is really gorgeous, isn't it! But welcome back to reality. We had 60's the last two days (a teaser) and today we are back in the 40's, with temps dropping a little bit each day, back to the freezing point in a few days. Ugh..

Carol

Anymore thoughts about the HNL GTG date for this year? I'd like to put it on the calendar in ink...
Carol (I vote for 19th...)

Well September 19th it is then!

We will plan on pre gtg dinner on the 18th for the out of townees and the gtg will be on the evening of Sept. 19th. The exact venues and times will be emailed at a later date closer to the events.

We hope you all can come and celebrate with us!

Aloha!

Thanks, HT. Now I can start planning for my week in Oahu once again! Looking forward to it, as always.
Carol

carol---you could discuss all this with him in LA if you attended??

Bob... sorry. It's not possible for me to make it to LA this time. I'll be thinking of you guys though.

Are you and K going back to HNL this year?

Carol

HNL ticket is booked! Gotta bite while the deals are good. I'll see everyone in September. I'm sure DS will join me.
Carol

Great Carol it will be good to see you folks again.

Anyone else planning on coming from out of town??

I'm looking forward to another week on Oahu. I LOVE this annual event!! Keep it up!!

HT, you've given me (us) good advice in the past for our day trips to other islands. This time, we are thinking about going to Maui and actually staying for 2 nights, but plans could easily change.... I'd like your suggestions (or other local fodorites) for something, hopefully on a beach, and not too expensive, on Maui, in September. Nothing fancy. Where would you stay? We'll have a car. I've done some searching on google, but your input is much appreciated.

Carol

Carol,
We usually stay at the Hyatt on Maui with the local resident(kamaaina) rate. We also like the Grand Wailea but both are expensive. If you don't mind an older hotel in the middle of Kahului town you can try the Maui Seaside Hotel

http://seasidehotelshawaii.com/

The hotel is one that Linda and I used to frequent in our younger years. It is on Kahului Bay so I guess you can call it on a beach

If you are planning to do the drive to Hana(which I recommend you do) start out real early one morning to avoid the line of cars that form after about 9:00 am. The last time we did this drive a few months ago, we left the Hyatt in Lahaina about 5:45 am and were in Hana having breakfast at the Hana Hotel about 8:45. It is an extremely beautiful drive, one of the best in the State imho. The sunrise can be spectacular on the East side of Maui. After Hana you can now continue on the road and complete the circle of driving onward through Ulupalakula and back towards Kahului. It is a loooong drive though with lots of curves and bends along the way.

There are also condos in Lahaina or Kaanapali for rent if you want that info. More lux and of course more expensive. I will email some links if I can find them.

Aloha!

Hi HT, as always, thanks for those tips. Yes, the Hyatt and Grand Wailea are a bit more than we want to spend. I will look at the Seaside. Also, what do you know about the B W Pioneer in Lahaina? But maybe that is not the best location for me (us).

Just back from Barnes & Noble where I picked up a Maui Revealed, which seems to get good press. No time to read it yet, but will certainly do so, and come back with questions.

I was told by friends who once flew to Maui for a day and rented a car that rental cars were not permitted (?) to drive certain parts of the Hana road. Is that still the case? This was probably 8-9 years ago, and the friends were from Germany.. maybe THAT had something to do with it?

I don't usually plan outings THIS far in advance, but would like to find reasonable accomodation and prices seem to be pretty good right now! The flight was certainly more reasonable than in past years.

My best to Linda. Where does she like to SHOP on Maui??

Carol

ht, don't they have restrictions from the car rental agencies against driving thru hana, and going right thru kipahulu? the last i drove there, the roads were rough.

but if you do drive thru, be mindful of the weather, as you do cross several dry stream beds, and if its raining in hana, there is a good chance of flood waters coming across the road.

i like the maui seaside hotel, but there is no beach there.

also kapalua bay villas is a nice place to stay. i think the bw pioneer is the old pioneer inn. never stayed there, but its an older property, and quaint, right in lahaina town.