1st timer in Honolulu 5 days before cruise
 

Please direct to essential sites for an initial visit to Islands. Which luau,if any. Dolphins, whales, Pearl Harbor etc March 28th. Not really into water sports, but active. Thanks

http://www.gohawaii.com/ is terrific site with lots of info...
Dolphins see Sea Life park.
Pearl Harbor see:
http://www.nps.gov/usar/
Rent a car for 1 or 2 days, the best way to see the island.
Also ho the Hwaii section for more Q & A.

tripdreaming,

It was approx 3 1/2 years ago that I visited Oahu. For me, the not miss was renting a car and driving the island at my own leisure. Left early on a Saturday morning. Went to the swap meet at Aloha Stadium and then backtracked through Waikiki to begin our drive. Stopped off at almost every possible overlook to take pictures. Just absolutely wonderful. We returned to Honolulu just as the sun was setting.

Our stops included, Diamond Head, Hanuama Bay (sp?), many stops along the coast, PCC to take pictures outside as it is closed on Sat I do believe, a shrimp hut, Turtle Bay resort, Sunset Beach, and our last stop was the Dole plantation for a strawberry and pineapple swirl...yummmm!

I dropped my mother off at the hotel and then headed to Aloha tower. Had drinks and appetizers at Gordon Biersch and bid farewell to one of the NCL ships.

I really enjoyed my day. REALLY!!!!

Chessy it may be but we love the Don Ho show. It really is an entertaining and it is a bit of Hawaii we wouldn't miss!

I second the rental car suggestion. Nothing beats driving around the island at your own pace. You can hit the Dole pineapple cannery up north and MAYBE there will still be some big waves on the north shore at Wiamea.

As I posted on another thread, make a dinner reservation at the lovely beachfront Hau Tree Lanai restaurant in the New Otani Hotel. It's at the eastern end of Waikiki and the ambiance is second to none.
www.kaimana.com/dining/hautreelanai.html

Pearl Harbor is a must-see. Get there early.

Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is the best Polynesian entertainment in Hawaii.

Lots of info:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34812564

Thank you for these links. We are just researching and this will help.

Thank you for responding. It seems a car rental is the most popular method of exploring. Has anyone purchased the Oahu card for discounts or passes to attractions?

I found lots of online coupons. For my second visit, I purchased an Entertainment book. While I did not have a Hawaii one for the first trip, I was able to use the car rental coupon from my GA book. Had a full size rental car for a week and paid just over $100. Awesome deal.

I did not purchase any discount card or passes.

Lodging is important. But keep in mind that hotels/condos charge anywhere from $10-$25 a day for parking. So research any hotel/condo that you are considering.

You might find some condos on www.vrbo.com with free parking.

Right now some good lodging deals on www.bookit.com