Now that Mom DD Travel and Kal and others are living Aloha in Hawaii, seems it is a good time to start a new countdown.

We want to go back this fall, even though we were there in March. Trying to find out when's the best weather in Kona between Sept 1 and Dec 15. Any advice, besides avoiding the Ironman crowds?

And when are you going?

Well I am going to force myself back to Oahu on November 5th

5 months from today- I will be back in paradise, my 7th trip back in 7 years.

No advice about weather- just wanted to brag. lol.

I have to wait until February 2012 but the flights are booked
I'm very much looking forward to spending a week in Maui and escaping from the NE winter.

charnees, we've been to Big Island twice around Thanksgiving for 10 -12 days and had great weather both times. We like to escape the winter at home so going towards the end of your time frame would be my choice but it's longer to wait!!

My parents are going to Maui on Friday and I am insanely jealous! Their first trip, we went for our honeymoon, hope to go back for our 10th (three years).

We have Dec. 2-10, 2011 booked to Kona and Fab. 12- March 11, 2012 to Oahu (first time there) and Kona (19th time there). Maybe we should just move????

I was forced to book 4 nights at the Kauai Grand Hyatt in October -- darn them for offering two free nights with their credit card (and us for being so silly as to actually get four free nights by getting a credit card for each of us). And double-darn Alaska Airlines for offering us 25,000 miles and a $99 companion ticket for getting their's. What were we supposed to do?

Martym, I know your dilemma! We gave been to Kona more than 10 times, and continue to speak wistfully of moving. We are retired, so no jobs are holding us back. But of course there's family, friends, distance from other vacation destinations like Italy. maybe island fever.

But I am sure family and friends would be happy to come visit us if we had a big enough place!

Found out Ironman is Oct 9, so we will have to schedule around that. Also hoping to GTG with Matnikstm this time.

Hey sassy_cat: we'll be in (on?) Maui next February too. We have a timeshare week at the Marriott on Kaanapali.

Just bought DH a swimsuit on sale for the trip. Waiting for a great sale price on a couple of Land's End swimsuits and coverups for me as well. It's just never too early to plan for Hawaii.

Going back to Waikiki for 16 days on October 7th.

iowagirl, I've been swimsuit shopping too and found two great cover-ups at TJMaxx
I will be keeping an eye out for end of summer sales!

I think we'll be staying at the Marriott at Wailea (on points). We arrive Feb 20th woohoo.



martym, you should definitely look at real estate

sf7307 -- I'm impressed! Love those credit card offers!

FYI, every penny I spend goes on a credit card that earns miles that take me to Kauai.

ELEVEN more days!!! (not that I'm counting ;-) )

Songdoc, it seems like only yesterday I was reading one of your Hawaiian trip reports!

My parents are about an hour away from landing. .

Ahh-sassy cat-- having a place in south Kona would be tempting--but we also love where we live in Colorado. And two homes is not in the cards.

Well, DH scheduled our flights!! Oct. 27 - Nov. 16. To Kona. Anyone else be there? Maybe a GTG?

We're booked for our first trip to HI Aug 26 - Sept 3, splitting our time between Oahu and the Big Island. I am so excited to finally visit!

Yipee! I have been praying to post on one of these threads for the last three years! We try to go every year or two but due to work and family issues we have had to wait.

Just finished booking Maui in two weeks!!! 4 days at the Makena Beach Resort and 4 days at the Honua Kai Resort. Never been to either and only my second trip to Maui, we usually wind up on Oahu. AMEX has some great deals using points right now.

Congrats SeeHag! Only two weeks to wait

Trip report, please.

I have skipped my trip reports for the last few trips because they would have said " Woke up, ate brunch, laid by pool, had a drink, laid by ocean, took nap, ate dinner, went to bed!" I do try to post a few details if I stumble on good place to eat or something off the beaten path. I have never stayed at either of these locations and the reports on Trip Advisor all look pretty good. Makena is kind of low key and Honua Kai is more upscale in a busier place so we will get a taste of both.

Well, we are down to 11 days before we go back to Kona! After our March trip we just pined away, and DH finally manipulated the budget to "discover" enough for a return! We leave oct. 27 and return Nov. 17! While we are there I will attend two three-hour advanced hula workshops! Really looking forward to that!

We will see a couple of Fodorites while we are there, Matnikstym and peyton's grandma. Anyone else going to be there?