day flights from Oahu
 

I am going to Oahu in August. I just happen to LOVE Oahu! This will be my 4th time to stay there (Hilton Hawaiian Village). This trip I'll be traveling by myself and decided I want to explore one or two of the other islands on day trips. Does anyone have comments about any of the tour companies that do this? Or do I wing it, get a plane ticket, and then rent a car to drive around for the day? I am thinking of going to either Maui or the Big Island. I'd appreciate any input from this forum. I have just discovered you folks and can't get enough "TALK" postings. Thanks!

We tried Robert's Hawaii on our first trip to Kauai. I thought it was a good primer for the island, though my wife could not stand the droning of the tour guide. We got this tour for free after attending a timeshare presentation.
website:www.robertshawaii.com
You can do without the tour if you plan ahead and pick up a copy of any the excellent guidebooks by www.wizardpub.com: "Maui Revealed" is your best bet if driving alone (available at Barnes and Noble, Borders etc). Website for guidebooks:http://www.wizardpub.com/maui/maui.html
:S-

Thanks for the reply, JohnD. I think it was Robert's that I was looking into. Is it worth the price at $295 for a day? I've not priced flight and car rental if I should plan to wing it on my own. Any opinion?

I do not think it is worth $300, there is little time to see the island with the flight time, and upon checking robertshawaii.com website, if you stay on Maui, their longest tour of Maui (12hours) is only $75. The tours do give some info. about Hawaiian history, culture, and plant life, but nothing that you can not find out by reading or by visiting parks etc.

Alternately, you could stay at a hotel for 1-2 nights on Maui at $80/night, rent a car $30-50/day, and fly roundrip ~$65 each way and go at your own pace using "Maui Revealed" as your guide $16.
Also, self-guided Audiocassette and CD tours are widely available on Maui for explaining the road to Hana and Haleakala (e.g. Kmart-Walmart on Maui).

Also 5 night packages to Maui for $300 are listed on www.travelocity.com etc,(excludes airfare).
Hope this helps!
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I personaly think tours are a waste of money.
Go to any bookstore, find books about each one of the major islands and start reading, you don't have to buy the books if you don't want to. That's how I get most of the info related to the place I'm planning to go so when I get there I'm not lost.
Then buy a detailed road map, rent a car and start your own tour. You may go to places that you're really interested to see.
I was in Oahu, Maui and Kauai in Jan of this year, and I liked Maui and Kauai a lot better than Oahu. I think Oahu is just too crowded.

I really appreciate the input from everyone here on the forum. I will go to Barnes & Noble and buy a book or two and study up about things I'd like to see. I am still going to make it just a day trip, even though the rooms and rates sound great. Personally, I really like all the activity on Oahu! I enjoy shopping and leisurely meals and reading time when on my own.
Thanks for the tip on $65 each way price for plane tickets from Oahu. If I am really enthralled with Maui or the big island, whichever I select for my day, my hubby and I might decide to include it (along with Oahu) on our next trip to Hawaii.
Thanks all!

wow. That is so funny, I was planning on doing the same thing, a day trip from the Big Island to another one, to get the 'flavor' and see if I want to go back! I thought this website was very helpful:

http://www.travelhawaii.com/index.php