Hey all...
I am potentialy looking into flying to Hawaii next summer with my family for my dad's 50th. Airfare is $700 from NY to HNL, is that cheap?
I plan on going for about 10 days..so what are my options? I'm thinking we want to visit Oahu, Maui and BI...but not sure I have enough time for all 3..so what would people who've been recomend? I want to visit a volcano, and do some sightseeing and adventure, and obviously relax on the beautiful beach and go out to nice cafes and restaurants at night.
Looking forward to your responces.

Sergey

I think the price sounds pretty good. Be aware that it is Pay for food on United and American and it is a long flight.

Check out the Big Island (Hawaii) and unless you like crowds, only spend two nights on Oahu (Honolulu area)

I like Maui, personally.

Aloha, Since you want to see a volcano, I'd stick with Oahu and Big Island, plenty of things to see on both, and the BI is just that - BIG. You might consider 2 accomadations on either side of the island. In these days of travel, time is lost going to airport, dropping and picking up car rental. $700 is a fair fare.

I prefer the Big Island of Hawaii, but for first timers I recommend Maui as it has something for everyone. Since you are going for 10 days 2/3 of those in Oahu would be good as well.

for a live volcano you have to go to the Big Island. you can see the (pretty darn impressive) crater of Haleakala on Maui though.

For a first trip, I would definitely include Maui.

I think 3 islands is too much for 10 days. 1-2 is plenty imo.

hi

i think to get the most out of your vacation time, research the cost of flying into one island from new york and out of another. that way no backtracking.

kerikeri

I would recommend to stay at 2 islands(Maui & Oahu), and do a day trip to the Big Island from Maui for a helicopter ride over the Volcano. We had gone to 3 islands in 14 days & had included 3 days at the Big Island to see the live volcano. Much to our dismay, we weren't even able to get near or see the live volcano.The roads were closed.(only saw a smoldering smoke from the distance).Our three days weren't a waste. There was great sportfishing!However, a helicopter ride would have been more impressive .Going to 3 islands is alot of packing & unpacking. You spend too much valuable time in the airport, too.Hope this helps.Maui was awesome,with lots to do & see(Road to Hana, snorkeling,beautiful beaches, Haleakala,etc). We spent a week here & it was enough to see alot of what it has to offer.

For the Big Island, I stayed in Kona for the first part of my trip and in volcano National Park for the second half. Loved equally but for different reasons.

My favorite island is Maui.. my favorite thing to do there is take the road up to Hana.

So the impression I'm getting from people is that I HAVE to spend some time in Oahu and then pick between Maui and BI, correct? What's the difference between the two besides the live volcano?

Sergey

Is July a good time to even go to Hawaii?

What do you and your group want to do?

Only active volcano is on the Big Island and Island hopping kills most of that day. We spent our entire 10 trip on the big island but we had time to golf, snokel, sightsee, shop, and hang by the pool/ocean. It seemed to me that Maui was more expensive than the BI and that did play a part in my decision -- also, Maui can be a good choice for a return visit.

Our friends did Maui, Oahu and BI in one trip and wished they skipped Oahu (too many pushy tourists) and spent more time on the Big Island.

If Dad's interested in Pearl Harbor -- save that for the end of the trip and stay one-two nights in Oahu before leaving back to NY. I considered going to Pearl Harbor but it seemed more problamatic and I don't regret not going. We sometimes make the mistake of trying to cram too much into one trip.

Is Pearl Harbor even worth going to? I mean, is it more than just a museum of articles?

Maybe I should do Maui and BI and skip Oahu all-together?

We don't golf, and I am not too keen on snorkeling or dolphins...we do like waterfalls, rainforests, volcanos, cliffs, driving, beaches and nightlife.
Hope this helps.
Thanks everyone

Sergey

Oahu is definitely worth going to. There is SO MUCH to see and do there - the crowds are only at Waikiki and the rest of the island is full of beautiful things to see or do. As far as Pearl Harbor - it IS worth taking the time to go to - it is not just a stuffy museum with relics from the past - it is an awe-evoking experience to stand on the memorial knowing that the perished soldiers lie below you - you have to go there to know what it's really like, but it should not be missed - even if it's only for you to pay your respects and give honor to all of our servicemen.

The North Shore area is gorgeous and so is Makaha, Waimanalo Beach, Kailua, Lanikai Beach - the list goes on & on - and none of these areas (except North Shore in the midst of surfing championships) are crowded.

Please don't rule out Oahu based on what a few who never set foot out of Waikiki may tell you - it is a beautiful island in its own right. I wouldn't try to do more than two islands for the same reasons already listed. I do know of people who did the day trip to BI for the volcano helicopter ride and they loved it and saw way more of the volcanic activity than you could ever get close enough to hiking around on your own. Maui is nice, but more expensive than Oahu.

You might check which islands you can get good flights into and out of before a final decision. For most, Oahu is the cheapest plane ticket.

Plane tickets from one island to another are cheap and the flights are quick and quite enjoyable. Don't get a rental car in Oahu, but do on the Big Island and Maui.

I would fly to Honolulu and then immediately to either Maui or the Big island, spend four days and then go to the other island (Maui or Big Island) for four days, fly back to Oahu for two nights and fly home. The flight home is probably a night flight.

I definitely don't want to do 3 islands....I would if I had 2 weeks...but but 8-10 days it's not happening.
I'm thinking 4 full days in Oahu and 4 full days in Maui..and the other days are traveling days
I can save the BI for later I guess and because I feel like 4 days is nothing for the big one.
Do I stay in Waikki or somewhere else in Oahu? Where is the best in Maui?

It's difficult to plan by days. If I understand, you have 9 nights of lodging to fill. If you have decided Oahu/Maui I'd opt to begin in Oahu, spend 3 nights to see Waikiki and NorthShore, and then 6 nights in Maui. I was only going with you on the Oahu thing as it seemed like something you were into, flying in there and all. You could certainly skip it. We have the last 9 trips! It's all so confusing, but once you make your choices, you will have a fabulous time wherever you land.

Oahu has much more to see & do than any other island. Spend at least 1/2 the time there.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34812564

Unless you take a helicopter ride you won't see live lava on the Big Island. Even hiking at night you will only get close enough to see a glow.

Maui is a good choice for the second island.

Many of the hotels on Oahu & some on other islands offer 5th night free. So you can try to take advantage of that.

Some budget info for all islands:

http://www.budgettravelonline.com/bt...aii/index.html

www.mauihawaii.org

www.visitmaui.com free brochure

www.bigisland.org free brochure

www.kauaidiscovery.com free brochure

www.kauai-hawaii.com

www.visit-oahu.com free brochure. Also on their site & in the brochure, there are over 400 websites of hotels, restaurants, attractions (OVB Yellow Pages).

if you're into volcano watching (my personnel favorite) you head to the Big island - there are place in volcanoes national park where lava flows right by you- it's cool. great beachs and diving you'll find on any one of the islands, i would stick to Oahu and BI if i had 10 days- try "waters adventure park" (western side of BI). if you need more ideas for attractions try http://www.tripcart.com/Search.aspx?Mode=Map&R=Hawaii
it might help you with ideas and maps
have a great time

We would cast another vote for the Big Island. Having been to Oahu twice before just for business meetings, my wife convinced me that I should take a week off an see another island. Wow, what a surprise the Big Island was after only seeing the tourist packed Oahu. The Big Island has so much going for it, and for us one of the best parts was having a car and being able to get away to places that were completely natural and away from anyone. The BI is a study in contrasts as well. From the white (or black or even green) sand beaches, you can drive an hour and be in a chilly misty rainforest full of tree ferns. Drive another 15 minutes and you are in the blzing sun in the middle of a totally alien landscape consisting entirely of black volcanic glass. Honestly, we have done a lot of travel, but I think one of the most amazing natural sights I have seen was arising in a fern tree rainforest then standing at the edge of the huge main crater at Kilauea then driving to the bottom and taking a trek across lava to see molten lava pouring into the sea.

Going back to the crowds of Oahu for one last day of meetings was such a disappointment after a week on the Big Island. Oahu is a nice place, but if I were going and had only ten days, I would skip Oahu entirely. You already saw Waikiki Beach on Hawaii 5 - 0 anyway.