travelsaint03

Hello all

My wife and I together with our 15 month old are thinking of going to Hawaii for this easter break - from March 25 to 3rd april. We have never been there.

i was thinking of doing 2 days Waikiki
3 days Maui and 2 days Oahu - and ofcourse probably need 2.5 days or so to travel from east coast.

I needed some advice..for a first timer to Hawaii..going in Easter..with a 15 month..

(a) Is this a good time of the year to go there?
(b) should I be doing any other island then the ones mentioned above?
(c) Is it too much or too less a time in these above mentioned places??
(d) what is the best places to stay and also best way to travel from one island to another?
(e) Any website ..that have a lot of infor??
(f) are there any travel packages??

please help..any and every help will be highly appreciated.

thank you!

ajcolorado

United Airlines offers some great packages. So does AAA.

Just a thought: the inter-island flights only take about 5000 frequent flier miles. If flights are booked or expensive, maybe this will be a good way to get your seats. 1/2 of our family flew on Aloha last summer and 1/2 flew on Hawaiian. We used some ancient Northwest miles that we got from MCI to get seats on the one airline and we used my daughter's United miles that were close to expiring to get the others.

The entertainment book (www.entertainmentbook.com) and activity owner's association gold card (www.aoagoldcard.com.) both offer good discounts.

We flew into Maui and out of Oahu on United and it was pretty reasonably priced. United doesn't consider that a multi-destination trip - it is a form of regular round trip ticket. Might be a better option than packing and repacking with the baby.

Here are some websites we found helpful: www.visitmaui.com and www.gohawaii.com. We really liked the Maui & Lana'i Paradise Family Guide by Christie Stilson.

kamahinaohoku

Travelsaint - you do know that Waikiki is a beach area, in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, right? I don't understand why you're routing yourself 2/3/2.

iamq

Pick one island and enjoy it.

Doing three islands in a week would be torture to me.

Try Pleasant Holidays for decent packages.

Pick up a good guide book on Hawaii and give it a going over to get a feel for the different islands.

For reviews of lodging options you can go to tripadvisor.com. It can be helpful when choosing a place to stay.

-Bill

travelsaint03

kamahinaohoku

My geography or knowledge on hawaii is zero..so I really appreciate your input. I guess I will go out and do a lot more research..it was just something we were toying with and I came up with these names.

iamq - we might just do Maui...but someone told us that if we are going first time we should go to Waikiki..and I was trying to kill two or three birds with one stone.

still planning..and deciding..

Thank you for that..

MelissaHI

I usually tell people--especially from the east coast and/or busy cities--to go to Oahu first to "clear the palate" and detox before moving on to another one. The slower pace of the other islands might send you into shock if you went straight there!

You could go to the Aquarium, the zoo, and the Children's Discovery Center on Oahu, among other child-friendly things. I agree that it might be better to just spend all your time on one island first, but if you're determined to see two islands, you might want to spend the first couple of nights on Oahu to soak it in and detox.

anna_k

Hawaii is a long way to go from the East Coast for a week with a toddler. I would definitely stick to one island. You may want to look at the Maui Revealed guidebook.

We flew from Chicago to Hawaii with our 9 month old in November, needless to say we were a little naive to take our daughter on such a long flight. My husband and I had been to Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island) three times before this trip. The flights to Hawaii were a nightmare but the flights home were smooth. My main tips would be to fly nonstop and to stay at a condo. I would get our daughter to bed while my husband would pick up take-out, then we'd have a relaxing dinner at the condo. It was difficult trying to get our daughter to nap during the hotel portion of our trip. We spent 3 nights in Waikiki, and 10 on Maui (divided between Napili and Wailea). The beaches in Wailea have a pretty gentle slope so they'd be good with a toddler. We've opted for Siesta Key, Florida for our next trip this March. The flight should be a breeze compared to Hawaii, although we are tossing around going back to Hawaii with her this fall.

travelsaint03

anna_k - thank you for the information.
In terms of flying - my toddler has been so far very good (touch wood!) we have done trips to Australia with her at 8months old and had no problems. So while I am a bit concerned - the flying does not scare me as much as not knowing what to do and where to go in Hawaii.

Reading all the information - I might go with a 2 day Waikiki and 6 days - Oahu trip - and may be stick to just 1 part.

Condo sounds like a good idea...any good website to check out for a condo??

Also I am assuming - I should rent a car..right??

Thanks all...keep the info coming really been a lot of help.

flup

Why not just stay in Oahu (Waikiki is the name of Oahu's main beach)and fly to the Big Island for the day, where there is an active volcano. We did it and saw the beach where Captain James Cook was killed by natives,( being English this was a treat for us as we live near to where he was born.) Wherever you go you must visit the Polynesian Culture Centre on Oahu. It is run by students from the nearby University and is absolutely hilarious.It is a full day trip. Have fun. A beautiful island with beautiful people.

kalunchi

travelsaint, i too was like you last year, had no knowledge of hawaii, then with a little bit of research, i learned that hawaii is consisted of 4 islands - kuaui, oahu (that's where honolulu is), maui, and Big Island. I took a 8 days/7 nights trip out to hawaii, and i thought the time allocation was pretty good. I spent 5 days/5 nights in Maui, and on the way back, 3 days/2 nights in Oahu, just to say I did the Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, and alot of shopping.
However, I can't imagine you travelling with a toddler, it must not be the same. I guess you won't be snorkelling in Maui, hiking the Diamond Head, or hiking in Hana. Luau maybe? I recommend the Old Lahaina Luau in Maui, but plan it on the 4th night, until you've recover from any east coast jetlag, b/c i had mine on the 2nd night, and i was sleepy and didnt have an appetite to eat the buffet style food.

here_today_gone2Maui

Actually, Kalunchi, there are many more than four islands. The eight major islands that make up the inhabited part of the island chain are Hawai`i (the Big Island), Maui, Kaho`olawe (which is uninhabited and you cannot visit), Moloka`i and Lana`i, O`ahu, Kaua`i and Ni`ihau (a private island that you cannot visit).

Beyond Ni`ihau are the northwest islands, the majority of which compromise a Federal Wildlife Refuge, extending from Necker Island to Midway, which is inhabited by a very small population and can now only be visited by special permit.

patg

There's a big difference in traveling with an eight month old baby and a fifteen month old toddler. Fifteen months is one of the worst ages for travel, IMO. The child is a lot more mobile and more vocal. He or she is into EVERYTHING, and half of what they pick up goes into the mouth. You really have to watch them every minute. Hawaii is a great destination, but ten or more hours on an airplane with a squirmy bundle of energy is a tough proposition, especially when the beaches of Florida are so much closer.

suze

Staying only one week, coming all the way from back east, and traveling with a toddler - I definitely recommend only one island for your trip.

I think Maui is the best one for a first trip. It is gorgeous, but not too big, with lots to see and do, or opportunities to simply relax. Fly in, rent a car, and toodle about.

I just got back from 8 days in Waikiki, please realize that Honolulu (where Waikiki Beach is located) is a big city. Tons of traffic, freeway, high-rise buildings, loads of tourists, etc. I personally think it's great fun but it is most definitely NOT what most people think of when they day-dream of a trip to "the islands".

anna_k

I envy you taking your child to Australia, I really want to go back to Thailand but the 15 hour flight would be scarey with our daughter. You're lucky you have a good little traveler!

On Maui, we stayed at the Napili Sunset in Napili and at the Grand Champions Villas in Wailea. I'd recommend both of these condo's. The Napili is beachfront which is awesome, but the beach is somewhat steep and not very toddler friendly. Grand Champions is a few minutes drive from the beach. We liked the location a lot, it was just a short drive to the many nice beaches in Wailea. Since it's not beachfront, it's also cheaper and a great value.

You could check VRBO.com for Grand Champions listings. The url to the condo we stayed at is no longer working.
http://www.napilisunset.com/

travelsaint03

Hello All

once again thank you so much for all the info..

i guess we are sold on the fact that we should stay at 1 island...and Maui it is.

the more important question..any suggestions on where in Maui?

Anna_K has already indicated Napili and Wailea.

can you guys help me out and tell me if there are any other areas I should consider..

most importantly with a toddler..we want to stay at a nice place with beautiful scenic views, and with lots of restuarants and shopping area...so that everthing is accessible.

Also Maui specific..are the website that give me a good idea of how I should plan out my trip and the things to do in Maui?

Any good website for great package deals in maui?

again thanks guys..please let the info keep coming..anna_k I am onto the places you mentioned.

Thanks

kalunchi

how about staying at a hotel in kaanapali, it is very close distance to lahaina which is alot of shopping. i believe kaanapali is rated one of the best beaches in maui. I'm going back this summer and i'm planning to stay at the Sheraton, it is located right near the famous Black Rock for snorkeling. I would recommend Westin also, but it's a little more pricey than the Sheraton.

suze

I enjoyed the town of Lahaina. It's a historic old whaling town that used to be the capitol of the islands.

Some people find it "too touristy" but I liked it because there is a main street with easy walking, shops, galleries, historic walking tour, etc. We stayed at Lahaina Shores which is a condo/hotel and shopped at the Safeway, along with going out to restaurants.

Moon Handbooks "Maui" was the guidebook we used most for our planning. Going up to Haleakala volcano/crater was amazing. Our family also enjoyed the Old Lahaina Luau (if you're looking for that kind of a thing, it is an excellent show). We took a miss on the "road to Hana" another popular thing to do, since we all get car-sick!

jgg

Just want to tell you, that you have definitely made the right decision about only staying on one island. Hawaii is all about relaxing - constantly moving from island to island is not a good idea.

In answer to a few of your other questions, we have gone to Maui that same time (late March - early April)the past 4 years. It is a great time to go.

You will definitely want to rent a car. We personally prefer the Wailea area as it is a little less crowded than the Lahania/Kanapaali area, and also tends to be drier.

Don't let others discourage you about the flight with your 15 mo. old. You know your child the best. Sounds like he/she has already done some travelling with you.

travelsaint03

Hello All

thank you so much for all your help.

As per this forum..i have decided to go to Maui..and have been busy looking up all tix and hotels and stuff.

Anyone aware of any good package deals or good airdeals from east coast..seems awfully expensive..

Anyhow..I thank you all for your help..it has been very important and knowledgable.

kalunchi

continental is the cheapest.