Suzie

You are already splitting your time between 3 islands.Maui Kauai and a stop in Oahu.

As you enjoy each day in Hawaii, on Kauai and Maui, you will wonder how you can ever go back to LA. You will not be sorry for having missed anything. Be happy with the many sights you will already see and don't try to cram anything more - unless it's days - into your already very tight schedule.

I've been to the BI a couple of times and did not manage to fit in the volcano. We realized that it just can't all be done. Wedon't run around to every sight since it's a vacation. It's Hawaii.Relax and smell the plumeria.

Tomsd

If one misses the Volcano - they have not really been to the Big Island.

WhereAreWe

I'm assuming you picked Maui and Kauai for a reason, so stick with those. If those 2 were chosen at random, then by all means consider the Big Island to replace both of them.

I would not go to the Big Island just to see the volcano, unless there was an active eruption going on. And by that I mean something spectacular to see, not just lava slowly oozing down a hillside. It's interesting to see VNP in it's current state, but I don't think that's reason enough to make a special day trip over there.

Suzie

>

Your opinion as a volcano lover. My opinion is that the Big Island is far more than the volcano. Fodors is full of opinions each one just as important as the next. Meaning, Not Very.

beanweb24

Ditto what Suzie said. The beauty of us all as travelers is that we have different priorities for what we want to see and experience on our travels. For you to define an experience for someone else based on your own interests is extremely narrow-minded (in very polite terms).

charnees

Don't fret over your choices. EVERY island is wonderful, and has things you really should see. But you can't do it all. Just tell yourself that IF, just IF you ever go back, you will go to the Big Island. And enjoy your current trip as planned.

aloha

There is so much to experience on each of the major islands, i think it is unrealistic to say there are any absolute "musts" on any island. It is easy to get so wrapped up in running from site to site, checking things off on somebody else's must list, that one forgets to really experience the place, to"relax and smell the plumeria" which for many of us is the main reason to be there.

Tomsd

Simply stated - the #1 attraction on the Big Island is the Volcano - which draws 2.5 million visitors a year - and people come from all over the world to visit it. More info on Big Island: http://www.to-hawaii.com/big-island/...tionalpark.php http://www.gohawaii.com/big-island

Nuff said.

And I have already noted that visiting Kauai and Maui is great - but If you have the time and inclindation to zip over to the BI for a day - go for it - or see it the next time you visit Paradise. Double

Once more - I think a lot of people tend to forget their first time visiting somewhere and discovering new things - and then later - dream about just kicking back on the return trips.

Marginal

In response to the original poster's question:

You already have a full itinerary. Stick with it.

Please don't feel like you have to do everything in one trip.

There are people on this board who feel the need to bully everyone and brag on and on.

You'll have a great trip.

Lookin_Glass

Suggesting over and over that 4 islands in a week is a great idea is irresponsible.

Inter island air is not what it was like in the olden days. Schedules and flights are limited and direct flights have been slashed.

sassy_cat

Stick with your plans.
Big Island is well named and as it's large and so diverse it's best visited for at least a week IMO.

Tomsd

Geesh - some of you try to make it sound impossible. Again, this is just for an option if one decides to fly over to see the Volcano for the day - on a preview type trip.

Flights go from Maui to Hilo all the time, and Hawaiian alone has two daily flights from Maui direct to Hilo - the first 913 AM - taking 35 minutes - and the direct return from Hilo at 4:44 PM is 35 minutes back to Maui - for about $200 RT.

One could also probably find tours on Maui going to Hilo for a day.

http://www.google.com/flights/?hl=en...7;r=2012-12-17

and http://www.google.com/flights/?hl=en...m+hilo+to+Maui

WhereAreWe

2.5 million visitors per year at VNP? No.

More like 1.3 million in recent years. Only been over 2 million visitors twice (1983 and 1984) with a max of 2.25 million in 1983.

For my money, Yellowstone is a far more interesting old volcano to visit. VNP is nice if you're right there, but I had to look at my photos from 2 years ago to even remember what it looked like. Yet I can remember Yellowstone from almost 30 years ago. At least that has geysers and wildlife to go with the steam coming out of the ground.....honestly I found VNP to be underwhelming. I would only recommend someone go there for the day from another island IF there is an actual live eruption going on. Seeing the glow from the crater at night just doesn't cut it.

lcuy

Gosh, Using the same logic as some of the above leads me to tell you that you SHOULD spend some more time on Oahu. Where else is their a royal palace in America? And why bother with Hawaii if you con't do Waikiki? Plus Diamond Head is THE symbol of Hawaii, so you can't miss that. nor can you miss the North Shore of Oahu. It's only an hour from downtown Honolulu.

And seriously, you MUST check out Kalaupapa on Molokai. It's only a half hour from Honolulu and was the home of one of the Catholic church's newest saints.

And heck, since you flew half way across the Pacific, why not continue on to Tokyo. it is only a 6.5 hour journey and would balance out your visit to Pearl Harbor nicely. if you want to save a few bucks, choose one of the United flights that drop you on Guam for the night. After all, you need to see everything to get the best bang for your travel dollars!

Seriously, I would stick with your original plan unless you are a geology buff, in which case, I'd skip either Maui or Kauai to make time for it. You cannot "see it all" no matter how long your trip is. I've lived in Hawaii 35+ years and still haven't seen it all. My first two weeks in Hawaii covered only one village on Kauai and Waikiki, but I had a fantastic time...so much so that I never left!

suze

<Thought we had our May 2013 plans cemented. We were going to do 3/4 days Maui and then 3/4 days Kauai.>

I think your original idea was excellent. Go with that. Skip the cruise. I've been to Hawaii 5 times and have yet to make it to the Big Island. There's no right or wrong, just what you are interested in doing.

jamie99

Well otto has not returned since his original post, hopefully he will let folks know what he decided on.

suze

Hopefully he is still going to Hawaii!

sylvia3

Tom, you can't drive around the crater anymore; it's been blocked off for several years. There is no lava viewing right now, either. Might be tomorrow, but not now. Pele isn't a he, but a she. And not real. (Don't bother screaming at me, anyone.)
OP should stick with the original plan, and not worry about scurrying around, IMO; it's all good. Maui and Kauai will be good introductions to HA.

Tomsd

Thanks for the update Sylvia. Just trying to put out options - as I like to have them ahead of time so that while you are over some place - you know what you can do if the urge "strikes".