My husband always plans our trips and wrote extensively about our Ireland vacation on this web site. My turn to plan a special trip to Hawaii for his birthday. We want to stop before and after in L.A. to visit our kids and grandkids. Any suggestions for where to go, where to stay and what to do assuming we have 10 days in all and 7 of those in Hawaii.
Thanks so much.

carolel, Do you want to visit more than one island? What are you interested in seeing and doing? Do you have a budget in mind? Food or lodging preferences? We can help with specific questions once we know what you are looking for in a Hawaiian vacation.

I bookmarked an earlier Fodor discussion on Hawaii 06-09 that you should find very helpful! Fodorite Dusty has lots of very helpful links here!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...m#last-comment

I take it this is your first trip to Hawaii? With one week, I would stick with just one island. As for which one, that depends on what you're looking to do.

Carolel, you haven't indicated much about what you're looking for, except to say that you're chubby. I'm a huge fan of Kona Village Resort, so much so that I put up a website which describes it in detail, with 266 pictures. Take a look and see if it fits your style and desires: www.davidskvr.net. All the food is included, and it is really, really good, which made me think of chubbiness! I go there three times a year, and live it when I'm home. Totally different from any other resort in Hawai'i, it's beautiful, laid back, friendly, and relaxing. I don't rent a car, because once I'm in the village, I have no desire to leave. (Oh, how I do go on!) Take a look and see if you think you'd like it...

David

I have to say, with all the comments made in reference to posters who tout "their" properties, I'm surprised no one has called David out!
We all know how much you love Kona Village!! Seems to me it might be useful to add something else to the mix.
Sorry if this offends anyone and I have nothing against either Kona Village or David.

What to do: go to the beach, eat great fresh food, listen to wonderful Hawaiian music, hike, learn about history and culture, shop for the grandkids, see some hula, observe wildlife, maybe some adventurous activities.

You can do all of that on the four major islands, and all have a variety of budget and luxurious accommodations.

If you like to golf, and can afford it, there are some really nice resorts on all the islands, and a lot of people rent vacation homes for a week. I've split up my time on two parts of the island when I went to Maui and Kauai, maybe in a resort and something more rustic.

I'm on the Island of Hawaii now, and it's extreme, vast and diverse. Oahu is more citified, but with beautiful beaches, Kauai is so gorgeous and lush, but much smaller. Maui has lovely beaches, and is more active.

With 7 days in Hawaii, if you want to relax, you could stay on one island, if you want to be more active, you could do two. Sometimes you can get flights that include a stopover for a few days. I would see what kinds of flights and hotels are available, and check out photos to see what appeals to you. If you have a particular hobby or interest, there may be one island which is better for that.

Carolei, what are your interests and what is your budget. I love the Big Island but I've also been to all the island multiple times. Each island offers it's own personality so it depends on you and your wants. Food, entertainment, museums, hikes, snorkeling, boating, fishing, these are but a few of your choices.

By Hawaii, are you talking about the State or the Island?

Welch, if David has on 30years of experiences with only Kona Village to the exclusion of other resorts, are saying he should not post because his limited view? He has an opinion but would you ban him because that opinion is limited? I know that you are trying to protect the board but I am interested in what you would have him do. Maybe a disclaimer, but isn't that what his website is?

Maui is a wonderful island for a first-time trip to Hawaii.

wbpii- I'm not saying that David should not post- of course. But if you look at his posts since he registered in September 2009 every single post refers to Kona Village, his love for it and nothing else, no matter the board.
If another poster did this they would be told they were trying to further their cause/sell something- whatever.
I'm not trying to high jack this tread just am curious about this.

Welch, I've read David's posts on TA for years and he has no other Hawaiian experiences for over 30 plus years other than at Kona Village. As I recall those posts, he flies into Kailua Kona, takes a cab to KVR, stays there for a week and then flies home. This has been going on forever. He can't talk about other islands or resorts because he has no recent experiences.

I can't speak to all of his posts here, but I can say, if a person asks for a recommendation for an island or a resort that seems to warrant a response. Even if the response seems a little outside the parameters of the OP, it maybe that the OP was unaware of his/her other options. We all are trying to share our experiences to help those who have fewer or no experiences.

Again, I understand what you are saying and your motive is pure. No your curiousity is not out-of-line, you have every right to bring this up. However, I don't know how you draft an ethical rule for this situation. If you read his webbooklet, I think you can see that he loves KVR, he get no compensation or freebies for his "touting", he been going there for over 40 years so my guess is that he is in his late 70s or early 80s. I just wish that I can write as eloquently at his age.

For the sake of honesty, I too love KVR but as you may know I also regularly visit the other islands and my recent Island experiences are broader than David's. That may not be true when I reach my 70/80s.

Bill

The Noelani Condo resort in Lahaina on Maui is incredible. You can watch the whales play from your balcony.

Welsh, I’m sorry if I’ve offended you. I don’t pretend to be expert or even knowledgeable on the other islands, although I’ve spent a lot of time on Maui and Oahu and some on Kauai and Molokai. What I am expert on is Kona Village, because I’ve been there a lot and am very familiar with all aspects of that remarkable place.

Some folks tend to think of Kohala resorts as all similar, and compare features like ocean view, pools, access to beaches and shops and make a choice among them. But Kona Village is unique, and to lump it in with the others is like saying “which would you rather have, one of these six top line bicycles, or a horse? And of course, it depends on what you want and what you intend to do.

My position with regard to KVR is unique as well. I am a passionate fan who has taken the trouble to put up a website with the purpose of describing the place comprehensively and accurately, so people can decide if it’s their cup or tea or not. I don’t know of any other resort with a fan that has done that.

Finally, notice that I NEVER say, “Go to Kona Village,” nor do I say, “Don’t go to Mauna Kea or Mauna Lani or Waikaloa, or Maui, or whatever.” What I DO say is, “Take a look at my website and see whether KVR fits your desires or not,” because I’d like folks to consider it, and yet it’s no fun to have fellow guests who are unhappy being there.

I have no financial interest in this—it’s a hobby with me. What do I get out of it? Well, I get a lot of smiles when I show up at the village. But that’s all. If calling attention to my website is a violation of rules, I’ll have to back out. But if it’s not a violation, then it’s easy for you to just skip my posts because you’ll know that they’re likely to be about KVR.

And bill, I just turned 80.
David

For a first visit I'd either spend all 7 days on Oahu or Maui.

Well, David, DH and I are in our mid-70s and we go to the Big Island a lot.

I would like to tell the OP that if they only go to Kona Village they are missing an astounding experience, because the Big Island has so many fascinating things to see --- not least the active volcano!! And the daylong snorkeling trips with Fairwinds cruises to Kealakakua Bay. And the drive to Hawi with lunch at Bamboo restaurant. Or the trip to the summit of Mauna Kea, where there is often snow -- although at 14,000 feet it's too high for some people to breathe easily.

If the OP wants so see Hawaii, they need to see more than Kona Village. Or any other resort area. We encountered people who spent every vacation at the Four Seasons Resort and never saw anything else. I think they are nuts. I regard that kind of vacation as equivalent of flying to Rome and staying in the hotel the whole time. No disrespect, David, but there's just too much amazing stuff going on on the Big Island to go there and never see any of it.

>>

I know you didn't ask my opinion -) ), but I don't consider these "alike" at all. Nobody travels to a major city to sit in a hotel room. OTOH, lots of people (me included) travel to tropical islands just for the sun and beach. I am very well traveled, but I simply have no interest in spending my precious time in Hawaii seeing "cultural" sights.

I have to add that I've done my sighseeing on the BI and wouldn't advise anyone to skip that if they hadn't been there before. And I didn't suggest that they spend all 10 days at KVR. I personally would do that, because I love it there and have been around the island a number of times. Actually I didn't suggest that they spend any time at all there; I just said take a look at my website to see if it's a place that would interest them. If they asked for my advice, I'd have them spend five or six days looking around, and then the rest at KVR--but only if after looking at the website they felt that it was a place for them.

I just wanted to say I looked at your website on the KVR and I loved it.

Although it is no secret I love Oahu I have been to the Big Island and enjoyed it as well.

Good for you and your website. Everyone should be passionate about something!!!!

k

Thank you, Kona--you've brightened my day more than you know...
David

David- I tried to open your KVR site but could not. Then I tried an e-mail, and that did not work. I am using a Mac; any useful ideas?? JMS