I'm heading to Oahu for a conference. I don't have but a day, maybe a day and a half, beyond the scope of the conference. So can I do a day trip to get a taste of one other island while I'm there. Day trip b/c I have to pay for the Honolulu hotel and I'm not overjoyed re: the idea of paying for 2 rooms...
Many of the tour companies offer a one day "taste" of the other islands... typically they fly you early in the AM and you can pick your activities from several... and then back to Oahu on the evening flight....
You can volcano tour, copter, bus tour, or extreme sport on the Big Island...Copter tour,hike, off-road on Kuaui... or tourist, hanadrive,bus tour or hang out in Maui.... take your pick!
You can volcano tour, copter, bus tour, or extreme sport on the Big Island...Copter tour,hike, off-road on Kuaui... or tourist, hanadrive,bus tour or hang out in Maui.... take your pick!
With only a day, I'd limit my excursions to Oahu. E.g. climb Diamond Head in the very early A.M. (it gets crowded by noon) and then a day-long tour of the north shore... Lanakai etc.
As Gary noted a copter or plane tour of the other islands is also an option, although an expensive one.
As Gary noted a copter or plane tour of the other islands is also an option, although an expensive one.
Stay on Oahu. There is lots to choose from:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34696831
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours/
http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/ You can get a free (pdf) download circle island driving tour. Also a free (pdf) Oahu movie location guide.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34696831
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours/
http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/ You can get a free (pdf) download circle island driving tour. Also a free (pdf) Oahu movie location guide.
I live on Oahu and went to Maui on a day trip. Did the road to Hana and beyond to Seven Pools. Lots of stops along the way at beaches, waterfalls, etc.
Also did a Big Island day trip - Went to Hilo.
Hilo: Lili'uokalani Gardens, Banyon Drive, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots.
Akaka Falls State Park - The short loop trail includes Kahuna Falls.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Visitors Center, Jaggar Museum, Thurston Lava Tube, several short hikes to steam/sulfer vents, several lookouts, drove to the end of Chain o fCraters Road. 50 minutes from Hilo airport. We spent about 5 hours in the park.
Also did a Big Island day trip - Went to Hilo.
Hilo: Lili'uokalani Gardens, Banyon Drive, Rainbow Falls, Boiling Pots.
Akaka Falls State Park - The short loop trail includes Kahuna Falls.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - Visitors Center, Jaggar Museum, Thurston Lava Tube, several short hikes to steam/sulfer vents, several lookouts, drove to the end of Chain o fCraters Road. 50 minutes from Hilo airport. We spent about 5 hours in the park.
I had been to Maui before for a week in 1991. That was before I moved to Hawaii (Oahu).
A couple from NC came to visit me. They wanted to go on a day trip to Maui as they didn't want to check in and out of hotels.
We left Oahu on an early flight (around 7 am) and got back on a late flight.
We rented a car instead of taking a tour. That was in part because I already knew most places on the Road to Hana that we wanted to stop at. Cost us around $160 each vs $280 for Roberts.
You can expect around $150 for round trip airfare, $40-$50 for car rental including gas. You can book a trip including airfare & a car through any travel agency or through Aloha or Hawaiian Airlines.
Try www.pandaonline.com click air/car
If you are going alone or with one other person, you ought to think about Roberts or another tour company. I think they have hotel pick-up and drop you off again after the tour.
There are lots of webites on the thread in my first post in this thread including:
www.alternative-hawaii.com that has a good narrative driving tour on the road to Hana.
Also:
http://www.alohafriendshawaii.com/roadtohana.html
If you drive, it is very easy to get around Maui. Other than in the cities/towns there are only a limited number of roads on Maui. The same with Big Island.
Nice maps of all islands:
www.driveguidemagazines.com
A couple from NC came to visit me. They wanted to go on a day trip to Maui as they didn't want to check in and out of hotels.
We left Oahu on an early flight (around 7 am) and got back on a late flight.
We rented a car instead of taking a tour. That was in part because I already knew most places on the Road to Hana that we wanted to stop at. Cost us around $160 each vs $280 for Roberts.
You can expect around $150 for round trip airfare, $40-$50 for car rental including gas. You can book a trip including airfare & a car through any travel agency or through Aloha or Hawaiian Airlines.
Try www.pandaonline.com click air/car
If you are going alone or with one other person, you ought to think about Roberts or another tour company. I think they have hotel pick-up and drop you off again after the tour.
There are lots of webites on the thread in my first post in this thread including:
www.alternative-hawaii.com that has a good narrative driving tour on the road to Hana.
Also:
http://www.alohafriendshawaii.com/roadtohana.html
If you drive, it is very easy to get around Maui. Other than in the cities/towns there are only a limited number of roads on Maui. The same with Big Island.
Nice maps of all islands:
www.driveguidemagazines.com
When I did my day trip to Oahu, I purhcased it as a package that included the interisland airfare. Although I am not a bus tour person, I decided to do one of those because I was totally unfamiliar with Oahu, and I didn't want to drive around by myself. It ended up being exactly what I wanted! I know the company I posted about earlier also does day tours to the other Hawaiian islands.
If you can only do one, I would recommend going to the Big Island and seeig the volcano. It's really neat!
If you can only do one, I would recommend going to the Big Island and seeig the volcano. It's really neat!
