Need Help with Activities for teens Oahu/Maui
 

We will be spending the Christmas/New Year Holidays in Oahu and Maui (5 nights on each island). I know our teen boys (17 & 14)will want to hang out on the beach and surf the majority of the time. However, I do want to plan some memorable activities. I am thinking of the following:

Oahu: Pearl Harbor, watching the surfing competition (does anyone know when they are or how I can find out?), hiking diamond head, snorkeling at Hanumau bay.

Maui: Sunrise at Haleakula(sp?), visiting the various beaches, whale watching trip, snorkel trip to Molokini.

I'm thinking that it would also be great to take a short day trip to see the active volcano on the big island. From which Island should I do this from? Am I tryingn to squeeze in too much with teenagers who just like "chilling" on the beach? If I need to cut a few of these activities, which onens?

Thanks.

We spent two weeks this summer in Maui and the Big Island with our two teenage sons (16 and 18).

They were not particularly thrilled with the Haleakala sunrise. They did enjoy a trip around West Maui with stops at the Olivine Pools and the Nakalele Blowhole. We also enjoyed snorkeling at Honolua Bay - we saw lots of fish, coral, eels, sea turtles.

I asked them what the most memorable part of the trip was and both said the evening hike out to where the volcano was flowing on the Big Island - I'm not sure you could do this in a short day trip. We hiked out at about 5 pm and didn't leave until after sunset - it really was an awe inspiring sight. Spent two days total at the Volcano Park, doing lots of hiking.

aloha nettie,

For surfing competition on north shore O'ahu check out http://triplecrownofsurfing.com/when_is_it.php

You might be too late for the competition unless they run into delays due to surf conditions, but I'm sure you'll catch some great surfing action on the north shore... don't miss it.

The only thing I would skip w/ teens is Haleakula... I'd save it for another trip.

We love O'ahu and will continue to return. ((R)) Have a great time.

Duke's at night for music or morning for breakfast buffet. Take the boat ride on the beach from there.

Try kitesurfing at Kailua Beach.

Kite go-carts at Sandy's Beach.

Kayak at Kailua Beach.

Thanks to all of you for this valuable information! You've helped me a great deal. I'm going to skip the Haleakala sunrise, per your advice. What about taking a day trip to the Big Island to see the Volcano? Is this a must see since we're coming from the East Coast and the boys probably won't get back there for a very long time? Do I have time to do this and from which island. Thanks all for your input.

Nettie,
We will be spending 5 nights in Oahu and 5 nights in Maui also...in October.
After our trip was booked My Husband decided that he really wanted to see Volcano National Park. So, after looking at all of the options we decided to make a stop on The Big Island the same day that we were scheduled to fly from Oahu to Maui. We are taking an early flight out of Oahu to BI staying for the day and flying from BI to Maui at about 5:00 pm. It was very inexpensive to add a leg to our trip plus it is saving us from spending yet another day traveling.

I highly recommend the Haleakala ride... but not the sunrise version for a group of teens. Read more about the ride here: http://www.smarterliving.com/advice/...ce.php?id=7241 (an article I wrote on this very topic). Hope that's helpful!

Swim with dolphins -
http://dolphinquest.org