Oahu and Maui - which for Christmas
 

My husband and I are taking our two teenagers (19 and 17) to Hawaii for Christmas and New Years. Which Island would you suggest we spend Christmas on and which Island New Years? ( We're looking at booking flights in the next month or two as our itinerary is a little complicated and we want to ensure that we get the flights we want into one Island and out of the other.) I'm looking at holiday activities offered on both Islands that we can all enjoy.

Maui is lovely for younger families. I was there with my husband and 9 year old son in November 2006, 10 days just before US Thanksgiving. I would say Maui might be a little too quiet for outgoing or extroverted young adults. It is very family oriented. Beaches there are great for surfing, especially the north side. Golf is spectacular. Snorkelling is fun and very easy, just put your face in the water & go for it. Best thing is that there were lots of very protected & easy snorkelling areas about.

This was my first trip ever to Hawaii & I had a heck of a time narrowing down the field, so I can sympathize.

This is a very informative website:

www.gohawaii.com

Good luck and enjoy planning your vacation

If you decide to spend New Year's Eve on Oahu, may I suggest the big party & fireworks at Aloha Tower Marketplace? Named by Gayot.com as one of the top 10 destinations in the world for New Year's Eve.

Much more to see & do on Oahu than any other island:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34812564

You might enjoy a few days in Maui for Christmas, then a more exciting New Year's on Oahu. There are usually several fireworks displays in Waikiki, and it is quite lively then.

I would suggest Maui for Christmas and Oahu for New Years based on the amount of things to do on both islands.

The highlight of Maui for me (besides the beautiful beaches) was sunrise at the top of Haleakala Crater. I know teenagers might not enjoy an early morning, but it is worth the view--unbeatable in my opion.

You'll find plenty of activities on Oahu... I'd suggest staying in the heart of Waikiki.

Have fun!

I don't know how long you've decided to stay in Hawaii, but hotels at that time of the year will probably have minimum night stay requirements. Make sure you check those out before deciding your flight dates. In other words, don't buy your tickets until you can confirm your hotel dates.
((S))((*))

I go every year to Hawaii. I now spend all my time in Oahu after exploring most of the islands.

Maui in particular was a huge disapointment for us.....we found it really boring, and the restaurants were not that interesting.

The scenery....even the road to Hana, was not nearly as nice as driving on the North Shore of Oahu or through the mountains.

My best comparison is that the resorts in Maui reminded me a lot of Vegas resorts...perfectly manicured but kind of plastic....and the restaurants are nothing to write home about.

I might be overdoing it a bit ..but that was our impression, and we could not wait to get back on a flight to Honolulu.

Christmas in particular is beautiful in Waikiki....everyone is out walking on the strip and it is really nice. Fireworks are great and is just is a great holiday experience.

Take a walk through the Royal Hawaiin and have a drink near the ocean.

The nice thing about Waikiki is that there is PLENTY to do...yet you can escape to the mountains or secluded beaches with a 20 minute car drive.

I cannot even imagine being couped up in Maui with kids.

Of course our idea of a vacation is plenty of variety and gourmet food, so keep that in mind.

HOpe this helps.

I sure don't have the same opinion of Maui as mark99. Kanapaali Beach is perfect for teenagers. Maui has it all over Oahu in my opinion. I don't understand how you feel cooped up in Maui, as compared to Waikiki, for example.
It would help to find out a bit more about the original poster's interests, dislikes, and accomodation budget.

Seeing the ages of their teens....I think 18 and 19 year olds would go stir crazy in Maui.

I'm not saying there is nothing to do, but I cannot imagine how you could compare Maui with Oahu and especially Waikiki.......did I miss some hiden part of the Island?

Surely you dont consider the Resorts at Wailea and the attached designer mall complex to be the centers of excitement?

The food at those restaurants was apalling.....and Ruth Chris...I mean why bother going on vacation?

The only area I did not get to was Ka'anapali....did I miss all the action?

The great thing about Waikiki is the variety of things going on....but of course Waikiki is not going to be for everyone.

I'm sure there are great restaurants on Maui...I just did not have the time to find them, and what I did find really soured the vacation as far as food experience goes.

Well, what a negative post. Most families find shopping malls and routine restaurants to be perfectly acceptable for vacations. Witness the large number of chain restaurants that populate Hawaii, and the reasonably good recommendations they consistently get. I don't know that many 17 and 19 year olds that are able to appreciate fine dining, nor many parents who are willing to pay the really hefty prices that many of the top restaurants charge.

I's not meant to be negative...only painfully informative so that people can clearly determine if it is for THEM or not.

Everyones needs are going to be different...you say that a 19 year old would not enjoy a gourmet meal....perhaps some, but not in our case.

Please dont take this as a negative post...it is not...it is hard to translate the "tone" of an electronic message.

I'm sure you have had many experiences like myself where someone told you "you just have to stay/eat/see...and it turned out to be a horrible experience....because we all admire different aspects based on our own interests and desires.

When I first arrived in Honolulu I asked for the name of a good Italian restaurant. I was told "you just have to go to the Olive Garden" ...and they were dead serious.

But to some the Olive Garden is "gourmet", for me it would be like eating at Denny's. So that is why I am very "colorful" in my explanations.

This is why I do plenty of research before I go somewhere....we purposefully went to Maui only for 3 days out of 14...as we were given mixed experiences by our friends, but wanted to check it out ourself to see what we thought.

I think the same people who would love Maui would also like Sanibel Island in Florida....nothing wrong with that....but for us...it was Stir Crazy Island...so relax man...and enjoy whatever you like.

I have to agree with MAK99 - we used to go to Maui every summer when my kids were small and all we did was go to the beach all day, to IHOP for pancakes, to the Cannery Mall for ice cream and shopping and hung around the local spots. But now that my kids are grown we all appreciate that Oahu has so much more to offer in things to do, and that the prices are much lower, you don't HAVE to rent a car if you don't want to, etc. But it is true that everyone has their own opinion and what drives one crazy with boredom is someone else's shangrila and vice versa.

But - for New Year's I would for sure recommend Oahu - and especially Waikiki or the Aloha Tower area - because it is party central for NY Eve. The kids would have a blast - and so would mom & dad.

THank you for your replies - especially the suggestions for the fireworks/sunrise and for the website link. It sounds like Maui for Christmas and then Waikiki for New Years (which is what I was guessing so maybe I am managing to wade through all the info a little). We do like to be busy and surfing (and a shark encounter - uggh) are the top two interests of my teens right now.

Not Waikiki, honey....Aloha Tower Marketplace!

http://www.gayot.com/travel/features/newyears.html

kamark- I do agree with the Maui/ Oahu mix. My teenagers liked both islands BTW.