Overnight stay in Honolulu Feasible?
 

What do you think of this?...
We are flying to Honolulu and then to Kauai in March. We are considering staying one night at the Halekulani. We land in HNL around 12:30pm. We'd have one afternoon in Honolulu to spend at the hotel and then perhaps try to do a circle drive around the island before leaving on the last flight to Kauai. Is this feasible?

Pricey (Halekulani rack rates start at about $400) -- but definitely feasible.

I'm not sure that you'd be able to drive around the island before it gets dark, and it's not a drive you want to do in the dark after a long flight. You land at 12:30, get your luggage by 1, your rental car at 1:45, to your hotel by 2:30, check in and maybe get back out by 3. If you're lucky and you get your rental car quicker, 2:30. That leaves you three or four hours, during evening rush hour if it's a weekday, of daylight. You could probably get to the North Shore in an hour, spend a few hours there, and then head back for dinner in Waikiki.

Even if you can't do a whole circle tour, I think just time in Waikiki would be worth it, either at the beginning of your trip or the end, just to have a contrast to the quiet of Kauai.

If you're doing this on a weekday, it may take you longer than an hour to reach the North Shore from Waikiki.

Traffic heading in that direction is already building up around 3:00.

You must be coming from the west coast or you would not consider the 4 hour circle island tour after a long flight.

Is it 4 hours, I forget.

Anyway.....part of your plan is correct winding down in a swanky hotel to let the jet lag. I like to do that.

I would do the coastal drive from Diamond Head to Kailua...will still fill you with romantic images of Hawaii and in only 40minutes. Pack a picknic lunch and bing bang boom you have that day you were looking at....Very well still might catch the view of a whale along this drive, that time of year.

I'm not sure if I and maybe some others are reading your question right.

The way I read it is you will get into Honolulu around 12:30, staying one night and leaving on the last flight the following day.

That would give you an afternoon and the evening in Waikiki and a full day to do a circle island trip the following day. No problem doing that.

I don't know if I would want to shell out $400 for the Halekulani. The Outrigger Reef on the Beach is a good hotel for half the cost of the Halekulani and it is right next to the Halekulani.

This site has good maps of all islands including a detailed map of Waikiki hotels. It also has a good restaurant guide.

www.driveguidemagazines.com

I'm confused as to your timeline... you land early afternoon day #1 so have a 1/2 day... then the entire next day #2 until an evening flight out?

I think the Halekulani would be fantastic. For me with such a short time I'd stay in Waikiki/Honolulu, relax, have a great dinner, get over your jet lag, walk on the beach, get onto "island time", maybe hike Diamond Head the next morning...

Sounds like a great plan to me. I'd stay at Halekulani too if I had the opportunity. If you drive around the island the next day, you might want to consider the H-3 freeway which takes you through the valley--it's a very beautiful drive.

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the responses. I'm sorry for checking back so late but I've had quite a busy day...

To clear things up the plan is this...
Day 1: land in HNL, hang out at hotel
Day 2: drive/tour Oahu, take last flight out to Kauai

If I'm reading correctly it sounds like a circle drive around is perfectly reasonable?

For someone who's never been to Oahu (me) is this a good thing to do or is there something that would grab my attention more? (Don't think I'd like to hike Diamondhead, go to Pearl Harbor or anything like that for just one day - def on another longer trip).

after 5 hours on a plane? Read the thread again I don't think the majority on this thread would advise but you know what you can do. I know how you are feeling, planning in advance can be fun.

Lunch in China town at Legend's Seafood (go for interesting dim sum), than Iolani Palace in the afternoon, this is the must in my book. Its your BEST opportunity to learn about the Hawaiian Monarchy in all of the islands. I encourage everyone to go to Iolani Palace over all other historic sights.

My take

Hi Sarah

Maybe I am confused now, but are you saying that driving around Oahu on the day AFTER the flight to HNL is kind of crazy (meaning I'd STILL be tired/jet lag)? Trust me - there's no way I will be planning on doing any sort of driving anywhere on the same day that I land from a flight from the mainland. But since I've been to both Maui and Kauai previously I know that I'll be in bed early that night and awake VERY early the next morning...
Thanks for the advice.

CajunStorm, I *think* Sarah, in her last post, was still thinking you were going to do a Circle Island tour the same day you arrive! Your plan to tour the next day is just fine, and very manageable. I gather you're wanting to get a good overall look at Oahu, hence the tour, and I think it would work out very well. If you want to spring for the Halekulani, it's supposed to be a lovely experience. Everyone has their feelings about what's reasonable for a hotel ... Happy planning! ((r))

This thread has lots to do on Oahu including things to see on a circle island tour:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34696831

For a free circle island map (pdf) download and a free Oahu movie location map (pdf)look in the middle of the page:

http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/

This site has additional info and lots of pictures for Oahu tours including circle island:

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours/

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/tours/

Thanks for the great info dusty56438!

What ever works for you Cajun no need to splain. I tend to take it easy on that first day. I am coming fron NYC too so can you imagine my plane ride?

Plus, I think you have such incredible landscape with a zip over the pali (20minutes) stopping off along the way at lookouts (adding stop time) than coming back coastal (40minutes)or vis versa....Only mention again to describe.

Listen I put a young friend on a train in Paris to Brussels a two weeks ago. After she left me she toured Antwerp on one day, Brugge the next and still Brussels on the third day. Everyone has a different pace with travel do what works for yah.