Hawaii?

[holly116]

Sept 25, 2014 9:52:56 GMT -5 jessnpaul said:

I enjoyed the Old Lahaina luau, FWIW. It's supposed to be the most authentic one, but I've never been to another luau so I have nothing to compare it to.

If you hike Diamond Head, go early. It gets really, really hot up there! We went first thing and I was so glad we were coming down the mountain when the heat of the day started!

For Pearl Harbor, also get there early. It's free (don't get sucked into one of those bus tours that charge... I know too many people who did that), but it gets booked fast.

We also really enjoyed the Road to Hana. We got a CD at one of the gas stations (I think I read about that in Maui Revealed) and it was worth it! Lots of little hikes and waterfalls!

Enjoy! I don't think it's possible to have a bad time in Hawaii no matter what you do!

Thanks for the tips! We're morning people so we'll be sure to get an early start.

[Deleted]

Sept 25, 2014 12:01:19 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Sept 24, 2014 20:18:56 GMT -5 @notquiteblushing said:

No kids? Go out to fancy dinners and sit on the beach and drink umbrella drinks!

This is exactly what I'm thinking! It's like a second honeymoon, after knowing exactly how to appreciate it since we've had three kids in five years of marriage. But, I know we'll get bored, we did last year when we just planned to do nothing in Maine/Vermont/New Hampshire.

Our place on Maui is walking distance to a brewery apparently. That was mentioned in one of the reviews and it was the tipping point in choosing that location lol.

There will be a ton of brochures in the lobby. After a three day sexfest go pick one that looks fun. Done!

[Deleted]

Sept 23, 2014 17:59:49 GMT -5 scribellesam said:

I've heard from multiple sources that Mama's Fish House on Maui is life-changingly amazing, but haven't eaten there myself. It would probably be a splurge meal.

I wouldn't say life changing, but it's good. Definitely book now though!

[holly116]

Sept 25, 2014 10:26:57 GMT -5 7costanza said:

You can reserve your Pearl Harbor tour in advance online, but it fills up fast. I booked ours for the end of October in like April and some time slots were already full.

Thank you guys SO much for suggesting the online reservations. I've been harassing DH at work for the last 20 minutes to try and nail down which time/day we should go lol.

So, the whole day Passport to Pearl Harbor for $65/person is what we want, right?

From the parks website:

Consider spending an entire day at Pearl Harbor by purchasing the Passport to Pearl Harbor, which features the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and admission to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

The Passport to Pearl Harbor offers flexibility in touring the four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and includes transportation to Ford Island. This two -day Passport to Pearl Harbor pass can be used within a consecutive seven-days period.

If you plan to visit all four of the facilities, please allow a minimum of eight hours for the complete Pearl Harbor experience. You may wish to allot some additional time to rest between tours, enjoy a bite to eat, and visit the gift shops.

[jessnpaul]

Sept 25, 2014 12:28:01 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Sept 25, 2014 10:26:57 GMT -5 7costanza said:

You can reserve your Pearl Harbor tour in advance online, but it fills up fast. I booked ours for the end of October in like April and some time slots were already full.

Thank you guys SO much for suggesting the online reservations. I've been harassing DH at work for the last 20 minutes to try and nail down which time/day we should go lol.

So, the whole day Passport to Pearl Harbor for $65/person is what we want, right?

From the parks website:

Consider spending an entire day at Pearl Harbor by purchasing the Passport to Pearl Harbor, which features the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and admission to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

The Passport to Pearl Harbor offers flexibility in touring the four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and includes transportation to Ford Island. This two -day Passport to Pearl Harbor pass can be used within a consecutive seven-days period.

If you plan to visit all four of the facilities, please allow a minimum of eight hours for the complete Pearl Harbor experience. You may wish to allot some additional time to rest between tours, enjoy a bite to eat, and visit the gift shops.

No. Like I said in my post above, if you go in person, it's free. And honestly I didn't think it was worth spending more than a few hours there, unless it's really your thing. 

ETA: www.pearlharborhistoricsites.org/pearl-harbor/arizona-memorial-tour

ETA (again): We didn't do the two museums I don't think. Just the Arizona Memorial which was enough for what I was interested in. ww.pearlharborhistoricsites.org/plan-your-visit

[holly116]

Sept 25, 2014 12:46:36 GMT -5 jessnpaul said:

Sept 25, 2014 12:28:01 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Thank you guys SO much for suggesting the online reservations. I've been harassing DH at work for the last 20 minutes to try and nail down which time/day we should go lol.

So, the whole day Passport to Pearl Harbor for $65/person is what we want, right?

From the parks website:

Consider spending an entire day at Pearl Harbor by purchasing the Passport to Pearl Harbor, which features the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and admission to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

The Passport to Pearl Harbor offers flexibility in touring the four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and includes transportation to Ford Island. This two -day Passport to Pearl Harbor pass can be used within a consecutive seven-days period.

If you plan to visit all four of the facilities, please allow a minimum of eight hours for the complete Pearl Harbor experience. You may wish to allot some additional time to rest between tours, enjoy a bite to eat, and visit the gift shops.

No. Like I said in my post above, if you go in person, it's free. And honestly I didn't think it was worth spending more than a few hours there, unless it's really your thing. 

ETA: www.pearlharborhistoricsites.org/pearl-harbor/arizona-memorial-tour

ETA (again): We didn't do the two museums I don't think. Just the Arizona Memorial which was enough for what I was interested in. ww.pearlharborhistoricsites.org/plan-your-visit

The USS Arizona is free, well there's a $1.50 service fee. I'm looking at the national parks page and I'd much rather pay $3 to have a specific reservation time for the memorial than wait in any sort of line, if I can avoid it!
www.recreation.gov/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72369

Hmm. I'll see how interested DH is to decide whether or not he wants to do the whole day thing.

[soxin2]

For Pearl Harbor we did the "Home of the Brave" tour and went to the different bases as well (in 2008).

[linz]

Sept 25, 2014 12:28:01 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Sept 25, 2014 10:26:57 GMT -5 7costanza said:

You can reserve your Pearl Harbor tour in advance online, but it fills up fast. I booked ours for the end of October in like April and some time slots were already full.

Thank you guys SO much for suggesting the online reservations. I've been harassing DH at work for the last 20 minutes to try and nail down which time/day we should go lol.

So, the whole day Passport to Pearl Harbor for $65/person is what we want, right?

From the parks website:

Consider spending an entire day at Pearl Harbor by purchasing the Passport to Pearl Harbor, which features the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and admission to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

The Passport to Pearl Harbor offers flexibility in touring the four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and includes transportation to Ford Island. This two -day Passport to Pearl Harbor pass can be used within a consecutive seven-days period.

If you plan to visit all four of the facilities, please allow a minimum of eight hours for the complete Pearl Harbor experience. You may wish to allot some additional time to rest between tours, enjoy a bite to eat, and visit the gift shops.

$65? No I wouldn't pay that. All that we did when there was watch a short video, walk around, and then got on a boat that took us to the USS Arizona. We weren't there more than an hour and I felt like that was long enough.

[stealthmom]

Sept 25, 2014 12:28:01 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Sept 25, 2014 10:26:57 GMT -5 7costanza said:

You can reserve your Pearl Harbor tour in advance online, but it fills up fast. I booked ours for the end of October in like April and some time slots were already full.

Thank you guys SO much for suggesting the online reservations. I've been harassing DH at work for the last 20 minutes to try and nail down which time/day we should go lol.

So, the whole day Passport to Pearl Harbor for $65/person is what we want, right?

From the parks website:

Consider spending an entire day at Pearl Harbor by purchasing the Passport to Pearl Harbor, which features the USS Arizona Memorial Narrated Tour and admission to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.

The Passport to Pearl Harbor offers flexibility in touring the four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites and includes transportation to Ford Island. This two -day Passport to Pearl Harbor pass can be used within a consecutive seven-days period.

If you plan to visit all four of the facilities, please allow a minimum of eight hours for the complete Pearl Harbor experience. You may wish to allot some additional time to rest between tours, enjoy a bite to eat, and visit the gift shops.

omg no. Esp. With only two days on the island.

Even if you did want to do all three of those things it would only cost you $37 total. $25 of that is the pacific aviation museum.

But generally when people recommend seeing ph what they really mean is the uss arizona memorial. And those tickets are free. And you can be done in an hour and off to see something else.

[holly116]

Awesome, thank you guys!

[rootbeerfloat]

holly116, do you have a hotel on Oahu yet? I only ask because there isn't much selection near the airport. Waikiki is crowded, but will have the most options at various price points.

If you have 2 days, I would do PH one morning, then head out to Kailua for the beach and lunch, stopping at Pali Lookout (nice view, short hike) on either the way over or back, then a nice dinner in Honolulu. On day 2, I would drive to the North Shore (go clockwise, through central Oahu first, then back through Kaneohe), stop at Dole (if you want; I think it's touristy and skippable), shrimp truck or lunch in Haleiwa, look at the big waves, stop at Byodo-in Temple (again, if that appeals), then back to Honolulu.

Ditto trying malasadas. You can get shave ice in Honolulu; I like Waiola.

[holly116]

Sept 25, 2014 14:39:21 GMT -5 rootbeerfloat said:

holly116, do you have a hotel on Oahu yet? I only ask because there isn't much selection near the airport. Waikiki is crowded, but will have the most options at various price points.

If you have 2 days, I would do PH one morning, then head out to Kailua for the beach and lunch, stopping at Pali Lookout (nice view, short hike) on either the way over or back, then a nice dinner in Honolulu. On day 2, I would drive to the North Shore (go counterclockwise, through central Oahu first, then back through Kaneohe), stop at Dole (if you want; I think it's touristy and skippable), shrimp truck or lunch in Haleiwa, look at the big waves, stop at Byodo-in Temple (again, if that appeals), then back to Honolulu.

Ditto trying malasadas. You can get shave ice in Honolulu; I like Waiola.

We do not! That's the next thing to book now that we have our condo on Maui. I think DH wants to use points since he has a ton so he'll probably look there first even if it takes us away from the airport a bit.

Thanks so much for the itinerary! I'm getting excited.

[Ashley&Scott]

We stayed at the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel on our honeymoon 7 years ago. They had a "breakfast on the beach" every morning. They provide food, you can either eat on the pool deck or pack a lunchbox (that they give you) then walk across the street & eat on the beach. With the time difference we woke up at like 4/5am every day so it was wonderful to walk outside, grab something to eat & walk along the beach to watch the sunrise.

We really enjoyed Pearl Harbor but only spent a few hours there. Other things to do: hike Haleakala, go snorkeling, go to a luau, explore Waikiki. Rent a car & explore other parts of the island. (or take a guided tour)

ETA: We took this day tour. It was nice to see various parts of the island. You could rent a car too.
My favorite stops were: Halona blowhole, Hanauma Bay, Nuʻuanu Pali & the North Shore.

[mandapanda18]

I didn't read all of the other posts, so forgive me if someone else mentioned it but I would look into getting a GO Oahu card (I bought ours through Costco). It go us into the Arizona memorial (submarine tour, boat ride out to see the sunken wreckage, etc), the pineapple plantation tour, the Polynesian culture center, atv rides, surf lesson, and a ton of other things (there is a full list on the site). We bought the week pass and for the price we paid through Costco we saved a ton (I want to say I paid $134 each), that cost would have barely got us into the cultural center and the items at the Arizona memorial (3 different fees).

We had some really good food, but it is pricey. I recommend eating breakfast in if it is an option and splurging on dinners

[holly116]

Seriously, you guys rock. I just booked a free reserved time for the USS Arizona for the $3 service fee.

I'm hoping to get Oahu lodging figured out tonight and maybe the rental car situation and then I'll start digging into all of these amazing restaurant recs and making reservations! I spot checked a few on open table and it looks like we'll be in luck going in the October off season.

DH has free hertz certificates but I keep hearing that a Jeep is necessary for Maui. Road to Hana is completely worth it, right?

[stealthmom]

I don't think a jeep is required we didn't have one.

The truth is anywhere you'd truly need a jeep your rental contract prohibits you from driving those roads.

[sent]

Sept 25, 2014 16:42:26 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Seriously, you guys rock. I just booked a free reserved time for the USS Arizona for the $3 service fee.

I'm hoping to get Oahu lodging figured out tonight and maybe the rental car situation and then I'll start digging into all of these amazing restaurant recs and making reservations! I spot checked a few on open table and it looks like we'll be in luck going in the October off season.

DH has free hertz certificates but I keep hearing that a Jeep is necessary for Maui. Road to Hana is completely worth it, right?

The major rental agencies have exclusions in the contracts saying something like if you drive on upaved roads, your rental contract is void if you get stuck and call us.  There is a section of the Road to Hana at the southern part of the island that is unpaved.  I have read online and have friends who didn't care and drove their rental Chevy Malibus and Kias on the unpaved parts.

Kihei Car Rental says if you get a Jeep from them, you can drive on the unpaved parts.  This only applies if you get a Jeep.  The Nissan Sentras are not covered.  It was piece of mind for me for me to rent this way instead of going through the majors.  

Road to Hana was worth it once.

If you don't want to drive, my parents did it on a tour coach.  The tour coach did the whole drive including the unpaved part.

I enjoyed Orchids and Roy's in Honolulu.  

[JLV]

I actually got back from Maui today. I definitely recommend Maui for at least a day (or more). All of the locals said Oahu is just a big city on the beach and more of a night life. Maui is so chill and definitely more island-like.

If you enjoy hiking I suggest going on the Road to Hana. There are tons of spots to stop and hike, lots of beautiful waterfalls. Leave early and return before the sun goes down because it's a very winding road.

After Hana I suggest eating at Mama's Fish House. It's pricey but the food is phenomenal. I highly recommend the macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi stuffed with lobster and crab. I am not a fish person and this was the best thing I've ever ate.

Eta: I see everyone covered Road to Hana. I should read before responding.

[JLV]

Duke's is very good and inexpensive. Also, if you go to Maui, Gazebo is a delicious place for breakfast. The line is a bit long but the food and view is worth it.

Also, in Lahaina there's this little shack restaurant called LahainaLuna. They have local food as well as other types. I had the katsu chicken plate and it was so good.

[JLV]

Sept 25, 2014 23:02:39 GMT -5 sent said:

Sept 25, 2014 16:42:26 GMT -5 holly116 said:

Seriously, you guys rock. I just booked a free reserved time for the USS Arizona for the $3 service fee.

I'm hoping to get Oahu lodging figured out tonight and maybe the rental car situation and then I'll start digging into all of these amazing restaurant recs and making reservations! I spot checked a few on open table and it looks like we'll be in luck going in the October off season.

DH has free hertz certificates but I keep hearing that a Jeep is necessary for Maui. Road to Hana is completely worth it, right?

The major rental agencies have exclusions in the contracts saying something like if you drive on upaved roads, your rental contract is void if you get stuck and call us.  There is a section of the Road to Hana at the southern part of the island that is unpaved.  I have read online and have friends who didn't care and drove their rental Chevy Malibus and Kias on the unpaved parts.

Kihei Car Rental says if you get a Jeep from them, you can drive on the unpaved parts.  This only applies if you get a Jeep.  The Nissan Sentras are not covered.  It was piece of mind for me for me to rent this way instead of going through the majors.  

Road to Hana was worth it once.

If you don't want to drive, my parents did it on a tour coach.  The tour coach did the whole drive including the unpaved part.

I enjoyed Orchids and Roy's in Honolulu.  

We rented a Nissan Sentra from Kihei and I accidentally revealed to one of the employees that we drove the back road of Hana and he was like "it's cool, as long as you had fun!". The back road is seriously no joke though.

[JLV]

Oh, and Ululani's shaved ice is a must have in Maui.