Need some suggestions on my trip to Hawaii!!!?

Question

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Hawaii in early Oct and we want to visit 2 islands. We like sightseeing and some beach/ water activities. We are also interested in night life and hawaiian dishes. For now, we are only sure we will go to Oahu and I wonder where else we should visit to get the most from this trip. Also, we need some suggestions on the attractions. By the way, do I need to rent a car and is it the most convienient way to travel inter-island by ferry?

Please let me know. Thank you very much XD

Answer 1

WATER ACTIVITIES

- Hanauma Bay Preserve [There is a small fee for parking then $5.00 for non hawaii residents, there is also snorkel,fins,locker, etc rentals available on the beach., there is also a trolley that leads you from the main entrance down the hill to the beach. its 50 cents to go down and a dollar to ride up, but seriously, the walk down may take only 2 minutes, and up 3 minutes]

http://www.honolulu.gov/parks/facility/h...

I really advise going here. My friends and I love going here. We just went 2 weeks ago and again today. Each time we went, everyone saw fish. Its really nice there. I also advise you of going in the morning and staying till the early afternoon times (like before 3:00p) because thats when there is a slight chance of the waters getting cloudy because of tides and tourists.

- Kayaking in Kailua [we got the $49 for 4 hrs on a double tandem]

hawaiianwatersports.com

This can be a very fun activity. You should check out hawaiianwatersports.com. these people deliver the kayak straight to kailua beach unlike many other companys where you must bring it to the beach yourself. Their package also comes with lifevests, drybags, backrests, paddles, etc. Kailua beach is another very nice beach. the sand there is one of the nicest ive ever seen on oahu. This beach is actually considered one of the top beaches in the world, along with a good beach to kayak at. Once you get past the small white waters at shore, the water is calm with a few waves. youll then see islands where you can paddle to in a few minutes. the guide who gives you the kayaks will go over a map with you and explain the currents, winds, and area.

(you may also be interested in the other water sports they offer or others like water skiing or parasailing available in the waikiki area. however the prices are sort of high. we saw a company offering 5-7min parasailing ride for $30.)

SIGHTSEEING

- Diamond Head Trail [$1-2 walk in fee or $5 per car entrance]

http://www.hawaiiweb.com/oahu/hiking_and...

This is a nice excerise activity. Its about a mile to go up but its really fast coming down in like 10 minutes. The view at the top is beautiful. It overlooks Waikiki and the ocean and a lot of the east and west of the islands since diamond head is located on the south point of the island. Very nice place to go to if you want a nice scenery.

- Waikiki [free lol.]

A simple walk through the main area of waikiki [The road along waikiki beach] can be very entertaining. especially at night. there are many street performers and contests going on that you can pass and watch while going from hotel to shop or anywhere else. If youre hungry, I recommend you trying to go to the Cheesecake factory while youre there. Believe it or not, it sold the most cheesecake in the whole nation. Of course they have your normal drinks, virgin drinks, dinner plates, desserts, etc.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS to get the "hawaii" feel

- Pearl Harbor [$ Not Sure]

http://www.nps.gov/usar/

Ive visited the ship that you can go on before. It is very interesting to see the different displays and go through the hallways and up/down ladders of a battleship.

- Dole Plantation [free to enter museum]

http://www.dole-plantation.com/

I have visited here and lived near by this area (Wahiawa) when i was young. Its interesting seeing the pineapple machines working with the pineapples. Afterall, hawaii is all about the pineapples. You even get free samples (haha) At the plantation, there is also the worlds largest mazes. You can enter it for a small fee. There is also short horsebacking rides available.

- Polynesian Cultural Center ($ Varies)

http://www.polynesia.com/

Ive been here before. for me, being from hawaii, this was actually boring, but the tourists seem to find it interesting. there are a lot of activities to do, like watch fire dancing shows, hula shows, make crafts, play games, visit the theaters, ride in boats, etc. which all come with the entry fee. [last time i went]

Now to answer your other questions.

- Is it the most convienient way to travel inter-island by ferry?

Well if you dont know, the ferry only travels to Oahu and Maui. I would say, to save money from airfare and get the experience, you should try taking the ferry. I got to have a tour of the ship before it actually opened to the public and it looks very nice. The trip is 3 hrs long but onboard there are snackbars and a giftshop. for more information on the ferry go to http://www.hawaiisuperferry.com/

- Do I need a car in Oahu, Maui, or the Big Island?

I would highly recommed a car for Maui and the Big Island because they do not have a bus system unlike Oahu. Also, things are far away from one another on those islands so taking things like the taxi may get costly. They also are not available right then and there like Oahu. As for renting a car on Oahu, that is by preference. I would rent one for convenience, however Oahu has one of the best bus transit systems in the nation. [$2 per way for an adult] Then again, a car can save you the hassel of trying to figure out your routes and times and locations etc, so I would say rent a car.

- Is the parking expensive in Hawaii? And is there a charge if I park the car in the hotel?

Depends in what area. Most likely youll be in the Waikiki area because thats where all the tourists usually stay. In that area, parking is a bit more expensive then in town. [Honolulu] This can tie in with having a rental car, you need to find a place to park the car. Hotels sometimes charge even though youre staying at their hotel, however for a cheaper price. You could leave your car there and walk around waikiki because everything is mostly on the main strip. However, you can just thing paying for your parking is part of your room fee.

Here is a site that lists some prices around waikiki.

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stori...

Hope this helps. If you have any more questions or anything, feel free to ask and ill help you out if i can. :]

Answer 2

MAUI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Oahu has many things to see, Waikiki, Diamondhead, Huanama Bay, the North Shore, and hiking in the mountins, snorkeling and scuba, the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Arizona Memorial, and other museums and water sports. If you are mostly staying in Honolulu, you can get by without a car- there are buses and taxis. If you are going to drive around the island, then get a car. You can often get good deals through priceline.com . The parking depends on the hotel, some charge, and some don't. You can travel to the other islands by ferry, and I think you can get some cheaper prices on the ferries.

In Maui of Hawaii, I would suggest a car. They have all of the same water sports as Oahu, but Hawaii has many less beaches (really just Kona). It has the volcano, and you can take a spectacular helicopter tour over it! Or, you can hike and walk around it, and see where the water meets the lava (or closeby, anyway)!

Maui (my favorite) has more activities than Hawaii, and it has water sports, also. It has the beautiful trip to Hana, biking and hiking the volcano, the aquarium, the Whale Center, great golf courses, sailing and other cruises, fishing, shopping, and sightseeing in Lahaina, Kaanapali, and other cities. You can see more at http://www.stayinparadise.com/thingstodo...

  

Answer 4

Oahu, Hawaii is truely amazing!

Even if you only go to Oahu (Waikiki Beach) you can have a blast.   Both worlds exist on Oahu.

Waikiki photo:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/1068...

Oahu's One world: Big city exciting exotic Paradise with awesome restuarants and wonderful dive grills, Hot bars -cool clubs- mai tai's at Hotel beach bars

at sunset with the wind kissed scent of lilac lei's.

Oahu's other world is a 25 minute coastal trip away

to the windward side of Oahu. A must see Lanikai beach

Lanikia beach:

http://www.threebestbeaches.com/uspac/ha...

drive back to Waikiki on highwat 61 over the mountains through a Rain forest setting - Amazing!

The only websites you will need to build this trip:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g6098...

http://www.expedia.com/daily/packages/de...

Answer 5

When you are on Oahu, there are many things you can do. There are many attractions in Waikiki but also if you wanted to visit, say, Pearl Harbor there is a bus system that can take you there and back for 2$ each way. You could also visit Hanauma Bay, which is great for snorkeling (went there and saw a turtle, another time i saw an eel). The Makapu'u Lighthouse trail is very nice and there are beaches all around the island that are nice to visit. You could take a day-trip around the island, and go to the north shore, which is famous for its big waves and visit Haleiwa. Diamond head is always fun to climb. It depends on your budget... I don't know too much from the tourist standpoint. I haven't taken the ferry, but it could work and is most likely cheaper... you would have to check online to look at prices and such. There are alot of sites online geared towards tourists and you can pick what appeals to you. I don't think you have to rent a car if you are staying in waikiki and are not planning to go around the island much, because the bus is pretty efficient but it does get crowded and they are not always on-time. I hope that helped and have a great trip!  

Answer 6

Aloha,

I was born and raised here in the islands and have visited all of them. Oahu is a must as I see you are sure you are visiting. The next Island you should visit is the Island of Hawaii or also known as "The Big Island" Oahu has the night life  and the beaches but the big island has the Active volcano. I would stay out on the west side of the island because of the weather there always bright and sunny. You should travel completely around the is land because there is so much to see and do. Our volcano has been active for over 25 years and can be seen at a close proximity if you go to the national park at the right time.

Mahalo,

Maluai

Answer 7

When i was in Oahu I went parasailing it was like 200 dollars though. And i went to Hanauma (thats not how you spell it but idk how to lol) Bay and went snorkeling that was amazing. I also went to the Polynesian Cultural Center to go to a Luau that was really fun. And I went to a night show there also that was cool. And I also just hung out at the beach and got a pretty hot tan to lol.

Have fun!!!!!!

the parasailing number is

1-808-591-1280

Answer 8

On Oahu you should rent scooters. And go to Maui theres alot to do over there: 7 pools, bamboo forest, twin falls, road to hana, wainapanapa state park, big beach & little beach, Haleakala (grand canyon), Paia hippytown and in the same place Charlie's diner where all the famous hollywood people have dined, black rock or napili to snorkel......etc