Yeah, we just got back on Sunday and had the time of our lives. We stayed on Oahu the entire time, but got to see pretty much the entire island. Spent 3 days in Waikiki and 5 days in Kapolei at the Aulani Resort. On the East side: Climb Diamond Head. It's a long hike but the view from the top is worth it - take the trolley or a taxi, otherwise you'll end up waiting 45 minutes for a parking spot to open up Take a drive up the east side of the island to check out the Halona Blowhole (where From Here to Eternity was filmed), Sandy Beach, Waimanalo Beach (where Obama is building a house), Makapuāu Point Lighthouse, etc. Just AMAZING views. Waikiki Beach is super crowded but iconic - great people watching, but as mentioned before....tons of homeless crazies Shaved ice at any of the stands on the beach Malasadas at Leonard's Bakery Pearl Harbor: Arizona Memorial was literally a life-changing experience for me. I teared up looking at the names on that wall and seeing oil still seeping from the ship after 80 years. Even my wife teared up and she is NOT a crier... The Missouri was pretty cool too. Best part was seeing the exact spot where MacArthur's table was when he accepted the Japanese surrender. Dream come true for a history nerd like me. Spoiler The rest of the time was spend at the Aulani Resort but there's a place called Paradise Cove that we hiked to and snorkeled in. Sea turtles everywhere. Snorkeling there was my kids favorite part of the whole trip. Only 5 feet of water, so it's pretty easy. Just don't get any closer than 10 feet of any of the turtles unless you want to get yelled at by the locals. No one yelled at us, but they yelled at some dingbat trying to take Instagram pics of her touching a turtle. That was a big mistake for her...lol... Go to a 7-11 and get some of the homemade spam. Sounds weird, but it is so good. Locals love it. And try some spam-fried rice. If you take a taxi anywhere, be sure to get the flat rate and make sure they take credit/debit cards. Some will try to make you pay cash only after your ride is done. Stick with Charlie's Taxis. All very honest and super nice. Be sure to always respect the culture on the island. Locals are very open and friendly as long as you respect their culture.
Tell your wife to leave her clear/glass high heels at home. If you can do Oahu/Waikiki stuff first then Maui. Waikiki is the hood compared to everything else so it can be a great first impression but a let down coming from the other islands. Have fun and Happy Anniversary!
If you had to qualify Waikiki compared to Houston, would you say it's like the Acres Homes of Hawaii? Maybe, Cypress TX? River Oaks? And thanks man, we're excited to be going! .
It's just really crowded and more like Disney, if this is your first trip I'm sure it will be amazing either way. Waikiki is more like Galleria than Sharpstown...but we all know the best experience is Katy Mills, even River Oaks or where ever Fatty shops cannot compare.
Ahh excellent, my wife and I are like @Trader_Jorge . Nothing but the best 5 star service and location will do. I suppose the Galleria is acceptable. But yeah man, we're looking forward to it. It's our first trip out there.
While The_Conquistador could make any Hawaiian vacation as luxurious as desired, keep in mind there's a certain charm to the traditional honeymoon circuit at Hawaii. They have it down well and you should experience the classic destinations and events. I haven't been there in quite some time, but the best thing I did was watch the lava flows at night on the Big Island. Very cool to see land created and the island grow as you watch. Molokini crater was nice, as were the traditional Maui luau's... the Road to Hana is nice, but if you really want to live on the edge, take your car on the backside of the Road to Hana -- it's prohibited by the rental car agreement, and they won't come get you if you get stuck, but YOLO. It's the best views on the island... very dangerous white-knuckle cliff driving on one lane unpaved roads. If you have time to go to the Big Island, definitely do it. Amazing scenery and it's the best place for a helicopter tour (they take you over the active volcano - it's great).
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/...ndard-water-restrictions-remain-parts-island/ Good luck OP. Maui locals do not want you there. lol. 'We get cussed at every day': Maui tourist surge raises tensions, renews calls for visitor limits, new fees Friction between visitors and locals is nothing new in overcrowded tourism hot spots such as Maui, but the rapid rebound in travel combined ... 2 days ago
This times a thousand. I won't say that Waikiki was disappointing because...well....it's freakin' Hawaii... But we were definitely more than ready when it was time to move over to the Aulani. Next time we go, we will definitely stay somewhere else. Probably Maui. My brother-in-law took his family there while we were in Waikiki and it sounds like they had a little better experience than we did. Again...Waikiki is fine, but I wouldn't want to stay there for more than a few days. Kind of like the Vegas strip without the casinos. The Galleria is actually a great comparison. It's like the Galleria with a beach.
See if you can get a reservation at Mama's Fish House. You won't regret it. Also, Fleetwood on Front Street (sometimes Mick Fleetwood shows up) and the food is good.
I wish the luaus weren't booked solid everywhere. I've called this morning to a lot and they're all booked. :\. We booked the trip via Costco in April, but didn't have the foresight to book excursions in advance until this month.
It's fun the first time or two or with kids, then they become repetitive. The food at Lele is brought to your table rather than being buffet style. That being said, we were on Kona when my brother was there. They were staying at the Four Seasons. Their luau buffet is top notch. Included whole lobster. Do you have a car rented? That's been my problem with traveling.