Perfect hawaiian vacation.?

Question

Hello. I am helping planning a trip to Hawaii for my family. My mom has always dreamed of going to Hawaii and we are finally going to go over the summer(probably June). We are planning on going to 2 Islands in the matter of 10-14 days. On our trip we mainly want beauty and quiet. We want to see everything and do everything hawaii has to offer. This may be our only trip to Hawaii so it just has to be perfect.

I am 14 and my sister is 16. We want to swim in beautiful clear water and shop around a town. We want to feel the weather and the spirit of Hawaii.

See we originally wanted to go West Maui and Oahu. Oahu just seems to citylike and just not what we want in Hawaii. My dad would love it, because he loves History and he would love to go to the Pearl Harbor.

So we thought Kauai and Maui but we aren't sure. HELP?!
Is there any part of Oahu that is close enough to everything yet far from it?!

HELP!!

Answer 1

Yes, Oahu does have more of a city feel. There's no getting around that. But it also has a lot to offer. It would be a shame for your dad to come to Hawaii & not see Pearl Harbor. I would recommend splitting your vacation between Oahu & either Maui or Kauai. Since you want it to be more on the quiet side, spend most of your time on the neighbor island that you choose. But do include 2 -3 days on Oahu. In addition to the Arizona Memorial, an agenda that focuses on history would need to include the Missouri, also in Pearl Harbor, and Iolani Palace, the home of the Kalakauas, the last reigning monarchs of Hawaii.

As far as where to stay, Turtle Bay would be a good option, as long as you don't mind driving a ways to get to Honolulu & Pearl Harbor. Non rush hour, it is an hour or more drive (don't even think about traveling during rush hour unless it is absolutely necessary). Turtle Bay is on the north shore & it is very pretty & quiet up there. You might also consider a B&B outside of the city. But if you are only going to spend a couple of nights, Waikiki might work out OK. Some of the hotels that are a bit off the main drag & should be quieter are: The New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel (on the water & across from Kapiolani Park), Pacific Beach Hotel, Waikiki Grand Hotel, or Park Shore Waikiki. I think the New Otani may be pretty pricey. The other three are not high end hotels, but are all located at the Kapiolani Park end of Waikiki & should be a bit quieter. Ask for a room that overlooks the park. If your dad is retired military, the Hale Koa would be an excellent choice.

Answer 2

There are several places I would suggest for your Dad. First Pearl Harbor and the Punch Bowl Memorial. The beaches aren't really all that crowded and I was there in the summer 2 years ago. It was my 8th trip. Every Island has something different to offer. Oahu is the cheapest for shopping. Maui has some great beaches and a great aquarium. I was surprised at how nice it was. On Oahu there is only two places I would stay. The Hilton Hawaiian Village or the Turtle Bay Hilton on the north shore.

The Hilton Hawaiian Village ( http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/index_flash.asp ) is close to everything and lets you walk off all the food you will be eating. The have a nice beach and keep all the coral and rocks out of it. Plus it has a few pools. We stayed in the Ali'i tower because it's closest to the beach and they have their own pool on the 2nd floor that over looks the beach. Rainbow tower is also good and right on the beach. On Maui you can also drive up to Haleakala Crater. ( http://www.nps.gov/hale/ ) On Maui I would stay at any place on Kaanapali beach. It's on the western end see the map ( http://www.mauimapp.com/lodging/hotelsmapp.htm )

But no matter where you go and where you stay you will enjoy it. That's why I keep going back.

The only Island I wasn't as crazy about was the Big Island. There is plenty to see but you have to do a lot of driving to see it.

Hope this was of some help.

Answer 3

I would suggest a couple days on Oahu since your plane will probably land there anyway. While there you can visit Pearl Harbor, go up diamond head, and some other exciting things.
Then go to Kauai because it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Then go to the Big Island (Hawaii) and visit Volcano National Park. There is almost no other place in the world where you can see a live volcano. Most of Kauai and Hawaii are not crowded at all and there are beautiful beaches all over the place!

Answer 4

I did the same trip with my parents! We went to Maui, which would be THE ideal place for you and your sister's swimming fantasy. Maui is the definition of old Hawaii because tourists don't flock to this island as much as Oahu. Oahu is like a mini Los Angeles on an island. You can do all of your shopping there. Not normal shopping, I'm talking about "I'll be in debt for 10 years"-shopping. Oahu is crowed with tourists. Not only for shopping, but for its beaches, like Waikiki. But there are some AHmazing spots, like Hanauma Bay, where you can snorkel with fish in a rock-barracaded reef, so no sharks (my ultimate fear)! I hope this helped!

Answer 5

Last time I stayed at Turtle Bay in Oahu and it was perfect. It's on the other side of the island from Waikiki and is very relaxed. From there you take the WWII/Pearl Harbour tour, go to the Polynesian Cultural Center and snorkeling the famous Hanauma bay but still return at night to a island vibe not be in the middle of the tourist zone.

In Maui, I highly recommend sailing with America's II. It's a fast sail boat that competed in the America's Cup competition a few years back. It's very exciting and not expensive.