Hawaii

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Tips

  • Fly Hawaiian Air from San Jose straight to Kahului. Yes, the tickets will be more, but you will save a day and a half of travel time and aggravation, and the service on Hawaiian Air is unparalleled. (You will especially appreciate this the day you go home.)
  • Don't fall into the trap of renting a convertible. It's too bloody hot to drive a convertible in the islands.
  • I suggest going with another family. That way you can babysit for each other. We did that with some best friends of ours, worked out great. The women got some spa time, the guys got some golf time, each couple got a “date night”, and all the kids got tons of constant beach and pool time.
  • If you want a relaxing vacation I would choose Kauai and Poipu beach. It's a nice beach to lay in the sand and have your little one play. Poipu beach is a little rocky in some places in the water, but the beach is quite nice, and snorkling is fun.
  • The Big Island, hands down! It’s a really amazing island and the youngest, still in formation. You have to go visit Volcano National Park to see the old lava flows from prior volcanic eruptions, the craters, steam vents, etc. It’s incredible. You can hike, camp, etc.
  • Kilauea is the active volcano which you can even drive down to an area where, from a distance, you can see the smoke billowing from the water where the lava is flowing. There are also the black sand beaches, the beautiful Kona-Kohala coast, the Hilo side to explore.
  • I’ve usually stayed on the Kona side where there’s a small downtown within walking distance to most of the hotels/resorts.
  • December is a good time to go as it won’t be quite AS hot as it is in the summer, although it will still be warm. You may also experience some showers, which can be a godsend when the temperature is warm. Sunscreen for sure on the Big Island since it’s the closest to the equator. Waves are higher in the winter, so be cautious.
  • Kaua’i has a lot of honeymooners. It is quieter and more laid back than O’ahu. If you’re looking for a restful vacation with a moderate amount of things to see and do, go here.
  • Maui is the vacation island. Lots of stuff to do and see, but very busy these days. Last time I went (this June) there were actual traffic jams! The feel of old Hawai’i is going away and things are getting very touristy with lots of chain restaurants and hotels. You can get some good deals in the hotels on the Ka’anapali coast.
  • The big island also has a moderate amount of things to do, and there are more natural and undeveloped parts than Maui and O’ahu. Of course the erupting volcano is really cool!
  • If you really want quiet, go to Moloka’i or Lana’i, which are mostly owned by some of the rich families like the Doles and Baldwins, so there is not a lot of room left over for resorts/hotels, etc. There are a few resorts there, though. There is not much else there other than beaches and beautiful scenery. You can see more of old Hawai’i there.
  • Ni’ihau is owned entirely by one family and there are no hotels or resorts or anything there other than a big farm, so you can’t really go there. Kaho’olowe is off limits because the US military used it for years and years as target practice. They recently vacated the island and it will be years before all of the unexploded ordinance is cleaned up and it is considered safe to go there.
  • On all the islands, vacation condos are cheaper than hotels, and if you get one with a kitchenette, you can save some money by cooking some of your meals yourself. (Expect to spend a lot of money at the restaurants!) If you get a condo that is a block away from the beach, it is also a lot cheaper than the ones right on the beach. I always figure I can deal with a one block walk to get to the beach, so why not?

Lodging

http://www.vrbo.com

is a great way to find vacation rentals. I found a house on Oahu during the holidays... quiet side near Kailua beach.

http://www.konarentals.net/kanprime.htm

Big Island. I highly recommend this place for your family.

http://suite-paradise.com

Kuaui: Poipu is a very nice, family friendly area. I've rented a condo there.

Marriott Waiohai

which is very new, clean, modern, and spacious with lot's of pools

Kiahuna Plantation

which is more rustic and tropical, with spacious grounds and less expensive. It has access to the next door Sheraton baby pool and also has another pool you can drive to across the road.

http://outrigger.com/hotels_detail.aspx?hotel=49

I stayed here last year, and it was a nice property.

Kihei

Unless you are nineteen and going with a bunch of other hard-charging college students, stay in Kihei, not Lahaina. But don't miss the hula pie at Kimo's, which is in Lahaina.

The Hiatt, The Westin on Kaanapali beach

Maui Hotels

Depending on where and how much you want to spend, hotel is a critical decision. Some rooms are tiny and with no view at a ritzy hotel while others are bargains in GREAT locations near the beach. If you're willing to spend, the Grand Wailea is AMAZING as is the Maui Prince (both in south Maui). If you want to stay on the west Maui end, there are a million and one places in Kaanapali. As you need really thorough reviews, check Maui Revealed as they go through each resort with a fine tooth comb.

Maui Activities

  • Road to hana & Haleakala r a must...haleakala - a definite must trek if u like to trek... Go early in morning for sunrise...plenty of water...its a beautifully desert like at the top... Try the sugarcane juice on the way to hana...with ginger & lemon...awesome...
  • We also did a catamaran cruise where they take u to a island for snorkelling...forget which one that was...
  • Don't miss Sunday brunch at the Swan Court, the restaurant at the Maui Prince. Reservations strongly encouraged.
  • Snorkel at Napili Bay. Get your equipment from Snorkel Bob, and buy his guidebook, which will show you where to go to get locals-only pricing and really good food everywhere in the islands. ("Snorkel Bob cares!")
  • Don't bother with a trip to Molokini. Nothing to see out of the water, no coral, lots of the exact same tame parrotfish, not much else.
  • Do bother with a trip to the top of Haleakala; you can drive up, or get a tour that will take you to the top and let you coast down the entire thing on a bicycle.
  • a great resource is Maui Revealed. You can get a copy online or at the Costco in Kahului for about 12-15 bucks.
  • Definitely want to snorkel - Maui Dive shop is the cheapest at about 45 bucks a person to Molokini and Turtle Town. It's about a 3 hour package and includes snorkel, fins and mask. I've been on this trip with Maui Dive Shop a few times and never felt the need to try anything more expensive...especially since they launch their boats from Kihei (unlike other boats which launch from Lahaina which is a 45 minute to 1 hour boat ride). Personally, I don't get seasick but it's not fun to be around first-timers and smell barf before heading into the water they barfed in.
  • Best Local Food - Aloha Mixed Plate. The Kalbi Ribs are the BEST!!!
  • Best Luau - Right next to Aloha Mixed Plate is the Old Lahaina Luau. Kinda pricey but have heard from locals that it's the most authentic Hawaiian Luau in Hawaii. No fire dancers since those are Samoan but there are plenty of luaus around that feature that.
  • If this is your first time, do the road to Hana. It's a LONG day but if you get Maui Revealed, it'll outline all the secret spots to see and the most beautiful waterfalls that most tourists will miss. There are charter buses but keep in mind you'll be working on their timeline and they won't be flexible about stopping at locations mentioned in the book since they have an outlined list of places. I have the audio tour (a CD guide) for the drive to Hana.
  • The best beach (in my humble opinion) is Kapalua. The hotel there is going through a major renovation but the cove is so peaceful (perfect for snorkeling) and the scenery is something out of a movie. The drive might be far if you're coming from Wailea but a day in Lahaina and an afternoon at Kapalua is the perfect day on Maui.
  • Cheeseburgers in Paradise, Leilani's on the Beach, Hard Rock, CJ's Deli
  • Hyatt Regency Luau
  • Snorkeling cruise with Gemini
  • Lahaina is a great little town with lots of shops and restaurants. I'd recommend a couple: The Lahaina Fish Market, which looks out over the water and has great views of Lanai--great place for dinner. Also, the Cheeseburger in Paradise is a neat place for lunch. Also in Laina is the best luau on Maui, the Old Lahaina Luau. Make reservations online before you go to the island.
  • I strongly recommend one of The Pacific Whale Foundation's boat trips, either for dolphin encounters or snorkeling. Again, make reservations before you leave. Also, many sport fishing boats work out of Lahaina harbour. It's a fun way to spend an afternoon, even if you don't hook a 1200lb Marlin!
  • If you get the chance, make sure you check out the quieter west side of the island around Hana. There's a beautiful, scenic drive all the way across the island which you need to give yourself a few hours to complete, but there's plenty of great stops along the way to admire the scenery.
  • Once in Hana I recommend heading south to Halekala National Park. A lot of people just head to the falls and coastline close by the entrance, which are beautiful for sure, but it's often way too crowded. I recommend the longer hike to Waimoku Falls which takes you through some awesome bamboo forests and emerges out at an incredible waterfall. http://www.hawaiiweb.com/maui/sites_to_see/WaimokuFalls.htm
  • If you're really adventurous, go deeper into Halekala National Park, but you'll have to approach that from the other side of the island!
  • Hana Highway (Curvy mount/sea side rd takes you around the top and back of Maui, absolutely beautiful drive. Keep an eye out for elephant

Rock)

  • Take a dive trip to Molokini. It a protected fish reserve about .5 mile off the coast. You can find a good local dive instructor/guide/boat in Kihea.
  • Check out the night life and restaurants in Lahina. Keep an eye out for the bars that will give you free drinks for being able to pronounce the Hawaiian state fish (humuhumunookunookuapuaa') (hoo moo hoo moo nooku nooku apoo a a). The "a" are pronounce like as in water.
  • Needle Park (Probably called something else). The location where King Kamahahea fought his last battle. Also beautiful
  • Kihea Beach. Kihea in general is/was the local beach town and in general just Rocked. Hometown spirit coming through here. There is the Hilton which is a good stay from what I hear.
  • you definitely need to visit the Westin Hotel, they have the nicest beach.
  • The only thing I DON'T recommend is that the drive to Hana. It's a waste of your time and gas.
  • I was in Maui last Thanksgiving, stayed at the Sheraton Maui which was nice in that it was within walking distance of several other resorts as well as the Whaler's Village shopping center on Ka'anapali Parkway. I would recommend the Hula Grill at Whaler's Village, as well as the spa (if you're into that sort of thing) at the Westin Hotel.
  • We went horseback riding, drove across the island to Hana and back again, did quite a bit of shopping in Lahaina, and went to the Royal Lahaina Luau at the Royal Lahaina Resort; all were nice, but I strongly recommend Aqua Adventure http://www.mauisnorkelsnuba.com/ The crew was great, very attentive; the instructors were there if you needed them, otherwise, we were pretty much allowed to do our own thing once in the water. You'll definitely want one of those underwater cameras at Molokini
  • All depends on your price range and if you have children - we've done everything from timeshare condos a mile or more from the beach to a beachfront resort on Kanapalii (sp?).
  • We have a 2-year-old and are heading back in November and we've decided to spend more to be in a resort where it will be easier for all three of us in terms of the beach and reosrt pool and the sidewalk that connects the resorts...
  • Hana is also very laid back and cool and non-big--resort-ish if you prefer a slower pace on Maui. Few bad restaurants on maui but it's easy to spend a lot on food and drinks there - so we usually go shopping when we arrive for drinks and snacks to have on hand...
  • Check out Hawaiiactivities.com. They have lots of information.
  • We stayed in Kihei at the Kihei Surfside on the 5th floor (I recommend being up high). Beautiful sunrise location, snorkeling right in front of the hotel (we didn't discover it until the last day, but we saw a sea turtle), pretty convenient location, and reasonable prices. Not luxury, but we had a great time. One drawback was no hot-tub, only a pool, but there's a great lawn with a fun BBQ area... Here's a link to one unit (but not the one where we stayed.) Like I said, the higher the better in my opinion. http://www.condoinmaui.com/
  • Many places to snorkel, including right in front of the hotel. We went to a place called the fishbowl. I would highly recommend the "Maui Revealed" guidebook. It was incredibly useful.
  • We got up at 3:30AM to see the most incredible sunrise at the volcano. Well worth it, although I've heard other people didn't enjoy it because it was either too clear or too stormy. We had a perfect mix of storm clouds and sun!
  • There is a nice sushi bar, Sensei Sushi, in Kihei that had a "half price special" after 10pm every night during the week. Excellent sushi regardless, and great if you are on the late shift.
  • We did the island drive, going around the western edge one day, and the eastern edge (the highway to Hana) another day. That was a marathon 10-12 hour session, including a very exciting drive for several hours along the narrow, deserted dirt road in the dark. We stopped at many waterfalls, and, when we stopped at one point along the dirt section I saw the most stars that I've ever seen.
  • Lahaina is another option for lodging. It's a bit more commercialized than Kihei, but small enough to be fun with plenty of restaurants and night-life. Hana, on the (north) east of the island, is very relaxed, beautiful and far from the beaten path.
  • stay in a condo instead of a hotel in Kihei. I like Kihei is b/c it is more "real". Kaanapali is just way too touristy. Nothing special about it. Also, condos in Kihei are cheaper, much cheaper.
  • I love Sansei Seafood - best sushi, get there before 6pm, doors open at 5pm. Sushi specials 25%-50% off before 6pm.
  • site seeing: I never did the bike down thing. I thought it would be hard for me to wake up @ 5am when I am on vacation. I love going to the north side near Mama's fishhouse.
  • Tons to do. Definitely go snorkeling, dive if you are certified. Just hanging at the beach is great too.
  • If you've got the budget, I highly recommend the Kea Lani in Wailea.
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