My husband and I are going to Hawaii in June for a wedding?
Corinne asked:
We are going to the main island Awahu and we will be in Honolulu. Anybody have any ideas for what to do while we are there? Any good restraunt pointers? More of the local is what we like.
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We are going to the main island Awahu and we will be in Honolulu. Anybody have any ideas for what to do while we are there? Any good restraunt pointers? More of the local is what we like.
March 6th, 2009 at 1:41 am
I have been to HAwaii 5 times and stayed on three of the islands. So here’s some information about HAwaii and some web sites below. When you go you should try to now only see Oahu but one or more other islands like Maui. Its pretty easy to get from one island to the other because there are commuter flights about every 30 minutes all day every day. You can also arrange other island tours through tour companies. I have used Roberts for this a couple times and they were very good.
When you arrive in Hawaii look for the free booklets in the airport which describe the activities on the island and have coupons for tours and gifts. The booklets also contain maps and guides, lists of attractions, bus routes and fares, and lists of restaurants and shopping establishments. If you cannot find them in the airport, they will also be available in news racks on the street, in hotel lobbies and in some shops. There will be a booklet for each island with the title Maui Today, or Oahu Today, etc.
The top things to do in Hawaii are:
1. Oahu Island: Go to Pearl Harbor to see history at the US Arizona Memorial. You can drive or take the bus there; no need to book a tour. But you need to go early because the site is popular and the wait for your free tour can be about an hour. In Waikiki you can browse around the International Market across from Waikiki Beach, go on a sunset dinner cruise on Waikiki bay, try an outrigger canoe ride on Waikiki, go for a sail on a catamaran on Waikiki Bay, or visit Diamond Head park. If you like to snorkel go to Hanauma Bay which has perfect flap water for snorkeling on a reef.
2. Oahu Island: If you are on the island of Oahu go to the other side of the island to see the great deserted beaches (get a rental car for a day or two). Take highway 99 north toward Waimea and stop at the Dole pineapple plantation for a tour.
3. Oahu Island: The Polynesian Cultural Center is a great place to learn about authentic Hawaiian life. But understand that its run by the Morman church and there are NO alcoholic beverages served there, not even beer. You can buy tickets to tour the place, and another type ticket that allows you to stay for the evening luau.
4. Maui Island: If you go to Maui, you gotta do the downhill bike ride. I don’t recommend the sunrise one because you have to get up at 3:00 AM to get started up the mountain and its cold up there that early. If you are a romantic do it, but otherwise no. There are different bike companies and some don’t take you all the way to the top, and some don’t guide you back down. You can come down by yourself, there’s only one road with just a little traffic, but if you are squeamish about riding in the street, a company that accompanies you down will help watch the traffic for you. I have been twice and prefer Maui Downhill to the others. These companies have web sites They will pick you up at your hotel, take you to their shop to pick out a wet-suit (for the cold and mist/rain shower maybe) and gloves and helmet; then take you up the mountain; then follow your group down so they can block traffic for your ride; then afterwards take you back to your hotel. Expect this activity to take 75-80% or more of the day.
5. Maui Island: The Road to Hana is a great drive (you need a rental car). It’s a 45 mile winding road that takes 4 hours to drive. Its like driving through the jungle; has a bunch of one lane bridges. Then drive past Hana to the Seven-Pools attraction and go for a swim.
6. Big Island of Hawaii: go to the Volcano National Park. Also go see Akaka Falls. If you like horseback riding, go to the Parker Ranch and go for a guided ride. Drive to the south end of the island and see a black sand beach. For information about tours and things to do, click on the link below for Roberts Hawaii. They do tours on all of the islands.
March 9th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
First off it is spelled OAHU.
Go to Leonard’s: and have Malasadas.
Go to Ono’s Hawaiian Food: Cash Only
Go and take a drive to The North Shore. For the Beach. And have Matsumotos’s Shave Ice:
March 10th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Oahu is wonderful! Here are my top 10 things to do on Oahu:
The great thing is they’re very budget friendly. Be sure and read the comments where others have shared their top picks, too.
As far as restaurants, here’s a local’s insight neatly organized by category:
Just a few “don’t miss” restaurants:
- For a good cheap breakfast in Honolulu – Eggs n’Things
- For excellent shave ice – Matsumoto in Haleiwa
- Best All Around – For a great casual atmosphere, good food, and not too expensive (for Hawaii standards) – Duke’s Waikiki
- Most Romantic – Hau Tree Lanai Waikiki Beach (not too expensive either)
I hope this helps – have a wonderful time on Oahu!
March 12th, 2009 at 5:49 am
Well, you got lots of options for things to do and to see on Oahu. I would not go visit the other islands this time. Get familiar with Oahu, enjoy the wedding and the Oahu beaches like Waikiki Beach (a little touristy but still great), Hanauma Bay, North Shore (where the big waves are in winter – hey maybe you are lucky and see some now too) and more.
We visited Waikiki Aquarium, Diamond Head and more. Friends of ours posted their Oahu Vacation on the Hawaii blog below. It has some great ideas and is more personal advice than cruising tons of websites.
Have a wonderful Hawaii Vacation. Aloha, Pua