Perfect week in Oahu

My husband and I (and possibly another couple) will be traveling back to Hawaii the last week of November and first week of December of this year. We are spending the first week on Oahu (Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon) and the second week on Maui (Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas).

We like to stay relatively busy, doing perhaps one planned activity each day. Activities we've done in the past include ziplining, horseback riding, downhill biking, hiking, catamaran cruises, kayaking, and snorkeling. Activities we avoid are helicopter rides and long bus tours because I suffer from motion sickness. But other than that, we're up for just about anything.

We've been to Maui lots of times already so I'm very familiar with the island and am comfortable planning activities on my own. We're geeked about taking a whale watching tour because we normally miss the whales.

We've been to Oahu twice but both times it was for an overnight stay, which meant we were always pressed for time. I'm really looking forward to spending quality time at USS AZ memorial. And we'll probably re-visit the Mighty Mo and see Punch Bowl for the first time. So that'll take up one day.

Another day we plan to hike Diamond Head.

If my stomach can take it, we'll drive to the north shore to check it out, though if there are things worth seeing on the way, we'd love to hear about it.

If anyone has any other suggestions for things to do on Oahu, we'd really appreciate it. We'll have a rental car the entire week. We're pretty easy to please. As much as we love snorkeling and hiking, we're suckers for a good show. (Warren & Annabelle's on Maui is one of our favorite things to do.)

Also, if you know of a good place to shop for snacks and drinks that is close by HHV, that'd be helpful.

I appreciate your advice.

For a "great" dinner avoid Benihana and walk around the block and enjoy.... Kobe Japanese Steak House .... http://kobewaikiki.com/ Happy Traveling, gvic

If you enjoy history--and even if you don't--go to Iolani Palace and Bishop Museum, which includes a planetarium show. You can do both in the same day as neither is large. But check out the tour times for the Palace first.

Also search this forum. There are plenty of suggestions for things to do. And buy Oahu Revealed.

+1 for Iolani Palace. I accidentally stumbled upon it one night in December and the Christmas decorations made it magical. If possible, try to time a tour so that you can end when it is getting dark and the lights are being turned on. A restaurant nearby in the YWCA building, Cafe Julia, was good. It is named after the Architect, Julia Morgan.

We like snorkeling at Hanauma Bay. The Polynesian cultural center is also interesting, if you have never been.

Since you'll have a car, consider doing the eastern Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo, Kailua, Pali Hwy back to Honolulu loop.

Along the way, stop off at the Blow Hole for a quick look-see (must be close to high tide), and Bellows Air Station, open to the public on the weekends only.

The Bellows beach is great for boogie boarding when the wind and tides are up. Also usually not as crowded, with nice sand. Bring your own lunch....few eating places in Waimanalo. I'm sure the beaches in Lani Kai (Kailua) have been written about in other threads. Good eating places in Kailua too.
On the way back to Honolulu, you can stop off at the Pali lookout. Just be careful at the lookout; high car prowl and theft area.

There's another really good hillside viewpoint of Waikiki and back side of Diamond Head. But it's in a local neighborhood, and there's no established viewing area, just a small local park and a nursing home at the top. PM me if you want details.

Also there's a Costco, right off of Nimitz Hwy on the way to Waikiki from the airport.

So many options!

Book a photo trip with Oahu Photography Tours. Even if you're just a casual photographer, it's worth it to do the sunrise tour. They pick you up at your hotel, and drive you to the most scenic spots on the south end of the island. Alex is a great host/tour guide. Highly recommended! http://www.oahuphotographytours.com

Dave

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll add them to our list.

Iolani Palace & Bishop Museum sounds like it'd be right up our alley. It's weird to think that there will be Christmas lights up when we go. We've never traveled in December before, and certainly never to a tropical destination over the holidays.

Polynesian Cultural Center is on the "tentative" list. Not sure if my husband will want to go to another museum after Pearl Harbor and Iolani Palace. He likes to stay active.

If we're not too tired from traveling, we'll stop by Costco on our way to the hotel. I never even asked if the HHV has grills; I guess I'll have to figure that out. We like to eat out occasionally, but not every night.

If anyone has suggestions for charters or evening sails, that's something we love to do.

LisaRex said:

If anyone has suggestions for charters or evening sails, that's something we love to do.

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Check out Groupon, LivingSocial, Amazon Local, and Travelzoo, there are usually deals for day or evening sails in Honolulu. Also lots of other deals for activities and restaurants.

LisaRex said:

If anyone has suggestions for charters or evening sails, that's something we love to do.

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Lisa, look into a dinner cruise off Waikiki on the Ali'i Kai. They offer a nice dinner, at a reasonable price. (Check around online for discount coupons to save a lot.) We did it on a Friday night, and got to see the fireworks at the Hilton from the water. Nice view! https://www.robertshawaii.com/oahu/entertainment/alii-kai-catamaran-dinner-cruise

Also, don't consider the Polynesian Cultural Center unless you can give it the entire afternoon, and still hang around for the evening hula show. The PCC is open at noon (12:30?) till 5:00PM. If you plan your time very carefully, you can see everything. if you're late, or if you dawdle, there isn't enough time to see the demonstration shows they put on. For $80+ per person, it's a heck of a lot of money to waste.

Dave

ailin said:

Check out Groupon, LivingSocial, Amazon Local, and Travelzoo, there are usually deals for day or evening sails in Honolulu. Also lots of other deals for activities and restaurants.

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Im researching for my upcoming trip, here is the Living Social link for Ali Kai
https://www.livingsocial.com/cities...-ali-i-kai-catamaran-dinner-cruise-for-1-or-2

im fairly sure there arent any grills at HHV, at least not that I have ever used since buying there in 2001. I dont think I'd want to grill and have to deal with the elevators. We buy breakfast and lunch items and eat out/take out for dinners, there are so many places to dine within walking distance at HHV.


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk

SmithOp said:

im fairly sure there arent any grills at HHV, at least not that I have ever used since buying there in 2001. I dont think I'd want to grill and have to deal with the elevators. We buy breakfast and lunch items and eat out/take out for dinners, there are so many places to dine within walking distance at HHV.


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk

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Here's GregT's grill solution, bring your own from home.

slum808 said:

Courtesy of GregT

[IMGL]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6897025455_ec88bd5142_b.jpg[/IMGL]

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That's odd, I guess you can't see the image in tapatalk. If you view the post in regular Web browser, it works.

Lisa,

You will have a great time, I love Oahu and also HHV. One thing I do want to comment on is that I think HHV is not a good property if your plans are going to take you out of Waikiki on a daily basis. If you're looking for daily activities, I think you will encounter alot of highway traffic and the congestion of Honolulu/Waikiki. I do not know if you have the option, but Ko Olina is a much better situated (freeway wise) if you are going to explore the island.

I agree with the recommendation to go along the eastern shore, the beaches at Lanikai and Kailua are absolutely gorgeous -- I am sure there are hikes on the east side that are also fantastic and you may want to kayak out to the sunken island on Kaneohe Bay. I don't recall the roads to the North Shore being very windy, so I think you would enjoy that too.

Enjoy your trip, you will have a great time! (and it's funny to scroll through a thread and see a picture of your wife posted in it. That was one of my favorite trips, we had a beautiful 1BR on the DH side and the grilling was fantastic!).

Best,

Greg

Greg I had to search all the way back to 2011 to find the post with that picture.

The rail construction on the way out to west Oahu is in full swing and causing traffic nightmares all over the place. Most of the lane closures occur after the evening rush hour but if you plan to dine or sightsee in town at night, I would choose HHV over Ko Olina.

Thanks, GregT, I appreciate the advice, but I'm already settled on HHV because I found a rental price for an OF unit that was too good to pass up. ($2900 for the week, which was better than most 2 bdrm rentals on VRBO at places that lacked a pool, or an ocean view). We've been to HHV (hotel side) twice before and will make do.

It cracks me up that you brought your own grill. A poster on another review site (TripAdvisor) said that you could use their coin-operated grill for $2.00. I'll have to research that.

LisaRex said:

My husband and I (and possibly another couple) will be traveling back to Hawaii the last week of November and first week of December of this year. We are spending the first week on Oahu (Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon) and the second week on Maui (Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas)........
We've been to Maui lots of times already so I'm very familiar with the island and am comfortable planning activities on my own. We're geeked about taking a whale watching tour because we normally miss the whales.

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The whale watching cruises normally start about December 1 and there will probably be a few whales to see at the time you will be there, but the first week in December is nothing close to later in the season. If you have never seen the whales, however, it is a worthwhile excursion to take at that time.

BocaBoy said:

The whale watching cruises normally start about December 1 and there will probably be a few whales to see at the time you will be there, but the first week in December is nothing close to later in the season. If you have never seen the whales, however, it is a worthwhile excursion to take at that time.

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We saw a few from the distance when we traveled to Maui in early April back in 2004, the first year we went. After that, we've traveled in the summer or early November and missed them entirely.

I've read that you can see them breaching from your hotel room if you go in January or February. One day!

Grill right next door

Right next door to the HHVC there is the Hale Koa hotel and I believe they have grills and the grounds are open to the public to use. We have lived on Oahu for about 18 months while in the Navy in the 60's and go for about three weeks each year as we have a timeshare down by the zoo. The PCC is not a museum but has active shows where many participate.
Also Bellows Beach is only open to the Public on weekends except those with military ID.
Stopping at Costco is a good idea for your timeshare. They seem to have the best pineapples and lots of local goods.
We always have a car as we golf about half the days somewhere. f you plan your outings well you can avoid the horrible H1 traffic.
Can't understand how they have an interstate Highway in Hawaii.
The recommend of Oahu revealed and for the other islands is good. We have found several new things in the book.
We like Japanese food but find the Kobe rather old, a bit dirty, and so so food .But lots of fun. Alan Wong's was excellent in January and Orchid's had a great brunch.
Have fun on our favorite island. We will be there starting November 14th for two weeks and then have a week on the Big Island when you will be in Mauai.

cgeidl said:

Can't understand how they have an interstate Highway in Hawaii.

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There's a simple and logical reason for that - so they can get federal funding to build it.

northshore for pancakes and spam breakfast! yum. :whoopie: