# First Trip to Hawaii!!!!I Need Advice/Opinions! :)



## Soccer Canada (Mar 1, 2012)

Hello All,
We are going to be on our First Trip to Hawaii (Oahu) April 27-May 6th. Super Excited!!! We will be staying at Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk in a 1 BR Lower.. Also we are going to be renting a car (either a Convertable or a Jeep Wrangler, have reservations for both at this point) right from the airport..

Heres the advice and opinions part!!
What should I expect from Beach Walk? Is it an area where I can go golfing and the wife can safely head to the Beach or shop at Beach Walk by herself? What about the accomadations, are they nice, or will we be dissappointed (used to places like Bonnet Creek in Orlando etc)..
Should I go with the Convertable or the Wrangler? What would be the better way to go, we are planning to do some driving around and going up and down the coast etc..
What would be everyones Top 10 things that you HAVE to see on your first trip (Ie.. Pearl Harbour, Dole Plantation etc)
Will I have time to be able to golf 3 or 4 times in the 9 or 10 days and still see quite a bit, we are an active couple, used to being at places like Disneyworld where you leave at 7am and dont get back until 9 or 10 at night..

Anything else anyone can add would be most appreciated, its our first trip, want to try and be as prepared as possible!!

Thanks!!!
Robb


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## DeniseM (Mar 1, 2012)

Honolulu is a large city with a multitude of shops and restaurants in the Waikiki area.  You wife will be able to shop until she drops and walk to the beach.

To get started, I suggest that you search for "Oahu."  There is a ton of info. in the old threads - Put this in your google search box:  "oahu"site:tugbbs.com

Also - go to the TUG Ratings and Reviews (TUG Resort Databases) and read the reviews for this property.

I recommend that you get the book "Driving and Discovering Oahu," ASAP.    It's the best self-touring guide for Oahu, and you can often get it at a nice discount on the author's website - http://www.discoveringhawaii.com/Br...ns_Bureau_Award_Winning_Hawaii_Guidebook.html


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## GregT (Mar 1, 2012)

Congratulations!  You will love Hawaii (at least I do!) and Beach Walk is a great area, one that I've really come to appreciate.

A few thoughts to manage your expectations:

1) While Hawaii is incredibly gorgeous, Waikiki is the most congested part of Hawaii.  Just be expecting something closer to Manhattan than something isolated.  You'll need to drive to golf, and driving in Waikiki is an adventure.  (Don't let either of these disappoint you at all -- just trying to set the expectations)

2) The shopping at Beach Walk and immediate area is fabulous -- including some very very high end shops (think Beverly Hills type high end).  She can shop safely.

3) The beach is 5 minutes easy walk from Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk and she'll be safe on her own

4) Many restaurants (some great, like BLT Steak) are right outside your door 

5) Waikiki beach is as terrific as its reputation -- the waves are steady and predictable and the water is wonderful.

I'm sure you'll visit Pearl Harbor (an absolute must), and may hike up Diamond Head (go early) -- also consider going to Kailua and kayakking out to the little island and perhaps also go to the North Shore (and have lunch in Haleiwa -- a charming surf town).  I'd skip Dole Plantation unless you're bringing kids...

Enjoy your trip!  

Best,

Greg


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## SmithOp (Mar 1, 2012)

If you are staying 10 days in Waikiki I would skip the rental car from airport, parking costs will make it very expensive. You can grab a daily rental right there in town for the 2 or 3 days you need a car. Tours will pick you up for a lot of the attractions so no need to drive there. Do your wallet a favor and take the wife shopping at Aloha stadium swap meet for trinkets. 

I use teetimes hawaii for golf, call evening before for discount next day times, usually early. They can arrange rental clubs too.  (888) 675-4653.


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## Soccer Canada (Mar 1, 2012)

Awesome stuff so far.. Keep it Coming!!

I think that I found a place to park for relatively cheap at Hale Koa I beleive its called.. Im ok with the cost of renting a car and parking, we did a trip to DisneyWorld one time and tried to not rent a car and we are way too impulsive to not have fairly instant transportation haha!

The Swap meet looks awesome, that will probably be our first stop on Saturday Morning when we get there!  And from the sounds of it Im going to need to hide the credit cards from the wife if I leave her alone too!! LOL

Keep the suggestions coming, its very much appreciated.. If anyone is going to be in the area around the same time and wants to golf with a fellow TUG member that would be welcome as well!

Robb


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## Hornet441 (Mar 1, 2012)

We just returned from a week in Waikiki (and a second week on the Big Island). I second the suggestion of passing on the rental as its not really required in Waikiki. Tours, trolleys and taxis can get you anywhere you need to go, even golfing. But I totally understand being spur of the moment people. The first (and smartest) thing we did was the Circle Island Tour (google Roberts Hawaii for this and other great tours). It gave us a great look at the entire island and helped us decide exactly what we wanted to do for the week. As mentioned, shopping in Waikiki is very high end and very plentiful, your wife will enjoy. The options for restaurants are extremely numerous, a couple of musts are the Yard House and Giovannis on Lewers St. Unfortunately we never got the chance to get a round in on Oahu but we did on the Big Island the following week. Teetimes Hawaii is a good site as well as Golfnow.com. Enjoy your stay and I agree with you, get up early and stay out late!


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## spencersmama (Mar 1, 2012)

Pearl Harbor is a given.  Very interesting.

One of my favorite places on Oahu is the Polynesian Cultural Center.  I have been three times and love it.  I really enjoy learning about the different cultures.  They also have some different shows/ luaus in the evening.  Good dancing and performers and they have a few options available for food, from what I remember.  

Does the Hale Koa allow you to park there if you are not staying there?  The Hale Koa is the military hotel.  My parents stayed there a couple times.  I know they had to show their military ID cards for a lot of things at the hotel, although the prices were much less.  The Wyndam doesn't offer parking?


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## KevJan (Mar 1, 2012)

On the "north shore" is the Polynesian Cultural Center where you can spend the day learning about the people and customs of the islands, plenty of entertainment, enjoy an evening luau and a spectacular show. We have been to this island numerous times and never tire of visiting there. Check it out at www.polynesianculturalcenter.com.


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## slip (Mar 1, 2012)

You can do without the rental car but it sounds like you'll enjoy the freedom it
Brings. Rent the car and see what the rest of the island looks like. That will
Be the real Hawaii not waikiki but Waikiki is still cool, you'll love it.

Don't fill up all your time. Get on island time and relax. 
Must see's for me were Pearl Harbor,Diamond Head and the show at the
PCC. Between golf and shopping and seeing some of the island, that's enough.

Let us know how it went, you'll have a time.


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## MommaBear (Mar 1, 2012)

I think Pearl Harbor is a must do, just do it early in the day before the crowds hit. I loved hiking up Diamond Head- it is an odd hike in that some of it is stairs, but it is too classic not to do. Room Without a Key is a small hotel on the beach just down from the Hale Koa that has a wonderful hula show as the sun sets. Drinks and pu pus are good as I remember...


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## slum808 (Mar 1, 2012)

spencersmama said:


> Does the Hale Koa allow you to park there if you are not staying there?  The Hale Koa is the military hotel.  My parents stayed there a couple times.  I know they had to show their military ID cards for a lot of things at the hotel, although the prices were much less.  The Wyndam doesn't offer parking?



Parking at the Wyndam is $25/day valet only. Thethe Hale Koa will sell you a multiday parking pass based on availability. You do not need to be military, but they can close the structure to non-military if it gets full.

From their website http://www.halekoa.com/about_us/list_services_and_amenities.cfm

PARKING PASS RATES

HALE KOA REGISTERED GUESTS
(Pass issued at Front Desk) 
$7.00 PER DAY

MULTI-DAY PASS (3-Day Minimum)
DoD $8.00 Per Day
General Public $16.00 Per Day


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## jpc763 (Mar 1, 2012)

Nobody has talked about golf yet so I will.

Courses in Hawaii are very different than anywhere in the world.  I am an avid golfer and have played many of the courses in Oahu but don't bring my clubs anymore.  Not because the golf is bad or the courses are bad, they just aren't great and there is so much more to do that you can *only* do in Hawaii like go to the North Shore, Hike Diamond Head, Drive the Pali Highway, Snorkel Hanuama Bay or take a Dinner/Sunset cruise.

If you have your heart set on playing I would recommend the course at Ko Olina.  It is a great track with some great holes.  I would give it a 3 or 4 star (out of 5).

Others I have played are:
Coral Creek - 3 star
Hawaii Prince - 3 star
Makaha Valley - 3 or 4 star - I really liked this course but it is a bit of a drive from Waikiki.

Other recommended courses are:
Koolau - Supposed to be REALLY hard
Turtle Bay Resort - Supposed to be quite beautiful

I would not recommend Ala Wai in Waikiki.  Not really worth your 6 hours.

Oahu is great.  Get outside of Waikiki if you can.  There is a great little restaurant at Turtle Bay right on the sand that is awesome and you can snorkel after lunch!

John


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## wwoods1 (Mar 1, 2012)

My wife and I went a couple of years ago and stayed at the HHV.  That was an absolute amazing experience and one that we thought would be a once in a lifetime thing.  Now that we got into timesharing, I can guarantee we will be going back.  My daughter absolutely insists that she get to go this time  .

One of the must do's in my opinion is to snorkel in Hanauma Bay.  I still clearly remember the best snorkeling experience of my life.  It was like I was in my own personal salt water aquarium.  I saw about everything you could want to see (no sharks) rays, moray eels, urchins, turtles, triggerfish, and big schools of small silvery fish.

I still remember swimming along following a beautiful little purple fish and taking pictures when out of nowhere it was swallowed whole by a rock fish I didn't see until he attacked.  Lucky timing with the underwater camera and the little yellow tail of the fish sticking out of the other fishes mouth.

Hanauma Bay will stick with my for a long, long time.


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## jpc763 (Mar 1, 2012)

wwoods1 said:


> I still remember swimming along following a beautiful little purple fish and taking pictures when out of nowhere it was swallowed whole by a rock fish I didn't see until he attacked.  Lucky timing with the underwater camera and the little yellow tail of the fish sticking out of the other fishes mouth.


Pic or it didn't happen!


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## akor (Mar 1, 2012)

I second the suggestion "Polynesian Cultural Center"....we were really impressed!


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## WinniWoman (Mar 1, 2012)

akor said:


> I second the suggestion "Polynesian Cultural Center"....we were really impressed!



Yes. And- aren't the 7 pools on Oahu - where you can swim in each one and slide down into the next? (It's been awhile since I've been to Oahu)


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## glypnirsgirl (Mar 1, 2012)

I vote for the convertible unless you like a really rough ride. I cannot recall much off-road or even dirt roads that I have ever been on in Oahu. I don't think that the Jeep beating on your tush and rocking you back and forth is the way to go when you could have the top down, Hawaiian music on, and enjoy the breeze. 

On both Oahu and Maui we prefer a convertible. Big Island and Kauai, a jeep is sometimes warranted.

Have a great trip!

elaine


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## zora (Mar 4, 2012)

"May day is lei day in Hawaii". There will be a lei exhibit at the Waikiki shell ( on the zoo end of Waikiki) when you are there.  It might be fun to check out because it only happens once a year.  If you take the convertible, remember sunscreen.  Also, there's a sunscreen that you can spray on top of your head.
If you like the water, try paddle boarding, standing on a board and paddling.  When a wave comes, ride it in towards shore.  If you can find a day trip to lanai, golf on the "mountain" course, it's a great course.  There are coupons for snorkeling, even if you're not certified.  And there are great hiking trails.  Google kaluanui st. in Hawaii Kai, drive to the top, park your car, and you'll see the entrance to the trailhead.  You know you've come to the end when you're standing on the ridge looking down on the windward side of the island.  Or st Louis hts rd.  there's a book for hiking on Oahu if you like to hike.  Don't forget to bring your own water.  If you drive east, past hanauma bay, before you start turning west, you'll see some cars parked on the side of the road and a paved trail.  This trail takes you above the east most lighthouse.  Because its paved, people jog this trail.  My kids starting walking this trail when they were young.  And the view at the end is spectacular.
Beach walk is a "happening" place.  You'll enjoy the location.  If you have any questions, send me a pm.


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## DaveNV (Mar 4, 2012)

A couple of thoughts about the type of rental car:  

1.  With a convertible you'll have a lockable trunk.  With the Jeep, everything inside the car is exposed.  Vandalism can and does happen in some areas, especially if you leave the car unattended for long periods of time.  

2.  Rain squalls happen sometimes quickly and without notice.  Stopping to put up the top on a Jeep can be a big hassle.  With a convertible you're looking at 30 seconds or less of exposure to the rain - with a soft top Jeep it could be many minutes struggling with the top.  How wet do you want to get?

So I'd say the convertible is a smarter choice for Oahu, especially since 4WD is completely unnecessary there.

You don't mention which car rental agency you'll be using, but here's a tip I learned on my last trip to Oahu:

While shopping for the best car rental deal, I found most rental companies have pickup/drop off sites away from the airport.  Alamo (the one I prefer to use - check rental rates at Costco.com) has a Waikiki location at 1778 Ala Moana Blvd, an easy few minutes walk from where you'll be staying.  I found their rates to be less than HALF what would be charged for the same vehicle if picked up at the airport.

For transportation to the timeshare, we went with Ilima Tours (http://ilimatours.com/) to get to/from the airport. (We stayed at the Imperial of Waikiki, which is right next door to the Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk.)  It was easy and convenient, and only $11 per person each way for door to door service.  Walking back to get the rental car was easy (and takes you right past the Hale Koa, btw.)  Same thing on drop-off day, then Ilima picked us up at the timeshare for easy transport back to the airport.  Simple and very convenient, and a tremendous money savings.  If you choose this method, you may find renting the car for fewer days will save you even more money.

Enjoy your time on Oahu.  And if you want some high quality beach time away from the Waikiki crowds, check out Kailua Beach on the windward side.  It's rarely crowded, and is an awesome beach.  And if golf is on the schedule, look into the Lanikai Golf Course, which is adjacent to Kailua Beach - I don't know if it's open to the public, but it's a beautiful course, and just up the street from where President Obama likes to vacation.

Dave


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## Soccer Canada (Mar 5, 2012)

We are in fact renting from National.. I got a nice rate of around $250 bucks for the 9 days on the Convertable right from the airport.. The only reason I was thinking the Wrangler is because I drive a Mustang at home, and I work for Ford so a Wrangler would be a good chance to wallow in the competition's equipment with no one being the wiser haha!! But great point on the rain squalls!
The Stadium Swap Meet looks really cool, definately going to have to check that out!!
How far is is from Hale Koa to Wyndham? and is it a relatively safe walk?
There is something called a "GO Oahu" card, that you can get for 5 or 7 days and inclues a lot of the attractions (http://www.smartdestinations.com/oahu-attractions-and-tours/_d_Hio-p1.html?pass=Hio_prod_go) is there any substance to this saving you money? or am I just better off to pay as I go?


If anyone has anything else keep it coming, all the suggestions are much appreciated and have already learned a lot!!

Thanks!!
Robb


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## Walt (Mar 5, 2012)

*Pictures of Oahu and Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk*

Here are some pictures of Oahu and the Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk.

Walt  


http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e83/tennisWalt/Fairfield and Oahu/?albumview=slideshow


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## GregT (Mar 5, 2012)

Soccer Canada said:


> How far is is from Hale Koa to Wyndham? and is it a relatively safe walk?



It is about a 10 minute walk and is safe.  Hale Koa is right next to Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Good luck!

Greg


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## daventrina (Mar 5, 2012)

Grb a copy of  OAHU REVEALED ( http://www.wizardpub.com/oahu/oahu.html  )



Soccer Canada said:


> Also we are going to be renting a car (either a Convertable or a Jeep Wrangler, have reservations for both at this point) right from the airport..



Not a lot of use for 4X4 on Oahu ... But a JEEP is a JEEP... and ....
"Only in a JEEP"
We'd get the JEEP   Better viz ... Better maneuverability ... 
And just in case you need or want it ... 4 wheel drive.



SmithOp said:


> If you are staying 10 days in Waikiki I would skip the rental car from airport...


For the 7 days we were on Oahu ... we used the car EVERY day... Didn't NEED to ... but we did...



BMWguynw said:


> A couple of thoughts about the type of rental car:
> 1.  With a convertible you'll have a lockable trunk.  With the Jeep, everything inside the car is exposed.


Don't be thinking that it will matter much :ignore:  ... because anything in a trunk is not safe


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## DaveNV (Mar 5, 2012)

daventrina said:


> Don't be thinking that it will matter much :ignore:  ... because anything in a trunk is not safe



I was thinking about opportunist thieves.  I agree - if they want to get into the car, they will, trunk or not. But an item locked unseen in the trunk is not nearly the target something sitting exposed on the back seat would be, especially in a soft top Jeep.  Anyone with a pocketknife could have your item in a flash.

Dave


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## daventrina (Mar 6, 2012)

BMWguynw said:


> I was thinking about opportunist thieves.
> Dave


We've had the same thoughts... but we know too many folks that got bit anyway.


So, the best way is to keep the doors unlocked and/or the windows down.

There isn't really much you can do.

On the big island, last year, our friends, had their purse stolen, whilethey were standing right there next to the car, . 

Through forceful negotiation, they got it back... but still ruined theday...


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## Soccer Canada (Mar 6, 2012)

Does anyone have any comments on the Go Oahu card thats available? Good or bad comments, trying to figure out if I should buy one while they are on sale..

Thanks again for everyones help!!
Robb


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## DaveNV (Mar 6, 2012)

Soccer Canada said:


> Does anyone have any comments on the Go Oahu card thats available? Good or bad comments, trying to figure out if I should buy one while they are on sale..
> 
> Thanks again for everyones help!!
> Robb




I've never used it.  But looking it over, I'd say it's worthwhile, if you're planning to do the things it offers anyway.  One problem I see with it is the timing.  Can you do enough things in the days allowed to get your money's worth?  You'd have to be pretty creative.

Example is the Polynesian Cultural Center.  The Go Card offers a General Admission to the park, which is currently selling at PCC for $49.95 per adult. The one day cost of the Go Card is $59.95.  In order to see the PCC properly, it'll take essentially all day long, because of the layout of the place, and how things are arranged.  (Seven "Island" villages, showcasing what life is like on those islands.  They have demonstrations, small shows, and exhibits you'll want to see as you go along.)  But to see things right, it literally takes ALL DAY from opening till they close before the evening luau.  (General Admission does not include the luau (which is average food) or the evening show, (which is excellent entertainment.)  It's all worth seeing, but will take some planning to see it right.  Note that the place opens at 11:45 AM, and they now charge $8 for all-day parking.  http://www.polynesia.com/index.html

The problem, then, is you'd have $10 worth of Go Card "left over," so what will you be able to do to use that time?  If you've spent the whole day at PCC, what is there you can still do to get your value from the Go Card?  Factor in driving time (PCC is in Laie, on Oahu's North Shore, at least a couple of hours from your timeshare in Waikiki) and you're even more restricted in getting the day's value from the card.

For me, I don't think it'd be worth it unless you bought several days' worth of the Go Card, and booked the most expensive things.  You'd have to factor how much time you'd spend doing/seeing the event, and decide whether it's worth the cost to get the Go Card for that.

A second (briefer) example is the Bishop Museum.  If you're interested in Hawaiian cultural history, it's an amazing must-see collection of Hawaii artifacts dating back several hundred years.  Amazing things to be seen there.  It'll take at least a half day to see it right, and adult tickets are only $17.95 per person.  Again, what would you do with the rest of your Go card value for that day?  http://bishopmuseum.org/

I think a smarter thing to do would be to review the 36 events the Go Card offers, decide how many of those things you really want to do, then see what tickets cost to do the event on your own.  Visit the website for those events, and see if there are sales, or any special pricing going on.  It may be cheaper to book on your own.  I don't know if the Waikiki Beachwalk has a concierge desk, but I do know the Imperial right next door has one right in the main lobby.  You may be able to get good deals from them, too.

Keep in mind Oahu thrives on tourist dollars, and there are discounted tickets offered all over the place for things.  "What to Do on Oahu" giveaway magazines and newspapers are available in many shops and in street newspaper boxes. They have all sorts of discount coupons in them.  You may find some great deals there.  Even the Polynesian Cultural Center is offering a 10% discount on tickets if you book online more than ten days ahead of time.

Hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Dave


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## clsmit (Mar 10, 2012)

And you can now get timed entry to Pearl Harbor for $1.50 per person. An excellent deal -- much better than getting there at 7am for a 1pm ticket. www.recreation.gov.


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## kwindham (Mar 11, 2012)

*go card*

I didn't look back to see how long you will be in Oahu, but we were there for 9 days last year and bought the 7 day go cards.  We saved a ton of money.  At that time they had bonuses if you bought 5 or 7 day cards and we did the dolphin encounter as our bonus which was over $100 if we purchased directly from the vendor.  We used the beach chairs/umbrellas/etc almost daily, even if only for a few hours which willl really add up pricewise.  We rented the mopeds and drove the whole island, they actually let us keep them overnight and I will tell you, oahu coastlines are gorgeous at night. What I did was make an itinerary and price each thing we wanted to do.  Then I crossreferenced the itenerary with the go card listings and did the math on the difference.  It really added up.  Another thing I liked about the go card was the fact that I paid for them in advance so when we got to HI most everything we did was prepaid.  I usually do airline tickets out of one month, car rental another, activities another, and then blowing and going money when we get there.  It helps me to make it more affordable by spreading the cost out over several months of paydays.

Have loads of fun!


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