# Worth it for just 1 wk from east coast?



## Lisa P (Sep 4, 2015)

Due to DH's job, taking more than 1 consecutive week off at a time will not be in our plans for a few years.  We were considering a trip to Hawaii, our first, and possibly our only for a very long time.  With this time constraint, do you think it's worth the airfare and travel hassle to visit Hawaii from the U.S. east coast?

If so, where would you visit?  Which island?
We like snorkeling, beach walks, scenic drives, wildlife, sailing, biking, and we'd enjoy visiting Volcano Nat'l Park.

Leaning toward a longer wait to visit.  We're in our 50's so, Lord willing, we've got plenty of time to visit later.  It's just tempting.  Your thoughts?


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## Luanne (Sep 4, 2015)

Personally I don't think it's worth it.

When we lived in California and it was a "quick" 5 hour direct flight, it wasn't worth it for just a week.  It takes a couple of days to truly decompress and start to relax, then it's about time to go home.

If you do decide to go for just one week I'd pick the island you could get to the "fastest" giving you more time.


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## vacationtime1 (Sep 4, 2015)

Luanne said:


> Personally I don't think it's worth it.
> 
> When we lived in California and it was a "quick" 5 hour direct flight, it wasn't worth it for just a week.  It takes a couple of days to truly decompress and start to relax, then it's about time to go home.
> 
> If you do decide to go for just one week I'd pick the island you could get to the "fastest" giving you more time.



+1

We love Hawaii and visit 3-4 times per year.  But it takes us a half day to go, a full day to return, and we never actually adjust to Hawaii time (not so bad if you start on Pacific time).  If the flight were twice as long (and overnight on the return), we wouldn't do it for one week only.

Each island is different and wonderful (there are many threads on that subject), but if you want volcanoes, it has to be the Big Island.


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## DeniseM (Sep 4, 2015)

We won't even go for one week from California - this would be your schedule:

Day 1 - Looooong flight
Day 2 - Recover from jet lag, buy groceries, rent equipment, unpack, etc.
Day 3 - Vacation
Day 4 - Vacation
Day 5 - Vacation
Day 6 - Vacation
Day 7 - Loooooong Flight

Out of 7 days, you only get a 4 day vacation:  too far - too expensive.


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## BevL (Sep 4, 2015)

Nope, I agree.  We gave up flying from Seattle to Florida for less than two weeks.  Add the same flight on again to get to Hawaii from your neck of the woods.  I wouldn't do it, unless you can squeeze out a day or two and are interested in flying to a west coast city for a bit of a breather on your way home.


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## luvmytimeshare (Sep 4, 2015)

We travel from NJ every year to Hawaii and stay multiple weeks.  It takes several days just to get used to the six hour time difference.  If you could do ten days it would be worth it, maybe two nights in Hilo near the volcano (big island), and 8 nights on Maui in the Lahaina area (Kaanapali).


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## Passepartout (Sep 4, 2015)

We find a similar situation to go to Europe from the West. It just takes a certain amount of time to acclimate to the time changes, so we go for no less than 2 weeks. Your body will take about one day to acclimate to each time-zone change. So from the East coast, it would take just about a week to get over the jet-lag, then it would be time to go back home and do it all over again. I wouldn't recommend it. Either find a way to take more time in Hawaii, or wait until retirement.

Jim


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## LisaRex (Sep 4, 2015)

I've been to the islands 4 times from the Midwest.  Twice we only stayed for a week and twice we've gone for 10-11 days because that's all the vacation time my husband would take.  I strongly disagree with the others, because I've walked the walk and I still think it's worth it.   

Hawaii is 5 hours behind EDT (Mar-Nov) and 6 hours behind EST (Nov-Mar).  Now that seems like a huge swing, however there are lots of things that work in our favor: 

1) It's a major tourist destination so flights are plentiful if you're near a major metropolitan area.  If Newark is nearby, United flies direct from Newark in less than 11 hours (and home in less than 10 hours thanks to tradewinds).  By contrast, it takes me 6-7 hours to get to the Caribbean because there are no direct flights. 

2) Days are always short on Hawaii, between 11 and 13.5 hours. They don't get the daylight swings that folks farther north or south get. 

3) Sunrise and sunset are also early:  5:46am/7:11pm at summer solstice and 6:59am/5:50pm at winter solstice. This works in our favor because our bodies naturally adjust to sunlight vs. some artificial clock.  

4) Hawaii is an island.  Like most tropical islands, life revolves around the sun. Most of what makes Hawaii great (the outstanding hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, snorkeling, etc) is done during the day.  

5) Many activities start at sunrise or earlier.  It's not unusual to start a volcano trip before dawn, a Haleakala bike ride at 4:30am, a Pearl Harbor tour at 6:30am, or a sailing adventure at 7:00am.  So getting up before dawn, which you will find yourself doing naturally, is not an issue.  It actually works in our favor because ocean activities are best done in the morning anyway because in the afternoon the tradewinds pick up.    

6) Because of daylight savings, no matter when you travel to Hawaii, sunset is around midnight Eastern time. That's a very doable for us East Coasters because we don't have to adjust that much. When the sun sets, the whole island quiets down.  There is a palpable drop in energy.  This is a great time to sit on your balcony with a glass of wine and just enjoy being. Or,  heck, why fight it? Go to bed. 

7) Flights back are red eyes. If your flight leaves at 9pm, that's like 3am Eastern time.  You'll be ready, willing, and hopefully able to just sleep on that long flight home.  (And this is a GREAT time to upgrade to economy plus or first class.  It's honestly not all that imporant at all on the way out.)  

Yes, there's some jet lag when you get home.  But because I've adjusted to the sun and not the artificial clock, it's virtually no different than when I fly to Arizona or California because a lot more happens after dark in places that aren't so heliocentric.


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## krj9999 (Sep 4, 2015)

The OP is from NC; don't think there's any direct flights.  It certainly could be done, but IMHO not worth it for a week.


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## Pat H (Sep 4, 2015)

It's 11 hrs flyng time from the East Coast. I would not do it for 1 week. We went for 2 weeks. I'd rather go to the Caribbean.


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## Passepartout (Sep 4, 2015)

Pat H said:


> It's 11 hrs flyng time from the East Coast. I would not do it for 1 week. We went for 2 weeks. I'd rather go to the *Caribbean*.



If I were an East coaster, this would be my alternative. Even Mediterranean coast of Spain/Portugal would be more accessible.


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## Deb from NC (Sep 4, 2015)

I'm also from NC, and although it wouldn't be my preference, I've gone to Hawaii for just a week twice.  We had a wonderful time, but the trip back ( and adjusting to losing 5 hours ) was brutal!  Going there didn't seem as bad...probably the excitement of going....
We will be retiring soon and I can't wait to go and actually stay for multiple weeks and really relax!


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## slip (Sep 4, 2015)

While I agree that it is better to stay as long as you can, but having said that I
Would still go. Hawaii is often a one time trip and the hardest part is deciding 
Which island to go to if you think you will only go once. I'm the same age and
You just don't know what's going to happen a few years in the future. Honestly,
Ever since my father past away, that's when I decided I better start doing some
Things while I still can. Since then we've been going back to Hawaii every year
And enjoying every minute of it.


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## AKE (Sep 4, 2015)

We fly to Hawaii from the east coast at least once a year (maybe twice) for a week and have been doing so for many years. If you plan your flights corrctly you can still make a lot of your week. 

day 1 - catch the earliest and DIRECT flights if possible so that you will arrive in Hawaii by dinner time (which will be 11 pm your time) AND STAY AWAKE AS LONG AS YOU CAN.

day 2 - you will be up early so go for a walk, etc...take an afternoon siesta if you are tired

days 3 - 7 - you should be acclimatized so have fun

day 8 (i.e. one week from the date you left) book a late evening flight so you can enjoy the full day there.. yes you will be tired the next day but you will quickly recover in a day or two.

I WOULD RECOMMEND OAHU as it has the most flights to/from, you don't need a car as public transit or cheap tours are readily available, and it probably has the most variety to see and do.


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## BJRSanDiego (Sep 5, 2015)

I'm wondering if it would make more sense to fly to the Caribbean ?  I live on the west coast, so Hawaii works for me, but the Caribbean takes too many time zones to work out for me.


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## jestme (Sep 5, 2015)

Go. Try to leave home Friday PM if you can, stay in California for the night and catch an early morning flight to the island you choose. Splitting up the flight with a sleep in between really helps. You will be there by noon Saturday (Hawaii time), ready to go. Coming back, leave late Saturday night, arriving home Sunday afternoon. You will be tired Monday, but there are no guarantees in life, why wait. 
BTW, we once went to HNL from Montreal for a weekend. Left Thursday night, overnighted in Vancouver and arrived in HNL noon Friday. Left Sunday night and went straight to work from the plane. (I worked for an airline at the time..) Now that was a short trip!


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## JIMinNC (Sep 5, 2015)

We're also in NC, and the shortest we would consider would be about 10 days for all the reasons noted above. Two weeks is our preference. 

I do think it's sad that American jobs have become so consuming/demanding and it's become so difficult for folks to take more than a week off from work. I'm self-employed so can make my own schedule to a degree, but my wife works in a corporate environment and struggles with the longer times off. She's worried our two week trip to Hawaii next summer will be "frowned upon". The European countries have things prioritized better with their more liberal vacation policies and expectations.


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## presley (Sep 5, 2015)

Can he get a more days off if he goes the week after Thanksgiving? That's assuming he gets Thanksgiving and the next day off. He'd take his week the following week and that would give you 10 days. If not, it depends on what you like to do and how you value your time. I'd rather have 5 days in Hawaii than 7 days somewhere else.

I agree with maybe doing an overnight on the west coast on the way over just to break up the flight and get you on your way to the time change. The time change can be a very big deal. I only get to Hawaii from California, but I wake up early so when I am there, I am wide awake at 4:00am and there is nothing to do for a couple hours. Although, if you are taking tours, then you can book all the early tours. 

Since you want to see Volcano's National park, you should stay on the Big Island. That way, you don't have to island hop for a day. My first visit to Hawaii was to the Big Island and we had a great time. We went to Volcano Park, spent some time in Hilo, went on a great snorkeling trip (Fairwinds), visited a coffee plantation and did some great drives/walks in some rain forests. There's a lot to do there if you like to keep busy and don't mind taking long drives.


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## brigechols (Sep 5, 2015)

Go for it! Our introduction to Hawaii was with a 7 day cruise.  We had an opportunity to visit each island then decided the islands that we wanted to visit for an extended period on a return trip.


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## tompalm (Sep 5, 2015)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I'm wondering if it would make more sense to fly to the Caribbean ?  I live on the west coast, so Hawaii works for me, but the Caribbean takes too many time zones to work out for me.



It is not the same. We went there last Spring Break. Not impressed. It is a third world country. The climate is humid like Florida.  There is a beautiful ocean for diving and fishing there, but that is all Hawaii has in common.


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## BocaBoy (Sep 5, 2015)

Of course more time is better but if all you have is one week, I say it is absolutely worth it.  It is not like you are choosing between going for one week this year or 2-3 weeks next year.  I think some of the responses here are from people who go to Hawaii frequently and go for longer (which also describes us).  There is a big difference between your situation and someone not going for a week because they frequently have other opportunities to stay longer.


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## Luanne (Sep 5, 2015)

tompalm said:


> It is not the same. We went there last Spring Break. Not impressed. *It is a third world country.* The climate is humid like Florida.  There is a beautiful ocean for diving and fishing there, but that is all Hawaii has in common.



Isn't this like saying all of Los Angeles is a ghetto?

The Caribbean is as varied as any other place.


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## falmouth3 (Sep 5, 2015)

I used to do a fair bit of travel for work so going to Hawaii from the Boston area was not too difficult for me to handle.  We flew the whole way in one day and stayed one week, both times.  

The second time we went, I arrived home from Switzerland the night before and then left for Hawaii early the next morning.  It really wasn't a big deal for me, but I understand that a lot of people have difficulty with time zones, and long travel days.

If you know how your body will react to long flights and time zone changes, then you can decide if you can do it.

Sue


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## tompalm (Sep 5, 2015)

brigechols said:


> Go for it! Our introduction to Hawaii was with a 7 day cruise.  We had an opportunity to visit each island then decided the islands that we wanted to visit for an extended period on a return trip.



The seven day cruise is the best way to see all the islands. But it departs on Saturday and you would have to depart the East Coast on Friday night. 

I agree, it is not that difficult to fly 12 hours. The trip is not that hard. It is boring to sit there for 10 plus hours of flight time. But watch a couple movies, bring a book, get up walk around and do a layover on the west coast if needed. I have done Hawaii to the east coast dozens of times. Some of them where for an ALPA conference in DC that lasted two days. Others were to Florida to visit family for a few days. But, I spent 20 years of my life in the Navy flying 12 hour flights and when you include the brief, debrief, and preflight, it was an 18 hour day. So it is really what you are used too.


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## tompalm (Sep 5, 2015)

Luanne said:


> Isn't this like saying all of Los Angeles is a ghetto?
> 
> The Caribbean is as varied as any other place.



The cruise went to three islands. I didn't see anything world class. I grew up in south Florida and visited other islands every year to go diving, fishing, etc.... I know the Caribbean well. I know Hawaii well because I live here and spent a lot of time on each island over the years.  It is not the same and that is stupid you would compare what I said as Los Angeles is a ghetto. I love LA and there is no comparison. Sorry if you got offended about the Caribbean being third world. Maybe it is better than the ghettos in Mexico, or the Phillipines or other third world countries, but the nice areas of the Caribbean are about the same as the nice areas of Mexico.  Both are third world and maybe there are other places that are worse, but the Caribbean is the the same as Hawaii.


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## Ken555 (Sep 5, 2015)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I'm wondering if it would make more sense to fly to the Caribbean ?  I live on the west coast, so Hawaii works for me, but the Caribbean takes too many time zones to work out for me.




Huh? Hawaii is either two or three hours behind the west coast (currently three hours). The Caribbean is three hours ahead. That makes it...the same for much of the year, and only one hour different the rent of the time. So one is "too many time zones to work out"? 


Sent from my iPad


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## JIMinNC (Sep 5, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> Huh? Hawaii is either two or three hours behind the west coast (currently three hours). The Caribbean is three hours ahead. That makes it...the same for much of the year, and only one hour different the rent of the time. So one is "too many time zones to work out"?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad



Actually there are four time zones between the west coast and most of the Caribbean. While Jamaica and the Caymans are in the Eastern zone, the rest of the Caribbean is in the Atlantic zone. Depending upon whether Daylight Savings Time is observed, the difference from the west coast to the Caribbean can be either 3 or 4 hours. Hawaii is either two or three.


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## Ken555 (Sep 5, 2015)

JIMinNC said:


> Actually there are four time zones between the west coast and most of the Caribbean. While Jamaica and the Caymans are in the Eastern zone, the rest of the Caribbean is in the Atlantic zone. Depending upon whether Daylight Savings Time is observed, the difference from the west coast to the Caribbean can be either 3 or 4 hours. Hawaii is either two or three.




Okay... I'm still surprised that you think one or two hours difference is a big deal. I think you would have a better position had you simply said that it takes longer to get to the Caribbean from the west coast than Hawaii, due to nonstop flight options to Hawaii and connections required to the Caribbean. With some flights, it's about the same amount of time to get to Europe than the Caribbean, with stops, etc.


Sent from my iPad


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## JIMinNC (Sep 5, 2015)

Ken555 said:


> Okay... I'm still surprised that you think one or two hours difference is a big deal. I think you would have a better position had you simply said that it takes longer to get to the Caribbean from the west coast than Hawaii, due to nonstop flight options to Hawaii and connections required to the Caribbean. With some flights, it's about the same amount of time to get to Europe than the Caribbean, with stops, etc.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad



I tend to agree with you that it's not that big of a difference to matter. It was another poster that was saying the Caribbean distance was more daunting. I was just pointing out that the difference was four zones, not three. I agree the time difference doesn't make that much difference either way.

I agree that what the other poster may be reacting to is Hawaii is a nonstop flight from the west coast, but the Caribbean will require a connection at an east coast gateway (Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta, Philly, New York, etc) for most, if not all, Caribbean destinations. So the total travel time from the west coast to the Caribbean is much longer than to Hawaii, despite the relatively small time zone difference.


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## myoakley (Sep 6, 2015)

I say go for it, even for just one week.  You never know what the future holds.  I wish I had taken advantage of more travel opportunities when I was young and there were no health issues.


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## SMHarman (Sep 6, 2015)

Lisa P said:


> Due to DH's job, taking more than 1 consecutive week off at a time will not be in our plans for a few years.  We were considering a trip to Hawaii, our first, and possibly our only for a very long time.  With this time constraint, do you think it's worth the airfare and travel hassle to visit Hawaii from the U.S. east coast?
> 
> If so, where would you visit?  Which island?
> We like snorkeling, beach walks, scenic drives, wildlife, sailing, biking, and we'd enjoy visiting Volcano Nat'l Park.
> ...


First, is his job a M-F. If so you can fly F eve and back Sun and then back to work getting 9 nights not 7. Make day 1 a beach day to relax from travel. 

NYC has non stop to HI. East Coast is long so not sure if that is an option but should be paid for if you are doing this trip. 

Long flights almost feel y he same as short ones to me because of security. Enjoy a book a movie or something. 

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


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## SMHarman (Sep 6, 2015)

Pat H said:


> It's 11 hrs flyng time from the East Coast. I would not do it for 1 week. We went for 2 weeks. I'd rather go to the Caribbean.


It's 11 hours to St John from New York. 

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


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## SMHarman (Sep 6, 2015)

tompalm said:


> It is not the same. We went there last Spring Break. Not impressed. It is a third world country. The climate is humid like Florida.  There is a beautiful ocean for diving and fishing there, but that is all Hawaii has in common.


Where all HI US expensive, the Caribbean caters to everyone. The DR, Cuba, parts of Jamaica cater to more budget trips (they also do high end in parts).  Aruba, Bahamas etc hits the middle. Then the Martinique, St John, St Barts, Barbados are all high end. 

Climate gets humid in the Summer but your statement is so full of generalization it hurts. 

Like saying the beaches of Spain are full of 20 something British yobs. 

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk


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## jebloomquist (Sep 6, 2015)

Aloha,

You have Wyndham points. You can use them on three of the islands, but not in just one week.

My wife and I start from Philly and connect through Phoenix. She won’t do the trip unless we fly 1st class. Fortunately, we have enough frequent flier miles to do it.

I recommend at least 3 days at the Wyndham at Waikiki Beach Walk. It is right in the hustle-bustle of Waikiki, but it is in easy walking distance to the beach all along Waikiki. You can find tours to do just about any water activity. I tend to rent a car for only one day to drive the entire island of O’ahu, but for the first time, a tour would be better.

If you then want the Big Island, I like the Wyndham Kona Hawaiian for a few days. It is not on the ocean, but not far from it. However, most of the beaches in the Big Island are lava rocks, not sand. You can get a helicopter tour to see the island. You can also fly back to the East Coast from the Big Island. You usually don’t have to return to Honolulu from there.

If you fancy Kaua’i for a few days instead of the Big Island, the Wyndham Kaua’i Beach Villas is near the airport and centrally located. It also has a sandy beach. From there you can drive to either Princeville or Waimea Canyon as a day trip. By far, the best brunch I have ever had is at the St Regis in Princeville, but it was $50+ a few years ago.

I would not recommend more than 2 islands, but 3 days in one and 4 in another will give you a better flavor for what Hawai’i is all about, and an opportunity to fall in love with it. If you can do only one island, O’ahu has a little bit of just about everything.

Aloha,
Jim


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## davidvel (Sep 6, 2015)

slip said:


> While I agree that it is better to stay as long as you can, but having said that I
> Would still go. Hawaii is often a one time trip and the hardest part is deciding
> Which island to go to if you think you will only go once. I'm the same age and
> You just don't know what's going to happen a few years in the future. Honestly,
> ...


Just curious, how do you get your computer to capitalize the first word of each line?


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## slip (Sep 6, 2015)

davidvel said:


> Just curious, how do you get your computer to capitalize the first word of each line?



You're observant. 
Mine was set up that way when I got it but if you go under settings, general then
Keyboard it has autocapitalization.


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## davidvel (Sep 6, 2015)

slip said:


> You're observant.
> Mine was set up that way when I got it but if you go under settings, general then
> Keyboard it has autocapitalization.


Ok, next question: why? I would understand capitalizing the beginning of each sentence, but in the middle of a sentence?


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## slip (Sep 6, 2015)

davidvel said:


> Ok, next question: why? I would understand capitalizing the beginning of each sentence, but in the middle of a sentence?



Don't ask me, like I said it was set up that way.


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## NTP66 (Sep 6, 2015)

Count me firmly into the "worth it" group, even if just for a week. We fly to Maui from Philly every other year, and regardless of how short or long we go, it's always worth it. Leave early, stay up the late the first night, and you're fine. I've been to the Caribbean, as well - it's nowhere near being on the same level as Hawaii in virtually every category.

You people on the west coast are just too used to travel to Hawaii being convenient.


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## davidvel (Sep 6, 2015)

slip said:


> Don't ask me, like I said it was set up that way.


Do you hit ENTER at the end of every line like a typewriter?


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## slip (Sep 6, 2015)

davidvel said:


> Do you hit ENTER at the end of every line like a typewriter?



Yes I do. Most of my posts are short, like this one.


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## davidvel (Sep 6, 2015)

slip said:


> Yes I do. Most of my posts are short, like this one.


Ahh, that explains it. The auto-capitalize thinks its a new paragraph so it capitalizes the first word. You get a bunch of capital words in the middle of your sentences. Unlike a typewriter the computer auto-line feeds as necessary, so enter is not necessary at the end of your "line." Also, as people read on different sized screens; their "line" size is different from yours. By pressing enter at the end of your "line" the output becomes very choppy with words randomly capitalized in between, looking like this:    



> While I agree that it is better to stay as long as you can, but
> having said that I
> Would still go. Hawaii is often a one time trip and the hardest
> part is deciding
> ...


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## slip (Sep 6, 2015)

Yep, it doesn't look that way on my IPad.


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## silentg (Sep 6, 2015)

Life is short, so go to Hawaii even for a week!


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## Kauai Kid (Sep 7, 2015)

Lisa P said:


> Due to DH's job, taking more than 1 consecutive week off at a time will not be in our plans for a few years.  We were considering a trip to Hawaii, our first, and possibly our onl
> y for a very long time.  With this time constraint, do you think it's worth the airfare and travel hassle to visit Hawaii from the U.S. east coast?
> 
> If so, where would you visit?  Which island?
> ...



No--We use to live in Maryland and it takes about a day for the ole bod to adjust its' time clock on time zone.  It seems even worse coming back from Hawaii to the Mainland.  We just flew to Banff Canada, one time zone away, and it has taken all of Sunday to recover and feel human.

My advice--don't do it.

Sterling


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## NJDave (Sep 7, 2015)

Lisa P said:


> Due to DH's job, taking more than 1 consecutive week off at a time will not be in our plans for a few years.  We were considering a trip to Hawaii, our first, and possibly our only for a very long time.  With this time constraint, do you think it's worth the airfare and travel hassle to visit Hawaii from the U.S. east coast?
> 
> If so, where would you visit?  Which island?
> We like snorkeling, beach walks, scenic drives, wildlife, sailing, biking, and we'd enjoy visiting Volcano Nat'l Park.
> ...



I would do it.

I was also going to suggest flying to the west coast Friday evening and then getting an early flight out on Saturday morning.  If possible, try to get an extra day off by tying it into a holiday or asking for an extra day off. That would make it 10 nights.  I think it is common for people to go for 9 - 10 nights from the east coast since it gets too expensive for many to go for 14 days especially if they are paying for hotel rooms.


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## JIMinNC (Sep 7, 2015)

Lisa P said:


> Due to DH's job, taking more than 1 consecutive week off at a time will not be in our plans for a few years.  We were considering a trip to Hawaii, our first, and possibly our only for a very long time.  With this time constraint, do you think it's worth the airfare and travel hassle to visit Hawaii from the U.S. east coast?
> 
> If so, where would you visit?  Which island?
> We like snorkeling, beach walks, scenic drives, wildlife, sailing, biking, and we'd enjoy visiting Volcano Nat'l Park.
> ...



I've thought a little bit more about the OP while reading these replies and would like to amend the thoughts I offered in post #17.

While, as I said earlier, we would not consider going for less than 10 days or so, the fact is, we have been many times and go fairly regularly (although we haven't been since 2011). The OP, however, is not in the same situation as we are.

Here's what I say - if you think you may only visit Hawaii once, and if by waiting a couple/few years, the job situation might change and allow you to make a longer trip, I would say wait. A longer trip would offer so many more options to truly enjoy the islands. Each island has it's own vibe and character that needs to be seen to be appreciated. 

But if, on the other hand, you think it will be many years before you will have more time flexibility (like not before retirement), then I would say go for it now - even if you can only do a week. Same answer if you think this may be a one time opportunity that may not present itself again in the future. While a week or so trip to Hawaii would not be ideal, it's better to go for a short time than miss out entirely. You could get a taste of it, and then maybe, in retirement, go back for a longer trip. Others have offered some good advice on ways to stretch that week off work into a few more days.


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## lizap (Sep 7, 2015)

I also strongly agree with those who say its doable for a week.  Due to our work schedule, we've always gone a week. While our flight is about an hour less than yours, it's still takes a long time to get there and involves a connection.  Try to get an early flight, and go to bed early the first night, if possible. The next day you'll be fine. The return flight will mostly likely be an overnight flight. I would choose one island, probably Maui ( since you've never been) or Kauai.


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## Lisa P (Sep 7, 2015)

Thank you so, so much, for everyone's thoughts, opinions, and advice!!!    It's been very helpful to get feedback from so many experienced travelers.  You've given us plenty to think about as we consider our options.  I value each of your posts.
THANK YOU!


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## Bwolf (Sep 8, 2015)

Even though you've already thanked posters, I'd like to add that we went for one week and had no problems with jet lag or anything else.  Stayed Friday night in Seattle and flew early morning directly to Maui.  Flew back changing planes in Seattle, arriving in Boston early AM Sunday.  

We had something to do everyday and crossed Hawaii off the bucket list.


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## vacationhopeful (Sep 8, 2015)

Go for it ... 

I went 3.5 years ago to Kauai for my April Birthday Party Week ... invited all my siblings & spouses. My Southern CA sister & husband plus my TX sister & husband attended but not my other 2 siblings or spouses. I had never been to Kauai (Big Island & Oahu during the 1st Gulf War). I am from the east coast - so I had the longest trip.

Everyone had a great time - small enough group to just rent one car and to eat on the one balcony every evening - wine & food from Costco. Large enough to have 2 units. It was the best time we had had with a difficult BIL. 6 months later that BIL died suddenly (October) but more of the siblings had also done an Alaskan cruise with him in August, too.

If I had NOT done the Hawaii trip - would the Alaskan cruise been attended so well by my siblings? Would my sister had 2 sets of once in a lifetime trips (and photos) with her husband at age 52? Would us siblings seen a "better" side of him and had memories of him enjoying life with our sister?

So my answer is ... *GO FOR IT! Life is too short*. You got a week NOW... take the opportunity as no one knows WHAT the future holds.


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## Julian926 (Sep 8, 2015)

As an East Coaster, I find that it's worth it.  Yeah, I can go the Caribbeans and save money and time.   But the Caribbeans and Hawaii are fundamentally different in all aspects.  Culturally speaking, the food is different, the people are different, and the atmosphere very different.  

So, a flight to Hawaii is worth it to me since it provides a much different vacation perspective.


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## MichaelColey (Sep 8, 2015)

Personally, I would look into the Caribbean (and maybe a cruise or an all-inclusive resort) instead.  Travel time and cost would both be quite a bit less, and you would still get an enjoyable island vacation.  The Caribbean is much more varied, but many islands rival the beauty of Hawaii.

The biggest cost (for us, and probably most others) for a Hawaii vacation is just getting there.  The time there (especially in timeshares) isn't that expensive, so longer trips just make a lot of sense because the incremental cost of those extra weeks is minimal.


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## Deb from NC (Sep 8, 2015)

But for Wyndham owners (and in general, in my opinion) the choice of resorts on Hawaii is much better than in the Caribbean..... Both times we went to Hawaii for one week it was to attend the Maui Classic, so of course, the Caribbean was not an option!   And it was SO worth it.  I really didn't have a problem with the flight getting there...went straight to bed on arrival and was raring to go the next day. Coming back was worse, but not bad enough to prevent me from doing it again !


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## topdog (Sep 10, 2015)

We are wrapping up 2 weeks in Hawaii now.  Not happy that the trade winds were stolen by the passing hurricanes.  Feels just like Florida in September.  Still glad we came, it's Hawaii, but would never come here for just 1 week, and will never return in September.  Had my first Puka dog today in Poipu, with lemonade of course. An authentic treat!

Also happy to see Hanalei and the north shore this trip,  so no complaints.


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## tompalm (Sep 11, 2015)

topdog said:


> We are wrapping up 2 weeks in Hawaii now.  Not happy that the trade winds were stolen by the passing hurricanes.  Feels just like Florida in September.  Still glad we came, it's Hawaii, but would never come here for just 1 week, and will never return in September.  Had my first Puka dog today in Poipu, with lemonade of course. An authentic treat!
> 
> Also happy to see Hanalei and the north shore this trip,  so no complaints.



You got robbed on the weather.  We have lived here 20 plus years and have never seen it this bad.  Today's newspaper has an article on the front page stating it is the worst weather in 30 years.   August and September are the hottest months of the year in Hawaii.  So that is great if you like to swim in the ocean for your entire vacation, but if out seeing the island, it is not the best time to visit.


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## MichaelColey (Sep 12, 2015)

I can attest that it's not always like that in September.  We went in September several years ago and even stayed in one timeshare that didn't have air conditioning (and another that only had it in the bedrooms).  I was worried that it would be too hot.  It wasn't.


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