# Midwestern traveler considering Hawaii



## mthake (Jan 5, 2013)

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out our 2013 vacation schedule.  We're in Missouri, and generally vacation to Florida and/or Mexico.  

We always cut out Hawaii, due to the long flights.  However, I'm seriously considering Hawaii for this year.

I've been researching, and I have some questions.   As you can imagine, we're trying to do this on a budget.  Our flights alone will be close to $2k, for the two of us.  Should we fly in Honolulu, and stay in this area?  Is there a cheap option to travel to another island?

What would you recommend?


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## DeniseM (Jan 5, 2013)

Honolulu is a huge, urban city, with skyscrapers and miles of pavement.  For a more authentic Hawaii experience, I'd go to another island.  Maui is a good choice for a first visit.  Interisland flights run about $100 - $125 depending on the time of year.  Check out Hawaiian Airlines.


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## Passepartout (Jan 5, 2013)

You can also fly direct to other islands, like Maui, or Kauai and bypass the whole Honolulu thing- though I don't know about direct flights from your local gateways. I tend to think of Honolulu as San Fransisco with palm trees. That said, there are good things to see there, Pearl Harbor, and the like, but for a 'Hawaii' experience, go elsewhere.

And don't worry too much about seeing it all and picking the 'right' island, they are all different and you'll be back.

Jim


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## slip (Jan 5, 2013)

Keep watching those flights. We usually get flights for around $1,600 for both
Of us and we fly out of small Madison airport. That adds about $200 but there is
Less driving so it's worth it for me. 

Jim is correct, I would pick an island and don't try to see everything. With a 
Rental car you'll be able to see a lot and keep your budget. Make it worth your
While and go for two weeks.


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## dougp26364 (Jan 5, 2013)

Be careful, you might get hooked.  That's what happened to us after our first vist to Oahu.

Airfares out of MCI will likely be around $1,600. We're not big on the long flights either and this time the flight out will have 2 stops, which will allow us to stretch our legs and maybe get some better food than the airlines serve. Of course that a personal preference. Some want to get there ASAP rather than take the extra stop. The extra stop always comes with risks (missing a connection, mishandled luggage).

We've been to Oahu twice and Kauai once. Both have their advantages. My wife by far prefers Oahu and I have to admit I enjoy the cosmopolitan feel of Honolulu. We've always rented a car and spent time on the north shore and other areas of the island. Oahu is nice if it might be your only visit and you want to go to Pearl Harbor. If you don't go to Oahu and still want to visit Pearl, you can usually catch an AM flight on Hawaiian Airlines, rent a car and spend the day touring Pearl and Oahu, then fly back that evening. It will cost you a couple of hundred dollars for flights and then there's the rental car for the day but it's an easy way to see the high demand tourist stops in Hawaii without having to stay in a big city along with the big city traffic.

I really enjoyed Kauai and it's more laid back feel. For me it was more relaxing and more scenic. I was able to hit the relax/reset button much easier on Kauai than Oahu. 

This year we'll travel to Maui to see what it's like and eventually we'll make it to the big island.

I don't recommend trying to see/do everything in one week. If you want to do two or three islands in one trip, maybe a 2 week trip or a 2+ week trip would work and use Hawiaan Air to get you from island to island. I could see spending a minimum of 4 nights per island, so if you wanted to hit all four of the major tourist islands it'd be a little over two weeks at 16 nights. A better plan might be to spend 5 nights each on 2 different islands. 

Of course it depends on what sort of timeshare program you're using. For us we have access using a variety of points reservatin type resorts between HGVC, DRI and Marriott. If you're using weeks exchanges, then I'd think 1 island/1 week. 

Currently we use a Chase UAL card to accumulate miles. Our last two trips to Hawaii have been paid for with miles. It makes life a lot easier. Our flight back home (overnight) next time will be in the first class cabin. I'm looking forward to that nice seat that lies flat for the overnight flight home. Accumulating miles on our CC has really made a difference.

BTW, I have some photo's from our Oahu trips on our smugmug photo page. Click the link in my signature below to find them if you want.


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## classiclincoln (Jan 5, 2013)

Just spent Xmas week at the Sands of Kahana on Maui and really liked it.  Last time in Hawaii was 12 years ago and we stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (not via timeshare).  Liked Maui much better.  Check out our review in the Market Place.  Certainly do understand about the long flight; we're in NJ.


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## mthake (Jan 6, 2013)

I sincerely appreciate everyone's comments and idea's.

At this point, I never would have thought to stay for two weeks, but who knows:whoopie:

I'll be checking into Maui and Oahu, and update what I find.  We do want to see Pearl Harbor, that's a must..


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## Greg G (Jan 6, 2013)

mthake

I second the idea of staying 2 weeks.  We live in the midwest too (Iowa) with high airfares to Hawaii.  It's also a long flight which can waste almost a full day both getting there and coming back (and adjusting to the time difference) ,  so when I decided to go back in 2007 I decided to go for 2 weeks to effectively halve the cost per week for airfare and reduce the time lost travelling.  I also decided to stay on the same island for those 2 weeks to minimize time lost moving.  We went to Kauai and stayed in Poipu (south Kauai) for 1 week and then Princeville (north Kauai) for the second week.  To see Pearl Harbor you would take an interisland flight.

Greg


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## BevL (Jan 6, 2013)

We live on the west coast and would never go to Hawaii or Florida for that matter for less than two weeks.  

For us the airfare is the main "out of pocket" cost.  I don't consider timeshares taht way as I pay for them as I go along so it's kind of more budgeted, if that makes sense.  Groceries and stuff, well, unless you're going wild with activities, you have to eat at home too and though it's a bit more, you can do it reasonably, even in Hawaii, if you eat in a lot.

So if I'm spending a reasonable amount for airfare and it's a day to get there, I"m not turning around after only five days to come home.

My little rant being done, definitely try for two weeks.  Even if you decide to stay on one island to cut down the costs with interisland flights, you will have lots to do - and if you run out of new things to see, just go to the beach!!


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## artringwald (Jan 6, 2013)

*Which island(s)*

For someone who's never been to Hawaii, it can be tough choosing which island(s) to visit. You really can't go wrong picking any island, but this easy quiz may help you decide:

http://www.hawaiigaga.com/best-hawaiian-island.aspx


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## DeniseM (Jan 6, 2013)

If you go for 7 nights - this will be your schedule:

Day 1 - fly 7-10 hours (depending on layover)
Day 2 - Recuperate from jetlag, try to find a grocery store and the other things you need for your trip, get settled in, find your way around, etc.
Day 3-6 - *4 days of vacation*
Day 7 - fly - 7-10 hours

That means that a 7 day trip is really a 4 or 5 day trip.  Coming from the mid-west I would not consider less than 2 weeks.  It's too expensive to go for just a week - which is really 4-5  days of vacation.


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## 55plus (Jan 6, 2013)

We go to Hawaii for several weeks each year. We fly into Honolulu and stay in Honolulu (Waikiki). Flights into Honolulu International Airport seem to be the cheapest when flying out of Wisconsin. We don't rent a car because of public transportation which saves a lot of money, so we take an airport shuttle to our condo (Wyndham at Waikiki Beach Walk). There's a lot to see on Oahu and there are a lot of tours to consider.
.


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## dsyrcle (Jan 6, 2013)

When searching for flights consider mid week flights for lower air fare and extending your vacation time. On our first trip to Hawaii we took a flight to Kauai. Day 7 we took a morning flight to Oahu. Day 9 we flew a late night  flight home from Oahu. Flying home midweek allowed us to extend our vacation a couple of days and visit another island. I will add that we always plan at least 2 weeks when we travel now.


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## slabeaume (Jan 7, 2013)

We live in St. Louis and have that LONG flight to Hawaii, too.  You can fly directly into any island from the west coast, so try to get a flight through LAX or SAN or somewhere on the coast. The flight from there will be about 5.5 - 6 hours.  The flight to the west coast is another 4 hours.  The layover can be a bit of a relief from sitting on the plane all day.  If you don't mind a longer flight, you can get a flight to Chicago or DAllas and can go non-stop to Oahu from there, but it's a 9 hour flight from there.  There are no non-stop flights to Hawaii from St. Louis.  Expect your day there and back to waste 2 full days.  Remember, too, that you can fly into one island and out of another, so you only have 1 inter-island flight to worry about if you do go to 2 islands.


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## csalter2 (Jan 7, 2013)

*Oahu is a must*

On your first trip to Hawaii, I believe Oahu is a must. I have been to Hawaii several times, but my first time I spent a week in Oahu. Oahu has so much to do. Yes, Honolulu proper is a big city. However, you can still get that aloha spirit and experience the Hawaii that everyone talks about as there are many other parts to that island. I own at Ko Olina and it's night and day compared to Waikiki. You could also stay on the North Shore of Hawaii and get that same Hawaiian feel. Many people have their preferences, but Oahu by far has the most to do overall. Each of the other islands has there highlights, but on a first trip to Hawaii you should make sure that Oahu is on the list.  

I would also suggest at least 2 weeks, but a minimum of 10 days especially if you are going to go to more than one island. I live in California and two weeks is a must and I don't have to fly as long as you will from the midwest. You don't want to be weary and then seemingly have to leave so soon.  

When I am going to Hawaii and visiting multiple islands, I usually do at least two. I always fly into Honolulu because the flights are usually cheaper flying into there and I always end my vacation at Ko Olina. I find that it's easier to take the interisland flight going and just do all of the main traveling on the way to Hawaii. Then when you leave you are already at Honolulu where it's easy to get to home as there is no switch on an interisland flight, and you can relax more on the journey home as you will lose time going home. There is one other thing to consider in my opinion. If you go to Hawaii and go to Oahu first and then another island, in my opinion the other islands can seem boring. This could especially be the thoughts of teenagers.  I am not saying that the other islands are boring and that there is nothing to see, but the activity in Oahua and specificially Waikiki cannot be matched on any other island. Thus, in my opinion, Oahu should be the last I island to explore.  

Each island is different. Oahu in my opinion has the best of both worlds with both cosmopolitan and island lifestyles. Kauai is the most scenic and pure Hawaii.  The Big island has the volcano which is an adventure by itself. A lot of people like Maui. Frankly, I am not so sure why. It is picturesque and definitely          provides that Hawaii feel. However, it is truly for you to be in relaxed mode like Kauai. On Maui, there are things to do like going up to mountain to see the sunrise and bike down, the aquarium, some great beaches, and the Road to Hana. There are some people who go to Maui year after year. If you truly want to relax read a book, fish, swim and catch a tan, then Maui is perfect. There are some good restaurants too.  For a first time trip, yes. I would go to Maui. I just can't see doing it year after year, but everyone is different. I like quiet and calm for a little while, but I like action close by when I want it. 

Good luck with your decision.


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## LisaRex (Jan 7, 2013)

I'm a fellow Midwesterner and have traveled to Hawaii 4 times now.  It really is doable and I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. 

As others suggested, try to extend the trip to at least 10 days.  In addition to giving you more time to adjust to the new time, airfares are generally cheaper mid-week.  With most condo and timeshare rentals limited to Fri/Sat check-in, you can use extra days to explore another side of the same island (the 4 major islands all have a lush and dry side.) OR visit another island altogether.  No matter what, book and stay put in one place for at least 7 nights.  That way, you can decompress and really enjoy yourself.  

Some combinations to consider for a 10 night stay:

Big Island (3 nights)/Maui OR Kauai (7 nights)
Oahu (3 nights)/Kauai or Maui (7 nights)
Big Island (3 nights in Hilo and 7 nights in Kona)
Maui (3 nights in Hana and 7 nights in Wailea or Ka'anapali)

My personal favorite island is Maui because it offers a nice balance of toursity and non-touristy things.  For instance, one day you can attend Warren & Annabelle's Magic Show in Lahaina (highly recommended, BTW) and the next day you can snorkel on a deserted beach.  (I haven't been to Kauai yet, but others rave about it.)

If I were to recommend an island for the "extra" days, I'm torn between Oahu and Big Island.  The latter has a currently active volcano.  Where else in the world can you see such a magnificent natural wonder?  Oahu has all the Pearl Harbor sites, which are incredibly moving.  Note: If you choose Oahu, start on Oahu, if possible, Ending here after being on a laid back island is a jarring way to end your great trip.  

If you were to head to Maui, and you have a flexible schedule, the best time to go is mid-December, IMO. Airfares, lodging, and car rentals are lower because there's a lull right before the holiday travelers arrive. The seas are a bit calmer (they get rougher as winter progresses).  And, most importantly, the whales have started to arrive.  You can see them breeching right from the beach. Awesome!

Overall recommendations: Low season on the islands is April/May or Oct/Nov/early Dec.  Avoid times when the kids are out of school if you can avoid it. 

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http://www.flyertalk.com/credit-card-reviews/


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## dougp26364 (Jan 7, 2013)

DeniseM said:


> If you go for 7 nights - this will be your schedule:
> 
> Day 1 - fly 7-10 hours (depending on layover)
> Day 2 - Recuperate from jetlag, try to find a grocery store and the other things you need for your trip, get settled in, find your way around, etc.
> ...




I guess it just depends on your personality. We fly from Wichita, KS and 7 days is more than enough time. Some might feel 2 weeks is necessary but for us, it would be overkill unless we were planning on visiting more than one island. For that matter, the flight home often doesn't leave until late in the evening, so we've learned to book a room for that day (we can use points to book 8 nights) and just check out late, enjoying that last day before our night flight home. That travel day home is hardly wasted on just travel for us. We enjoy the day and sleep on the flight home.


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## hefleycatz (Jan 7, 2013)

I think I've talked my DH into a 30th anniversary trip to Hawaii in '14.  Because of some back and health issues with him, we will probably fly to CA and spend a night and continue the next day.  Does anyone do this to help with the flying times and jet lag?  

lee


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## dougp26364 (Jan 7, 2013)

hefleycatz said:


> I think I've talked my DH into a 30th anniversary trip to Hawaii in '14.  Because of some back and health issues with him, we will probably fly to CA and spend a night and continue the next day.  Does anyone do this to help with the flying times and jet lag?
> 
> lee



I'd like too do this sometime but, we're always in to much of a hurry to get to Hawaii. I actually think it's a good idea if you have the time and don't care to spend an entire day traveling. Instead, I start out looking for longer layovers of 90 minutes to 2 hours, which gives us time to stretch our legs, get something to eat and use a real restroom vs the lavetory on a plane. This year our flights have two layovers, which most would prefer not to do but for us, gives us a little more time to relax. A travel day is a travel day and not a lot gets done other than decompression once we arrive at the resort that first day.


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## slip (Jan 7, 2013)

I enjoy the layovers to get out and stretch and recharge. I don't stay a night
in California. I try to get to Hawaii by about 5 or 6PM. Then by the time we 
get our luggage, car and get to the resort. It's about 7PM. We unpack, check
things out and then go to bed by about 9PM. Then we get up early, about 6am.
This works great for us and we never have jet lag.


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## Kagehitokiri2 (Jan 7, 2013)

mthake said:


> Florida and/or Mexico
> 
> Honolulu



why go to honolulu?
skip crowded cities and hit the beaches in better areas.

you should also consider asia and south of mexico (in future) for best value.



DeniseM said:


> I would not consider less than 2 weeks


this really limits travel, anywhere.



BevL said:


> We live on the west coast and would never go to Hawaii or Florida for that matter for less than two weeks.


a 5 hour flight? ive never heard that before.


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## linsj (Jan 7, 2013)

Speaking as another midwesterner (Chicago), I go for 2 weeks, occasionally 10 days. One week isn't long enough, like DeniseM pointed out; you don't get a full week of vacation. Although I can fly direct from ORD for 9 hours, I prefer to connect in LAX or SFO (depending on the island) to break up the trip, even though I get first-class upgrades that make the trip more tolerable.

I also don't island hop. I like to settle in for the two weeks and relax, which, for me, is the main attraction of going to Hawaii. (It's the only place I've been where I truly relax.)


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## MichaelColey (Jan 7, 2013)

Definitely would do (at least) two weeks.  The flights are your biggest expense, and those won't change whether it's one week, two weeks, or more.

Which exchange company do you use?  If RCI, both Kauai and the Big Island are VEYR EASY to exchange into, so those would make a good second week.  If II, take a look at what your deposits can see.

FWIW, all of the islands are great and each has pros and cons.  I would look more at what you can get and just enjoy it.  You WILL go back.

There are tons of hotels on Oahu, and sometimes mid-week flights are cheaper or easier to book, so consider a week exchange to another island, then pad the trip out with (at least) a few nights on Oahu.  Usually, you can fly into one island and back from another, for the same price as a round trip to a single island.  Then, you just have to get your interisland flights (around $100 each and very readily available).


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