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Planning a Hawaii timeshare trip for 2022. Any advice accepted.

controller1

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Personally I was very disappointed in Waikiki beach.

We own on Maui and spent many summers going there. The first trip we took to Oahu with our dds was so that we could go to Pearl Harbor. As we flew into Honolulu their comment was "THIS is Hawaii???".

Wow your post is almost identical to my experience!

Our first trip to Hawaii we went with another couple who had been to Hawaii before. We spent the first two nights on Waikiki Beach and toured Pearl Harbor on our second day. The first day of our trip I must have not had my poker face on as one of our travel partners said "this isn't the Hawaii you envisioned is it?" I was bluntly honest and said "No. One side of the hotel faces this beautiful ocean and beach while the other side of the hotel looks like Houston has been placed on a beach!"

We then went to Maui for the next five days. We now own on Maui and have returned once or twice a year (except 2020) every year since 2005.
 

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We’d like to plan a 2-week timeshare trip to Hawaii for 2022 for four people. First time in Hawaii.

My wants list:
Want to see as much as possible of all islands in that time without killing ourselves. We are in our 60s.
Want to see the volcano, Maui, and Kauai. All others things are optional.I

We have weeks to trade through Interval International. We have a Mexico elite resort that trades well.

I know nothing! Lol. Thanks in advance.


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Our family has had the opportunity to visit many of the islands over the past 20 years. We had to cancel Maui this February because of the COVID uncertainty. Without echoing the sentiments of all the posters, I can safely say, @DaveNV, had the most practical advice. See what you are able to secure in terms of accommodations within your timeline, then, figure out the activities. Having traded into the Big Island and finally, purchased the Bay Club as a resale timeshare, the time it takes to drive to the Volcano is significant. First you should check into the National Park for the trails and then, you can drive around. Then, you may want to hike to the crater, if it is allowed. There is a drive to park and hike into see the lava flows, again, if that is allowed. That is significant trek and we hiked with our eight-year old because riding the mountain bikes over the hardened lava and rocky trail was too risky. If the trail to the lava flow is closed, then, a stay at Volcano Village is amazing as @Luanne, suggested. You will have access to the National Park at night when everyone else has left.
What you do not elaborate on is what activities you enjoy. Our family loves to snorkel, for hours. Maui has the most accessible beaches with the best tropical fish and sea life- eels, turtles, cleaner wrasses. The Big Island has a number of excellent beaches to enjoy on the Waikoloa/Kona side with great snorkeling. You might want to buy the Revealed series to figure out your activities. Based on how much you want to see and what you want to see, you can determine how long you can stay. Having done the crazy -two-activity-a-day-marathon when we thought we would not ever return, we found that the Hawaii bug bit. Now, we take it easy and just go with the flow and enjoy. But, that came with many, many return trips to different island over 20 years. I intend to rent from another TUGGER for his condo in Molokai when we can safely travel. Good luck.
 

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Wow your post is almost identical to my experience!

Our first trip to Hawaii we went with another couple who had been to Hawaii before. We spent the first two nights on Waikiki Beach and toured Pearl Harbor on our second day. The first day of our trip I must have not had my poker face on as one of our travel partners said "this isn't the Hawaii you envisioned is it?" I was bluntly honest and said "No. One side of the hotel faces this beautiful ocean and beach while the other side of the hotel looks like Houston has been placed on a beach!"

We then went to Maui for the next five days. We now own on Maui and have returned once or twice a year (except 2020) every year since 2005.

I think a lot of people who have never been to Hawaii suffer from the false Hollywood mystique of it being all about little grass shacks on uncrowded sandy beaches, with everyone wearing flower leis and doing the hula. Worse, they think Waikiki and Pearl Harbor and North Shore surfing is all there is to Oahu. The reality is that Waikiki is only about a three mile long district on one edge of a small island with a very busy major city. There are nearly a million people living on Oahu. About ten million people visit Hawaii every year, and 60 percent of those stay in Waikiki. You'd be hard pressed to find those little grass shacks in an environment like that. Research before visiting is crucial, and giving up the ideal of those empty beaches will go a long way to providing a more clear perspective on what is available there. :shrug:

Dave
 

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Personally I was very disappointed in Waikiki beach.

We own on Maui and spent many summers going there. The first trip we took to Oahu with our dds was so that we could go to Pearl Harbor. As we flew into Honolulu their comment was "THIS is Hawaii???".
To be fair, however, Oahu is a big island. Flip over to the North shore, or drive past Diamond Head and around the island, and it’s all Hawaii. It’s like being surprised New York has trees because the only place you’ve been is New York City.
 

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To be fair, however, Oahu is a big island. Flip over to the North shore, or drive past Diamond Head and around the island, and it’s all Hawaii. It’s like being surprised New York has trees because the only place you’ve been is New York City.
As I've said before, I know there is more to Oahu than just Waikiki. I was just responding to the comment about feeling like they'd come to Hawaii once they saw Waikiki beach.

First time I was on Oahu was 1968, only there for a few days with my family. Then in 1970 with my best friend for 10 days. That was one of the best trips of my life (but I was still very disappointed in Waikiki beach). Didn't go back until the trip with dh and our two dds to visit Pearl Harbor. Our last trip there was just a day trip when we went to bury dh's aunt's ashes per her request. I was really disappointed in Honolulu on that trip. As we walked along the main road you couldn't see the beach from the sidewalk due to all of the shops and hotels. I wanted to show my dds the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, but we couldn't figure out how to get there.
 

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At various times, we have spent a week in Kauai, a week in Maui, and two weeks on the Big Island. We've only spent a night or two on Oahu, which is why we'll base there next time we go. (I'm a history buff.) Now, recommendations - Maui: Book a bike tour down Haleakala. It's a pile of fun, and you turn the pedals about twice in 40 miles. Be sure to book with a company that will get you up there in plenty of time before dawn. Otherwise, the 10-minutes-between-groups departure rule can have you up there all morning. (Be sure to take one winter-weight outfit with you for the trip. It was 25 degrees on top the morning we went.) Lahaina and Kanapaali Beach are worth staying at. Book a Western-style barbecue dinner halfway up Haleakala, which is Cow Country. Kauai: Book the helicopter air tour of the north side of the island. It's spectacular. Big Island: Stay in Kona, where it's drier than in Hilo. From either place, it's a 2-hour drive to Volcanoes National Park. Plan 4-6 hours to explore the area, including tours through the old lava tubes, latest updates on activity, and other-worldly views driving through the lava fields. Make a loop by driving up to Hilo and then back across the center of the island. The road over the center of the island, passing between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, is now paved, which saves some time. You can also drive up to the observatory on the slopes of Mauna... Loa, I think. Whale watching tours, in season, are a no-brainer, too. Stop in Captain Cook for the coffee tasting and production demonstration, and to meet David Brunetta, a talented custom knifemaker (See: https://www.pinterest.com/davidbrunetta/). Be sure to sample "pok'e" (POH-kay), Hawaii's version of sushi. Enjoy your trip!
 

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As I've said before, I know there is more to Oahu than just Waikiki. I was just responding to the comment about feeling like they'd come to Hawaii once they saw Waikiki beach.

First time I was on Oahu was 1968, only there for a few days with my family. Then in 1970 with my best friend for 10 days. That was one of the best trips of my life (but I was still very disappointed in Waikiki beach). Didn't go back until the trip with dh and our two dds to visit Pearl Harbor. Our last trip there was just a day trip when we went to bury dh's aunt's ashes per her request. I was really disappointed in Honolulu on that trip. As we walked along the main road you couldn't see the beach from the sidewalk due to all of the shops and hotels. I wanted to show my dds the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, but we couldn't figure out how to get there.
When my wife was 20 (42 years ago) she packed up and went to Waikiki. Knew nobody. Got a job as a waitress/server, rented an apartment in Pearl City area, and still today says it was her favorite time and that she'd never have left if her father had not gotten sick a year later back in California. She loved the action. The people. The bars. All that.
 

Luanne

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When my wife was 20 (42 years ago) she packed up and went to Waikiki. Knew nobody. Got a job as a waitress/server, rented an apartment in Pearl City area, and still today says it was her favorite time and that she'd never have left if her father had not gotten sick a year later back in California. She loved the action. The people. The bars. All that.
As a 19/20 year old (which is about what I was when I went with my best friend) it was a great place to be. We met some folks who were living there and most of them had to take more than one job, and have several roommates in order to be able to live.
 

DaveNV

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As a 19/20 year old (which is about what I was when I went with my best friend) it was a great place to be. We met some folks who were living there and most of them had to take more than one job, and have several roommates in order to be able to live.

Hawaii's economy has always been expensive. When I lived on Oahu during my high school years in the late 1960s, I worked as a grocery bagger for a busy grocery store called Holiday Mart. (Think WalMart, but without the good parts. ;)) The union-member cashier I worked with most often was a full time employee, who was also a full time ticket agent for Aloha Airlines at the airport. She worked 5AM to 2PM at the airport, then drove into Honolulu to the grocery store near Ala Moana Center, then worked 3PM to 10PM at the store. She told me until her husband had unexpectedly passed away, she'd only worked one job. But when he died, she had to take the second job, in order to pay her mortgage. She lived in a modest neighborhood, not far from me. This was when my parents were renting the house we lived in for $160 a month. I can't imagine how she would have made it work with prices today.

Dave
 

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The oddest thing that happened when my best friends and I were staying in Honolulu is that we ran into a guy we'd gone to high school with (and who my friend had a small crush on) who was working as a parking garage attendant. I think he was just doing it for the summer. He said the week before there had been a bunch of his friends (who we also knew) who had come over to visit him.
 

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I think a lot of people who have never been to Hawaii suffer from the false Hollywood mystique of it being all about little grass shacks on uncrowded sandy beaches, with everyone wearing flower leis and doing the hula. Worse, they think Waikiki and Pearl Harbor and North Shore surfing is all there is to Oahu. The reality is that Waikiki is only about a three mile long district on one edge of a small island with a very busy major city. There are nearly a million people living on Oahu. About ten million people visit Hawaii every year, and 60 percent of those stay in Waikiki. You'd be hard pressed to find those little grass shacks in an environment like that. Research before visiting is crucial, and giving up the ideal of those empty beaches will go a long way to providing a more clear perspective on what is available there. :shrug:

Dave

I agree and I'm no longer disillusioned. We enjoy Kauai and love Maui. Oahu just wasn't for us.

Another part of my initial disillusionment 15+ years ago was our first luau was at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Yes, research would have told me who owned it but I wasn't responsible for the reservation. The no alcoholic beverages and Dockers under the grass skirts caused me to initially question where I was. ;)
 

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I agree and I'm no longer disillusioned. We enjoy Kauai and love Maui. Oahu just wasn't for us.

Another part of my initial disillusionment 15+ years ago was our first luau was at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Yes, research would have told me who owned it but I wasn't responsible for the reservation. The no alcoholic beverages and Dockers under the grass skirts caused me to initially question where I was. ;)
Living in the Valley of the Temples for 3 years we were relatively close to the PCC. We've been many times over the years and taken others with us both when we lived there and on vacation visits. It's a nice venue though nothings perfect. It's not a traditional Luau but is probably the nicest show of any including OLL on Maui. And their Luau meal is among the best food for such. We've never done their more traditional meal options. I know they did not allow caffeine either but that may have changed. I'm not sure I understand the negative comments aimed at the church group who runs the park, hopefully it wasn't intended as it came across.

Certainly once you've seen Oahu and the historical options, there's a lot one might not want to do repeatedly but the National Cemetery, Punchbowl, Pearl Harbour, North Shore (including beach parks, surf and some nice towns) and Hanauma Bay are better than most, just to name a few of the more noted options. Waikiki is a couple of day and done thing for many, myself included. For a first time visitor, and often their only trip, it'd be a shame to miss the historical aspects and some of the more renowned sites.
 

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Another part of my initial disillusionment 15+ years ago was our first luau was at the Polynesian Cultural Center. Yes, research would have told me who owned it but I wasn't responsible for the reservation. The no alcoholic beverages and Dockers under the grass skirts caused me to initially question where I was. ;)
I too should have known better. I was more than a bit disillusioned by the alcohol free Luau that COST just as much as any other, including the Hilton's own. Buyer beware though.
 

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Waikiki is a couple of day and done thing for many
I personally enjoy taking my iPad, ordering a Mai Tai or two, sitting beachside doing a bit of work and just watching the activity. We're heading over in a few days for an 11-day stay at HHV, first time over since the summer of 2019 (besides a "guys" golf trip to the Big Island in the fall of 2019), and we're all looking forward to it and to getting back into the routine of 2-4 trips a year.
 

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I personally enjoy taking my iPad, ordering a Mai Tai or two, sitting beachside doing a bit of work and just watching the activity. We're heading over in a few days for an 11-day stay at HHV, first time over since the summer of 2019 (besides a "guys" golf trip to the Big Island in the fall of 2019), and we're all looking forward to it and to getting back into the routine of 2-4 trips a year.
We always find things to enjoy anywhere we go. Some of my favorite memories and restaurants from the 3 years we lived there and on visits back were in and around Waikiki. We lived in Waikiki for 2 months at the beginning and 2 months at the end of my 3 years there. But for many it's a one and done event, esp if it means not getting to a different or additional island on subsequent trips. One of my "favorite" recollections on a later trip was explaining to a 12 year old about hookers as he saw some friendly girls and asked questions when having him loudly point them out when we went out for ice cream later that evening. When we lived there it was more of an issue on Kuhio street but had moved to Kalakaua Ave by the trip in question.
 

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Marriott's Ko Olina is a lovely resort if one wants the quiet of Hawaii but also access to the other treasures there. But all of the islands have their charm and as one of many we visit we enjoy it while we are there, but if you find one you love, no reason to spend precious time anywhere else.
 

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I'm not sure I understand the negative comments aimed at the church group who runs the park, hopefully it wasn't intended as it came across.

In reviewing my post I'm not sure why you thought I had negative comments aimed at the church group. I only stated that had I known who owned the PCC I would have been prepared to know there would be no alcohol and that the show after the dinner would be anything other than traditional and/or authentic. Please don't read something into the comments that was not there.
 

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In reviewing my post I'm not sure why you thought I had negative comments aimed at the church group. I only stated that had I known who owned the PCC I would have been prepared to know there would be no alcohol and that the show after the dinner would be anything other than traditional and/or authentic. Please don't read something into the comments that was not there.
It was the "research would have told me who owned it" that made me wonder.
 

controller1

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It was the "research would have told me who owned it" that made me wonder.

Thought process.
1) Research shows LDS owns PCC.
2) Since LDS owns PCC I bet they won't serve alcoholic beverages since that is against their beliefs.
3) Since LDS owns PCC I bet the luau won't have traditional costumes since those would not be conservative enough.
End of thought process.

If I had done that research then I would not have expected something other than what was provided.

Perhaps you are not familiar with my posts. I shoot straight. There is no need to read something that is not stated clearly.
 

Dean

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Thought process.
1) Research shows LDS owns PCC.
2) Since LDS owns PCC I bet they won't serve alcoholic beverages since that is against their beliefs.
3) Since LDS owns PCC I bet the luau won't have traditional costumes since those would not be conservative enough.
End of thought process.

If I had done that research then I would not have expected something other than what was provided.

Perhaps you are not familiar with my posts. I shoot straight. There is no need to read something that is not stated clearly.
Your post was unclear, that's why I questioned it, I'm glad it was simply that certain things were not provided. I've been to PCC including the show many times and never had any thought that the costumes weren't reasonable or appropriate.
 

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Thought process.
1) Research shows LDS owns PCC.
2) Since LDS owns PCC I bet they won't serve alcoholic beverages since that is against their beliefs.
3) Since LDS owns PCC I bet the luau won't have traditional costumes since those would not be conservative enough.
End of thought process.

If I had done that research then I would not have expected something other than what was provided.

Perhaps you are not familiar with my posts. I shoot straight. There is no need to read something that is not stated clearly.
Ha. I knew number 1 going in, but number 2 didn’t cross my mind. Duh. Obviously didn’t think that one through to well. Can’t say we really noticed number 3.

For those that don’t know, BYU has a campus there and many of those that work in the area and at the PCC and perform at the PCC are BYU students.
 

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Ha. I knew number 1 going in, but number 2 didn’t cross my mind. Duh. Obviously didn’t think that one through to well. Can’t say we really noticed number 3.

For those that don’t know, BYU has a campus there and many of those that work in the area and at the PCC and perform at the PCC are BYU students.

I noticed #3 when the gals wearing grass skirts had khaki shorts under them. Then I noticed the guys that were wearing loin-type costumes also had khaki shorts under them. Not as noticeable on the fair-skinned actors but certainly noticeable on others. It was just distracting. Sometimes the trees keep me from seeing the forest!
 

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I recommend a cruise, plus one week on one of the islands. With a cruise you can do a full day shore excursion to the volcanoes and it is a very good way for a first timer to see it. Sometimes people here think they know what is best for you and don't really consider what you want. With my option you see everything without killing yourselves. The island you pick is entirely up to you.
 

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I recommend a cruise, plus one week on one of the islands. With a cruise you can do a full day shore excursion to the volcanoes and it is a very good way for a first timer to see it. Sometimes people here think they know what is best for you and don't really consider what you want. With my option you see everything without killing yourselves. The island you pick is entirely up to you.

It seems a good option, but could end up being quite expensive. Four adults on a cruise ship, plus tours for four on each island, plus the timeshare stay, plus car rental, plus airfare interisland to get to the timeshare island. If price is no object, then it could certainly work. OP didn't mention cruising was an option - they said they wanted to exchange their Mexican timeshare(s) for the two week vacation. Last time I checked, exchanging a timeshare for a cruise was not a good financial choice. I still think the entire concept is ambitious.

73 comments into the thread, it's obvious there are lots of options and ideas here. OP hasn't been back to clarify or to direct comments into more than everyone's speculation. So everyone who has commented is shooting in the dark here. @melpollard how about some comments? Is any of this helping? How about some more specific thoughts about what you want to do?

Dave
 

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Personally I'm not a big fan of using a cruise to see a location anywhere other than places where it's difficult to get to and there are lots of options like the Mediterranean. Plus I do use a cruise to get an idea of what I want to go back to later which may or may not be applicable here. Just too disjointed and limited for us.
 
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