I will be going to Honolulu for a week in early December, and I would like advice from some of the more seasoned travellers on a variety of topics. Do we need a rental car for the full week? Is a condo with a kitchen preferrable to a resort if we don%26#39;t want to spend a ton on eating out? What are the best activities for the under 30 yrs. crowd? Is it best to buy a Go Oahu card in advance (they%26#39;re on sale right now) or to try and pick up coupon books around town and listen to the timeshare presentations to try and get some for free? Any input would be appreciated!
Thanks!
Advice for First time in HonoluluI%26#39;ll try to answer some of the quetions you posed -
No, you don%26#39;t need to rent a car for the entire trip - [parking is a nightmare (and expensive) in Waikiki. But you will want to rent one for a day or two to drive around the island - especially out to the North Shore to WATCH the waves (only expert surfers dare to get in the water out there during the winter months).
IMO a condo is better if you%26#39;re trying to save money - try vrbo.com - they are privately owned and you deal with the owner/agent which I have found much more flexible than a hotel. I will be staying in one I found on vrbo in a few weeks and can hardly wait.
Can%26#39;t answer much about the GO card - don%26#39;t know anything about it. as far as activities go - here are some of my favorites:
Arizona Memorial, Mighty Mo %26amp; Bowfin Submarine in Pearl Harbor
Iolani Palace tour
Chinatown - great produce, pastries %26amp; lei (much less expensive than other places)
Tantalus/Round Top Drive
Climb Diamond Head (early in the morning, take water)
Ala Moana Shopping Center
International Market Place
the Swapmeet at the Aloha Stadium
Drinks at sunset at Duke%26#39;s (or dinner)
Waikiki Beach! (or ANY beach I come across!)
Riding The Bus all over the place
watching the turtles in the water near Waimea Bay
Macadamia pancakes at Boots %26amp; Kimo’s in Kailua
North Shore
Dole Plantation (LOVE their gift shop %26amp; pineapple ice cream)
having a meal in Wailana’s Coffee Shop (across the street from Hilton Hawaiian Village)
Relaxing in a rocking chair in front of the Moana Surfrider
Taking the free tour of the Moana Surfrider
shave ice from Matsumoto’s (Haleiwa)
going to Haleiwa
Walking Kalakaua in the evening (or anytime)
Breakfast buffet at the Shorebird Buffet (in the Outrigger Reef)
walking the beach in either direction at ANY time
listening to Olomana in the HHV Paradise Lounge
watching a movie on the beach
watching the surfers from “the wall”
and the list could go on and on!
Whatever you do - don%26#39;t over plan and take plenty of time to relax and enjoy Hawaii.
Advice for First time in HonoluluGood info by Bashful!
As mentioned, you don%26#39;t really have to have a car. Some people just find it more convenient. Public transportation is pretty good on Oahu, especially in Waikiki/Honolulu. The only bad thing about renting a car is street parking is horrible in Waikiki, and pretty much no matter what hotel you stay at, they%26#39;re going to charge you to park. Usually around $10 and up per day. We usually eat the cost and end up renting a car. Mainly for convenience sakes, especially for going out to eat at some of the great ';local'; places around the island.
Every time we have been to Oahu we rent a car but not everyone does. Personally, we like the convience of being able to go to places that are not as easy to access to The Bus. Also, you get the luxury of just cruising around the island and stopping at places that take your fancy.
We are Australian and the shopping is cheap for us so we like the rent a car to go to the other Malls. Ala Moana is fantastic but alot more upscale store. We liked Pearlridge and Windward Mall. And we also drove to Waikele, the outlet Mall.
Ko Olina resort is another place we always go to. Absolutely beautiful lagoons and the greenist (sp) softest grass!
And of course there is the North Shore and you will be there in December which means you will probably see some big waves. The Windward side is STUNNING. Kailua Bay and Waimanalo are must-see%26#39;s. Beautiful photo%26#39;s!
So even if you just rent a car for a couple of days of your week. I think its worth it :)
We love eating out so we dont mind if we dont have a kitchen. Thats more about personal taste I guess. When I am on vacation (being a Mom of 5) I want to get out of cooking as much as possible...haha.
Something I can recommend is the Outrigger Catamaran. Hubby and I are in our 30%26#39;s and we have 5 kids and we ALL had fun. If you get the free magazines on the side of the Street, you will find coupons for $10 off so it%26#39;s $20 for an hour and a half. Definitely worth the money! I hear they have a cocktail/sunset cruise too which would be fun if you dont have kids.
I just got back 2 days ago. We only rented a car for 2 days. Day one we went around the Island. Day 2 we went to Pearl Harbour and the outlet shopping.
The bus is very easy and cheap to get around.
You only need a room that has a toaster and microwave. The microwave meals are very good. We lived half the time on the microwave meals. A decent grocery shop is Food Panty. Everything you need. On Kuhio Ave. Worth a visit there the first day u arrive.
Lots of coupons in the tourist books around the place.
As for activities, the previous post covered everything. Honolulu Zoo is worth a morning vist, only takes 2 hours and use a voucher out of a book, it cost us $5, bargain.
Sealife is not worth the trip.
Hi Beck,
Sounds like you had a wonderful time :) I remember reading your posts before you left.
Did you have fun?
Yes we loved Honolulu Zoo too. We went with 6 kids in total so we were there for about 4 hours and we had a picnic lunch there. It is so cheap and even the gardens are lovely! We also went across the road in the afternoon to the Aquarium and in my opinion, it was not worth the money. It cost our family more than the zoo and we were out within the hour! Don%26#39;t get me wrong, its a nice aquarium and som beaufiul sealife but if you are short of time, I wouldnt probably bother.
Yes we had a good time. I can%26#39;t believe I have been and back now. I am now planning our next trip in December, Las Vegas, Florida and Honolulu. Can%26#39;t wait but have to go back to work on Monday :-(
Hello kt517
--cars are a problem as mentioned in the excellent posts above. The best solution is to rent several times for just one day (slightly more expensive but no parking fees). Start early, return by 10 pm. This is what we do now. Choose your days carefully because traffic can be horrendous and the North Shore is just impossible when the surfing and holiday seasons coincide (this was the case last Xmas).
--The Bus is really convenient to go to Ala Moana and Ward shopping centres. Waikele outlet is too far out, you need a car. My in-laws use it to go everywhere even the North Shore.
--unless you really insist on cooking there are plenty of take-outs of all shades and colours--you don%26#39;t really WANT to cook on holidays.
--do not miss Duke%26#39;s, one of the best bars in the world, right on the beach in Waikiki--straight, athletic types mostly--fabulous atmosphere. The restaurant is so-so.
--the Arizona Memorial is a must because it is so heart-rending but the Mighty MO%26#39; is too expensive for what it is. On the whole, most activities are basically tourist traps. If you have a car go see the Cemetary of the Pacific (VIEW!) and the rainforest at the top of Tantalus Drive--also Makaha beach which has big waves in winter. Kailua is nice if there is no wind otherwise it is not worth it. Sandy Beach is also spectacular because of its vicious waves which only the best should confront. The Dole plantation is another tourist trap--junk made in China and outrageously expensive pineapples.
Feel free to ask--we go there 2-3 times a year.
I am going back to Hawaii in early January. What will the weather be like? What sort of clothes do you pack for that time of year? Will it be warm enough to snorkle?
We are going to hire a car for the day and drive around the island. U mentioned some beaches above that have big waves, are there any more? Or do u think we should do a day tour and see the beaches, rainforests etc?
We went to Ala Moana, the outlets, Ross for Dress, are there any other good shopping places? We are not so much into Designer stuff, just everyday stuff and surf brands such as Billabong etc.
Can you tell me more about the rainforest, where it is, how easy it is to drive, how long will it take?
I thought too that the Dole Plantation was a bit of a waste of time.
Thanks
Hello again
';I am going back to Hawaii in early January. What will the weather be like? What sort of clothes do you pack for that time of year? Will it be warm enough to snorkle?';
We usually leave around Jan. 15. Last year was gorgeous, previous year was so-so but the sky opened for 7 weeks after that. Horrible, The HNL beaches was still polluted when we came back for Easter.. Though we are ';frogs'; we cannot predict the weather. It is usually fine year round but who can tell? We travel light: shorts, sneakers, flip flops %26amp; T-shirts. NO extra trousers (insufferable in this weather) apart from the one we travelled in. My wife buys clothes at Banana Rep. so she doesn%26#39;t take any. NO raincoat--you can buy cheap ponchos from any ABC if neccessary. A sweat shirt for some evenings AND riding The Bus since the air cond. runs amok and freezes you the moment you enter. Don%26#39;t forget that everybody dresses informally everywhere apart from the few upscale restaurants where the food is in any case grotesquely overpriced and indifferent at best. If I remember correctly (I can check if you like) the sea was 26°C at Xmas so you can snorkel.
';We are going to hire a car for the day and drive around the island. U mentioned some beaches above that have big waves, are there any more? Or do u think we should do a day tour and see the beaches, rainforests etc?';
Sandy Beach is close to Waikiki--you can take the Beach bus--fun %26amp; convenient (the bus guide can be found at ABC stores, very cheap, very useful). Makaha is accessible by express bus but it is a long trek--a car is more convenient--leave no valuables inside. On the way you can stop at Waikele Mall. Good outlets stores (depends on what has just come from the mainland). On the North Shore you have many beaches--Waimea is my favourite, Sunset is my wife%26#39;s. Remember big waves do not run on schedule and some days the sea is like a lake. Whenever there are big waves (see The Honolulu Advertiser for ex.), the North Shore is jammed, very slow traffic, no parking, etc. We loathe tours and like to do things on our own so I can%26#39;t tell you anything. The rain forest is easy to find, just drive up Tantalus Drive from the Cemetary of the Pacific. Climbing Diamond Head (close to Waikiki) is wel worth it. My in-laws are 77 %26amp; climb it every time they are in Waikiki. We are lazy slobs and never had the courage.
We went to Ala Moana, the outlets, Ross for Dress, are there any other good shopping places? We are not so much into Designer stuff, just everyday stuff and surf brands such as Billabong etc.
I%26#39;ve asked my wife who haunts every single shop and outlet on the island. There are several Ross Dress for Less (see the Yellow Pages) but she knows of one behind Ala Moana, one at Ward Centre, one near the Civic Centre (bus, bus, bus). The Nordstrom Rack at Ward Centre %26amp; the Off-Fifth at Waikele are good sources. Her favorite store is Banana Republic on Kalakaua St or Av. (I can never remember) and Ala Moana--there are always price reductions. Your best bets are of course Ala Moana %26amp; Ward Centres because you have very little time (bus, bus). They usually close at 10 p.m. which makes for long days.
Can you tell me more about the rainforest, where it is, how easy it is to drive, how long will it take?
See above.
If you need more info, just ask.
Beck- I was in Waikiki 3rd week of January this year. We had beautiful weather. Clear and warm. Just a couple of rain showers blew thru, but not enough to spoil the fun.
kt517- I prefer to stay in a smaller hotel with a kitchenette, not a resort. Whichever way you go you can save money by grabbing sandwiches for lunch... from any ABC Store, Food Pantry, or St Germaine bakery (across the street a couple blocks up from Food Pantry). Best activity? Going to the beach at Waikiki, is what I do every day. I never rent a car but get around on-foot or The Bus (and take a taxi to and from the airport).
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